Centre Praying Colonels football
Encyclopedia
The Centre Praying Colonels football team represents Centre College
in National Collegiate Athletic Association
(NCAA) Division III competition as a member of the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference
(SCAC). Despite the school's small size (2008 enrollment of 1,215), the football team has historically had success and possesses a strong tradition. At the end of the 2008 season, the school ranked as the 12th winningest school in Division III with an all-time record of 509–374–37.
to play against Kentucky
in the first football game south of the Ohio River
. The Colonels lost that game, and a rematch at home later in the month, but it was the start of a long-running rivalry with their in-state opponent. The first officially recognized Centre–Kentucky game took place in 1891. In that series, the Colonels compiled a 18–12–2 record before the Kentucky athletic council determined to permanently drop Centre from their schedule.
From 1917 to 1924, Centre compiled a 57–8 record while playing against some of the best teams in the nation. After the 1920 season, Centre faced Texas Christian
(TCU) in the Fort Worth Classic
. The Colonels convincingly routed them, 63–7.
The 1921 Centre–Harvard game
resulted in one of the most shocking upsets in college football, with the Colonels winning, 6–0. The star of that game, back Alvin "Bo" McMillin
, was twice named a consensus All-American
, in 1919 and 1921. Center
James Weaver was named a consensus All-American alongside him in 1919. The Colonels finished the 1921 season undefeated, having outscored their opponents, 314 points to 6. In the Dixie Classic
, precursor to the modern Cotton Bowl Classic, Centre faced Texas A&M
. Miscues contributed to the Colonels' defeat, 22–14. This is also the game in which Texas A&M's 12th man
tradition originated.
Centre again found success during the 1950s. In 1951, the Colonels finished the season with a 5–1 record and were invited to play Northern Illinois State
in the Corn Bowl. The invitation, however, was rejected by the school administration who wished to de-emphasize football. From 1954 to 1956, Centre compiled a sixteen-game winning streak. In 1955, the undefeated Colonels were again invited to a postseason game, the Tangerine Bowl
, but once more declined.
In recent years, Centre has secured eight SCAC championships between 1980 and 2003. Jack "Teel" Bruner
, a safety from 1982 to 1985, became the second Centre Colonel inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. In 1984, he recorded five interceptions against Rose-Hulman, tying the all-time record.
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{| cellpadding="1" border="1" cellspacing="0" width="75%"
!bgcolor="#ddb558"| Year
!bgcolor="#ddb558"| Selectors
!bgcolor="#ddb558"| Coach
!bgcolor="#ddb558"| Record
|- align="center"
| 1919 || Sagarin
|| Charles Moran
|| 9–0
|- align="center"
|}
| valign="top" |
{| cellpadding="1" border="1" cellspacing="0" width="75%"
!bgcolor="#ddb558"| Year
!bgcolor="#ddb558"| Conference
!bgcolor="#ddb558"| Coach
!bgcolor="#ddb558"| Overall record
!bgcolor="#ddb558"| Conference record
|- align="center"
| 1921 || Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
|| Charles Moran
|| 10–1 || 5–0
|- align="center"
| 1968 || Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference
|| Steele Harmon || – || 3–1
|- align="center"
| 1969 || Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference || Steele Harmon || – || 4–0
|- align="center"
| 1971 || Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference || Steele Harmon || – || 3–1
|- align="center"
| 1980 || Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference || Joe McDaniel || – || 4–0–1
|- align="center"
| 1983 || Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference || Joe McDaniel || – || 4–1
|- align="center"
| 1984 || Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference || Joe McDaniel || – || 4–0
|- align="center"
| 1985 || Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference || Joe McDaniel || – || 3–1
|- align="center"
| 1989 || Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference || Joe McDaniel || – || 4–0
|- align="center"
| 1990 || Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference || Joe McDaniel || – || 3–1
|- align="center"
| 1995 || Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference || Joe McDaniel || – || 3–1
|- align="center"
| 2003 || Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference || Andrew Frye || 8–2 || 5–1
|}
College Football Hall of Fame
Centre College
Centre College is a private liberal arts college in Danville, Kentucky, USA, a community of approximately 16,000 in Boyle County south of Lexington, KY. Centre is an exclusively undergraduate four-year institution. Centre was founded by Presbyterian leaders, with whom it maintains a loose...
in National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
(NCAA) Division III competition as a member of the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference
Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference
The Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference , founded in 1962, is an athletic conference which competes in the NCAA's Division III. Member institutions are located in Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Texas...
(SCAC). Despite the school's small size (2008 enrollment of 1,215), the football team has historically had success and possesses a strong tradition. At the end of the 2008 season, the school ranked as the 12th winningest school in Division III with an all-time record of 509–374–37.
History
On April 9, 1880, a Centre College team traveled to LexingtonLexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
to play against Kentucky
Kentucky Wildcats football
The Kentucky Wildcats football team is a college football program that competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the East Division of the Southeastern Conference.-History:Paul "Bear" Bryant Era...
in the first football game south of the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
. The Colonels lost that game, and a rematch at home later in the month, but it was the start of a long-running rivalry with their in-state opponent. The first officially recognized Centre–Kentucky game took place in 1891. In that series, the Colonels compiled a 18–12–2 record before the Kentucky athletic council determined to permanently drop Centre from their schedule.
From 1917 to 1924, Centre compiled a 57–8 record while playing against some of the best teams in the nation. After the 1920 season, Centre faced Texas Christian
TCU Horned Frogs football
The TCU Horned Frogs football team is the intercollegiate football team of Texas Christian University. TCU competes as a member of the Mountain West Conference in the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, but will move to the Big 12 Conference for the 2012 season. TCU began playing football...
(TCU) in the Fort Worth Classic
Fort Worth Classic
The Fort Worth Classic was a postseason college football bowl game played only once, on January 1, 1921 in Fort Worth, Texas, between Centre College and Texas Christian University....
. The Colonels convincingly routed them, 63–7.
The 1921 Centre–Harvard game
1921 Centre vs. Harvard football game
The 1921 Centre vs. Harvard football game, played October 29, 1921, was a college football game between Centre College and Harvard University. Centre beat Harvard 6–0 in the game, in what is widely considered one of the greatest upsets in college football history.-The prequel:The teams first met...
resulted in one of the most shocking upsets in college football, with the Colonels winning, 6–0. The star of that game, back Alvin "Bo" McMillin
Bo McMillin
Alvin Nugent "Bo" McMillin was an American football player and coach, who served at both the collegiate and professional levels. He played college football at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky, where was a three-time All-American at quarterback, and led the Centre Praying Colonels to a...
, was twice named a consensus All-American
College Football All-America Team
The College Football All-America Team is an honor given annually to the best American college football players at their respective positions. The original usage of the term All-America seems to have been to the 1889 College Football All-America Team selected by Casper Whitney and published in This...
, in 1919 and 1921. Center
Center (American football)
Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...
James Weaver was named a consensus All-American alongside him in 1919. The Colonels finished the 1921 season undefeated, having outscored their opponents, 314 points to 6. In the Dixie Classic
1922 Dixie Classic
The 1922 Dixie Classic was a post-season college football bowl game between the Texas A&M Aggies and the on January 2, 1922 at Fair Park Stadium in Dallas, Texas. Texas A&M defeated Centre 22–14. It is also the game in which Texas A&M's 12th man tradition originated.Centre came into the game...
, precursor to the modern Cotton Bowl Classic, Centre faced Texas A&M
Texas A&M Aggies football
The Texas A&M Aggies football team represents Texas A&M University in college football. The Aggies have competed in the Big 12 Conference since the conference's inception in 1996. They will join the Southeastern Conference in July 2012. Texas A&M football has earned one national title and 18...
. Miscues contributed to the Colonels' defeat, 22–14. This is also the game in which Texas A&M's 12th man
12th Man (football)
The 12th man or 12th player is a term used to describe the fans within a stadium during association football or American football games. This term has a different meaning in cricket, referring to the first substitute player who fields when a member of the fielding side is injured...
tradition originated.
Centre again found success during the 1950s. In 1951, the Colonels finished the season with a 5–1 record and were invited to play Northern Illinois State
Northern Illinois Huskies football
The Northern Illinois Huskies football team represents Northern Illinois University in the Mid-American Conference of the NCAA's Division I-Football Bowl Subdivision.-History:...
in the Corn Bowl. The invitation, however, was rejected by the school administration who wished to de-emphasize football. From 1954 to 1956, Centre compiled a sixteen-game winning streak. In 1955, the undefeated Colonels were again invited to a postseason game, the Tangerine Bowl
Capital One Bowl
The Capital One Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played in Orlando, Florida at the Citrus Bowl, and previously known as the Tangerine Bowl and the Florida Citrus Bowl...
, but once more declined.
In recent years, Centre has secured eight SCAC championships between 1980 and 2003. Jack "Teel" Bruner
Teel Bruner
Jack Casteel "Teel" Bruner was an American football Safety. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1999. He now works in Cottonwood Id as a Doctor...
, a safety from 1982 to 1985, became the second Centre Colonel inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. In 1984, he recorded five interceptions against Rose-Hulman, tying the all-time record.
National championships
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{| cellpadding="1" border="1" cellspacing="0" width="75%"
!bgcolor="#ddb558"| Year
!bgcolor="#ddb558"| Selectors
!bgcolor="#ddb558"| Coach
!bgcolor="#ddb558"| Record
|- align="center"
| 1919 || Sagarin
Jeff Sagarin
Jeff Sagarin is an American sports statistician well-known for his development of a methodology for ranking and rating sports teams in a variety of sports...
|| Charles Moran
Charley Moran
Charles Barthell Moran , nicknamed "Uncle Charley," was an American sportsman who gained renown as both a catcher and umpire in Major League Baseball and as a collegiate and professional football coach.-Early life:...
|| 9–0
|- align="center"
|}
Conference championships
{| border="0" width="100%"| valign="top" |
{| cellpadding="1" border="1" cellspacing="0" width="75%"
!bgcolor="#ddb558"| Year
!bgcolor="#ddb558"| Conference
!bgcolor="#ddb558"| Coach
!bgcolor="#ddb558"| Overall record
!bgcolor="#ddb558"| Conference record
|- align="center"
| 1921 || Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association was one of the first collegiate athletic conferences in the United States. Twenty-seven of the current Division I FBS football programs were members of this conference at some point, as were at least 19 other schools...
|| Charles Moran
Charley Moran
Charles Barthell Moran , nicknamed "Uncle Charley," was an American sportsman who gained renown as both a catcher and umpire in Major League Baseball and as a collegiate and professional football coach.-Early life:...
|| 10–1 || 5–0
|- align="center"
| 1968 || Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference
Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference
The Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference , founded in 1962, is an athletic conference which competes in the NCAA's Division III. Member institutions are located in Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Texas...
|| Steele Harmon || – || 3–1
|- align="center"
| 1969 || Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference || Steele Harmon || – || 4–0
|- align="center"
| 1971 || Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference || Steele Harmon || – || 3–1
|- align="center"
| 1980 || Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference || Joe McDaniel || – || 4–0–1
|- align="center"
| 1983 || Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference || Joe McDaniel || – || 4–1
|- align="center"
| 1984 || Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference || Joe McDaniel || – || 4–0
|- align="center"
| 1985 || Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference || Joe McDaniel || – || 3–1
|- align="center"
| 1989 || Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference || Joe McDaniel || – || 4–0
|- align="center"
| 1990 || Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference || Joe McDaniel || – || 3–1
|- align="center"
| 1995 || Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference || Joe McDaniel || – || 3–1
|- align="center"
| 2003 || Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference || Andrew Frye || 8–2 || 5–1
|}
Individual achievements
Consensus All-Americans- 1919: Bo McMillinBo McMillinAlvin Nugent "Bo" McMillin was an American football player and coach, who served at both the collegiate and professional levels. He played college football at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky, where was a three-time All-American at quarterback, and led the Centre Praying Colonels to a...
, B - 1919: James R. Weaver, CCenter (American football)Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...
- 1921: Bo McMillin, B
College Football Hall of Fame
- Bo McMillin
- Teel BrunerTeel BrunerJack Casteel "Teel" Bruner was an American football Safety. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1999. He now works in Cottonwood Id as a Doctor...
External links
- Centre vs. Harvard, CentreCyclopedia.
- Football coaches, CentreCyclopedia.