Georgia Baptist after defeating Opelika State

1920 COLLEGE FOOTBALL YEAR-IN-REVIEW

There was a new power in college football in 1920 - one that seemingly came out of nowhere (and wouldn't last as a powerhouse): the Danville Engineers. The relatively unknown college in Danville, KY burst onto the scene in a big way. They won their first three contests against middling competition by a combined score of 169-3, with William Nathan's lone field goal in a 40-3 blowout the lone blemish on the whitewash. Their first real test came on October 23rd against Dickson - and they put them away with a late TD to win 23-17. Georgia Baptist, no shrinking violet and a school sporting an All-American end in Julian Chapman, was wiped out 34-7. The rest of the schedule was lighter, and Danville swept through to a 10-0-0 undefeated season. This was good enough for some - but not all - college football writers to consider them the national champions.

Danville did have some competition - Northern California and Alexandria both went 9-0-0. Brunswick went 8-0-0. Most college football historians now consider Northern Cal to be the champs, but the AIAA never officially awarded the crown so the debate remains. Northern California did play in the East-West Game on New Year's Day and was extremely impressive in a 61-7 drubbing of Central Ohio, the lone loss for the Aviators who went 6-1-1 overall. Danville was also invited to what were now becoming known as "Bowl Games" for the trophies awarded at the end. The East-West remained the premier event, as the original and oldest, but the new Texas Invitational brought Danville into Dallas to face Amarillo Methodist. The Engineers won 17-9, the tenth and final win of their stellar season.

Alexandria, like Danville, exploded onto the scene with an unbeaten season of its own. The school located in the city of the same name in Northern Virginia, played a schedule that was, like Danville's, somewhat thin by many standards, but did include victories over Pierpont (27-13), Eastern State (44-10) and North Carolina Tech (24-0). What made Alexandria special was halfback Tommy Beadle. The 5'8" 155 back was fast, elusive and tough. Though Mott placed him on his third-team All-American list, some felt he deserved better. He scored 210 of his team's 410 points and later research would uncover statistics that included an astounding 1723 yards rushing with seven runs of over fifty yards and a 48-yard TD pass as well. 

Mott's All-American Team for 1920:

QB Larry Donaldson (SR) Brunswick
HB Reginald Gray (SR) Central Ohio
HB Peter Solomon (SR) Liberty College
FB Murray Lee (SR) St. Blane
E Leroy Beck (JR) Lincoln
T Theron Dumont (JR) Brunswick
G Willard Woods (SR) Grafton
C Wilfrid Giles (JR) Pittsburgh State
G Thomas Callahan (SR) Dickson
T Major Ball (SR) Wisconsin State
E Julian Chapman (SR) Georgia Baptist