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1917 Champs - Hokie Mark - 01-04-2018 12:03 PM
Remember when it came down to Georgia Tech vs. Pitt for the National Title?
https://www.si.com/college-football/2018/01/04/georgia-tech-1917-disputed-national-championships
It was a little before my time.
RE: 1917 Champs - ClairtonPanther - 01-04-2018 12:46 PM
Yup. My great-grandfather was there as a teen
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RE: 1917 Champs - CrazyPaco - 01-04-2018 01:14 PM
(01-04-2018 12:03 PM)Hokie Mark Wrote: Remember when it came down to Georgia Tech vs. Pitt for the National Title?
https://www.si.com/college-football/2018/01/04/georgia-tech-1917-disputed-national-championships
It was a little before my time.
There is an epilogue.
The following year, in 1918, a super high-profile "game of the century" between Georgia Tech and Pitt was set up at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh on November 23rd as a War Charities benefit. It was attended by all the national media, including Walter Camp.
Defending national champion Georgia Tech, again coached by John Heisman, entered the extravaganza with a 33-game unbeaten streak and was 5-0 on the season during which it outscored its 5 opponents by a combined 425-0, including 3 games where it topped 100 points.
Pitt, coached by Pop Warner, was 25-0 over the prior 3 seasons (including 1915 & 1916 for it would be recognized as national champs). During those 3 years, Pitt had outscored its opponents by a combined 770-75. Pitt, whose season was shortened because of the Spanish flu pandemic that year, entered the 1918 Tech game at 2-0 entering and having outscored opponents Penn and W&J by a combined 71-0.
Of the pregame, Francis Powers wrote:
"At Forbes Field, the dressing rooms of the two teams were separated only by a thin wall. As the Panthers were sitting around, awaiting Pop Warner's pre-game talk, John Heisman began to orate in the adjoining room. In his charge to the Tech squad, Heisman became flowery and fiery. He brought the heroes of ancient Greece and the soldier dead in his armor among the ruins of Pompeii. It was terrific and the Panthers sat, spellbound. When Heisman had finished, Warner chortled and quietly said to his players: 'Okay, boys. There's the speech. Now go out and knock them off.'"
Pitt defeated Tech 32–0, and would be named 1918 national champions.
![[Image: DaviesPittGT1918.jpg]](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dc/DaviesPittGT1918.jpg)
Pitt's All-American halfback Tom Davies running against Georgia Tech in the 1918 game at Forbes Field.
RE: 1917 Champs - GTFletch - 01-04-2018 08:45 PM
Great Article!!!!!! Roll motherfucking Tide #THWG
RE: 1917 Champs - Wilkie01 - 01-05-2018 01:14 PM
(01-04-2018 12:03 PM)Hokie Mark Wrote: Remember when it came down to Georgia Tech vs. Pitt for the National Title?
https://www.si.com/college-football/2018/01/04/georgia-tech-1917-disputed-national-championships
It was a little before my time.
And White Castle Hamburgers cost a dime.
RE: 1917 Champs - Dr. Isaly von Yinzer - 01-05-2018 02:12 PM
Georgia Tech and Pitt are so similar in so many ways. It’s actually stunning how comparable they are on so many levels. They are both excellent urban institutions, they are both overshadowed to some degree by enormous statewide universities with huge and devoted followings, and they both have very proud traditions and fertile local recruiting beds.
When Pitt first joined the ACC, I really thought we had an opportunity to develop a pretty good rivalry with Maryland for many of those same reasons. We are both located in the mid-Atlantic and the two campuses are only about four hours apart. Besides, there are already existing fierce rivalries between the Steelers and the Ravens and between the Penguins and the Capitals. I saw a Panthers/Terrapins rivalry as being a very natural extension of the pre-existing animosity.
Also, I have always seen Maryland as being fairly similar to Pitt as well on an institutional level. I was very disappointed with the Terps left the ACC for the Big Ten. That said, I can’t think of any school anywhere that has more in common with Pitt than Georgia Tech. With that in mind, I hope we always remain in the same division as the Yellow Jackets, because I think that could blossom into something very interesting for both schools.
RE: 1917 Champs - Dr. Isaly von Yinzer - 01-05-2018 02:14 PM
I think it’s an absolute indictment of college football that 100 years later, they still haven’t quite figured out how to determine a champion without similar types of controversies.