1926 Haskell Indians football team

1926 Haskell Indians football
ConferenceIndependent
Record12–0–1
Head coach
CaptainThomas E. Stidham
Home stadiumHaskell Stadium
Seasons
← 1925
1927 →
1926 Midwestern college football independents records
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Haskell     12 0 1
No. 3 Notre Dame     9 1 0
Western State Normal (MI)     7 1 0
Michigan State Normal     6 1 0
Muncie Normal     5 1 1
Northern Illinois State     5 1 1
Marquette     6 3 0
Lombard     5 3 0
Loyola (IL)     4 3 0
Central Michigan     3 4 1
Michigan State     3 4 1
Detroit     3 6 1
Butler     3 6 0
Saint Louis     3 6 0
John Carroll     2 5 1
Kent State     2 6 0
Valparaiso     1 4 1
Michigan Mines     0 2 1
Rankings from Dickinson System

The 1926 Haskell Indians football team was an American football that represented the Haskell Institute (now known as Haskell Indian Nations University) as an independent during the 1926 college football season. With players from 18 different tribes,[1] the team compiled a 12–0–1 record and outscored opponents by a total of 558 to 64. The team's 558 points was the most scored by any college football team in many years.[2]

Despite missing two games, fullback Mayes McLain, an Irish-Cherokee youth, set all-time single-season records that have never been broken. These records include 38 rushing touchdowns, 253 points scored (38 touchdowns, 19 extra points, and two field goals), and a scoring average of 23 points per game. He also set a single-game scoring record with 55 points (eight touchdowns and seven extra points) against Wichita.[1][3][4]

Other key players included tackle and team captain Tom Stidham, tackle Theodore "Tiny" Roebuck, center Albert Hawley, quarterback Egbert Ward, and halfbacks George Levi and Elijah Smith.[1]

Prior to the 1926 season, Haskell built its own football stadium, Haskell Memorial Stadium, at a cost of approximately $200,000. On October 30, the stadium was formally dedicated with a 36–0 victory over Bucknell.[5]

On December 15, prior to the Rose Bowl, Haskell had a scrimmage with Stanford's second team and won, scoring four touchdowns to Stanford's three.[6]

  1. ^ a b c Ray Schmidt (February 1989). "Prince of the Prairies". College Football Historical Society Newsletter. pp. 2–8.
  2. ^ "Haskell Sets Season Record For High Score". The Honolulu Advertiser. December 19, 1926. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "1926 Haskell figures". College Football Historical Society Newsletter. May 1989. p. 6.
  4. ^ NCAA scoring records do not include marks set prior to 1937. Accordingly, and even though McLain's tallies are superior, the NCAA credits Montee Ball with the record for points in a season (234 points in 14 games) and rushing touchdowns in a season (33 in 14 games) and two other players with the record for points in a game (48).
  5. ^ "Indian Stadium". University Life. November 2, 1926. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Stanford and Haskell Grids Hold Workout". Los Angeles Times. December 16, 1926. p. III-3 – via Newspapers.com.