The league began on 15 August 1891. Both defending champions Dumbarton and Rangers opened the season with victories against Cambuslang (2–0) and Renton (4–1) respectively. On the same day, Clyde defeated Vale of Leven 10–3 in what would be the joint highest-scoring game of the season. Rangers suffered an early season set back when they lost the first
Old Firm derby of the season to rivals Celtic 3–0 on 22 August and, after a 3–1 defeat to Dumbarton two weeks later, they were effectively out of the running in 10th place with three defeats from their opening four games. Heart of Midlothian defeated Dumbarton 3–1 at
Tynecastle Park on 29 August to take the early season lead two points clear at the top. They would stay there until 19 September when a 5–1 reverse at
Boghead Park saw Dumbarton leapfrog them to go top. However, a run of three straight wins – culminating in a 10–3 defeat of Clyde – saw Heart of Midlothian three points clear of Celtic, Dumbarton and Leith Athletic on 3 October. Dropping points to St Mirren and Vale of Leven allowed the chasing pack to catch up but it was Dumbarton who made the biggest impact. By the time they went top on 7 November after a tight 3–2 win against Renton, they had won five games in a row - a run that would extend well beyond the new year. On Boxing day they again defeated Renton 2–1 to move five points clear of Heart of Midlothian and 10 clear of third-placed Celtic but the Glasgow side had six games in hand, enough to catch and pass the league leaders. Dumbarton would play just two games in the new year before a crucial tie at home to Celtic on 23 April 1892. The Glasgow side had been unbeaten in all competitions after their opening day loss to Heart of Midlothian racking up 23 wins in 25 games – winning the
Glasgow Cup and the
Scottish Cup in the process – before a 2–1 loss away to Leith Athletic. That left Dumbarton on 32 points, one clear of Heart of Midlothian with a game in hand and six clear of Celtic who had two games in hand on the league leaders.
John Miller scored the only goal in front of 12,000 spectators at Boghead Park to put Dumbarton in pole position to claim the title. A 6–0 humbling of Rangers 11 days later – in which the league's top scorer
Jack Bell scored a hat-trick – put Dumbarton on the brink and, in their final match of the season on 7 May, a 1–1 draw with Abercorn was enough to secure a second league title. At the league's annual general meeting on 3 June 1892, it was voted that the number of competing clubs would reduce from 12 to 10 for the next season. The bottom three clubs, St Mirren, Cambuslang and Vale of Leven, had to submit applications to rejoin the league for the next season. The league also received applications from four non-league clubs:
Kilmarnock, Cowlairs,
Northern and
St Bernard's. In the election, St Mirren received the most votes and retained their league status meaning Cambuslang and Vale of Leven lost their league places. ==League table==