1912 Florida Gators football team

Florida joined the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association, a large confederation of southern athletic programs that was the precursor to several other regional conferences, including the Southeastern Conference. This raised the profile of the young program (1912 was only the seventh academic year for the modern University of Florida) and allowed more contests against older football programs in the south and elsewhere. As Florida sportswriter and UF alumnus Tom McEwen wrote, "it was in 1912 when the Gators really ventured out into big-time football." ==Schedule==

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Auburn The season began with the first-ever game against coach Mike Donahue's Auburn Tigers, a 13–27 loss. Florida was unable to gain on Auburn's line, and made its scores off Auburn miscues. "The team, the coach and the University are happy over this honorable result, and grant cheerfully that Florida is not master; but only the worthy opponent of the Southern team, which, with Vanderbilt, claims the Southern pennant." Dummy Taylor had an 18-yard drop kick field goal. The starting lineup was Mosley (left end), Coarsey (left tackle), Wilson (left guard), Watt (center), Baker (right guard), Sutton (right tackle), Pounds (right end), Buie (quarterback), Tenney (left halfback), Taylor (right halfback), McCullock (fullback). Stetson Florida gave Stetson its worst loss on the year, 23–7. This was considered Dummy Taylor's greatest game. He kicked three field goals, two extra points, and ran for a touchdown. Mercer The Mercer Baptists fought the Gators to a scoreless tie. Mercer outweighed Florida, and both squads attempted several field goals. Mercer had shut out Florida each time they had met. Tampa Athletic Club Before the contest in Cuba, the Gators stopped in Tampa and defeated the Tampa Athletic Club 44–0. Rex Farrior, a high school senior who would become the captain of Florida's football team soon thereafter, played on the amateur home squad. ==Postseason==

Bacardi Bowl In December, the Florida Gators team competed in their first ever post-season games: the Bacardi Bowl, a two-game series in Havana against squads from two Cuban athletic clubs. The first game was held on Christmas Day, and the Gators defeated the Vedado Athletic Club, 28–0. Pyle pulled his players off the field during the first quarter and was arrested for violating a Cuban law prohibiting a game's suspension after spectators' money had been collected. A trial was scheduled and Pyle was released on bail, at which point he, the team, and the Gators' entire traveling party quickly boarded a steamship for Tampa, an escape which caused the coach to be branded a "fugitive from justice" by Cuban authorities. Bacardi Bowl officials declared that Florida had forfeited the second game and listed the result as a 1–0 win for the Cuban Athletic Club, while the University of Florida declared the game a 1–0 forfeit win for the Gators. In later years, the incomplete game was dropped from the university's official football record, and Florida's football teams would never again compete against a squad from Cuba. ==Personnel==

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