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1920 California

9–⁠0 (3–⁠0 Pacific Coast Conference), coached by Andy Smith.

California, 1920
Photo: Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Schedule and results

California in 1920, game by game: won vs. Olympic Club 21–0; won vs. Mare Island Marines 88–0; won vs. Saint Mary’s (CA) 127–0; won vs. Nevada 79–7; won vs. Utah 63–0; won at Oregon State 17–7; won vs. Washington State 49–0; won vs. Stanford 38–0; won vs. Ohio State 28–0+127Won 21–0 vs. Olympic Club+21Olympic ClubWon 88–0 vs. Mare Island Marines+88Mare Island Mar…Won 127–0 vs. Saint Mary’s (CA)+127Saint Mary’s (C…Won 79–7 vs. Nevada+72NevadaWon 63–0 vs. Utah+63UtahWon 17–7 at Oregon State+10Oregon StateWon 49–0 vs. Washington State+49Washington StateWon 38–0 vs. Stanford+38StanfordWon 28–0 vs. Ohio State+28Ohio State
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 25vsOlympic ClubW 21–⁠085%
Oct 2vsMare Island MarinesW 88–⁠047%
Oct 9vsSaint Mary’s (CA)W 127–⁠092%
Oct 16vsNevadaW 79–⁠766%
Oct 23vsUtahW 63–⁠072%
Oct 30atOregon StateW 17–⁠764%
Nov 6vsWashington StateW 49–⁠060%
Nov 20vsStanfordW 38–⁠085%
Jan 1Bowls & playoffvsOhio StateRose BowlW 28–⁠050%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Beat Ohio State 28–⁠0 in the Rose Bowl; Pacific Coast Conference champions.

In program history: The 13th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 112 on file).

National championsa title the school claims

Pacific Coast Conference champions3–⁠0 in the conference

Record
9–⁠0
Conference
3–⁠0 first in Pacific Coast Conference
AP poll
Began in 1936
Points
510–⁠14
Coach
Andy Smith
Elo
1683 +202 this season
SP+ rating
—
SRS
35.1 No. 1 of 96 major-college teams
Recruiting class
—
Captain
Olin C. Majors
Offense
Short-punt

All-Pacific Coast

11 first team

First team

  • Charles F. ErbQBAS-1; GV-2
  • Pesky SprottRBAS-1; ODJ-1; GV-1
  • Crip ToomeyRBAS-1; GV-2
  • Jesse B. MorrisonFBAS-1
  • Harold MullerEAS-1; ODJ-1; GV-1
  • Robert A. BerkeyEAS-1; GV-1
  • Dan McMillanOTAS-1; GV-1
  • Stanley BarnesOTAS-1
  • Olin C. MajorsOGAS-1; ODJ-1; GV-1
  • Lee D. CranmerOGAS-1; GV-2
  • George H. LathamCAS-1

From Wikipedia’s 1920 all-conference team article, with the selectors that named each player (AP-1: the Associated Press’s first team).

1920 Pacific Coast Conference standings

TeamConf.OverallAP final
California3–⁠09–⁠0
Stanford2–⁠14–⁠3
Washington State1–⁠15–⁠1
Oregon1–⁠1–⁠13–⁠2–⁠1
Oregon State1–⁠2–⁠12–⁠2–⁠2
Washington0–⁠31–⁠5

Ordered by conference winning percentage, then conference wins. Division splits and tiebreakers aren’t applied.