1893 Texas Longhorns football team

The 1893 Texas Varsity football team represented The University of Texas (now known as the University of Texas at Austin Longhorns) in the 1893 college football season. In Texas' first year of playing college football the team compiled a perfect 4–0 record, and outscored its opponents by a combined total of 98 to 16. The season included Texas' first ever college football game, an upset victory over the Dallas Athletic Club who had been considered the best team in the state.^[1][2]

The University of Texas had been established in 1883 and football on a intramural level was played sporadically over the course of the next decade, the most significant of which was a scrimmage against the Bickler Academy in December 1883 that more closely resembled rugby, yet a lack of success left the game unpopular with the student body.^[3] By 1893 college football was well established in the East, but no organized collegiate teams yet existed in Texas. Club teams were organized in major cities like Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Galveston, among others.^[2] The size of these teams, however, and even what version of the game they played varied wildly.

The origin of the first Longhorn football team can be traced to the return of Laredo natives Paul McLane and his brother Ray from the East where Paul had attended Columbia College, along with graduate student James Morrison who transferred from Hampden–Sydney College, in 1893. Paul McLane almost certainly learned the game from his time playing on the 1892 Columbia freshman squad.^{[n 1]} His brother Ray may have learned the game from him. Morrison's prior experience with the sport is unknown, but other members of the team were certainly under the impression he had played before. These three men organized, trained, and lead the first team, and are considered the founders of Longhorn football.^[8]

The season began with a thanksgiving day game against the Dallas Athletic Club, who had not been beaten since their formation in 1891.^[2] The 'Varsity prevailed 18–16 in a hard-fought contest, it was considered a major upset. Flush with victory the team scheduled two games against the best of the San Antonio club teams, who combined to form the San Antonio Town Team. Texas won the first game 30–0 on December 16 and the re-match 34–0 on February 3, 1894. In the final game of the season they hosted the Dallas club in Austin on February 22, whom they shutout 16–0 to finish the season undefeated.

On November 30 the Varsity team defeated the Dallas Athletic Club 18–16 at the Fair Grounds in Dallas in front of a crowd of around 2,000 people. Since football was a relatively new sport to the state, the Dallas club was considered the champions of the state and hadn't been beaten or scored against since their inception. Texas won the coin toss and scored a touchdown within 3 minutes which was promptly answered by Dallas with their own T.D. At some point Texas and Dallas both scored again but Dallas failed on their conversion attempt. Since at the time touchdowns were worth 4 points and PATs worth 2; the score at the end of the first half stood 12–10 with Texas in the lead. Both teams scored one touchdown in the second half in what was described as "sharp and close playing" to bring the final score to 18–16. Following the victory Texas was declared the "Champion eleven of Texas".

On December 16 the Varsity team beat the San Antonio Town Team 30–0 at Zoo Park in Austin. San Antonio won the toss and made a "brilliant run" that brought them to the Texas 25 but turned the ball over on downs. Texas then scored a touchdown after a slow drive downfield. San Antonio turned the ball over again on downs and Texas almost lost it on a fumble, but John Myers recovered. Texas' James Morrison scored the second touchdown to bring the score to 12–0 near the end of the half.

Texas received the ball to start the second half and drove down to the Town Teams' endzone but fumbled and San Antonio lost it on a safety, they drove down to their 25 but turned the ball over again and Texas scored their third touchdown but failed on the extra point, Texas 16–0. Throughout the game San Antonio had only been running the wedge play and as the Texas' defensive front adjusted they were more successful at stopping it, they got the ball back and Ray Mclane fumbled the ball just before the S.A. endzone after a 45 yard run San Antonio again jumped on it and got another safety, then got stopped on their 25. Texas scored two more touchdowns and missed one of the extra points to make the final score 30–0.

On February 3 of 1894 the Varsity team again beat the San Antonio Town Team, this time 34–0 at the Jockey Club Grounds in San Antonio. The game was viewed by a crowd of about 500; which was "largely composed of the society element of both Austin and San Antonio". San Antonio's primary formation again was the Flying Wedge but they lacked cohesion and Texas remained in control of the game, apart from a few missed extra points, with their superior rushing game.

On February 22 of 1894 the Varsity team again beat the Dallas Athletic Club, this time 16–0 at Hyde Park in Austin.

The team, like all other college football teams at the time, operated under the one-platoon system which did not include separate offensive and defensive units. The formation of five linemen, two ends, two halfbacks, one fullback and one quarterback, was the basic Texas football lineup for several decades onwards.

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• Walter J. Crawford, Class of 1894
• Albert Lefevre, Class of 1894

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