The 1927 NC State Wolfpack football team represented

North Carolina State University North Carolina State University (NC State, North Carolina State, NC State University, or NCSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1887 and p ...

during the

1927 Southern Conference football season The 1927 Southern Conference football season was the college football games played by the member schools of the Southern Conference as part of the 1927 college football season. The season began on September 17. Games were permitted after Thanksgi ...

. They played their home games in

Raleigh, North Carolina Raleigh ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, second-most populous city in the state (after Charlotte, North Carolina, Charlotte) ...

. The Wolfpack were coached by

Gus Tebell Gustave Kenneth Tebell (September 6, 1897 – May 28, 1969) was an American football, basketball, and baseball player, coach, and college athletics administrator. From 1925 to 1929, he coached football at North Carolina State University, where he ...

in his third year as head coach, compiling a record of 9–1 and outscoring opponents 216 to 69. NC State tied with

Georgia Tech The Georgia Institute of Technology (commonly referred to as Georgia Tech, GT, and simply Tech or the Institute) is a public research university and institute of technology in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Established in 1885, it has the lar ...

and

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for the Southern Conference title, including the only unbeaten and untied conference record. Also in the conference were Bill Spears-led Vanderbilt (giving both Tech and Tennessee their ties) and Georgia's " dream and wonder team." NC State was led by All-Southern

running back A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive American football plays#Offensive terminology, handoffs from the quarterback to Rush (American football)#Offense ...

and

College Football Hall of Fame The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and interactive Tourist attraction, attraction devoted to college football, college American football. The National Football Foundation (NFF) founded the Hall in 1951 to immortalize the players ...

inductee Jack McDowall.

Schedule

Game summaries

Week 1: Elon

The Wolf Pack opened the season with a 39–0 victory over .

Week 2: at Furman

In the second week, NC State suffered the season's only loss on the road to the Furman Purple Hurricane 0–20. Furman quarterback Whitey Rawl scored three touchdowns.

Week 3: Clemson

The Wolfpack beat the

Clemson Tigers The Clemson Tigers are the sport, athletic teams that represent Clemson University, located in Clemson, South Carolina. They compete as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) NCAA Division I, Division I level (NCAA Divis ...

18–6. Though Jack McDowall did not score any of the touchdowns his play resulted in all the scores, including passes to Childress and Goodwin. The starting lineup for the Wolfpack against Florida: Goodwin (left end), Evans (left tackle), Vaughan (left guard), Metts (center), Nicholson (right guard), Lepo (right tackle), Childress (right end), Adams (quarterback), Outen (left halfback), McDowall (right halfback), Warren (fullback). Herman Stegeman was umpire.

Week 4: Wake Forest

The

Wake Forest Demon Deacons The Wake Forest Demon Deacons are the college athletics in the United States, intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Wake Forest University, located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. They compete at the National Collegiate Athletic Assoc ...

were defeated 30–7. McDowall threw several passes, and returned a punt 60 yards for a touchdown.

Week 5: at Florida

In the fifth week of play, the Wolfpack faced captain Jack McDowall's native

Florida Gators The Florida Gators are the College sports in the United States, intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Florida, located in Gainesville, Florida, Gainesville. The University of Florida, its athletic program, its alumni an ...

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, winning 12–6. Neither team scored until the final period. Since McDowall had been turned down by the University of Florida, legend has it just afterwards he mailed coach Tom Sebring the game ball. A drive brought the Wolfpack to the 3-yard line, the feature play of which was a 30-yard pass from McDowall to Childress. A pass from McDowall to Frank Goodwin got the score. The Gators then began passing desperately in an attempt to win. A pass bounced off the hands of a Florida back and into McDowall's, who returned the ball 75 yards for the deciding score. On the ensuing kickoff, Gator back Tommy Owens ran it back for an 88-yard touchdown. The starting lineup for the Wolfpack against Florida: Goodwin (left end), Lepo (left tackle), Nicholson (left guard), Metts (center), Vaughan (right guard), Evans (right tackle), Childress (right end), Adams (quarterback), McDowall (left halfback), Cram (right halfback), Warren (fullback).

Week 6: North Carolina

NC State defeated the in-state rival

North Carolina Tar Heels The North Carolina Tar Heels (also Carolina Tar Heels) are the college sports in the United States, intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The name Tar Heel is a nickname used to refer to ...

19 to 6. The first score came after a 30-yard pass from Jack McDowall to Hunsucker set up a 9-yard end run from McDowall for touchdown. The third touchdown was a 4-yard touchdown pass the width of the field from McDowall to Hunsucker. The starting lineup for the Wolfpack against North Carolina: Goodwin (left end), Evans (left tackle), Vaughan (left guard), Metts (center), Nicholson (right guard), Lepo (right tackle), Childress (right end), Adams (quarterback), McDowall (left halfback), Hunsucker (right halfback), Lipscomb (fullback).

Week 7: vs. Davidson

The Wolf Pack beat the

Davidson Wildcats The Davidson Wildcats are the NCAA Division I intercollegiate athletics teams representing Davidson College of Davidson, North Carolina, United States. A member of the Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10), Davidson College sponsors teams in ten men's ...

25–6. McDowall had a run of 65 yards. The starting lineup was: Goodwin (left end), Evans (left tackle), Vaughan (left guard), Metts (center), C. Nicholson (right guard), Lepo (right tackle), Childress (right end), Adams (quarterback), Hunsucker (left halfback), McDowall (right halfback), Warren (fullback).

Week 8: at Duke

NC State defeated

Duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of Royal family, royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and above sovereign princes. As royalty or nobi ...

Durham Durham most commonly refers to: *Durham, England, a cathedral city in north east England **County Durham, a ceremonial county which includes Durham *Durham, North Carolina, a city in North Carolina, United States Durham may also refer to: Places ...

20–18 "in one of the most thrilling football battles ever staged in N. C." After the Blue Devils rushed out to an early 12–0 lead, McDowall's two drop kicks proved the difference.

Week 9: at South Carolina

The

South Carolina Gamecocks The South Carolina Gamecocks represent the University of South Carolina in the NCAA Division I. The University of South Carolina uses "Gamecocks" as its official nickname and mascot. While the men's teams were traditionally known as the Fight ...

were shutout 34–0.

Week 10: Michigan State

*Sources: In the season's final game, NC State hosted a northern opponent, the Michigan Aggies. On a muddy, waterlogged field, the Wolfpack won 19 to 0. Captain Jack McDowall was cited as the best player in his final game, despite his only scoring play being a pass for an extra point.

Awards and honors

* All-Southern: Jack McDowall

Players

Line

Backfield

Coaching staff

*Head coach:

*Assistants: Butch Slaughter, Doc Sermon

References

Sources

* {{Southern Conference football champions

NC State North Carolina State University (NC State, North Carolina State, NC State University, or NCSU) is a public land-grant research university in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1887 and part of the University of North Carolina sy ...

NC State Wolfpack football seasons Southern Conference football champion seasons

NC State Wolfpack football The NC State Wolfpack football team represents North Carolina State University in the sport of American football. The Wolfpack competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) ...