The team was captained by Innis Brown, later a prominent sportswriter.
Schedule
Season summary
Maryville
The season opened with a big win, 97–0 over the Maryville Scots. Owsley Manier scored eight touchdowns. Coach McGugin said "The boys went at it hammer and tongs, and, considering the heat and short halves, they put up a fine game." The starting lineup was B. Blake, Taylor, Stone, Patterson, Brown, Pritchard, Hamilton, Kyle, D. Blake, Craig, Manier.
Alabama
was no match for Vanderbilt, losing 34–0. Honus Craig was the star of the game. Quarterback Frank Kyle was severely injured, knocked unconscious and taken to the hospital. The starting lineup was Brown, Taylor, Stone, Patterson, Sherrell, Pritchard, Hamilton, Kyle, D. Blake, Craig, Manier.
Michigan
In the fifth game of the season, Vanderbilt suffered its first loss under coach McGugin, to his mentor and brother in law Fielding H. Yost and his Michigan Wolverines in Ann Arbor 18–0. Tom Hammond, Joe Curtis, and John Garrels scored Michigan's three touchdowns. The longest was by Hammond, of 20 yards. Vanderbilt did not make a single first down. The starting lineup was Hamilton, Pritchard, Brown, Patterson, Stone, Taylor, B. Blake, Kyle, Craig, D. Blake, Manier.
Tennessee
Sources: Vanderbilt beat the rival Tennessee Volunteers by a score of 45–0. The Vols were coached by fellow Michigan alum James DePree. Coach McGugin remarked: "Depree was a very valuable man to Michigan athletics and has lots of friends there who are watching his work." Sam Y. Parker sat out the game with injury. Dan Blake made the first three touchdowns. The starting lineup was Brown, Taylor, McLain, Patterson, Sherrell, Pritchard, Hamilton, Kyle, D. Blake, Craig, Manier.
Texas
The Commodores defeated the Texas Longhorns, seen as the strongest of the other contenders for the SIAA, by a score of 33–0. ""Honus" Craig, whom no one has ever yet stopped, played probably the greatest game ever put up by a Commodore." The starting lineup was B. Blake, Taylor, Brown, Patterson, Stone, Pritchard, Hamilton, Kyle, D. Blake, Craig, Manier.
Auburn
The Commodores dominated the Auburn Tigers 54–0, playing the whole game in their territory. Last season, Auburn and Vanderbilt disputed the SIAA title. The starting lineup was B. Blake, Taylor, Brown, Patterson, Stone, Pritchard, Hamilton, Haygood, D. Blake, Craig, Manier.
Clemson
Sources: The Commodores beat the Clemson Tigers 41–0. Owsley Manier went through for the first two touchdowns. The third was scored by Taylor, a 12-yard run just before the end of the first half. The starting lineup was B. Blake, Taylor, Stone, Patterson, Brown, Pritchard, Hamilton, Kyle, D. Blake, Craig, Manier.
Vanderbilt crushed a strong Sewanee squad 68–4. One publication claims "The first scouting done in the South was in 1905, when Dan McGugin and Captain Innis Brown, of Vanderbilt went to Atlanta to see Sewanee play Georgia Tech." John Scarbrough made Sewanee's only points on a 35-yard field goal. On the dedication of Harris Stadium, one writer noted "The University of the South has numbered among its athletes some of the greatest. Anyone who played against giant Henry Phillips in 1901–1903 felt that he was nothing less than the best as guard and fullback. Anyone who ever saw a punt from the foot of J. W. Scarbrough." Honus Craig once ran 60 yards for a touchdown. The starting lineup was B. Blake, Taylor, Brown, Patterson, Stone, Pritchard, Hamilton, Kyle, Noel, Craig, Manier.
Players
Depth chart
The following chart provides a visual depiction of Vanderbilt's lineup during the 1905 season with games started at the position reflected in parenthesis. The chart mimics a short punt formation while on offense, with the quarterback under center.
