Dixie Conference

Dixie Conference (1930)

Formation and relationship with the SIAA

At the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) annual convention in 1930, nine of the association's members announced the formation of the Dixie Conference to facilitate scheduling of games among the group.{{Citation | access-date = 2008-01-16 | archive-date = 2011-05-23 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110523072320/http://www.la84foundation.org/SportsLibrary/CFHSN/CFHSNv06/CFHSNv06n2g.pdf | url-status = dead

At the time of formation, conference president Dean G. W. Meade of Birmingham-Southern stated, "We are still members of the S. I. A. A. and will continue to be so." However, at the SIAA convention the following year, Birmingham-Southern, Howard and Spring Hill resigned from the association.{{Citation

Two years prior to the SIAA, the Dixie Conference approved the use of scholarships in 1936.{{Citation

Football champions

List of conference football champions by year:

Reduction then dissolution

After a university planning committee recommendation to either drop competitive football or to compete at the "big time" level, on June 3, 1939, Birmingham-Southern announced that it was ending its football program in favor of an enlarged intramural athletic program.{{citation

Dixie Conference (1948)

Formation of ''purely amateur'' conference

In 1948, the administration of Florida State University, which had returned to coeducation in 1947 after more than 40 years as a women's college, wrote leaders at other southern institutions seeking to create a "purely amateur" athletic conference.{{Citation

The original Dixie Conference lineup included, in addition to Florida State, Howard College (now Samford University) from Alabama, Stetson University and the University of Tampa from Florida, Lambuth College from Tennessee, Mercer University and Oglethorpe University from Georgia, and Millsaps College and Mississippi College from Mississippi.{{Citation

Membership transitions

In 1949, Lambuth, Stetson and Tampa left the conference, while Florida Southern College joined.{{Citation

1951–1954

In the four years following the departure of Florida State, Millsaps won three conference football titles and Mississippi College won one. Citing "operation difficulties and limited competition between members", the league disbanded in December 1954 following the resignation of Howard, Millsaps and Mississippi College.{{Citation

References

References

1. . (November 23, 1931). ["Gridiron Standings"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59720694/chattanooga-daily-times/). *[[Chattanooga Daily Times]]*.
2. . (November 22, 1932). ["Mercer Renounces All Title Claims"](https://www.newspapers.com/image/1258868627/). *[[The Florida Times-Union]]*.
3. . (December 1, 1933). ["Final Standings"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59717592/chattanooga-daily-times/). *[[Chattanooga Daily Times]]*.
4. Bryan, Jerry. (December 3, 1934). "Moccasins End Dixie Program Without Loss". [[The Birmingham News]].
5. . (November 29, 1935). ["Howard Lone Unbeaten D.C. Team In Race"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59698688/the-birmingham-news/). *[[The Birmingham News]]*.
6. Bryan, Jerry. (November 29, 1936). "SIAA And Dixie Groups Meet Here". [[The Birmingham News]].
7. . (November 22, 1937). ["Dixie Honors Are At Stake in Game Here"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59707799/the-birmingham-news/). *[[The Birmingham News]]*.
8. . (November 26, 1938). ["Southwestern Tops Dixie Conference"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59711170/the-montgomery-advertiser/). *[[Montgomery Advertiser]]*.
9. Bryan, Jerry. (November 27, 1939). "Loyola Grabs Crown In D. C. In Final Tilt". [[The Birmingham News]].
10. . (December 4, 1939). ["Dixie Conference Final Standings"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59712505/chattanooga-daily-times/). *[[Chattanooga Daily Times]]*.
11. . (December 3, 1940). ["'Nooga Finishes Tied For Title In Dixie Group"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59713278/the-birmingham-news/). *[[The Birmingham News]]*.
12. . (December 2, 1941). ["Moccasins Win in Dixie Point Race"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59714306/the-knoxville-news-sentinel/). *[[Knoxville News Sentinel]]*.