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Georgetown had long been one of the premier football teams in the South Atlantic region, and this year was no different: the Hoyas had won their first three games of the season by a combined 86-0, beating Randolph-Macon, Mount St. Mary's, and Washington & Lee in three subsequent home games, and matching early-season expectations that the Hilltoppers would compete for a southern championship. The team's massive early-season success was unsurprising: The team returned practically all of the players from their 1911 South Atlantic championship season, as well as several stars from other schools.

The capital city team made their first road trip of the season a big one, coming into Raleigh for the state's annual State Fair, held just across Hillsboro Street from the college campus. The teams considered each other something of budding rivals (a fact accredited in local advertising), being two of the better teams in their region. This marked their third meeting, with the Farmers winning 5-0 in 1908 and playing to a scoreless tie in the 1910 season opener. Making matters double important, it marked NC State's final home game of the season (Georgetown College Journal, Vol. 41, No. 1 (October 1912), p. 66; News & Observer, October 15th, 1912, p. 1; Richmond Times-Dispatch, October 16th, 1912, p. 5).

In addition to being NC A&M's final home contest of the season, it was also their first major challenge of the year: to this point, their opponents had been smaller regional teams. Ads touted the game would be "The Biggest Football Game to be Played in the State This Season," as well as the crown jewel of the State Fair. And to top off the excitement, A&M team captain, Cool, was expected to return for his first action of the season (The Morning Star, October 13th, 1912, p. 2; News and Observer, October 13th, 1912, p. 29; News and Observer, October 16th, 1912, p. 6).

Pregame reports expected Georgetown to win "by a fair margin" -- Georgetown Captain (and future NC State coach) Jack Hegarty predicted a two-plus touchdown margin of victory, as did coach Frank Gargan. Some fans, however, were less bullish, noting the Farmers' recent success in the City of Oaks: the Aggies had not lost a game on home turf since their 1903 Kentucky University game, having gone 25-0-6 since then. While that record does partially belie nature of scheduling in the era, when bigger (better) teams could demand to be met at home or in neutral sites, it does ultimately reflect on the caliber of team the North Carolinians had become (News and Observer, October 16th, 1912, p. 2; Washington Times, October 16th, 1912, p. 13; Washington Times, October 17th, 1912, p. 15).

The game began at 3:30 PM under ideal weather. The home team won the coin toss and elected to defend the north goal. Costello kicked off to start the game, sending the pigskin to Anthony, who returned the ball 10 yards before being stopped. After a handful of unsuccessful attempts to run the ball, the Aggies punted. Costello received the kick and returned it 25 yards. Not long later, the Red and White got the ball on a fumble, but failed to gain, turning the ball over on downs. On the next play, Costello ran the ball for 30 yards, followed by 15 yards, and then 5 more, by White. The Aggies were penalized 15 yards for "rough play," placing the ball at their own 1-to-5-yard line just as the first quarter came to a close.

Unfortunately, much of the second and third quarters went largely unrecorded. We know that Costello scored the first touchdown on the first play of the second quarter, and scored again near the end on a 35-yard run "In almost no time." Halftime came with the home team down 14-to-nothing, and, while largely outclassed, still fighting doggedly. Most of the A&M team was reportedly substituted after half-time.

We don't know how the third quarter started, but accounts pick up at A&M's near-score -- their only of the day. They gained 35 yards on a forward pass to Phillips, and were (probably)* brought to scoring range on two "perfect" throws to Davis (who had replaced Champion at right end). Costello returned the Aggies' punt 40 yards, but the Farmers' stiffened, holding Georgetown twice for little gain and forcing a punt. Returning to the air, Anthony netted 15 yards for the Red and White, followed by a 35-yard pickup by Phillips. Hargrove continued the home teams' success with a 15-yard end run, but that was the end of things: Hegarty sacked Rice (who had replaced Page at quarterback at some point prior) 10 yards behind the line, forcing a fumble which was recovered by the Blue and Gray. Georgetown brought the ball to A&M's 5-to-7-yard line through "consistent gains" as the third quarter came to a close.

The fourth quarter was where things really fell apart for the Raleigh boys. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Fury toted the pigskin across the goal line; the status of the kick was not recorded, though it is known Costello made all but one in the game. The score stood either 20- or 21-to-0, depending on the status of the kick.

The next score came quickly: after A&M's kickoff, White and Fury rushed for a combined 50 yards, but a Georgetown penalty forced the Hilltoppers to punt, giving the Aggies the ball at their own 10 yards line. An unspecified Blue and Gray player recovered the ball across the Red and White goal line, and Costello made the kick, giving the visitors either a 27- or 28-0 lead.

After handling the kickoff for an unreported gain, Fury advanced the ball 16 yards in two plays, then broke away for a 50 yard chunk. After another 35-yard run by Costello, "in two rushes the ball was over." No report of who made the score or whether the kick was made, but the visitors were now leading by either 34 or 35.

The next two scores were apparently both made almost entirely on long runs by Fury and Costello, with Fury making a 60 yard run and Costello making a 75-yard dash at some point in the intervening plays. Recognizing their inability to stop Georgetown from gaining, NC A&M elected to receive the kickoff. The game closed with the ball in Aggie hands at midfield, shut out 48-to-nothing.

Game summaries naturally touted the superiority of the Blue and Gray team, praising their teamwork and cohesive play; while several authors found it difficult to praise any individual in particular, Hegarty, Costello, White, Fury, Dunn, Donelly, Ritch, Derby, and Barron were generally considered the day's best players. Though they were reported to have used only 6 different plays throughout the game, the Farmers were "dumbfounded" by their execution. For the Red and White, Phillips and Cool "played a good game... considering the overwhelming calibre of the team against them," while McHenry's work on the line stood out, and Sykes, Terry, Jaynes, and Anthony "showed good judgment." Even Coach Green praised the visitors' backfield as "as good as he had ever seen" (Red and White, Vol. 14 No. 3 (December 1912), p. 167; News and Observer, October 18th, 1912, p. 3; Washington Post, October 18th, 1912, pp. 8-9; Richmond Times-Dispatch, Otober 18th, 1912, p. 6; Washington Herald, October 18th, 1912, p. 10; (reprinted in Georgetown College Journal, Vol. 41 No. 2 (November 1912), pp. 140-141); Washington Times, October 18th, 1912, p. 17; Virginian Pilot and the Norfolk Landmark, October 18th, 1912, p. 11; Charlotte Observer, October 18th, 1912, p. 8).

* "Probably" because the News and Observer (the only account of the game which covered the third quarter in any great detail) said the passes to Davis "missed" while all other reports agreed the Farmers' near-score came as the result of three successful passes.

While the Hilltoppers had come into the game expecting a win, the scale of their success was something of a surprise, especially considering the fact that Costello was not their usual quarterback: Calnan was the team's starter, but had been injured, forcing the regular halfback to slide into position (Washington Times, October 20th, 1912, p. 18). While the Hoyas lost their next game -- a highly-anticipated match up against northern powerhouse Carlisle -- in a back-and-forth 20-34 game, they won out, defeating SIAA foes North Carolina (37-10, in Richmond), Virginia (16-13), and Virginia Tech (24-3) and dismantling Washington (MD) College 84-0 en route to their second consecutive championship of the South Atlantic region.