A guard on the Hopkinsville Tigers's undefeated 1920 team, he "won greater college football fame than probably any other graduate of the high school.

"[1][2] He refereed high school football games throughout Tennessee for several years prior to his death.

After two disappointing losses to the Michigan Wolverines and Texas Longhorns, the Commodores started "back up the slope"[5] with a 17 to 0 victory over Tulane.

Center Alf Sharpe dove to recover the football in the end zone for the touchdown.

In the final week of play on Thanksgiving Day, the Florida Gators upset the Alabama Crimson Tide in the rain by a score of 16 to 6, helping ensure Vanderbilt's Southern championship.

Then Florida players Cy Williams, Goldy Goldstein, and Ark Newton would be teammates of Rives's on the Newark Bears of the first American Football League in 1926.

[6] He was a starter for the 16–0 win over the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Memorial Stadium, Vanderbilt's first victory in it history over a Northern school.