1940 Cotton Bowl Classic

December 2025 August 2023 1940 Cotton Bowl Classic 4th Cotton Bowl Classic Cotton Bowl Classic 1940.png 1939 Clemson Tigers Clemson University Boston College Eagles Boston College 8–1 SoCon 9–1 Independent Jess Neely Frank Leahy 12 11 0 6 0 0 0 3 0 0 January 1 Cotton Bowl Dallas, Texas Banks McFadden(Back, Clemson) Clemson Paul N. Swaffield 15,000 15,000 thumb|The Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas, hosted the Cotton Bowl Classic. The 1940 Cotton Bowl Classic was the fourth edition of the postseason college football bowl game, between the Clemson Tigers and the Boston College Eagles.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=E28hAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-YcFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5189%2C91777 Reading Eagle Pennsylvania United Press Snider Steve Texans pick Clemson to beat Boston January 1, 1940 11 It was played on Monday, January 1, 1940, at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=FG8hAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-YcFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3685%2C256699 Reading Eagle Pennsylvania United Press Snider Steve Cotton Bowl game costly January 2, 1940 14https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_stYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=lugDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5676%2C5259685 Eugene Register-Guard Oregon Associated Press Clemson upsets Boston College January 2, 1940 2 Background Texas A&M, the 1939 Southwest Conference (SWC) champion, declined to be in this game, instead playing in the Sugar Bowl. Tennessee of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and Oklahoma of the Big Six also declined this game. Fearing for the longevity of the game, the president of the bowl's athletic association, J. Curtis Sanford, strove to keep the contest alive, extending invites to Clemson and Boston College (BC), who accepted; this was the first bowl game for both schools. A key player on the BC team, halfback Lou Montgomery, the first Black athlete in the college's history, was forced to sit out the game due to racial segregation policies of the era.https://bceagles.com/news/2020/10/29/football-learning-about-lou Learning About Lou Boston College Athletic Communications bceagles.com October 29, 2020 June 29, 2025 Sanford said that Montgomery would not be allowed to participate, asserting that keeping him out of the game was "deemed advisable, in view of the general attitude regarding negroes."https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-austin-american-boston-college-negro/175593165/ Boston College Negro Won't Play at Dallas UP Austin American Austin, Texas 13 December 16, 1939 June 29, 2025 newspapers.com The first interracial bowl game did not occur until after World War II, the 1948 Cotton Bowl Classic With both teams from outside the region, attendance was low; the first three editions (and next six) included a team from the state of Texas. Game summary thumb|left|Banks McFadden carries the ball for Clemson Boston College took the lead on a 30-yard field goal by Alex Lukachik early in the second quarter, after four failed plays following a punt return to the Clemson 13. After both teams exchanged punts throughout most of the quarter, Clemson got it back at their 43. They drove 57 yards and it culminated with a touchdown by sophomore Charlie Timmons, but the extra point was missed.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=8cxeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=sjIMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5125%2C103501 Lewiston Morning Tribune Idaho Associated Press Clemson takes Boston in the Cotton Bowl January 2, 1940 7 The remainder of the game was scoreless as Clemson won their first bowl game, and All-American back Banks McFadden was named the game's most valuable player.14-25.pmd http://media.attcottonbowl.com/resource/history/1940/rsrc/1940-Classic-Recap.pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20140327132604/http://media.attcottonbowl.com/resource/history/1940/rsrc/1940-Classic-Recap.pdf 2014-03-27 live 2014-12-28 Aftermath Boston College's next bowl game, the 1941 Sugar Bowl, contested in New Orleans, also saw the team play without Lou Montgomery.https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/06/21/sports/bob-ryan-harry-agganis-boston/ Seventy years after his premature death, there’s still never been anyone in these parts quite like Harry Agganis Bob Ryan Bob Ryan The Boston Globe limited June 21, 2025 June 21, 2025 This was in sharp contrast to the shameful Boston College decision six years earlier to play in the Sugar Bowl without Black running back Lou Montgomery. Forty-five years later, Boston College returned to the Cotton Bowl Classic, winning the 1985 edition led by Heisman Trophy winner Doug Flutie. Clemson returned in the 2018 edition with a College Football Playoff semifinal victory over Notre Dame. The teams became conference foes in 2005, when BC joined the Atlantic Coast Conference. Since 2008, the O'Rourke–McFadden Trophy is awarded to the winner of the annual Boston College–Clemson game, honoring Charlie O'Rourke of BC and McFadden of Clemson, leaders of their teams in the 1940 Cotton Bowl Classic.O’Rourke-McFadden Trophy to the Winner of Clemson vs. BC https://www.tigernet.com/story/football/O%E2%80%99Rourke-McFadden-Trophy-to-the-Winner-of-Clemson-vs-BC-7531 TigerNet November 19, 2017 October 27, 2008 See also Boston College–Clemson football rivalry References 30em Cotton Bowl Classic Category:Cotton Bowl Classic Category:Boston College Eagles football bowl games Category:Clemson Tigers football bowl games Category:January 1940 sports events in the United States Cotton Bowl