1940–41 NCAA football bowl games

College football postseason game series August 2023 1940 5 Blue–Gray Football ClassicEast–West Shrine Game January 1, 1941 Minnesota Golden Gophers (AP)Boston College Eagles (Various)Tennessee Volunteers (Various)Stanford Indians (Helms, Poling System) #Conference performance in bowl games Independent 3 1 2 7 SEC 2 1 1 2 Big Four 1 1 0 0 PCC 1 1 0 2 SWC 1 1 0 2 Big Six 1 0 1 1 Border 1 0 1 0 Big Ten 0 0 0 3 Middle Three 0 0 0 1 Southern 0 0 0 1 The final AP poll ranked 19 teams. The 1940–41 NCAA football bowl games were the final games of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) 1940 college football season and featured five bowl games, each of which had been held the previous season. All five bowls were played on January 1, 1941. The national championship, according to recognized selectors, was split by Minnesota, Boston College, Tennessee, and Stanford. Poll rankings November 2025 1940 college football rankings The below table lists top teams (per the AP poll taken after the completion of the regular season), their win–loss records (prior to bowl games), and the bowls they later played in. AP Team W–L Conf. Bowl 1 Minnesota Golden Gophers 8–0 Big Ten 2 Stanford Indians 9–0 PCC Rose Bowl 3 Michigan Wolverines 7–1 Big Ten 4 Tennessee Volunteers 10–0 SEC Sugar Bowl 5 Boston College Eagles 10–0 Ind. Sugar Bowl 6 Texas A&M Aggies 8–1 SWC Cotton Bowl Classic 7 Nebraska Cornhuskers 8–1 Big Six Rose Bowl 8 Northwestern Wildcats 6–2 Big Ten 9 Mississippi State Maroons 8–0–1 SEC Orange Bowl 10 Washington Huskies 7–2 PCC 11 Santa Clara Broncos 6–1–1 Ind. 12 Fordham Rams 7–1 Ind. Cotton Bowl Classic 13 Georgetown Hoyas 8–1 Ind. Orange Bowl 14 Penn Quakers 6–1–1 Ind. 15 Cornell Big Red 6–2 Ind. 16 SMU Mustangs 7–1–1 SWC 17 Hardin–Simmons Cowboys 8–0 Ind. 18 Duke Blue Devils 7–2 Southern 19 Lafayette Leopards 9–0 Middle Three 20 zzz 0 zzz Note: Only 19 teams received votes in the final poll. The Big Ten Conference did not allow its members to participate in bowl games until the 1947 Rose Bowl. Bowl schedule DateGameSiteTeamsAffiliationsResults Jan. 1Rose BowlRose BowlPasadena, California#2 Stanford Indians (9–0) #7 Nebraska Cornhuskers (8–1)PCCBig Six Stanford 21Nebraska 13Sugar BowlTulane StadiumNew Orleans, Louisiana#5 Boston College Eagles (10–0) #4 Tennessee Volunteers (10–0)IndependentSECBoston College 19Tennessee 13Orange BowlBurdine StadiumMiami, Florida#9 Mississippi State Maroons (9–0–1) #13 Georgetown Hoyas (8–1)SECIndependentMississippi State 14Georgetown 7Sun BowlKidd FieldEl Paso, TexasWestern Reserve Red Cats (7–1) Arizona State Bulldogs (7–1–2) Big FourBorderWestern Reserve 26Arizona State 13Cotton Bowl ClassicCotton BowlDallas, Texas#6 Texas A&M Aggies (8–1) #12 Fordham Rams (7–1)SWCIndependentTexas A&M 13Fordham 12 Source:MacCambridge Michael ESPN College Football Encyclopedia 2005 ESPN Books New York, N.Y. 1-4013-3703-11181 Conference performance in bowl games ConferenceGamesRecordBowls W L Pct.Won Lost Independents 3 1 2 Sugar Cotton, Orange SEC 2 1 1 Orange Sugar Big Four 1 1 0 Sun Pacific Coast 1 1 0 Rose SWC 1 1 0 Cotton Big Six 1 0 1 Rose Border 1 0 1 Sun Game recaps Rose Bowl #2 Stanford 7 7 7 0 #7 Nebraska 7 6 0 0 Qtr. Team Scoring play Score1NEBFrancis 2 yard rush, Francis kick goodNEB 7–0STANGallarneau 10 yard rush, Albert kick goodTIED 7–72NEBZikmund 33 yard pass from Rohrig, kick blockedNEB 13–7STANGallarneau 40 yard pass from Albert, Albert kick goodSTAN 14–133STANKmetovic 40 yard punt return, Albert kick goodSTAN 21–13Source:1442 Sugar Bowl #5 Boston College 0 0 13 6 #4 Tennessee 7 0 6 0 Qtr. Team Scoring play Score1TENNThompson 4 yard rush, Foxx kick goodTENN 7–03BCConnally 13 yard rush, Maznicki kick goodTIED 7–7TENNWarren 2 yard rush, kick failedTENN 13–7BCHolovak 1 yard rush, kick failedTIED 13–134BCO'Rourke 24 yard rush, kick failedBC 19–13Source:1466 Orange Bowl #9 Mississippi State 7 7 0 0 #13 Georgetown 0 0 7 0 Qtr. Team Scoring play Score1MSSTTripson blocked punt recovery, Dees kick goodMSST 7–02MSSTJefferson 2 yard rush, Bruce kick goodMSST 14–03GTWNCastiglia 2 yard rush, Lio kick goodMSST 14–7Source:1454 Sun Bowl Western Reserve 7 0 6 13 Arizona State 0 13 0 0 Qtr. Team Scoring play Score1WRBelichick 1 yard rush, Belichick kick goodWR 7–02ASUPitts 14 yard pass from Hernandez, kick failedWR 7–6ASUHenshaw 94 yard rush, Hernandez kick goodASU 13–73WRWaggle 3 yard punt block return, kick failedTIED 13–134WRRies 13 yard rush, Skoczen kick goodWR 20–13WRRies 3 yard rush, kick failedWR 26–13Source:1478 Cotton Bowl Classic #6 Texas A&M 0 0 13 0 #12 Fordham 0 6 0 6 Qtr. Team Scoring play Score2FORDFilipowicz 2 yard rush, kick blockedFORD 6–03A&MSmith 62 yard pass from Pugh, kick failedTIED 6–6A&MKimbrough 1 yard rush, Pugh kick goodA&M 13–64FORDBlumenstock 15 yard rush, kick blockedA&M 13–12Source:1490 See also Prairie View Bowl Steel Bowl References