1941 Duquesne Dukes football team

American college football season August 2023 February 2026 1941 Duquesne Dukes football Independent 8 8–0 Aldo Donelli (3rd season) Steve Sinko (interim) Forbes Field Co-national champion (Massey Ratings) The 1941 Duquesne Dukes football team was an American football team that represented Duquesne University as an independent during the 1941 college football season. Duquesne completed a perfect season with an 8–0 record, shut out five of eight opponents, and outscored all opponents by a total of 143 to 23.https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/duquesne/1941-schedule.html 1941 Duquesne Dukes Schedule and Results Sports-Reference.com May 14, 2017 Duquesne won games against Marquette, Villanova, Saint Mary's, and previously undefeated Mississippi State.Duquesne Takes 8th Straight, 16-0 The New York Times November 16, 1941 The Dukes were ranked No. 8 in the final AP Poll; they were later retroactively selected as a co-national champion by the Massey Ratings.Massey Ratings Kenneth Massey February 21, 2025 https://masseyratings.com/cf/years.txt Aldo Donelli was the head coach for the first two games but then resigned to become head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Steve Sinko took over as Duquesne's acting head coach after Donelli's resignation.Donelli To Devote Full Time To Steelers The Pittsburgh Press Claire M. Burcky September 27, 1941 7 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/35666754/donelli_to_devote_full_time_to_steelers/ Newspapers.com National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and Duquesne records credit the entire season to Donelli's head coaching record.http://web1.ncaa.org/stats/StatsSrv/careersearch Archived Team-By-Team Final Statistics National Collegiate Athletic Association September 6, 2019 https://goduquesne.com/documents/2019/6/26/2019_Record_Book_V2.pdf Duquesne Football Record Book Duquesne Athletics September 6, 2019 Two Duquesne players received first-team honors on the 1941 All-America team: End John Rokisky received first-team All-America honors from Collier's Weekly and the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA) and second-team All-America honors from the Associated Press (AP).Collier's Put Dudley On Its 'All-American' The Staunton News-Leader December 5, 1941 9 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/36924419/colliers_put_dudley_on_its/ Newspapers.com He was also honored by the AP as a first-team player on the 1941 All-Eastern football team.MacKinney and Peabody on A.P. Eastern Eleven The Boston Daily Globe December 5, 1941 28 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/36483061/mackinney_and_peabody_on_ap_eastern/ Newspapers.com Rokisky later played three years of professional football in the All-America Football Conference.John Rokisky NFL Football Statistics https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RokiJo20.htm Pro-Football-Reference.com August 7, 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20080928091939/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RokiJo20.htm September 28, 2008 dead Center Al DeMao received first-team All-America honors from Life magazine and second-team All-America honors from the United Press (UP). He also received second-team honors from the AP on the All-Eastern team. DeMao later played nine years in the NFL with the Washington Redskins.Al DeMao Sports Reference LLC Pro-Football-Reference.com https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/D/DeMaAl20.htm February 21, 2025 The team played its home games at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Schedule 1941 AP September 20 w 1941 Waynesburg Yellow Jackets Waynesburg Forbes Field Pittsburgh, PA 14–2 Dukes Hard-Pressed To Beat Waynesburg, 14-2: Bernie Semes And Binotto Get Scores The Pittsburgh Press Chester L. Smith September 21, 1941 III-9, III-11 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/35666622/dukes_hardpressed_to_beat_waynesburg/ Newspapers.com September 26 Friday w Niagara Forbes Field Pittsburgh, PA 33–0 11,000 Dukes Win Final Under Donelli, 33 to 0 The Pittsburgh Press September 27, 1941 12–13 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/35666675/dukes_win_final_under_donelli_33_to_0/ Newspapers.com October 10 Friday w y Manhattan Polo Grounds New York, NY 26–7 11,127 Duquesne Little Duke Belts Jaspers, 26-7 New York Daily News Jack Smith October 11, 1941 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/35655886/duquesne_little_duke_belts_jaspers_267/ Newspapers.com October 17 Friday w 1941 Saint Vincent Bearcats Saint Vincent Forbes Field Pittsburgh, PA 7–0 10,000 Duquesne Averts Disaster With Last-Period Touchdown The Pittsburgh Press October 18, 1941 12 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/35666822/duquesne_averts_disaster_with/ Newspapers.com October 25 w y Marquette Marquette Stadium Milwaukee, WI 31–14 > 20,000 Early Drive by Duquesne Beats Hilltops, 31-14 Chicago Tribune October 26, 1941 II-4 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30320340/early_drive_by_duquesne_beats_hilltops/ November 1 w 16 Villanova Forbes Field Pittsburgh, PA 7–0 20,698 Dukes Beat Villanova, 7 To 0: Ball Scores After March Of 80 Yards The Pittsburgh Press Eddie Beachler November 2, 1941 III-9, III-11 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/35666900/dukes_beat_villanova_7_to_0_ball/ Newspapers.com November 9 Sunday w y 12 Saint Mary's Kezar Stadium San Francisco, CA 9–0 25,000 Duquesne Speed Defeats Gaels, 9 to 0: Strader Plans Unit System Oakland Tribune Alan Ward November 10, 1941 20 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/23210978/duquesne_speed_defeats_gaels_9_to_0/ Newspapers.com November 15 w 10 Mississippi State 13 Forbes Field Pittsburgh, PA 16–0 31,483 Dukes Beat Mississippi State, 16-0: Bluff Eleven Closes First Undefeated, Untied Season The Pittsburgh Press Harry Keck November 16, 1941 III-2 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/35667030/dukes_beat_mississippi_state_160/ Newspapers.com Rankings 1941 college football rankings AP 1 8 NR NR 16 12 10 6 5 8 References Duquesne Category:Duquesne Dukes football seasons Category:College football undefeated seasons Duquesne Dukes football