1938 Tennessee Volunteers football team

American college football season February 2026 January 2019 1938 Tennessee Volunteers football Southeastern Conference SEC 2 11–0 7–0 Robert Neyland 12th Single-wing Bowden Wyatt Shields–Watkins Field National champion (various selectors)SEC championOrange Bowl champion Orange Bowl W Won 17–0 vs. Oklahoma The 1938 Tennessee Volunteers football team represented the University of Tennessee in the 1938 college football season. Head coach Robert Neyland fielded his third team at Tennessee after returning from active duty in the United States Army. The 1938 Tennessee Volunteers won the school's first national championship and are regarded as one of the greatest teams in SEC and NCAA history.January 2019 The team was named national champion by various NCAA-designated major selectors, then and in the decades since, including these math systems: Berryman, Billingsley, Boand, Dunkel, Houlgate, Litkenhous, Poling, Sagarin, and Williamson.http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2017/FBS.pdf 2017 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records The National Collegiate Athletic Association July 2017 Indianapolis July 31, 2017 112 In 1938, The Vols went 10–0 in the regular season and then shut out fellow unbeaten Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl, 17–0, snapping the Sooners' 14-game win streak and beginning a long winning streak for Neyland. Tennessee finished No. 2 in the final AP Poll.Yearly National Championship Selections http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/yearly_results.php?year=1938 https://web.archive.org/web/20100211115020/http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/yearly_results.php?year=1938 February 11, 2010 live July 9, 2009 Heisman Trophy winner Davey O'Brien and his undefeated TCU Horned Frogs finished No. 1 in the final AP Poll, winning the AP national championship. The 1938 Volunteers were the first of three consecutive Tennessee squads that had undefeated regular seasons. Tennessee won three consecutive conference titles before Neyland left for military service in World War II in 1941. Tennessee also began a historic streak in 1938. By shutting out their last four regular season opponents, the Vols began a streak of 17 consecutive regular season shutouts and 71 consecutive shutout quarters, still NCAA records. Athlon Sports has named the 1938 UT team as the third best college football team of all time.No. 3 Tennessee 1938 - AthlonSports.com http://www.athlonsports.com/college-football/7929/no-3-tennessee-1938 https://web.archive.org/web/20110707184844/http://www.athlonsports.com/college-football/7929/no-3-tennessee-1938 July 7, 2011 live July 9, 2009 Prominent players The Vols featured three All American performers. Bob Suffridge was an All American at guard, while Bowden Wyatt earned his spot on the team as an end. George Cafego carried the ball as a tailback. Co-Captain: Joe Little "...The Vols defeated the Sooners 17-0 in a game termed the roughest ever played. George Cafego knocked Oklahoma star Waddy Young for a loop with a devastating block on the game's first play. Played with great intensity, the game featured the teams being penalized 220 yards between them." It got so bad that Neyland asked team Co-captain Sparta's Joe Little, also a Tennessee boxing letterman, to settle things down. Little lasted one play before decking a Sooner who approached him with a foot to chest in play. He was ejected and was apologizing to Neyland before he reached the Tennessee sideline. Ironically, it had the intended effect of settling the game down for Neyland. In between all the penalties, Bob Foxx and Babe Wood scored touchdowns and team co-captain Bowden Wyatt, later Vol head coach, kicked a field goal and ran in an extra point. Tennessee held the Sooners to 94 yards total offense, while cranking up 260 of its own. It was Tennessee's speed against Oklahoma's size, and, on this day, Tennessee's speed won out." Schedule 1938 AP Eastern September 24 w Sewanee Shields–Watkins Field Knoxville, TN 26–3 15,000 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/83047597/tennessee-scores-three-times-in-first-pe/ The Nashville Tennessean Tennessee scores three times in first period to beat Sewanee, 26–3 September 25, 1938 August 8, 2021 Newspapers.com October 1 w y Clemson Shields–Watkins Field Knoxville, TN 20–7 16,000 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/83047807/hip-tossing-volunteers-out-class-clemson/ The Greenville News Hip-tossing Volunteers out-class Clemson, 20–7 October 2, 1938 August 8, 2021 Newspapers.com October 8 w Auburn Shields–Watkins Field Knoxville, TN rivalry 7–0 18,000 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/83048013/vols-topple-game-tigers-by-70-score/ The Huntsville Times Vols topple game Tigers by 7–0 score October 9, 1938 August 8, 2021 Newspapers.com October 15 w y Alabama Legion Field Birmingham, AL rivalry 13–0 25,000 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/71805288/tennessee-routs-alabama-130/ The Knoxville Journal Tennessee routs Alabama, 13–0 October 16, 1938 August 8, 2021 Newspapers.com October 22 w y 8 The Citadel Shields–Watkins Field Knoxville, TN 44–0 8,000 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/83048299/cadets-can-take-it-and-do-its-vols-44/ The Knoxville News-Sentinel Cadets can take it and do, it's Vols 44, The Citadel 0 in easy game October 23, 1938 August 8, 2021 Newspapers.com October 29 w y 8 LSU Shields–Watkins Field Knoxville, TN 14–6 36,000 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/83048628/tennessee-volunteers-whip-louisiana-stat/ The Shreveport Times Tennessee Volunteers whip Louisiana State Tigers 14 to 6 as three governors watch game October 30, 1938 August 8, 2021 Newspapers.com November 5 w y 6 Chattanooga Shields–Watkins Field Knoxville, TN 45–0 7,500 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/83048950/ut-crushes-plucky-moccasins-450/ The Chattanooga Times U.T. crushes plucky Moccasins, 45–0 November 6, 1938 August 8, 2021 Newspapers.com November 12 w y 4 Vanderbilt Dudley Field Nashville, TN rivalry 14–0 23,000 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/83049148/vols-vanquish-vandy-14-to-0-in-bowl-dr/ The Nashville Tennessean Vols vanquish Vandy, 14 to 0, in bowl drive November 13, 1938 August 8, 2021 Newspapers.com November 24 w 4 Kentucky Shields–Watkins Field Knoxville, TN rivalry 46–0 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/83049461/vol-typhoon-cuts-through-hapless-cats/ The Lexington Leader Vol typhoon cuts through hapless Cats November 25, 1938 August 8, 2021 Newspapers.com December 3 w y 4 Ole Miss rivalry Crump Stadium Memphis, TN 47–0 21,000 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/83049702/aroused-vols-slaughter-ole-miss-rebs-47/ The Knoxville Journal Aroused Vols slaughter Ole Miss Rebs, 47–0 December 4, 1938 August 8, 2021 Newspapers.com January 2, 1939 w y y 2 Oklahoma 4 Burdine Stadium Miami, FL Orange Bowl 17–0 32,191 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/83050441/vols-win-170-before-32000-berserk-fan/ The Miami Herald Vols win, 17–0 before 32,000 berserk fans January 3, 1939 August 8, 2021 Newspapers.com References Tennessee Category:Tennessee Volunteers football seasons Category:College football national champions Category:Southeastern Conference football champion seasons Category:Orange Bowl champion seasons Category:College football undefeated seasons Tennessee Volunteers football