1938 college football season
Encyclopedia
The 1938 college football season ended with the Horned Frogs of Texas Christian University
(TCU) being named the nation’s #1 team by 55 of the 77 electors in the Associated Press writers' poll
. The AP poll was in its second year, and seven votes were taken during the final weeks of the 1937 season, starting with October 17. Each writer listed his choice for the top ten teams, and points were tallied based on 10 for first place, 9 for second, etc., and the AP then ranked the twenty teams with the highest number of points.
October 8 Minnesota defeated Purdue 7-0. Alabama beat North Carolina State 14-0. Dartmouth stayed unscored upon, winning at Princeton 22-0. Pittsburgh beat cross-town rival Duquesne 27-0. Fordham beat Waynesburg College 53-0. California played a double-header for the fans, with the reserves beating the California Agricultural school (lager UC-Davis) 48-0, and the varsity and reserves beating College of the Pacific 39-0. In Atlanta, Notre Dame beat Georgia Tech 14-6
October 15 Pittsburgh won at Wisconsin 26-6. California defeated UCLA 20-7. Dartmouth beat Brown 34-13, and Notre Dame beat Illinois 14-6. Minnesota edged Michigan, 7-6. Fordham was tied by Purdue 6-6, and in Birmingham, Alabama was shut out by Tennessee, 13-0. When the first round of balloting was finished, the defending champion Panthers were again #1, followed by Minnesota, California, Dartmouth and Notre Dame.
October 22 #1 Pittsburgh
beat SMU 34-7. #2 Minnesota was idle. #3 California
won at Seattle over Washington 14-7. #4 Dartmouth
won at Harvard 13-7. #5 Notre Dame beat #13 Carnegie Tech 7-0. In San Francisco, #6 Santa Clara beat Arkansas 21-6 in San Francisco, while in Milwaukee, #7 TCU beat Marquette 21-0, and the two winners replaced Dartmouth and Notre Dame in the Top Five: 1.Pittsburgh 2.Minnesota 3.California 4.TCU 5. Santa Clara.
October 29
#1 Pittsburgh
beat #9 Fordham, 24-13. #2 Minnesota fell to #12 Northwestern, 6-3. #3 California
beat Oregon State 13-7. #4 TCU
beat Baylor 39-7, and #5 Santa Clara
won at Michigan State 7-6. #6 Dartmouth won at Yale 24-6 and #7 Notre Dame beat Army in Yankee Stadium, 19-7, and both returned to the Top Five: 1.Pittsburgh 2.TCU 3.California 4.Notre Dame 5.Dartmouth
lost to #19 Carnegie Tech, 20-10. #2 TCU
won at Tulsa 21-0. #3 California
lost at #13, USC 13-7. In Baltimore, #4 Notre Dame beat Navy 15-0. #5 Dartmouth
beat Dickinson College, 44-6. #6 Tennessee beat Chattanooga 45-0 to extend its record to 7-0-0. The Horned Frogs of TCU leaped into the top spot: 1.TCU 2.Notre Dame 3.Pittsburgh 4.Tennessee 5.Dartmouth
November 12 #1 TCU
beat Texas 28-6. #2 Notre Dame beat #12 Minnesota 19-0. #3 Pittsburgh
beat Nebraska 19-0. #4 Tennessee
won at Vanderbilt 14-0. #5 Dartmouth
lost at #20 Cornell 14-7. #7 Duke remained unbeaten (7-0-0), untied, and unscored upon with a 21-0 win at Syracuse. In the next poll, the Irish moved up to the top rung: 1.Notre Dame 2.TCU 3.Tennessee 4.Duke 5.Pittsburgh
November 19 #1 Notre Dame won at #16 Northwestern 9-7. #2 TCU
won at Rice 29-7. #3 Tennessee
was idle as it prepared for a holiday game. #4 Duke
beat N.C. State, 7-0. #5 Pittsburgh
beat Penn State 26-0. The rankings shuffled to 1.Notre Dame 2.TCU 3.Duke 4.Pittsburgh 5.Tennessee.
On Thanksgiving Day #5 Tennessee
beat Kentucky 46-0, while #6 Oklahoma beat OK State. Two days later, November 26, #1 Notre Dame remained idle. #2 TCU
beat SMU in Dallas, 20-7. #3 Duke
and
#4 Pittsburgh
met at Durham, with the hosts winning 7-0. With a record of 9-0-0, Duke had outscored its opponents 114-0, but stayed in third in the final rankings: 1.Notre Dame 2.TCU 3.Duke 4.Pittsburgh 5.Tennessee.
On December 3, #1 Notre Dame lost in Los Angeles to #7 USC, 13-0, and fell from grace to fifth place. #2 TCU
received 55 first place votes and, as national champion, accepted a bid to the Sugar Bowl. #4 Tennessee
beat Ole Miss 47-0 in Memphis, and moved up to second place. Though the SEC champion would be Sugar Bowl bound in later years, a #1 vs. #2 match was not to be had, as Tennessee instead took a bid for the Orange Bowl. #3 Duke
stayed in third place, despite having never been scored upon in 1938, and accepted an invitation to the Rose Bowl. #5 Oklahoma
, which beat Washington State 28-0, and moved up to fourth place. Both unbeaten and untied at 10-0-0, Tennessee and Oklahoma would meet in Miami, but the title had been awarded to 10-0-0 TCU.
Texas Christian University
Texas Christian University is a private, coeducational university located in Fort Worth, Texas, United States and founded in 1873. TCU is affiliated with, but not governed by, the Disciples of Christ...
(TCU) being named the nation’s #1 team by 55 of the 77 electors in the Associated Press writers' poll
AP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
. The AP poll was in its second year, and seven votes were taken during the final weeks of the 1937 season, starting with October 17. Each writer listed his choice for the top ten teams, and points were tallied based on 10 for first place, 9 for second, etc., and the AP then ranked the twenty teams with the highest number of points.
September
September 24 Defending champion Pittsburgh beat West Virginia, 19-0. California defeated St. Mary’s 12-7. In Los Angeles, Alabama beat USC 19-7. Minnesota defeated Washington 15-0, and Dartmouth beat Bates 46-0.October
October 1 Alabama defeated Samford 34-0, Fordham beat Upsala 47-0, Dartmouth beat St Lawrence 51-0, and Notre Dame beat Kansas 52-0. Pitt defeated Temple 28-6, California beat Washington State 27-3, and Minnesota beat Nebraska 16-7.October 8 Minnesota defeated Purdue 7-0. Alabama beat North Carolina State 14-0. Dartmouth stayed unscored upon, winning at Princeton 22-0. Pittsburgh beat cross-town rival Duquesne 27-0. Fordham beat Waynesburg College 53-0. California played a double-header for the fans, with the reserves beating the California Agricultural school (lager UC-Davis) 48-0, and the varsity and reserves beating College of the Pacific 39-0. In Atlanta, Notre Dame beat Georgia Tech 14-6
October 15 Pittsburgh won at Wisconsin 26-6. California defeated UCLA 20-7. Dartmouth beat Brown 34-13, and Notre Dame beat Illinois 14-6. Minnesota edged Michigan, 7-6. Fordham was tied by Purdue 6-6, and in Birmingham, Alabama was shut out by Tennessee, 13-0. When the first round of balloting was finished, the defending champion Panthers were again #1, followed by Minnesota, California, Dartmouth and Notre Dame.
October 22 #1 Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Panthers football
Pittsburgh Panthers football is the intercollegiate football team of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Traditionally the most popular sport at the university, Pitt football has played at the highest level of American college football...
beat SMU 34-7. #2 Minnesota was idle. #3 California
California Golden Bears football
The California Golden Bears football team is the college football team of the University of California. The team plays its home games at California Memorial Stadium, however the team played at San Francisco's AT&T Park in 2011 while Memorial Stadium was being renovated, the team will return to...
won at Seattle over Washington 14-7. #4 Dartmouth
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
won at Harvard 13-7. #5 Notre Dame beat #13 Carnegie Tech 7-0. In San Francisco, #6 Santa Clara beat Arkansas 21-6 in San Francisco, while in Milwaukee, #7 TCU beat Marquette 21-0, and the two winners replaced Dartmouth and Notre Dame in the Top Five: 1.Pittsburgh 2.Minnesota 3.California 4.TCU 5. Santa Clara.
October 29
#1 Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Panthers football
Pittsburgh Panthers football is the intercollegiate football team of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Traditionally the most popular sport at the university, Pitt football has played at the highest level of American college football...
beat #9 Fordham, 24-13. #2 Minnesota fell to #12 Northwestern, 6-3. #3 California
California Golden Bears football
The California Golden Bears football team is the college football team of the University of California. The team plays its home games at California Memorial Stadium, however the team played at San Francisco's AT&T Park in 2011 while Memorial Stadium was being renovated, the team will return to...
beat Oregon State 13-7. #4 TCU
TCU Horned Frogs football
The TCU Horned Frogs football team is the intercollegiate football team of Texas Christian University. TCU competes as a member of the Mountain West Conference in the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, but will move to the Big 12 Conference for the 2012 season. TCU began playing football...
beat Baylor 39-7, and #5 Santa Clara
Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University is a private, not-for-profit, Jesuit-affiliated university located in Santa Clara, California, United States. Chartered by the state of California and accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, it operates in collaboration with the Society of Jesus , whose...
won at Michigan State 7-6. #6 Dartmouth won at Yale 24-6 and #7 Notre Dame beat Army in Yankee Stadium, 19-7, and both returned to the Top Five: 1.Pittsburgh 2.TCU 3.California 4.Notre Dame 5.Dartmouth
November
November 5 In Pittsburgh, the #1 PanthersPittsburgh Panthers football
Pittsburgh Panthers football is the intercollegiate football team of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Traditionally the most popular sport at the university, Pitt football has played at the highest level of American college football...
lost to #19 Carnegie Tech, 20-10. #2 TCU
TCU Horned Frogs football
The TCU Horned Frogs football team is the intercollegiate football team of Texas Christian University. TCU competes as a member of the Mountain West Conference in the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, but will move to the Big 12 Conference for the 2012 season. TCU began playing football...
won at Tulsa 21-0. #3 California
California Golden Bears football
The California Golden Bears football team is the college football team of the University of California. The team plays its home games at California Memorial Stadium, however the team played at San Francisco's AT&T Park in 2011 while Memorial Stadium was being renovated, the team will return to...
lost at #13, USC 13-7. In Baltimore, #4 Notre Dame beat Navy 15-0. #5 Dartmouth
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
beat Dickinson College, 44-6. #6 Tennessee beat Chattanooga 45-0 to extend its record to 7-0-0. The Horned Frogs of TCU leaped into the top spot: 1.TCU 2.Notre Dame 3.Pittsburgh 4.Tennessee 5.Dartmouth
November 12 #1 TCU
TCU Horned Frogs football
The TCU Horned Frogs football team is the intercollegiate football team of Texas Christian University. TCU competes as a member of the Mountain West Conference in the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, but will move to the Big 12 Conference for the 2012 season. TCU began playing football...
beat Texas 28-6. #2 Notre Dame beat #12 Minnesota 19-0. #3 Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Panthers football
Pittsburgh Panthers football is the intercollegiate football team of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Traditionally the most popular sport at the university, Pitt football has played at the highest level of American college football...
beat Nebraska 19-0. #4 Tennessee
Tennessee Volunteers football
The Tennessee Volunteers football team are an American college football team at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville . The NCAA Division I team is also a member of the Southeastern Conference ....
won at Vanderbilt 14-0. #5 Dartmouth
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
lost at #20 Cornell 14-7. #7 Duke remained unbeaten (7-0-0), untied, and unscored upon with a 21-0 win at Syracuse. In the next poll, the Irish moved up to the top rung: 1.Notre Dame 2.TCU 3.Tennessee 4.Duke 5.Pittsburgh
November 19 #1 Notre Dame won at #16 Northwestern 9-7. #2 TCU
TCU Horned Frogs football
The TCU Horned Frogs football team is the intercollegiate football team of Texas Christian University. TCU competes as a member of the Mountain West Conference in the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, but will move to the Big 12 Conference for the 2012 season. TCU began playing football...
won at Rice 29-7. #3 Tennessee
Tennessee Volunteers football
The Tennessee Volunteers football team are an American college football team at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville . The NCAA Division I team is also a member of the Southeastern Conference ....
was idle as it prepared for a holiday game. #4 Duke
Duke Blue Devils football
The Duke Blue Devils football program is a college football team that represents Duke University . The team is currently a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference , which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association . The Blue Devils compete in the Coastal...
beat N.C. State, 7-0. #5 Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Panthers football
Pittsburgh Panthers football is the intercollegiate football team of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Traditionally the most popular sport at the university, Pitt football has played at the highest level of American college football...
beat Penn State 26-0. The rankings shuffled to 1.Notre Dame 2.TCU 3.Duke 4.Pittsburgh 5.Tennessee.
On Thanksgiving Day #5 Tennessee
Tennessee Volunteers football
The Tennessee Volunteers football team are an American college football team at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville . The NCAA Division I team is also a member of the Southeastern Conference ....
beat Kentucky 46-0, while #6 Oklahoma beat OK State. Two days later, November 26, #1 Notre Dame remained idle. #2 TCU
TCU Horned Frogs football
The TCU Horned Frogs football team is the intercollegiate football team of Texas Christian University. TCU competes as a member of the Mountain West Conference in the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, but will move to the Big 12 Conference for the 2012 season. TCU began playing football...
beat SMU in Dallas, 20-7. #3 Duke
Duke Blue Devils football
The Duke Blue Devils football program is a college football team that represents Duke University . The team is currently a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference , which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association . The Blue Devils compete in the Coastal...
and
#4 Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Panthers football
Pittsburgh Panthers football is the intercollegiate football team of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Traditionally the most popular sport at the university, Pitt football has played at the highest level of American college football...
met at Durham, with the hosts winning 7-0. With a record of 9-0-0, Duke had outscored its opponents 114-0, but stayed in third in the final rankings: 1.Notre Dame 2.TCU 3.Duke 4.Pittsburgh 5.Tennessee.
On December 3, #1 Notre Dame lost in Los Angeles to #7 USC, 13-0, and fell from grace to fifth place. #2 TCU
TCU Horned Frogs football
The TCU Horned Frogs football team is the intercollegiate football team of Texas Christian University. TCU competes as a member of the Mountain West Conference in the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, but will move to the Big 12 Conference for the 2012 season. TCU began playing football...
received 55 first place votes and, as national champion, accepted a bid to the Sugar Bowl. #4 Tennessee
Tennessee Volunteers football
The Tennessee Volunteers football team are an American college football team at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville . The NCAA Division I team is also a member of the Southeastern Conference ....
beat Ole Miss 47-0 in Memphis, and moved up to second place. Though the SEC champion would be Sugar Bowl bound in later years, a #1 vs. #2 match was not to be had, as Tennessee instead took a bid for the Orange Bowl. #3 Duke
Duke Blue Devils football
The Duke Blue Devils football program is a college football team that represents Duke University . The team is currently a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference , which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association . The Blue Devils compete in the Coastal...
stayed in third place, despite having never been scored upon in 1938, and accepted an invitation to the Rose Bowl. #5 Oklahoma
Oklahoma Sooners football
The Oklahoma Sooners football program is a college football team that represents the University of Oklahoma . The team is currently a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
, which beat Washington State 28-0, and moved up to fourth place. Both unbeaten and untied at 10-0-0, Tennessee and Oklahoma would meet in Miami, but the title had been awarded to 10-0-0 TCU.
Conference standings
The following is an incomplete list of conference standings:Final Associated Press Poll
Prior to 1968 the final AP Poll was released before the bowl games were played.| Ranking | Team | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | TCU Horned Frogs TCU Horned Frogs football The TCU Horned Frogs football team is the intercollegiate football team of Texas Christian University. TCU competes as a member of the Mountain West Conference in the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, but will move to the Big 12 Conference for the 2012 season. TCU began playing football... |
10-0 |
| 2 | Tennessee Volunteers Tennessee Volunteers football The Tennessee Volunteers football team are an American college football team at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville . The NCAA Division I team is also a member of the Southeastern Conference .... |
10-0 |
| 3 | Duke Blue Devils Duke Blue Devils football The Duke Blue Devils football program is a college football team that represents Duke University . The team is currently a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference , which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association . The Blue Devils compete in the Coastal... |
7-0-1 |
| 4 | Oklahoma Sooners Oklahoma Sooners football The Oklahoma Sooners football program is a college football team that represents the University of Oklahoma . The team is currently a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association... |
10-0 |
| 5 | Notre Dame Fighting Irish | 6-2 |
| 6 | Carnegie Tech Tartans Carnegie Mellon University Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States.... |
8-0-1 |
| 7 | USC Trojans | 7-0-2 |
| 8 | Pittsburgh Panthers Pittsburgh Panthers football Pittsburgh Panthers football is the intercollegiate football team of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Traditionally the most popular sport at the university, Pitt football has played at the highest level of American college football... |
9-1 |
| 9 | Holy Cross Crusaders Holy Cross University Holy Cross University may refer to:* Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, Rome, Italy* Holy Cross College * Other colleges and universities affiliated with the Congregation of Holy Cross... |
6-2-1 |
| 10 | Minnesota Gophers | 8-0 |
| 11 | Texas Tech Red Raiders | 6-1-2 |
| 12 | Cornell Big Red Cornell University Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions... |
6-1-1 |
| 13 | Alabama Crimson Tide | 6-2 |
| 14 | California Golden Bears California Golden Bears football The California Golden Bears football team is the college football team of the University of California. The team plays its home games at California Memorial Stadium, however the team played at San Francisco's AT&T Park in 2011 while Memorial Stadium was being renovated, the team will return to... |
6-2-2 |
| 15 | Fordham Rams Fordham University Fordham University is a private, nonprofit, coeducational research university in the United States, with three campuses in and around New York City. It was founded by the Roman Catholic Diocese of New York in 1841 as St... |
8-0-2 |
| 16 | Michigan Wolverines Michigan Wolverines football The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history... |
4-4-2 |
| 17 | Northwestern Wildcats Northwestern Wildcats football The Northwestern Wildcats football team, representing Northwestern University, is a NCAA Division I team and member of the Big Ten Conference, with evidence of organization in 1876... |
8-0 |
| 18 | Villanova Wildcats Villanova Wildcats football The Villanova Wildcats football program represents Villanova University in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision . The Wildcats play at Villanova Stadium with capacity of 12,500.-History:... |
4-3-2 |
| 19 | Tulane Big Green Tulane University Tulane University is a private, nonsectarian research university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States... |
7-1-1 |
| 20 | Dartmouth Big Green Dartmouth College Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences... |
7-2-1 |
Bowl Games
| Bowl game | Home | points | Away | points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rose Bowl 1939 Rose Bowl The 1939 Rose Bowl was the 25th Rose Bowl college football game, that took place in 1939. It featured the Southern California Trojans against the Duke Blue Devils . Duke led after an early fourth quarter,... |
#7 USC Trojans | 7 | #3 Duke Blue Devils Duke Blue Devils football The Duke Blue Devils football program is a college football team that represents Duke University . The team is currently a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference , which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association . The Blue Devils compete in the Coastal... |
3 |
| Orange Bowl | #2 Tennessee Tennessee Volunteers football The Tennessee Volunteers football team are an American college football team at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville . The NCAA Division I team is also a member of the Southeastern Conference .... |
17 | #4 Oklahoma Sooners Oklahoma Sooners football The Oklahoma Sooners football program is a college football team that represents the University of Oklahoma . The team is currently a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association... |
0 |
| Sugar Bowl | #1 TCU Horned Frogs TCU Horned Frogs football The TCU Horned Frogs football team is the intercollegiate football team of Texas Christian University. TCU competes as a member of the Mountain West Conference in the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, but will move to the Big 12 Conference for the 2012 season. TCU began playing football... |
15 | #6 Carnegie Tech Tartans Carnegie Mellon University Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States.... |
7 |
| Sun Bowl | Utah Utes Utah Utes football The Utah Utes football program is a college football team that currently competes in the Pacific-12 Conference of the Football Bowl Subdivision of NCAA Division I and represents the University of Utah. The Utah college football program began in 1892 and has played home games at Rice–Eccles... |
26 | New Mexico Lobos | 0 |
| Cotton Bowl 1939 Cotton Bowl Classic The 1939 Cotton Bowl Classic was a postseason college football bowl game between the St. Mary's Gaels and the Texas Tech Red Raiders. St. Mary's won the game 20-13.-References:*... |
St. Mary’s Gaels Saint Mary's College of California Saint Mary's College of California is a private, coeducational college located in Moraga, California, United States, a small suburban community about east of Oakland and 20 miles east of San Francisco. It has a 420-acre campus in the Moraga hills. It is affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church... |
20 | #11 Texas Tech Red Raiders | 13 |