The 1939 Clemson Tigers football team was an American football team that represented Clemson College in the Southern Conference during the 1939 college football season. In their ninth and final season under head coach Jess Neely, the Tigers compiled a 9–1 record, outscored opponents by a total of 165 to 40, and defeated Boston College in the 1940 Cotton Bowl Classic.[1] The 1940 Cotton Bowl was Clemson's first bowl game.
| 1939 Clemson Tigers football | |
|---|---|
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Cotton Bowl Classic champion | |
Cotton Bowl Classic, W 6–3 vs. Boston College | |
| Conference | Southern Conference |
| Ranking | |
| AP | No. 12 |
| Record | 9–1 (4–0 SoCon) |
| Head coach |
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| Captain | Joe Payne |
| Home stadium | Riggs Field |
| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 8 Duke $ | 5 | – | 0 | – | 0 | 8 | – | 1 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 12 Clemson | 4 | – | 0 | – | 0 | 9 | – | 1 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| William & Mary | 2 | – | 0 | – | 1 | 6 | – | 2 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| North Carolina | 5 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 8 | – | 1 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| VMI | 3 | – | 1 | – | 1 | 6 | – | 3 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Richmond | 3 | – | 1 | – | 1 | 7 | – | 1 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Furman | 3 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wake Forest | 3 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 7 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NC State | 2 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 8 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Washington and Lee | 1 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 4 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| South Carolina | 1 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 6 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| VPI | 1 | – | 4 | – | 1 | 4 | – | 5 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Davidson | 1 | – | 7 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Maryland | 0 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Citadel | 0 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 8 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Joe Payne was the team captain. The team's statistical leaders included tailback Banks McFadden with 581 passing yards, fullback Charlie Timmons with 556 rushing yards, and wingback Shad Bryant with 32 points scored (4 touchdowns, 8 extra points).[2] McFadden remained with Clemson for more than 40 years as a coach and administrator and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1959.
Five Clemson players were named to the All-Southern team: tailback Banks McFadden; wingback Shad Bryant; center Bob Sharpe; end Joe Blalock; and tackle George Fritts.[3]
Schedule
edit| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | Result | Attendance | Source | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 23 | Presbyterian* | W 18–0 | 6,000 | [4] | ||||
| September 30 | at Tulane* | L 6–7 | 25,000 | [5] | ||||
| October 7 | vs. NC State | W 25–6 | 15,000 | [6] | ||||
| October 19 | at South Carolina | W 27–0 | 20,000 | [7] | ||||
| October 28 | at Navy* | W 15–7 | 18,000 | [8] | ||||
| November 3 | at George Washington* | W 13–6 | [9] | |||||
| November 11 | Wake Forest |
| W 20–7 | 12,000 | [10] | |||
| November 18 | at Southwestern (TN)* | No. 16 | W 21–6 | 4,500 | [11] | |||
| November 25 | at Furman | No. 15 | W 10–7 | 16,000 | [12] | |||
| January 1, 1940 | vs. No. 11 Boston College* | No. 12 | W 6–3 | 15,000 | [13] | |||
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References
edit- ^ "2016 Media Guide" (PDF). clemsontigers.com. Clemson Athletics. 2016. pp. 200–208. Retrieved June 23, 2017.
- ^ "Clemson 1960 Football Media Guide". Clemson University. 1960. pp. 40–41.
- ^ Clemson 1960 Football Media Guide, p. 22.
- ^ "Clemson walks over Presbyterian, 18–0". The Roanoke Times. September 24, 1939. Retrieved December 20, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Tulane wins by one point off Clemson". The Huntsville Times. October 1, 1939. Retrieved April 10, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "M'Fadden brilliant in Tiger rout". The Charlotte Observer. October 8, 1939. Retrieved December 20, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Tigers Smother Gamecocks 27-0 In Gridiron Classic". The Times and Democrat. October 20, 1939. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Rugged Clemson team beats Navy 15–7". The Pensacola News-Journal. October 29, 1939. Retrieved December 20, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Clemson Tigers roll over George Washington University". The State. November 4, 1939. Retrieved March 7, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Clemson's Tigers claw Demon Deacons, 20–7". Florence Morning News. November 12, 1939. Retrieved December 20, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Tigers 21, Lynx 6; 4500 rain-soaked spectators see thrilling game at Crump Stadium". The Commercial Appeal. November 19, 1939. Retrieved December 20, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Clemson Tigers overpower Furman for 14–3 victory". The Index-Journal. November 26, 1939. Retrieved September 11, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Last minute goal line stand gives Clemson team 6–3 win over Boston". The Austin American. January 2, 1940. Retrieved December 20, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.