1939 Tennessee Volunteers football team

1939 Tennessee Volunteers football
SEC co-champion
Rose Bowl, L 14–0 vs. USC
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
Ranking
APNo. 2
Record10–1 (6–0 SEC)
Head coach
Offensive schemeSingle-wing
Base defenseMultiple
Home stadiumShields–Watkins Field
Seasons
← 1938
1940 →
1939 Southeastern Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 2 Tennessee + 6 – 0 – 0 10 – 1 – 0
No. 16 Georgia Tech + 6 – 0 – 0 8 – 2 – 0
No. 5 Tulane + 5 – 0 – 0 8 – 1 – 1
Mississippi State 3 – 2 – 0 8 – 2 – 0
Ole Miss 2 – 2 – 0 7 – 2 – 0
Kentucky 2 – 2 – 1 6 – 2 – 1
Auburn 3 – 3 – 1 5 – 5 – 1
Alabama 2 – 3 – 1 5 – 3 – 1
Georgia 1 – 3 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
LSU 1 – 5 – 0 4 – 5 – 0
Vanderbilt 1 – 6 – 0 2 – 7 – 1
Florida 0 – 3 – 1 5 – 5 – 1
Sewanee 0 – 3 – 0 3 – 5 – 0
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1939 Tennessee Volunteers represented the University of Tennessee in the 1939 college football season. Playing as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC), the team was led by head coach Robert Neyland, in his 13th year, and played their home games at Shields–Watkins Field in Knoxville, Tennessee. They finished the season with a record of ten wins and one loss (10–1 overall, 6–0 in the SEC), as SEC Champions and with a loss against USC in the 1940 Rose Bowl.

Tennessee entered the season as defending national champions and coach Neyland led the team to their second of three consecutive undefeated regular seasons. The 1939 Vols were also the last team in NCAA history to go undefeated, untied, and unscored upon in the regular season.[1] Tennessee had two All-American performers that year: George Cafego, a single-wing halfback, and Ed Molinski, a guard.

Schedule

[edit]
DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 29at NC State*
W 13–012,000[2]
October 7Sewanee
W 40–018,000[3]
October 14at Chattanooga*
W 28–06,987[4]
October 21No. 8 AlabamadaggerNo. 5
W 21–040,000[5]
October 28Mercer*No. 1
  • Shields–Watkins Field
  • Knoxville, TN
W 17–06,000[6]
November 4at No. 18 LSUNo. 1
W 20–042,000[7]
November 11The Citadel*No. 1
  • Shields–Watkins Field
  • Knoxville, TN
W 34–08,000[8]
November 18VanderbiltNo. 1
  • Shields–Watkins Field
  • Knoxville, TN (rivalry)
W 13–025,000[9]
November 30at KentuckyNo. 4
W 19–019,000[10]
December 9AuburnNo. 2
  • Shields–Watkins Field
  • Knoxville, TN (rivalry)
W 7–025,000[11]
January 1, 1940vs. No. 3 USCNo. 2
L 0–1492,200[12]
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Scott, Richard (2008). SEC Football: 75 Years of Pride and Passion. New York City: MVP Books. p. 50. ISBN 9780760332481. Retrieved March 12, 2012.
  2. ^ "Tennessee gets scores early in 13–0 victory over Wolfpack". The News and Observer. September 30, 1939. Retrieved August 8, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Mighty Vols massacre Sewanee Tigers, 40–0". The Knoxville Journal. October 8, 1939. Retrieved August 8, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Chattanooga holds mighty Tennessee to 28–0 before crowd of 6,987". The Chattanooga Times. October 15, 1939. Retrieved August 8, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Mighty Vols batter Alabama Tide, 21–0". Johnson City Press. October 22, 1939. Retrieved August 8, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Mercer holds Tennessee, 17–0". The Atlanta Constitution. October 29, 1939. Retrieved August 8, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Tennessee smashes Louisiana State, 20–0". Monroe Morning World. November 5, 1939. Retrieved August 8, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Cafego injured as Tennessee crushes The Citadel". Florence Morning News. November 12, 1939. Retrieved August 8, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Vols win, 13–0, but Morrison's team 'is best'". The Nashville Tennessean. November 19, 1939. Retrieved August 8, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Rose Bowl bound Volunteers conquer U. of K. Wildcats 19 to 0". The Lexington Herald. December 1, 1939. Retrieved August 8, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Vols shade Auburn, 7–0, receive Rose Bowl bid". The Montgomery Advertiser. December 10, 1939. Retrieved August 8, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "U.S.C. wins 14–0 over Tennessee". The Los Angeles Times. January 2, 1940. Retrieved August 8, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
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