# 1940 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season

The 1940 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season was the season of college football played by the six member schools of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) as part of the 1940 college football season.
The Albion Britons, led by head coach Dale R. Sprankle and halfback Morris Trimble, won the MIAA championship with a 7–1 record (5–0 against conference opponents). Albion also won the 1939 MIAA championship, and the 1940 team returned a veteran team except for the center position.
The Alma Scots, led by head coach Gordon MacDonald, finished in second place with a 5–2 record (4–1 against MIAA opponents), losing to Albion on November 9 for its only conference defeat.

## Conference overview

| Conf. rank | Team | Head coach | Overall record | Conf. record |
| 1 | Albion | Dale R. Sprankle | 7–1 | 5–0 |
| 2 | Alma | Gordon MacDonald | 5–2 | 4–1 |
| 3 | Hope | Bud Hinga | 3–3–1 | 2–2–1 |
| 4 | Hillsdale | Dwight Harwood | 3–4–1 | 1–3–1 |
| 5 | Adrian | Harve A. Oliphant | 1–7 | 1–4 |
| 6 | Kalamazoo | Chester S. Barnard | 1–6–1 | 0–5 |

## Teams
### Albion

The 1940 Albion Britons football team represented Albion College of Albion, Michigan. In their 18th year under head coach Dale R. Sprankle, the Britons compiled a 7–1 record (5–0 against MIAA opponents) and won the MIAA championship. Albion won 14 consecutive games during the 1939 and 1940 season, finally losing to Lake Forest in the final game of the 1940 season.
Three Albion players received first-team honors on the 1940 All-M.I.A.A. football team: halfback Maurice Trimble; end Charles VanderLinde; and guard Walter Ptak.
Albion was ranked at No. 356 (out of 697 college football teams) in the final rankings under the Litkenhous Difference by Score system for 1940.
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance |
| September 20 | Mount Union* | Alumni FieldAlbion, MI | W 13–0 | |
| September 28 | at Kalamazoo | Kalamazoo, MI | W 7–3 | |
| October 4 | Adrian | Alumni FieldAlbion, MI | W 19–0 | |
| October 12 | at Defiance* | Defiance, OH | W 34–7 | |
| October 18 | Hillsdale | Alumni FieldAlbion, MI | W 19–6 | |
| October 26 | at Olivet | Olivet, MI | | |
| November 2 | at Hope | Holland, MI | W 6–0 | 5,000 |
| November 9 | Alma | Alumni FieldAlbion, MI | W 13–0 | 3,000 |
| November 16 | at Lake Forest* | Lake Forest, IL | L 7–14 | |
| *Non-conference gameHomecoming ||||||

### Alma

The 1940 Alma Scots football team represented Alma College of Alma, Michigan. In their fifth year under head coach Gordon MacDonald, the Scots compiled a 5–2 record (4–1 against MIAA opponents) and finished in second place in the MIAA.
Four Alma players were named to the All-Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association football team: quarterback J. Tait; end Keith Carey; tackle E. Ziem; and guard G. Barnett.
Alma was ranked at No. 336 (out of 697 college football teams) in the final rankings under the Litkenhous Difference by Score system for 1940.
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance |
| September 20 | Grand Rapids | | W 37–0 | |
| October 4 | at Hope | Holland, MI | W 19–7 | |
| October 11 | Hillsdale | Alma, MI | W 39–0 | |
| October 19 | at Adrian | Adrian, MI | W 14–0 | |
| October 26 | Kalamazoo | Alma, MI | W 19–2 | |
| November 2 | Michigan State Normal* | Briggs FieldYpsilanti, MI | L 7–24 | |
| November 9 | at Albion | Albion, MI | L 0–13 | 3,000 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecoming ||||||

### Hope

The 1940 Hope Flying Dutchmen football team represented Hope College of Hope, Michigan. In their 10th year under head coach Bud Hinga, the Dutchmen compiled a 3–3–1 record (2–2–1 against MIAA opponents) and finished in third place in the MIAA.
Hope was ranked at No. 443 (out of 697 college football teams) in the final rankings under the Litkenhous Difference by Score system for 1940.
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance |
| September 20 | Ferris Institute* | Holland, MI | W 35–0 | |
| September 28 | at Adrian | Adrian, MI | W 20–0 | |
| October 4 | Alma | Holland, MI | L 7–19 | |
| October 12 | at Kalamazoo | Kalamazoo, MI | W 7–0 | |
| October 26 | at Hillsdale | Hillsdale, MI | T 6–6 | |
| November 2 | Albion | Holland, MI | L 0–6 | 5,000 |
| November 9 | Grand Rapids* | Holland, MI | L 6–10 | |
| *Non-conference game ||||||

### Hillsdale

The 1940 Hillsdale Dales football team was an American football team that represented Hillsdale College in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) during the 1941 college football season. In their 14th year under head coach Dwight Harwood, the Dales compiled a 3–4–1 record (1–3–1 against MIAA opponents) and finished in fourth place out of six teams in the MIAA.
Center Robert Manby was selected as a first-team player on the 1940 All-MIAA football team. Senior fullback Bert Eklund was selected as the team's most valuable player.
Hillsdale was ranked at No. 519 (out of 697 college football teams) in the final rankings under the Litkenhous Difference by Score system for 1940.
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result |
| September 20 | Lawrence Tech* | Hillsdale, MI | L 9–19 |
| September 28 | at Grand Rapids | Grand Rapids, MI | L 0–2 |
| October 4 | Kalamazoo | Hillsdale, MI | W 14–6 |
| October 11 | at Alma | Alma, MI | L 0–39 |
| October 19 | at Albion | Albion, MI | L 6–19 |
| October 26 | Hope | Hillsdale, MI | T 6–6 |
| November 9 | Adrian | Hillsdale, MI | W 22–6 |
| *Non-conference game ||||||

### Adrian

The 1940 Adrian Bulldogs football team represented Adrian College of Adrian, Michigan. In their third year under head coach Harve A. Oliphant, the Bulldogs compiled a 1–7 record (1–4 against MIAA opponents) and finished in fifth place out of six teams in the MIAA.
Adrian was ranked at No. 611 (out of 697 college football teams) in the final rankings under the Litkenhous Difference by Score system for 1940.
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result |
| September 21 | Findlay* | Adrian, MI | L 0–19 |
| September 29 | Hope | Adrian, MI | L 0–20 |
| October 4 | at Albion | Albion, MI | L 0–19 |
| October 19 | Alma | Adrian, MI | L 0–14 |
| October 26 | at Assumption (ON)* | Kennedy Collegiate FieldWindsor, ON | L 0–14 |
| November 3 | Kalamazoo | Adrian, MI | W 13–12 |
| November 9 | at Hillsdale | Hillsdale, MI | L 6–22 |
| November 16 | at Ferris Institute* | Big Rapids, MI | L 0–7 |
| *Non-conference game ||||||

### Kalamazoo

The 1940 Kalamazoo Hornets football team represented Kalamazoo College of Kalamazoo, Michigan. In their 16th year under head coach Chester S. Barnard, the Hornets compiled a 1–6–1 record (0–5 against MIAA opponents) and finished in last place in the MIAA.
Kalamazoo was ranked at No. 468 (out of 697 college football teams) in the final rankings under the Litkenhous Difference by Score system for 1940.
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result |
| September 20 | Grand Rapids | Kalamazoo, MI | L 6–20 |
| September 28 | Albion | Kalamazoo, MI | L 3–7 |
| October 4 | at Hillsdale | Hillsdale, MI | L 6–14 |
| October 12 | Hope | Kalamazoo, MI | L 0–7 |
| October 26 | at Alma | Alma, MI | L 2–19 |
| November 2 | at Adrian | Adrian, MI | L 12–13 |
| November 9 | at Hiram | Hiram, OH | T 7–7 |
| November 15 | at Michigan State Normal* | Briggs FieldYpsilanti, MI | W 13–3 |
| *Non-conference game ||||||

## All-conference team

The following players were selected as first-team players on the All-MIAA football team:
* Quarterback - J. Tait, Alma
* Fullback - Robert Montgomery
* Halfbacks - Morris Trimble, Albion; Steve Dalla, Kalamazoo
* Ends - Keith Carey, Alma; Charles Vanderlinde, Albion
* Tackles - Dick Thompson, Adrian; Paul Van Kueren, Kalamazoo; E. Ziem, Alma
* Guards - Walter Ptak, Albion; G. Barnett, Alma
* Center - Robert Manby, Hillsdale