# 1938 Southeastern Conference football season

The 1938 Southeastern Conference football season was the sixth season of college football played by the member schools of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and was a part of the 1938 college football season.Tennessee compiled an 11–0 overall record, with a conference record of 6–0, and were SEC champion. Tennessee was also named national champion by NCAA-designated major selectors of Berryman, Billingsley, Boand, Dunkel, College Football Researchers Association, Houlgate, Litkenhous, Poling, Sagarin, Sagarin (ELO-Chess)

## Results and team statistics

| Conf. rank | Team | Head coach | Overall record | Conf. record | AP final | PPG | PAG |
| 1 | Tennessee | Robert Neyland | 11–0–0 (1.000) | 7–0–0 (1.000) | No. 2 | 26.6 | 1.5 |
| T–2 | Alabama | Frank Thomas | 7–1–1 (.833) | 4–1–1 (.750) | No 13 | 16.6 | 4.4 |
| T–2 | Tulane | Red Dawson | 7–2–1 (.750) | 4–1–1 (.750) | No. 19 | 21.1 | 5.3 |
| 4 | Ole Miss | Harry Mehre | 9–2–0 (.818) | 3–2–0 (.600) | | 21.1 | 10.9 |
| 5 | Georgia Tech | William Alexander | 3–4–3 (.450) | 2–1–3 (.583) | | 7.2 | 8.4 |
| 6 | Vanderbilt | Ray Morrison | 6–3–0 (.667) | 4–3–0 (.571) | | 9.6 | 5.4 |
| 7 | Florida | Josh Cody | 4–6–1 (.409) | 2–2–1 (.500) | | 10.2 | 13.5 |
| 8 | Auburn | Jack Meagher | 4–5–1 (.450) | 3–3–1 (.500) | | 11.0 | 8.8 |
| 9 | Georgia | Joel Hunt | 5–4–1 (.550) | 1–2–1 (.375) | | 14.5 | 14.3 |
| 10 | LSU | Bernie Moore | 6–4–0 (.600) | 2–4–0 (.333) | | 16.0 | 8.9 |
| 11 | Mississippi State | Spike Nelson | 4–6–0 (.400) | 1–4–0 (.200) | | 12.3 | 13.1 |
| 12 | Kentucky | Albert D. Kirwan | 2–7–0 (.222) | 0–4–0 (.000) | | 16.7 | 17.8 |
| 13 | Sewanee | Harry E. Clark | 1–8–0 (.111) | 0–6–0 (.000) | | 6.6 | 23.7 |
Key AP final = Rankings from AP sports writers. See 1938 college football rankings PPG = Average of points scored per game PAG = Average of points allowed per game

## Schedule

* Index to colors and formatting
* SEC member won
* SEC member lost
* SEC member tie
* SEC teams in bold

### Week One

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| September 23 | Birmingham–Southern | Auburn | Cramton Bowl • Montgomery, AL | W 14–0 | |
| September 24 | Alabama | USC | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum • Los Angeles, CA | W 19–7 | 70,000 |
| September 24 | Vanderbilt | Washington University | Francis Field • St. Louis, MO | W 20–0 | 5,000 |
| September 24 | The Citadel | Georgia | Sanford Stadium • Athens, GA | W 20–12 | 7,000 |
| September 24 | Howard (AL) | Mississippi State | Scott Field • Starkville, MS | W 19–0 | |
| September 24 | Maryville (TN) | Kentucky | McLean Stadium • Lexington, KY | W 46–7 | |
| September 24 | Clemson | Tulane | Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, LA | L 10–13 | 12,000 |
| September 24 | Stetson | Florida | Florida Field • Gainesville, FL | L 14–16 | 8,000 |
| September 24 | Sewanee | Tennessee | Shields–Watkins Field • Knoxville, TN | TEN 26–3 | 15,000 |
| September 24 | Ole Miss | LSU | Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA (rivalry) | OM 20–7 | 25,000 |

### Week Two

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| October 1 | Clemson | Tennessee | Shields–Watkins Field • Knoxville, TN | W 20–7 | 16,000 |
| October 1 | Howard (AL) | Alabama | Denny Stadium • Tuscaloosa, AL | W 34–0 | 8,000 |
| October 1 | Louisiana Tech | Ole Miss | Hemingway Stadium • Oxford, MS | W 27–7 | |
| October 1 | Mercer | Georgia Tech | Grant Field • Atlanta, GA | W 19–0 | 8,000 |
| October 1 | Western Kentucky State Teachers | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, TN | W 12–0 | 7,000 |
| October 1 | Georgia | South Carolina | Columbia Municipal Stadium • Columbia, SC (rivalry) | W 7–6 | 13,000 |
| October 1 | Oglethorpe | Kentucky | McLean Stadium • Lexington, KY | W 66–0 | 7,000 |
| October 1 | Sewanee | Southwestern (TN) | Crump Stadium • Memphis, TN (rivalry) | L 0–47 | |
| October 1 | Auburn | Tulane | Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, LA (rivalry) | T 0–0 | 18,000 |
| October 1 | Florida | Mississippi State | Scott Field • Starkville, MS | MSS 22–0 | |
| October 2 | LSU | Texas | War Memorial Stadium • Austin, TX | W 20–0 | 17,000 |

### Week Three

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| October 7 | Furman | Georgia | Sanford Stadium • Athens, GA | W 38–7 | |
| October 8 | NC State | Alabama | Denny Stadium • Tuscaloosa, AL | W 14–0 | 10,000 |
| October 8 | Tulane | North Carolina | Kenan Memorial Stadium • Chapel Hill, NC | W 17–14 | 22,000 |
| October 8 | Mississippi State Teachers | Ole Miss | Hemingway Stadium • Oxford, MS | W 14–0 | |
| October 8 | Rice | LSU | Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA | W 3–0 | 40,000 |
| October 8 | Louisiana Tech | Mississippi State | Scott Field • Starkville, MS | W 48–0 | 8,000 |
| October 8 | Notre Dame | Georgia Tech | Grant Field • Atlanta, GA | L 6–14 | 26,533 |
| October 8 | Auburn | Tennessee | Shields–Watkins Field • Knoxville, TN (rivalry) | TEN 7–0 | 18,000 |
| October 8 | Vanderbilt | Kentucky | McLean Stadium • Lexington, KY (rivalry) | VAN 14–7 | 13,500 |
| October 8 | Sewanee | Florida | Florida Field • Gainesville, FL | FLA 10–6 | 5,000 |

### Week Four

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| October 14 | Hiwassee | Sewanee | Hardee Field • Sewanee, TN | W 44–0 | |
| October 14 | Mississippi State | Auburn | Cramton Bowl • Montgomery, AL | AUB 20–6 | |
| October 15 | Rice | Tulane | Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, LA | W 26–17 | 24,000 |
| October 15 | Mercer | Georgia | Sanford Stadium • Athens, GA | W 28–19 | |
| October 15 | Loyola (LA) | LSU | Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA | W 47–6 | 10,000 |
| October 15 | Georgia Tech | Duke | Duke Stadium • Durham, NC | L 0–6 | 28,000 |
| October 15 | Miami (FL) | Florida | Florida Field • Gainesville, FL (rivalry) | L 7–19 | 15,000 |
| October 15 | Washington and Lee | Kentucky | McLean Stadium • Lexington, KY | L 0–8 | 10,000 |
| October 15 | Tennessee | Alabama | Legion Field • Birmingham, AL (rivalry) | TEN 13–0 | 25,000 |
| October 15 | Ole Miss | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, TN (rivalry) | VAN 13–7 | |

### Week Five

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| October 21 | Mississippi State | Duquesne | Forbes Field • Pittsburgh, PA | W 12–7 | 12,000 |
| October 22 | The Citadel | No. 8 Tennessee | Shields–Watkins Field • Knoxville, TN | W 44–0 | 8,000 |
| October 22 | Mercer | Tulane | Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, LA | W 51–0 | 15,000 |
| October 22 | Centenary | Ole Miss | Hemingway Stadium • Oxford, MS | W 47–14 | |
| October 22 | Florida | Tampa | Phillips Field • Tampa, FL | W 33–0 | 10,000 |
| October 22 | Georgia | No. 14 Holy Cross | Fitton Field • Worcester, MA | L 6–29 | 24,000–25,000 |
| October 22 | Kentucky | Xavier | Xavier Stadium • Cincinnati, OH | L 7–26 | 9,000 |
| October 22 | Sewanee | No. 15 Alabama | Denny Stadium • Tuscaloosa, AL | ALA 32–0 | 5,000 |
| October 22 | Auburn | Georgia Tech | Grant Field • Atlanta, GA (rivalry) | GT 7–6 | 20,000 |
| October 22 | No. 16 Vanderbilt | LSU | Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA | LSU 7–0 | 35,000 |
| $^#$Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. |||||||

### Week Six

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| October 29 | Ole Miss | George Washington | Griffith Stadium • Washington, DC | W 25–0 | |
| October 29 | Florida | Boston College | Fenway Park • Boston, MA | L 0–33 | 10,000 |
| October 29 | Auburn | Rice | Rice Field • Houston, TX | L 0–14 | |
| October 29 | Tennessee Tech | Sewanee | Hardee Field • Sewanee, TN | L 6–7 | |
| October 29 | LSU | No. 8 Tennessee | Shields–Watkins Field • Knoxville, TN | TEN 14–6 | 36,000 |
| October 29 | No. 18 Alabama | Kentucky | McLean Stadium • Lexington, KY | ALA 26–6 | 15,000 |
| October 29 | Mississippi State | Tulane | Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, LA | TUL 27–0 | 20,000 |
| October 29 | Georgia Tech | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, TN (rivalry) | VAN 13–7 | 17,000 |
| $^#$Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. |||||||

### Week Seven

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| November 5 | Chattanooga | No. 6 Tennessee | Shields–Watkins Field • Knoxville, TN | W 45–0 | 7,500 |
| November 5 | Ole Miss | Saint Louis | Walsh Stadium • St Louis, MO | W 14–12 | 8,429 |
| November 5 | Auburn | Villanova | Shibe Park • Philadelphia, PA | L 12–25 | 17,000 |
| November 5 | Tulane | No. 15 Alabama | Legion Field • Birmingham, AL | ALA 3–0 | 19,000 |
| November 5 | Kentucky | Georgia Tech | Grant Field • Atlanta, GA | GT 19–18 | 10,000 |
| November 5 | Sewanee | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, TN (rivalry) | VAN 14–0 | 7,000 |
| November 5 | Georgia | Florida | Fairfield Stadium • Jacksonville, FL (rivalry) | UGA 19–6 | 17,000 |
| November 5 | Mississippi State | LSU | Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA (rivalry) | LSU 32–7 | |
| $^#$Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. |||||||

### Week Eight

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| November 12 | Maryland | Florida | Florida Field • Gainesville, FL | W 21–7 | 10,000 |
| November 12 | Centenary | Mississippi State | Ray Stadium • Meridian, MS | L 0–19 | 5,000 |
| November 12 | Clemson | Kentucky | McLean Stadium • Lexington, KY | L 0–14 | 6,000 |
| November 12 | No. 4 Tennessee | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, TN (rivalry) | TEN 14–0 | 23,000 |
| November 12 | No. 16 Alabama | Georgia Tech | Grant Field • Atlanta, GA (rivalry) | T 14–14 | 35,000 |
| November 12 | Georgia | Tulane | Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, LA | TUL 28–6 | |
| November 12 | Sewanee | Ole Miss | Hemingway Stadium • Oxford, MS | OM 39–0 | |
| November 12 | LSU | Auburn | Legion Field • Birmingham, AL (rivalry) | AUB 28–6 | 14,000 |
| $^#$Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. |||||||

### Week Eight

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| November 16 | Arkansas | Ole Miss | Crump Stadium • Memphis, TN (rivalry) | W 20–14 | 12,000 |
| November 19 | Southwestern Louisiana | LSU | Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA | W 32–0 | |
| November 19 | Mississippi State | Southwestern (TN) | Crump Stadium • Memphis, TN | L 3–7 | 12,000 |
| November 19 | Sewanee | Tulane | Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, LA | TUL 38–0 | |
| November 19 | Florida | Georgia Tech | Grant Field • Atlanta, GA | T 0–0 | 5,000 |
| November 19 | Auburn | Georgia | Memorial Stadium • Columbus, GA (rivalry) | AUB 23–14 | 12,000 |
| $^#$Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. |||||||

### Week Nine

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| November 24 | Kentucky | No. 4 Tennessee | Shields–Watkins Field • Knoxville, TN (rivalry) | TEN 46–0 | |
| November 24 | Vanderbilt | Alabama | Legion Field • Birmingham, AL | ALA 7–0 | 25,000 |
| November 26 | Tulane | LSU | Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA (rivalry) | TUL 14–0 | 40,000 |
| November 26 | Ole Miss | Mississippi State | Scott Field • Starkville, MS (rivalry) | OM 19–6 | 15,000 |
| November 26 | Georgia Tech | Georgia | Sanford Stadium • Athens, GA (rivalry) | T 0–0 | 28,000 |
| November 26 | Auburn | Florida | Fairfield Stadium • Jacksonville, FL (rivalry) | FLA 9–7 | 5,000 |
| $^#$Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. |||||||

### Week Ten

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| December 2 | Georgia | Miami (FL) | Burdine Stadium • Miami, FL | L 7–13 | 23,367 |
| December 3 | Temple | Florida | Florida Field • Gainesville, FL | L 12–20 | |
| December 3 | Ole Miss | No. 4 Tennessee | Crump Stadium • Memphis, TN | TEN 47–0 | 21,000 |
| $^#$Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. |||||||

### Postseason

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| December 26 | Georgia Tech | No. 12 California | California Memorial Stadium • Berkeley, CA | L 0–13 | 40,000 |
| January 2, 1939 | No. 4 Oklahoma | No. 2 Tennessee | Burdine Stadium • Miami, FL (Orange Bowl) | W 17–0 | 32,191 |
| $^#$Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. |||||||

## All-conference players

The following players were recognized as consensus first-team honors from the Associated Press (AP) and United Press (UP) on the 1938 All-SEC football team:
* Bowden Wyatt, End, Tennessee (AP-1, UP-1)
* Eddie Gatto, Tackle, LSU (AP-1, UP-1)
* Bo Russell, Tackle, Auburn (AP-1, UP-1)
* Bob Suffridge, Guard, Tennessee (AP-1, UP-1)
* George Cafego, Quarterback, Tennessee (AP-1, UP-1)
* Parker Hall, Halfback, Ole Miss (AP-1, UP-1)
* Warren Brunner, Halfback, Tulane (AP-1, UP-1)
* Charlie Holm, Fullback, Alabama (AP-1, UP-1)

## All-Americans

Two SEC players were consensus first-team picks on the 1938 College Football All-America Team:
* Bowden Wyatt, End, Tennessee (AAB, CO)
* Parker Hall, Halfback, Ole Miss (AP, UP)
Other SEC players receiving All-American honors from at least one selector were:
* Bo Russell, Tackle, Auburn (AP-2)
* Eddie Gatto, Tackle, LSU (ID-2)
* Bob Suffridge, Guard, Tennessee (UP-1; NEA-2; AP-3)
* George Cafego, Quarterback, Tennessee (AP-2; CP-1; NEA-1; LIB; ID-1; DT; PW)
* Warren Brunner, Halfback, Tulane (AP-3)

## Head coaches

Records through the completion of the 1938 season
| Team | Head coach | Years at school | Overall record | Record at school | SEC record |
| Alabama | Frank Thomas | 8 | 90–17–5 (.826) | 64–8–4 (.868) | 31–3–3 (.878) |
| Auburn | Jack Meagher | 5 | 53–45–1 (.540) | 27–19–6 (.577) | 17–13–4 (.559) |
| Florida | Josh Cody | 3 | 51–49–2 (.510) | 12–19–1 (.391) | 6–11–1 (.361) |
| Georgia | Joel Hunt | 1 | 5–4–1 (.550) | 5–4–1 (.550) | 1–2–1 (.375) |
| Georgia Tech | William Alexander | 19 | 95–72–15 (.563) | 95–72–15 (.563) | 13–21–5 (.397) |
| Kentucky | Albert D. Kirwan | 1 | 2–7–0 (.222) | 2–7–0 (.222) | 0–4–0 (.000) |
| LSU | Bernie Moore | 4 | 45–21–4 (.671) | 33–9–1 (.779) | 18–5–0 (.783) |
| Mississippi State | Spike Nelson | 1 | 4–6–0 (.400) | 4–6–0 (.400) | 1–4–0 (.200) |
| Ole Miss | Harry Mehre | 1 | 68–36–6 (.645) | 9–2–0 (.818) | 15–14–2 (.516) |
| Sewanee | Harry E. Clark | 8 | 18–51–3 (.271) | 18–51–3 (.271) | 0–33–0 (.000) |
| Tennessee | Robert Neyland | 12 | 99–14–8 (.851) | 99–14–8 (.851) | 24–7–2 (.758) |
| Tulane | Red Dawson | 3 | 18–9–3 (.650) | 18–9–3 (.650) | 8–7–3 (.528) |
| Vanderbilt | Ray Morrison | 5 | 111–59–23 (.635) | 27–15–1 (.640) | 14–9–1 (.604) |

## 1939 NFL draft

The following SEC players were selected in the 1939 NFL draft:
| Round | Overall Pick | Player name | School | Position | NFL team |
| 1 | 3 | Parker Hall | Ole Miss | Running back | Cleveland Rams |
| 3 | 23 | Charlie Holm | Alabama | Back | Washington Redskins |
| 5 | 33 | Eddie Gatto | LSU | Tackle | Cleveland Rams |
| 7 | 58 | Quinton Lumpkin | Georgia | Center | Washington Redskins |
| 8 | 62 | Sherm Hinkebein | Kentucky | Center | Chicago Cardinals |
| 8 | 63 | Warren "Bronco" Brunner | Tulane | Back | Cleveland Rams |
| 8 | 68 | Bo Russell | Auburn | Tackle | Washington Redskins |
| 9 | 73 | Lew Bostick | Alabama | Offensive guard | Cleveland Rams |
| 10 | 85 | Kimble Bradley | Ole Miss | Back | Brooklyn Dodgers |
| 10 | 86 | Walt Wood | Tennessee | Back | Chicago Bears |
| 11 | 91 | Bowden Wyatt | Tennessee | End | Chicago Cardinals |
| 14 | 129 | Bill Badgett | Georgia | Tackle | Green Bay Packers |
| 15 | 133 | Ben Friend | LSU | Tackle | Cleveland Rams |
| 20 | 184 | Dick Gormley | LSU | Center | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 20 | 190 | Lyle Smith | Tulane | Offensive guard | New York Giants |