# 1939 Southeastern Conference football season

The 1939 Southeastern Conference football season was the seventh season of college football played by the member schools of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and was a part of the 1939 college football season. Tennessee compiled an 10–1 overall record, Georgia Tech compiled an 8–2 overall record, and Tulane complied and 8–1–1 record, with Tennessee and Georgia Tech each having a conference record of 6–0 and Tulane having a conference record of 5–0. The three teams were SEC co-champions.

## Results and team statistics

| Conf. rank | Team | Head coach | Overall record | Conf. record | AP final | PPG | PAG |
| T–1 | Tennessee | Robert Neyland | 10–1–0 (.909) | 6–0–0 (1.000) | No. 2 | 19.3 | 1.3 |
| T–1 | Tulane | Red Dawson | 8–1–1 (.850) | 5–0–0 (1.000) | No. 5 | 19.4 | 6.0 |
| T–1 | Georgia Tech | William Alexander | 8–2–0 (.800) | 6–0–0 (1.000) | No. 16 | 15.0 | 5.6 |
| 4 | Mississippi State | Allyn McKeen | 8–2–0 (.800) | 3–2–0 (.600) | | 21.6 | 3.2 |
| 5 | Ole Miss | Harry Mehre | 7–2–0 (.778) | 2–2–0 (.500) | | 25.6 | 7.1 |
| 6 | Kentucky | Albert D. Kirwan | 6–2–1 (.722) | 2–2–1 (.500) | | 17.9 | 7.1 |
| 7 | Auburn | Jack Meagher | 5–5–1 (.500) | 3–3–1 (.500) | | 6.5 | 6.3 |
| 8 | Alabama | Frank Thomas | 5–3–1 (.611) | 2–3–1 (.417) | | 11.2 | 5.9 |
| 9 | Georgia | Wally Butts | 5–6–0 (.455) | 1–3–0 (.250) | | 10.3 | 8.9 |
| 10 | LSU | Bernie Moore | 4–5–0 (.444) | 1–5–0 (.167) | | 12.3 | 12.9 |
| 11 | Vanderbilt | Ray Morrison | 2–7–1 (.250) | 1–6–0 (.143) | | 9.6 | 16.5 |
| 12 | Florida | Josh Cody | 5–5–1 (.500) | 0–3–1 (.125) | | 7.1 | 6.0 |
| 13 | Sewanee | Harry E. Clark | 3–5–0 (.375) | 0–3–0 (.000) | | 5.4 | 18.8 |
Key AP final = Rankings from AP sports writers. See 1939 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 Zero

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| September 20 | Tennessee Tech | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, TN | T 13–13 | 8,000 |
| September 23 | Howard (AL) | Mississippi State | Scott Field • Starkville, MS | W 45–0 | |
| September 23 | Stetson | Florida | Florida Field • Gainesville, FL | W 21–0 | 5,000 |

### Week One

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| September 29 | Tennessee | NC State | Riddick Stadium • Raleigh, NC | W 13–0 | 12,000 |
| September 29 | Birmingham–Southern | Auburn | Cramton Bowl • Montgomery, AL | W 6–0 | 10,000 |
| September 30 | Clemson | Tulane | Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, LA | W 7–6 | 25,000 |
| September 30 | Arkansas | Mississippi State | Crump Stadium • Memphis, TN | W 19–0 | 10,000 |
| September 30 | VMI | Kentucky | McLean Stadium • Lexington, KY | W 21–0 | 5,000 |
| September 30 | Howard (AL) | Alabama | Denny Stadium • Tuscaloosa, AL | W 21–0 | 6,000 |
| September 30 | The Citadel | Georgia | Sanford Stadium • Athens, GA | W 26–0 | 15,000 |
| September 30 | Vanderbilt | Rice | Rice Field • Houston, TX | W 13–12 | 20,000 |
| September 30 | Florida | Texas | War Memorial Stadium • Austin, TX | L 0–12 | 17,000 |
| September 30 | Sewanee | Washington and Lee | Wilson Field • Lexington, VA | L 0–9 | 1,500 |
| September 30 | Ole Miss | LSU | Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA (rivalry) | OM 14–7 | |

### Week Two

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| October 6 | Georgia | Furman | Sirrine Stadium • Greenville, SC | L 0–20 | 12,000 |
| October 7 | Ole Miss | Southwestern (TN) | Crump Stadium • Memphis, TN | W 41–0 | 12,000 |
| October 7 | Alabama | Fordham | Polo Grounds • New York, NY | W 7–6 | 41,454 |
| October 7 | LSU | Holy Cross | Fitton Field • Worcester, MA | W 26–7 | 24,000 |
| October 7 | Georgia Tech | Notre Dame | Notre Dame Stadium • Notre Dame, IN | L 14–17 | 30,000 |
| October 7 | Sewanee | Tennessee | Shields–Watkins Field • Knoxville, TN | TEN 40–0 | 18,000 |
| October 7 | Auburn | Tulane | Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, LA (rivalry) | TUL 12–0 | 28,000 |
| October 7 | Mississippi State | Florida | Florida Field • Gainesville, FL | MSS 14–0 | |
| October 7 | Kentucky | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, TN (rivalry) | KEN 21–13 | 10,000 |

### Week Three

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| October 12 | Florida | Boston College | Fenway Park • Boston, MA | W 7–0 | 20,000 |
| October 14 | Howard (AL) | Georgia Tech | Grant Field • Atlanta, GA | W 35–0 | 10,000 |
| October 14 | Fordham | Tulane | Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, LA | W 7–0 | 43,000 |
| October 14 | Ole Miss | Centenary | Centenary College Stadium • Shreveport, LA | W 34–0 | 7,500 |
| October 14 | Oglethorpe | Kentucky | McLean Stadium • Lexington, KY | W 59–0 | |
| October 14 | Mercer | Alabama | Denny Stadium • Tuscaloosa, AL | W 20–0 | 5,000 |
| October 14 | Rice | LSU | Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA | W 7–0 | 28,000 |
| October 14 | Holy Cross | Georgia | Sanford Stadium • Athens, GA | L 0–13 | 15,000 |
| October 14 | VMI | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, TN | L 13–20 | 5,000 |
| October 14 | Mississippi State | Auburn | Legion Field • Birmingham, AL | AUB 7–0 | 10,000 |
| October 15 | Tennessee | Chattanooga | Chamberlain Field • Chattanooga, TN | W 28–0 | 6,987 |

### Week Four

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| October 20 | Tennessee Tech | Sewanee | Hardee Field • Sewanee, TN | W 9–7 | |
| October 21 | Southwestern (TN) | Mississippi State | Scott Field • Starkville, MS | W 37–0 | 5,000 |
| October 21 | Saint Louis | No. 17 Ole Miss | Hemingway Stadium • Oxford, MS | W 42–0 | |
| October 21 | Loyola (LA) | LSU | Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA | W 20–0 | 10,000 |
| October 21 | Tampa | Florida | Florida Field • Gainesville, FL | W 7–0 | 6,000 |
| October 21 | No. 14 North Carolina | No. 4 Tulane | Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, LA | T 14–14 | 34,000 |
| October 21 | Auburn | Manhattan | Polo Grounds • New York, NY | L 0–7 | 7,500–8,000 |
| October 21 | No. 8 Alabama | No. 5 Tennessee | Shields–Watkins Field • Knoxville, TN (rivalry) | TEN 21–0 | 40,000 |
| October 21 | Vanderbilt | Georgia Tech | Grant Field • Atlanta, GA (rivalry) | VAN 14–6 | 19,000 |
| October 21 | Georgia | Kentucky | Du Pont Manual Stadium • Louisville, KY | KEN 13–6 | 14,000 |
| $^#$Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. |||||||

### Week Five

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| October 27 | Sewanee | Southwestern (TN) | Crump Stadium • Memphis, TN (rivalry) | W 6–0 | |
| October 28 | Mercer | No. 1 Tennessee | Shields–Watkins Field • Knoxville, TN | W 17–0 | 6,000 |
| October 28 | Kentucky | Xavier | Xavier Stadium • Cincinnati, OH | W 21–0 | 8,000 |
| October 28 | Florida | Maryland | Byrd Stadium • College Park, MD | W 14–0 | 10,000 |
| October 28 | Georgia | NYU | Yankee Stadium • Bronx, NY | L 13–14 | 15,000 |
| October 28 | Auburn | Georgia Tech | Grant Field • Atlanta, GA (rivalry) | GT 7–6 | 18,000 |
| October 28 | No. 14 Ole Miss | No. 2 Tulane | Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, LA (rivalry) | TUL 18–6 | 37,000 |
| October 28 | Mississippi State | No. 20 Alabama | Denny Stadium • Tuscaloosa, AL (rivalry) | ALA 7–0 | 15,000 |
| October 28 | LSU | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, TN | LSU 12–6 | 10,000 |
| $^#$Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. |||||||

### Week Six

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| November 3 | Mercer | Georgia | Sanford Stadium • Athens, GA | W 16–9 | 6,000 |
| November 4 | Birmingham–Southern | Mississippi State | Scott Field • Starkville, MS | W 28–0 | 6,000 |
| November 4 | No. 12 Duke | Georgia Tech | Grant Field • Atlanta, GA | L 6–7 | 30,000 |
| November 4 | Auburn | Boston College | Fenway Park • Boston, MA | L 7–13 | 15,000 |
| November 4 | Florida | South Carolina | Columbia Municipal Stadium • Columbia, SC | L 0–6 | 5,000 |
| November 4 | Sewanee | Chattanooga | Chamberlain Field • Chattanooga, TN | L 7–10 | |
| November 4 | No. 1 Tennessee | No. 18 LSU | Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA | TEN 20–0 | 42,000 |
| November 4 | Vanderbilt | Ole Miss | Crump Stadium • Memphis, TN (rivalry) | OM 14–7 | 12,000 |
| November 4 | No. 15 Kentucky | No. 19 Alabama | Legion Field • Birmingham, AL | T 7–7 | 11,000 |
| $^#$Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. |||||||

### Week Seven

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| November 11 | The Citadel | No. 1 Tennessee | Shields–Watkins Field • Knoxville, TN | W 34–0 | 8,000 |
| November 11 | No. 19 Ole Miss | Mississippi State Teachers | Faulkner Field • Hattiesburg, MS | W 27–7 | |
| November 11 | Villanova | Auburn | Legion Field • Birmingham, AL | W 10–9 | 15,000 |
| November 11 | No. 18 Kentucky | Georgia Tech | Grant Field • Atlanta, GA | GT 13–6 | 25,000 |
| November 11 | No. 20 Alabama | No. 7 Tulane | Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, LA | TUL 13–0 | 52,000 |
| November 11 | Mississippi State | LSU | Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA (rivalry) | MSS 15–12 | 11,000 |
| November 11 | Georgia | Florida | Fairfield Stadium • Jacksonville, FL (rivalry) | UGA 6–2 | 20,000 |
| November 11 | Sewanee | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, TN (rivalry) | VAN 25–7 | 7,000 |
| $^#$Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. |||||||

### Week Eight

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| November 18 | No. 6 Tulane | Columbia | Baker Field • New York, NY | W 25–0 | 25,000 |
| November 18 | Millsaps | Mississippi State | Scott Field • Starkville, MS | W 40–0 | 5,000 |
| November 18 | West Tennessee State | Ole Miss | Hemingway Stadium • Oxford, MS (rivalry) | W 46–7 | 4,000 |
| November 18 | West Virginia | Kentucky | McLean Stadium • Lexington, KY | W 13–6 | 8,000 |
| November 18 | South Carolina | Georgia | Sanford Stadium • Athens, GA (rivalry) | W 33–7 | 7,000 |
| November 18 | Florida | Miami (FL) | Burdine Stadium • Miami, FL (rivalry) | W 13–0 | 26,000–28,000 |
| November 18 | Sewanee | The Citadel | Johnson Hagood Stadium • Charleston, SC | W 14–7 | |
| November 18 | Vanderbilt | No. 1 Tennessee | Shields–Watkins Field • Knoxville, TN (rivalry) | TEN 13–0 | 25,000 |
| November 18 | Georgia Tech | Alabama | Legion Field • Birmingham, AL (rivalry) | GT 6–0 | 23,000 |
| November 18 | Auburn | LSU | Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA (rivalry) | AUB 21–7 | |
| $^#$Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. |||||||

### Week Eight

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| November 25 | No. 19 Georgia Tech | Florida | Florida Field • Gainesville, FL | GT 21–7 | 15,000 |
| November 25 | Sewanee | No. 5 Tulane | Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, LA | TUL 52–0 | 15,000 |
| November 25 | Mississippi State | Ole Miss | Hemingway Stadium • Oxford, MS (rivalry) | MSS 18–6 | 20,000 |
| November 25 | Auburn | Georgia | Memorial Stadium • Columbus, GA (rivalry) | AUB 7–0 | 17,500 |
| $^#$Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. |||||||

### Week Nine

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| November 30 | No. 4 Tennessee | Kentucky | McLean Stadium • Lexington, KY | TEN 19–0 | 19,000 |
| November 30 | Alabama | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, TN | ALA 39–0 | 18,000 |
| November 30 | Florida | Auburn | Auburn Stadium • Auburn, AL (rivalry) | T 7–7 | 13,000 |
| December 2 | Georgia | Georgia Tech | Grant Field • Atlanta, GA (rivalry) | GT 13–0 | 30,000 |
| December 2 | LSU | Tulane | Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, LA (rivalry) | TUL 33–20 | 45,000 |
| $^#$Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. |||||||

### Week Ten

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| December 8 | Georgia | Miami (FL) | Burdine Stadium • Miami, FL | W 13–0 | 16,402 |
| December 9 | Auburn | No. 2 Tennessee | Shields–Watkins Field • Knoxville, TN (rivalry) | TEN 7–0 | 25,000 |
| $^#$Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. |||||||

### Postseason

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| January 1, 1940 | No. 6 Missouri | No. 16 Georgia Tech | Burdine Stadium • Miami, FL (Orange Bowl) | W 21–7 | 35,000 |
| January 1, 1940 | No. 3 USC | No. 2 Tennessee | Rose Bowl • Pasadena, CA (Rose Bowl) | L 0–14 | 92,200 |
| January 1, 1940 | No. 5 Tulane | No. 1 Texas A&M | Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, LA (Sugar Bowl) | L 13–14 | 73,000 |
| $^#$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 1939 All-SEC football team:
* Ken Kavanaugh, End, LSU (AP-1, UP-1)
* Bob Ison, End, Georgia Tech (AP-1, UP-1)
* Harley McCollum, Tackle, Tulane (AP-1, UP-1)
* George Cafego, Quarterback, Tennessee (AP-1, UP-1)
* Bob "Jitterbug" Kellogg, Halfback, Tulane (AP-1, UP-1)

## All-Americans

Four SEC players were consensus first-team picks on the 1939 College Football All-America Team:
* Ken Kavanaugh, End, LSU (INS, LIB, NW, SN, UP)
* Ed Molinski, Guard, Tennessee (AAB, AP, CO, LIB, NEA)
* George Cafego, Quarterback, Tennessee (INS, NW, SN, UP)
* Harley McCollum, Tackle, Tulane (AP, LIB, NEA)
Other SEC players receiving All-American honors from at least one selector were:
* Ralph Wenzel, End, Tulane (UP-3; CP-1; CW-2; LIFE-2; NYS-1)
* Bob Ison, End, Georgia Tech (CP-3; NEA-3; NYS-2)
* Hal Newman, End, Alabama (NEA-2)
* Bob Suffridge, Guard, Tennessee (INS-1; NEA-3; NW-1; SN; UP-1; BL; CP-1; CW-1; LIFE-1; NYS-1)
* Tommy O'Boyle, Guard, Tulane (NEA-2)
* Cary Cox, Center, Alabama (CP-2; LIB)

## Head coaches

Records through the completion of the 1939 season
| Team | Head coach | Years at school | Overall record | Record at school | SEC record |
| Alabama | Frank Thomas | 9 | 95–20–6 (.810) | 69–11–5 (.841) | 33–6–4 (.814) |
| Auburn | Jack Meagher | 6 | 58–50–2 (.536) | 32–24–7 (.563) | 20–16–5 (.549) |
| Florida | Josh Cody | 4 | 56–54–3 (.509) | 17–24–2 (.419) | 6–14–2 (.318) |
| Georgia | Wally Butts | 1 | 5–6–0 (.455) | 5–6–0 (.455) | 1–3–0 (.250) |
| Georgia Tech | William Alexander | 20 | 103–74–15 (.576) | 103–74–15 (.576) | 19–21–5 (.478) |
| Kentucky | Albert D. Kirwan | 2 | 8–9–1 (.472) | 8–9–1 (.472) | 2–6–1 (.278) |
| LSU | Bernie Moore | 5 | 49–26–4 (.646) | 37–14–1 (.721) | 19–10–0 (.655) |
| Mississippi State | Allyn McKeen | 1 | 21–8–0 (.724) | 8–2–0 (.800) | 3–2–0 (.600) |
| Ole Miss | Harry Mehre | 2 | 75–38–6 (.655) | 16–4–0 (.800) | 17–16–2 (.514) |
| Sewanee | Harry E. Clark | 9 | 21–56–3 (.281) | 21–56–3 (.281) | 0–36–0 (.000) |
| Tennessee | Robert Neyland | 13 | 109–15–8 (.856) | 109–15–8 (.856) | 30–7–2 (.795) |
| Tulane | Red Dawson | 4 | 26–10–4 (.700) | 26–10–4 (.700) | 13–7–3 (.630) |
| Vanderbilt | Ray Morrison | 6 | 113–66–24 (.616) | 29–22–2 (.566) | 15–15–1 (.500) |

## 1940 NFL draft

The following SEC players were selected in the 1940 NFL draft:
| Round | Overall Pick | Player name | School | Position | NFL team |
| 1 | 1 | George Cafego | Tennessee | Fullback | Chicago Cardinals |
| 2 | 12 | Ralph Wenzell | Tulane | End | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 3 | 22 | Ken Kavanaugh | LSU | End | Chicago Bears |
| 3 | 23 | Buddy Banker | Tulane | Back | Washington Redskins |
| 4 | 30 | Bobby Wood | Alabama | Tackle | Cleveland Rams |
| 5 | 33 | Clark Goff | Florida | Tackle | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 5 | 34 | Walt Merrill | Alabama | Tackle | Brooklyn Dodgers |
| 5 | 38 | Bill Kirchem | Tulane | Tackle | Washington Redskins |
| 6 | 46 | Jim Rike | Tennessee | Center | Detroit Lions |
| 7 | 59 | Millard White | Tulane | Tackle | Green Bay Packers |
| 8 | 67 | Jim Fordham | Georgia | Back | Chicago Bears |
| 11 | 93 | Cary Cox | Alabama | Center | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 11 | 95 | Boyd Clay | Tennessee | Tackle | Cleveland Rams |
| 12 | 105 | Shag Goolsby | Mississippi State | Center | Cleveland Rams |
| 12 | 107 | Bill McCubbin | Kentucky | End | Chicago Bears |
| 13 | 118 | Sam Bartholomew | Tennessee | Back | Washington Redskins |
| 14 | 124 | Len Coffman | Tennessee | Back | Brooklyn Dodgers |
| 15 | 138 | Sandy Sanford | Alabama | End | Washington Redskins |
| 16 | 149 | Ray Andrus | Vanderbilt | Back | Green Bay Packers |
| 17 | 155 | Jack Nix | Mississippi State | Back | Cleveland Rams |
| 19 | 172 | Bill Schneller | Ole Miss | Back | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 20 | 184 | Milt Howell | Auburn | Offensive guard | Brooklyn Dodgers |
| 20 | 185 | Luke Lindon | Kentucky | Tackle | Cleveland Rams |
| 20 | 187 | Young Bussey | LSU | Back | Chicago Bears |
| 20 | 188 | F. W. "Buck" Murphy | Georgia Tech | Back | Washington Redskins |
| 21 | 191 | Malvern Morgan | Auburn | Center | Detroit Lions |