The 1940 Tennessee Vols

[Freak]

I ran across this article on ESPN posted last week ranking the top 25 teams that didn't win it all. It listed the 1940 Tennessee team as No. 17.

Tennessee went 10-0 during the regular season that year, with eight shutouts. Interestingly, the Vols were recognized as national champions under the Williamson and Dunkel polls that year and Tennessee's official website claims a championship for that 1940 team. - National Powers

However, the article only counts the AP and the Coaches Poll as recognized championships.

Anyway, I found it interesting and figured I'd throw it out for discussion.

17. 1940 Tennessee (10-1)

Gen. Robert Neyland's Volunteers claimed a share of the 1938 national title (the AP gave it to TCU), then famously pitched a shutout for the entire 1939 regular season. The 1940 team was slightly more mortal defensively (it allowed 45 points for the season ... the shame) but made up for that with offensive firepower.

Powered by an absurd line -- college football Hall of Famers Bob Suffridge and Ed Molinski lined up at guard, All-American Abe Shires at tackle -- Tennessee ranked third in the nation in scoring offense and second in scoring defense, outscoring opponents 319-26 in a third consecutive 10-0 regular season. The Vols won every game by at least 13 points before slipping up in a bowl for the second straight year: Boston College, coached by Frank Leahy (who would soon leave for Notre Dame), scored late to defeat them 19-13 in the Sugar Bowl.

Our top college football teams that failed to win the national championship

 

[Boca Vol]

Thanks for sharing.

Until 1991, UT only claimed 2 national titles ('38 & '51). Starting in 1991, they started claiming other NC's ('40, '50, & '67).

1990 Football Guide

1991 Football Guide

 

[GAVol]

I ran across this article on ESPN posted last week ranking the top 25 teams that didn't win it all. It listed the 1940 Tennessee team as No. 17.

Tennessee went 10-0 during the regular season that year, with eight shutouts. Interestingly, the Vols were recognized as national champions under the Williamson and Dunkel polls that year and Tennessee's official website claims a championship for that 1940 team. - National Powers

However, the article only counts the AP and the Coaches Poll as recognized championships.

Anyway, I found it interesting and figured I'd throw it out for discussion.



Our top college football teams that failed to win the national championship

Didn’t really realize the 1940 team was that good. Pretty incredible to have 8 shutouts a year after going unscored upon during the regular season.

 

[Volosaurus rex]

Speaking of shutouts, did you know that, if memory serves me correctly, 106 of Neyland's 173 victories were shutouts? Neyland also recorded a handful of scoreless ties. See Tennessee Historical Scores .

 

[Rickyvol77]

Thanks for sharing.

Until 1991, UT only claimed 2 national titles ('38 & '51). Starting in 1991, they stated claiming other NC's ('40, '50, & '67).

1990 Football Guide

1991 Football Guide

And they should, the fact they don't claim the 1939 title is ridiculous

 

[MAD]

Soon

 

[Boston Vol]

And they should, the fact they don't claim the 1939 title is ridiculous

They don’t claim 1939 because I don't believe that anyone selected them as national champions.

 

[Volosaurus rex]

They don’t claim 1939 because I don't believe that anyone selected them as national champions.

The AP was the only wire-service poll then in existence. There were a host of statistical rankings that predated it, such as Dunkel and Litkenhous, but I do not recall off the top of my head where we finished that year in those services. We seized the number-one spot after our 21-0 victory over Alabama, which was highlighted by Johnny Butler’s spectacular 56-yard touchdown run, and held that position until the week of November 20, when Texas A & M slid past us. The Aggies held that position the following week while an idle Tennessee team inexplicably fell to fourth. The Big Orange reclaimed the number-one position on the week of December 4th, but Texas A & M again vaulted past us in the final poll of the ’39 season. 1939 NCAA football rankings - Wikipedia

 

[NighthawkVol]

They don’t claim 1939 because I don't believe that anyone selected them as national champions.

Correct. Tennessee only claims national champions that have been recognized as such by selectors recognized as "official" by the NCAA. In fact, Tennessee has a stricter standard than others like Alabama, USC, etc., in that UT doesn't recognize those that were awarded retroactively. That is why the 1956 Sagarin title, in spite of being officially recognized by the NCAA, is not claimed by Tennessee.

 

[HuntlandVolinColo]

How many 5-5 seasons does Alabama claim as National Championships?

 

[lukeneyland]

Thanks for sharing.

Until 1991, UT only claimed 2 national titles ('38 & '51). Starting in 1991, they started claiming other NC's ('40, '50, & '67).

1990 Football Guide

1991 Football Guide

All of them are at least mildly legitimate save for 67. We honestly could make a claim on 89 for what it's worth

 

[Volosaurus rex]

All of them are at least mildly legitimate save for 67. We honestly could make a claim on 89 for what it's worth

Litkenhous declared Tennessee national champions in '67. That was, I believe, the last year that any service declared a national champion prior to completion of the bowl season. Whether one agrees objectively with the verdict, it is at least defensible by the standards of the day. USC, who won the title that year, lost the next-to-last game of the regular season, 3-0, to Oregon State, and then defeated cross-town rival UCLA by a point, 21-20, before beating an equally unimpressive Indiana team, 14-3, in the Rose Bowl. See Southern California Historical Scores. Those are not overly impressive credentials either.

Tennessee, on the other hand, lost the Orange Bowl to a 10-1 Oklahoma team by two points, 26-24, on a last-second, 43-yard-field goal attempt by Karl Kremser that was wide right by about two feet.

 

[lukeneyland]

Litkenhous declared Tennessee national champions in '67. That was, I believe, the last year that any service declared a national champion prior to completion of the bowl season. Whether one agrees objectively with the verdict, it is at least defensible by the standards of the day. USC, who won the title that year, lost the next-to-last game of the regular season, 3-0, to Oregon State, and then defeated cross-town rival UCLA by a point, 21-20, before beating an equally unimpressive Indiana team, 14-3, in the Rose Bowl. See Southern California Historical Scores. Those are not overly impressive credentials either.

Tennessee, on the other hand, lost the Orange Bowl to a 10-1 Oklahoma team by two points, 26-24, on a last-second, 43-yard-field goal attempt by Karl Kremser that was wide right by about two feet.

Insane what two feet will do. I forgot that they reverted back to the old pre bowl system in 67

 

[Rickyvol77]

Litkenhous declared Tennessee national champions in '67. That was, I believe, the last year that any service declared a national champion prior to completion of the bowl season. Whether one agrees objectively with the verdict, it is at least defensible by the standards of the day. USC, who won the title that year, lost the next-to-last game of the regular season, 3-0, to Oregon State, and then defeated cross-town rival UCLA by a point, 21-20, before beating an equally unimpressive Indiana team, 14-3, in the Rose Bowl. See Southern California Historical Scores. Those are not overly impressive credentials either.

Tennessee, on the other hand, lost the Orange Bowl to a 10-1 Oklahoma team by two points, 26-24, on a last-second, 43-yard-field goal attempt by Karl Kremser that was wide right by about two feet.

It wasn’t wide right

 

[Volosaurus rex]

It wasn’t wide right

I don't disagree, but that was the conclusion of the officials.

 

[orangefloyd]

It wasn’t wide right

Dewey was holding and still swears to this day that the kick was good.

 

[Boca Vol]

Litkenhous declared Tennessee national champions in '67. That was, I believe, the last year that any service declared a national champion prior to completion of the bowl season. Whether one agrees objectively with the verdict, it is at least defensible by the standards of the day. USC, who won the title that year, lost the next-to-last game of the regular season, 3-0, to Oregon State, and then defeated cross-town rival UCLA by a point, 21-20, before beating an equally unimpressive Indiana team, 14-3, in the Rose Bowl. See Southern California Historical Scores. Those are not overly impressive credentials either.

Tennessee, on the other hand, lost the Orange Bowl to a 10-1 Oklahoma team by two points, 26-24, on a last-second, 43-yard-field goal attempt by Karl Kremser that was wide right by about two feet.

I always thought it was odd that the one thing missing from the the 1968 programs or guides was any mention of a national title. It had to be strange a few years ago when the '67 team was celebrated in Neyland when there was no celebration in '67 or '68...when the season happened.

 

[lukeneyland]

It wasn’t wide right

That's such a Tennessee way to lose a game. Only we could lose games that we win

 

[Rickyvol77]

Twice in 2010

That's such a Tennessee way to lose a game. Only we could lose games that we win

 

[ArdentVol]

I ran across this article on ESPN posted last week ranking the top 25 teams that didn't win it all. It listed the 1940 Tennessee team as No. 17.

Tennessee went 10-0 during the regular season that year, with eight shutouts. Interestingly, the Vols were recognized as national champions under the Williamson and Dunkel polls that year and Tennessee's official website claims a championship for that 1940 team. - National Powers

However, the article only counts the AP and the Coaches Poll as recognized championships.

Anyway, I found it interesting and figured I'd throw it out for discussion.



Our top college football teams that failed to win the national championship

First learned of that team while looking through my parents' UT yearbooks (annuals).
Dad was probably sitting in Shield-Watkins for most games in late 30s and early 40s. Most frequent story involved the Rose Bowl team and how his cousin got to travel with the team on the train to West Coast

 

[lukeneyland]

Twice in 2010

I was at the music city bowl still pisses me off to this very evening

 

[ArdentVol]

The AP was the only wire-service poll then in existence. There were a host of statistical rankings that predated it, such as Dunkel and Litkenhous, but I do not recall off the top of my head where we finished that year in those services. We seized the number-one spot after our 21-0 victory over Alabama, which was highlighted by Johnny Butler’s spectacular 56-yard touchdown run, and held that position until the week of November 20, when Texas A & M slid past us. The Aggies held that position the following week while an idle Tennessee team inexplicably fell to fourth. The Big Orange reclaimed the number-one position on the week of December 4th, but Texas A & M again vaulted past us in the final poll of the ’39 season. 1939 NCAA football rankings - Wikipedia

Don't recall where I saw it or how to find it, but Butler's run was something to behold. Most exciting Vol runner that i ever saw in person has to be the Artful No. 7

 

[Volosaurus rex]

Don't recall where I saw it or how to find it, but Butler's run was something to behold. Most exciting Vol runner that i ever saw in person has to be the Artful No. 7

It certainly appears on "100 Years of Volunteers." Start at the 26:45 mark of . That run also was included in several Hollywood movies, although I couldn't name one off the top of my head.

 

[savannahfan]

Being buried in the south, NOT being in the press exposure of the all powerful big 10 area along with Navy and Army had the most influence hurting all southern teams. I'm sure there were other teams/areas that suffered from the all powerful sports press back then. I think this came from major league baseball only having teams located in "the north". The press that covered baseball just moved over to football in the fall and reported right on not having to move their base of operations and trying to change culture. A case in point was Dizzy Dean, took a long time for him and his "language" to be excepted (to some degree) by the announcers and northern public when he "called'um as he seen'um".

 

[savannahfan]

First learned of that team while looking through my parents' UT yearbooks (annuals).
Dad was probably sitting in Shield-Watkins for most games in late 30s and early 40s. Most frequent story involved the Rose Bowl team and how his cousin got to travel with the team on the train to West Coast

Mine was band captain mid-late 30's. He also had some interesting stories. I only heard a few of the less colorful tales. Have quite a few news paper pictures of those time while he was in the band.