1939 Clemson Tigers football team

1939 Clemson Tigers football
Cotton Bowl Classic champion
ConferenceSouthern Conference
Ranking
APNo. 12
Record9–1 (4–0 SoCon)
Head coach
CaptainJoe Payne
Home stadiumRiggs Field
Seasons
← 1938
1940 →
1939 Southern Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 8 Duke $ 5 0 0 8 1 0
No. 12 Clemson 4 0 0 9 1 0
William & Mary 2 0 1 6 2 1
North Carolina 5 1 0 8 1 1
VMI 3 1 1 6 3 1
Richmond 3 1 1 7 1 2
Furman 3 3 0 5 4 0
Wake Forest 3 3 0 7 3 0
NC State 2 4 0 2 8 0
Washington and Lee 1 2 0 3 4 1
South Carolina 1 3 0 3 6 1
VPI 1 4 1 4 5 1
Davidson 1 7 0 2 7 0
Maryland 0 1 0 2 7 0
The Citadel 0 4 0 3 8 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1939 Clemson Tigers football team was an American football team that represented Clemson College in the Southern Conference during the 1939 college football season. In their ninth and final season under head coach Jess Neely, the Tigers compiled a 9–1 record, outscored opponents by a total of 165 to 40, and defeated Boston College in the 1940 Cotton Bowl Classic.[1] The 1940 Cotton Bowl was Clemson's first bowl game.

Joe Payne was the team captain. The team's statistical leaders included tailback Banks McFadden with 581 passing yards, fullback Charlie Timmons with 556 rushing yards, and wingback Shad Bryant with 32 points scored (4 touchdowns, 8 extra points).[2] McFadden remained with Clemson for more than 40 years as a coach and administrator and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1959.

Five Clemson players were named to the All-Southern team: tailback Banks McFadden; wingback Shad Bryant; center Bob Sharpe; end Joe Blalock; and tackle George Fritts.[3]

  1. ^ "2016 Media Guide" (PDF). clemsontigers.com. Clemson Athletics. 2016. pp. 200–208. Retrieved June 23, 2017.
  2. ^ "Clemson 1960 Football Media Guide". Clemson University. 1960. pp. 40–41.
  3. ^ Clemson 1960 Football Media Guide, p. 22.