1940 Northwestern Wildcats football
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Ranking
APNo. 8
Record6–2 (4–2 Big Ten)
Head coach
Offensive schemeSingle-wing
MVPPaul Hiemenz
CaptainDick Richards[1]
Home stadiumDyche Stadium
Seasons
← 1939
1941 →
1940 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 1 Minnesota $ 6 – 0 – 0 8 – 0 – 0
No. 3 Michigan 3 – 1 – 0 7 – 1 – 0
No. 8 Northwestern 4 – 2 – 0 6 – 2 – 0
Ohio State 3 – 3 – 0 4 – 4 – 0
Wisconsin 3 – 3 – 0 4 – 4 – 0
Iowa 2 – 3 – 0 4 – 4 – 0
Indiana 2 – 3 – 0 3 – 5 – 0
Purdue 1 – 4 – 0 2 – 6 – 0
Illinois 0 – 5 – 0 1 – 7 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1940 Northwestern Wildcats team was an American football team that represented Northwestern University during the 1940 Big Ten Conference football season. In their sixth year under head coach Pappy Waldorf, the Wildcats compiled a 6–2 record (4–2 against Big Ten Conference opponents), finished in third place in the Big Ten Conference, and were ranked No. 8 in the final AP Poll. Their only losses came against No. 1 Minnesota and No. 3 Michigan.[2][3]

Northwestern was ranked at No. 4 (out of 697 college football teams) in the final rankings under the Litkenhous Difference by Score system for 1940.[4]

They played their home games at Dyche Stadium in Evanston, Illinois.

Schedule

DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
October 5at Syracuse*
W 40–022,000[5]
October 12Ohio State
W 6–342,000[6][7]
October 19at WisconsinNo. 4
W 27–725,000[8]
October 26IndianaNo. 7
  • Dyche Stadium
  • Evanston, IL
W 20–740,000[9]
November 2No. 4 MinnesotaNo. 8
  • Dyche Stadium
  • Evanston, IL
L 12–1348,000[10]
November 9IllinoisNo. 10
  • Dyche Stadium
  • Evanston, IL (rivalry)
W 32–1435,000[11]
November 16at No. 6 MichiganNo. 10
L 13–2076,749[12]
November 23No. 14 Notre Dame*No. 10
  • Dyche Stadium
  • Evanston, IL (rivalry)
W 20–048,000[13]
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Players

References

  1. ^ "Year-by-Year Results" (PDF). 2007. p. 147. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 16, 2019. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
  2. ^ "Northwestern Yearly Results (1935-1939)". College Football Data Warehouse. David DeLassus. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved August 7, 2015.
  3. ^ "1940 Northwestern Wildcats Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 18, 2015.
  4. ^ Dr. E. E. Litkenhous (December 19, 1940). "Final 1940 Litkenhous Ratings". The Boston Globe. p. 22 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ Paul Pinkney (October 6, 1940). "Syracuse Battered, 40-0: 'Cats Hand Bill Orange 40-0 Defeat; DeCorrevont Star In Northwestern Triumph". Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. pp. 1B, 4B – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ Irving Vaughan (October 13, 1940). "N.U. Halts Ohio, 6-3: De Correvont Goes Over After 2 Purple Marches Fall Short". Chicago Tribune. p. II-1, II-7 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Dunkley, Charles (October 13, 1940). "DeCorrevont Hero As Wildcats Nip Ohio State, 6-3". Quad-City Times. Associated Press. p. 20. Retrieved October 20, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Henry J. McCormick (October 20, 1940). "Generosity Helps Northwestern, 27-7: Paskvan Rambles 108 Yards; De Correvont Shines for Wildcats". The Wisconsin State Journal. pp. Sports 1, 2 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Irving Vaughan (October 27, 1940). "N.U. Triumphs, 20-7: Wildcats Rush To Victory In Final Quarter". Chicago Tribune. pp. II-1, II-5 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ Wilfrid Smith (November 3, 1940). "Northwestern Loses To Minnesota, 13 to 12". Chicago Tribune. pp. II-1, II-2 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ Irving Vaughan (November 10, 1940). "N.U. Wins: Wildcats Subdue Illini, 32-14; Score 3 Times in Last Quarter". Chicago Tribune. pp. II-1, II-6 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ Howard Barry (November 17, 1940). "N.U. Loses: Wolverines Gain 20-13 Victory: Stave Off Late Wildcat Rally; Wind Blown Punts Wreak Havoc with Purple". Chicago Tribune. pp. II-1, II-4 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ Wilfrid Smith (November 24, 1940). "N.U. 20, Notre Dame 0: Clawson Leads Wildcats With 2 Touchdowns". Chicago Tribune. pp. II-1 – via Newspapers.com.


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