The 1941 Texas Longhorns football team was an American football team that represented the University of Texas as a member of the Southwest Conference during the 1941 college football season. In their fifth year under head coach Dana X. Bible, the Longhorns compiled an 8–1–1 record (4–1–1 against conference opponents), were ranked No. 4 in the final AP Poll, and outscored their opponents by a total of 338 to 55.[1]
Four Longhorns were selected as first-team players on the 1941 All-Southwest Conference football team: fullback Pete Layden, halfback Jack Crain, end Malcolm Kutner, and guard Chal Daniel. Kutner was also selected by the Associated Press, International News Service and Collier's as a first-team All-American and was later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
On October 27, 1941, the Longhorns became the first Texas Longhorns football team to reach No. 1 in the AP Poll.[2] They were recognized as national champions by Berryman QPRS, James Howell, and the Williamson System.[3]
Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | Result | Attendance | Source |
|---|
| September 27 | at Colorado* | | | W 34–6 | 15,000 | [4] |
| October 4 | LSU* | | | W 34–0 | 18,000 | [5] |
| October 11 | vs. Oklahoma* | | | W 40–7 | 42,000 | [6] |
| October 18 | Arkansas | No. 2 | - Memorial Stadium
- Austin, TX (rivalry)
| W 48–14 | 23,000 | [7] |
| October 25 | Rice | No. 2 | - Memorial Stadium
- Austin, TX (rivalry)
| W 40–0 | 42,000 | [8] |
| November 1 | at No. 20 SMU | No. 1 | | W 34–0 | 23,000 | [9] |
| November 8 | at Baylor | No. 1 | | T 7–7 | | [10] |
| November 15 | TCU | No. 2 | - Memorial Stadium
- Austin, TX (rivalry)
| L 7–14 | 23,000 | [11] |
| November 27 | at No. 2 Texas A&M | No. 10 | | W 23–0 | 40,000 | [12] |
| December 6 | Oregon* | No. 4 | - Memorial Stadium
- Austin, TX
| W 71–7 | 27,000 | [13] |
- *Non-conference game
- Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
|
Personnel
Coaching staff
[14]
Roster
| 1941 Texas Longhorns football team roster
|
| Players
|
| Backfield
|
Linemen
|
|
|
[15][16][17]
Depth chart
In 1941 the Longhorns ran a single-wing offense under coach Dana X. Bible.[18] The change in rules allowing free substitution prior to the year[19] allowed coach Bible to sub in entire units throughout the game, and in games where the Horns were comfortably in the lead he would typically rest the starters by substituting in the entire 2nd or 3rd string teams.[20][21][22]
Rankings
Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
т = Tied with team above or below ( ) = First-place votes | Week |
|---|
| Poll | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Final |
|---|
| AP | 2 (30) | 2 (33) | 1т (53) | 1 (73.5) | 2 (4) | 9 | 10 | 4 (1) |
|---|
References
- ^ Littlefield was an assistant football coach from 1920-26 then from 1936-42 and again from 1945-48. In between he also served as head coach from 1927-1933. Outside of football he was head coach of Texas' Track team from 1920-61.
- ^ "1941 Texas Longhorns Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
- ^ "Texas Passes Minnesota in National Ranking: Longhorns Out Front First Time". Associated Press. November 4, 1941.
- ^ "Texas All National Championships". Archived from the original on December 2, 2013. Retrieved December 7, 2015.
- ^ Wilbur Evans (September 28, 1941). "15,000 See Superior Texas Team Trounce Colorado U. by 34-6". Austin American-Statesman. pp. 1, 15 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Weldon Hart (October 5, 1941). "U.T. Eleven Proves It Can Go In Mud, Beating L.S.U., 34-0". The Austin American-Statesman. pp. 1, 13 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Wilbur Evans (October 12, 1941). "Crain Sparks Thundering U.T. Eleven to Smashing Victory Over Sooners Before 42,000". Austin American-Statesman. pp. 1, 9 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Weldon Hart (October 19, 1941). "Steers Too Powerful, Hogs Fall by 48-14 Before Bible Machine". The Austin American-Statesman. pp. 1, 13 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Wilbur Evans (October 26, 1941). "Longhorns Roar Over Rice at 40-0 Speed". Austin American-Statesman. pp. 1, 14 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Weldon Hart (November 2, 1941). "Steers Crush Mustangs To Bury 8-Year Jinx". The Austin American-Statesman. pp. 1, 15, 18 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Wilbur Evans (November 9, 1941). "Baylor Rises From Depths To Tie Mighty Steers, 7-7". The Austin American-Statesman. pp. 1, 13, 17 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Weldon Hart (November 16, 1941). "T.C.U. Frogs Lambast Longhorns by 14-7 To End Glory Reign". The Austin American-Statesman. pp. 1, 13 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Wilbur Evans (November 28, 1941). "Longhorns Click To Smash Aggies' Jinx". The Austin American. pp. 1, 14 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Weldon Hart (December 7, 1941). "Longhorns Shatter Oregon by 71-7". The Austin American Statesman. pp. 1, 20 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "All-Time Assistant Coaches" (PDF). Texas Longhorns. Retrieved December 29, 2025.
- ^ "1941 Football Roster". Texas Longhorns. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
- ^ "Cactus Yearbook, 1942". utexas.edu. 1942. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
- ^ "1937-1946 Coach Bible- football". Texas Legacy Support Network. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
- ^ "A history of Texas Longhorn football-baseball athletes". Burnt Orange Nation. Retrieved December 29, 2025.
- ^ "Throwback Thursday: 1941 football rule change allows substitutes to speak". Telegraph Herald. Retrieved December 29, 2025.
- ^ "Texas Longhorns Ramble Over Colorado, 34 to 6 September 28, 1941 — Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection". Coloradohistoricnewspapers.org.
- ^ Weldon Hart (December 7, 1941). "Longhorns Shatter Oregon by 71-7". The Austin American Statesman. pp. 1, 20 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Wilbur Evans (October 26, 1941). "Longhorns Roar Over Rice at 40-0 Speed". Austin American-Statesman. pp. 1, 14 – via Newspapers.com.
|
|---|
| Venues | |
|---|
| Bowls & rivalries | |
|---|
| Culture & lore | |
|---|
| People | |
|---|
| Seasons | |
|---|
National championship seasons in bold |