1939 Kansas Jayhawks football team

1939 Kansas Jayhawks football
ConferenceBig Six Conference
Record2–6 (1–4 Big 6)
Head coach
CaptainMilt Sullivant
Home stadiumMemorial Stadium
Seasons
← 1938
1940 →
1939 Big Six Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 6 Missouri $ 5 – 0 – 0 8 – 2 – 0
No. 18 Nebraska 4 – 1 – 0 7 – 1 – 1
No. 19 Oklahoma 3 – 2 – 0 6 – 2 – 1
Kansas 1 – 4 – 0 2 – 6 – 0
Iowa State 1 – 4 – 0 2 – 7 – 0
Kansas State 1 – 4 – 0 4 – 5 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1939 Kansas Jayhawks football team represented the University of Kansas in the Big Six Conference during the 1939 college football season. In their first season under head coach Gwinn Henry, the Jayhawks compiled a 2–6 record (1–4 against conference opponents), tied for fourth place in the conference, and were outscored by opponents by a combined total of 107 to 47.[1][2] They played their home games at Memorial Stadium in Lawrence, Kansas.

The team's statistical leaders included Ed Hall with 189 rushing yards, Ralph Miller with 261 passing yards, Jake Fry with 137 receiving yards, and Fry and Milt Sullivant with 12 points scored each.[3] Sullivant was the team captain.[2]

Kansas was ranked at No. 109 (out of 609 teams) in the final Litkenhous Ratings for 1939.[4]

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 29at Drake*
L 6–1210,000[5]
October 7Iowa State
W 14–08,043
October 14at Colorado A&M*
W 7–0
October 21at No. 3 Oklahoma
L 7–27
November 4Kansas State
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Lawrence, KS (rivalry)
L 6–27
November 11at Nebraska
L 0–7
November 18George Washington*
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Lawrense, KS
L 7–145,000[6]
November 25 No. 10 Missouridagger
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Lawrense, KS (rivalry)
L 0–20[7]
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

After the season

NFL draft

Main article: 1940 NFL draft

The following Jayhawk was selected in the National Football League draft following the season.[8]

Round Pick Player Position NFL club
14 123 Bill Bunson Back Philadelphia Eagles

References

  1. ^ "1939 Kansas Jayhawks Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved September 21, 2017.
  2. ^ a b 2017 Kansas Football Media Guide, p. 183.
  3. ^ 2017 Kansas Football Media Guide, pp. 127-138.
  4. ^ E. E. Litkenhous (December 31, 1939). "Vols Second In Final Litkenhous Grid Rankings; Southern California Tenth". Johnson City Sunday Press. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ Brad Wilson (September 30, 1939). "Bulldogs Outgain, Outplay Big Six Opponents -- Drake Conquers Kansas, 12 To 6". The Des Moines Register. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "K.U. passing rally is too late and Easterners win". The Wichita Eagle. November 19, 1939. Retrieved March 7, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Missouri Defeats Kansas, 20 to 0, Wins Big Six Title". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. November 26, 1939. p. 1F – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "1940 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved July 29, 2023.