1939 Sugar Bowl

1939 Sugar Bowl
TCU Horned Frogs Carnegie Tech Tartans (10–0) (6–1) 15 7 Head coach:  Dutch Meyer Head coach:  Bill Kern AP 1 AP 6
1 2 3 4 Total TCU 0 6 6 3 15 Carnegie Tech 0 7 0 0 7
Date	January 2, 1939
Season	1938
Stadium	Tulane Stadium
Location	New Orleans, Louisiana
Attendance	44,308

The 1939 Sugar Bowl featured the TCU Horned Frogs and Carnegie Tech Tartans.

Background

Davey O'Brien led TCU to an perfect 10–0 regular season as quarterback, throwing 94 of 167 passes for 1,509 yards with 19 touchdowns. with 1,847 yards total yards of offense by him in an era with little passing. Carnegie (who were nicknamed the Skibos and the Tartans) were the underdogs despite being 6th ranked.

Game summary

TCU scored the first six points of the game with a Connie Sparks touchdown run. But O'Brien's kick missed, so they were only up 6–0. Carnegie stormed back with a George Muha touchdown catch from Pete Moroz. Carnegie led 7–6 going into halftime, the first time TCU had trailed all season. But TCU rallied back with a Durwood Horner touchdown catch from O'Brien, who missed the extra point once again. But after Carnegie punted the ball back, TCU drove to Carnegie's 1-yard line, where they were stuffed as O'Brien set up to try a short field goal, having missed two PAT's earlier. But this time he made the field goal, increasing the lead to 15–6 with seven minutes remaining. Carnegie almost scored immediately when Muha returned the kickoff to TCU's 21-yard line, but O'Brien intercepted Carnegie's pass as TCU ran the clock down without having to score again, clinching TCU's first undefeated season and their second national championship in three years. It would be their last bowl win until 1957. O'Brien went 17 for 28 and threw for 225 yards and Ki Aldrich had 19 tackles.

Statistics

Statistics	TCU	Carnegie Tech
First Downs	17	10
Yards Rushing	142	129
Yards Passing	225	59
Total Yards	367	188
Punts-Average	1-40.0	6-40.0
Fumbles-Lost	0-0	0-0
Interceptions	0	0
Penalty Yards	5	20