That time TCU had a Heisman Trophy winner, dominating defense and a national championship

David Ammenheuser

OK, TCU football historians.

Is it too early to mention 1938?

With a 12-0 record and one win away from advancing to the College Football Playoff semifinals, would it be too much of a jinx to mention that the football program hasn’t won a national title in 84 years?

Let’s hope not. Because we did it.

In the past century, much has been said and written about coach Dutch Meyer’s team legendary 1938 team. TCU began the season unranked, then won the Southwest title en route to an 11-0 season, which ended with a 15-7 win over Carnegie Mellon Tech in the 1939 Sugar Bowl.

1938 TCU national champion football team
1938 TCU national champion football team

That TCU team outscored their opponents, 269-60.

The scores:

Centenary (Ind.) 13-0

Arkansas 21-14

Temple 28-6

Texas A&M 34-6

Marquette 21-0

Baylor 39-7

Tulsa 21-0

Texas 28-6

Rice 29-7

SMU 20-7

Carnegie Mellon 15-7

Arkansas was the only team to score more than a touchdown against them all season.

Quarterback Davey O’Brien passed for 1,509 yards and 19 touchdowns en route to winning the Heisman Trophy and the Maxwell Award as the country’s top player.

Davey O’Brien - Quarterback, 1938 (TCU Football Source)
Davey O’Brien - Quarterback, 1938 (TCU Football Source)

Carnegie led 7-6 at halftime before the Horned Frogs rallied to win. It was he only time all season that TCU trailed in a game.

Of course, there was no College Football Playoff in 1938. The Associated Press’ final poll determined the champion.

It was the last time the Horned Frogs would go unbeaten until Gary Patterson’s team posted a 13-0 record in 2010 and was ranked No. 2 after their 21-19 win over Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl.

When Patterson’s team blitzed through the Mountain West Conference and gained national attention, the perfect season brought back many fond memories and reunions of the 1938 team.

Of course, true TCU football historians also know that wasn’t the program’s only national football champion. TCU won its first title in 1935 when the Horned Frogs beat LSU 3-2 in the Sugar Bowl. Yes, really, 3-2.

Taldon Manton’s 36-yard field goal gave the Horned Frogs a 3-0 lead in the second quarter. LSU scored its points when TCU quarterback Sammy Baugh was called for intentional grounding and the Tigers were awarded a safety.

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