1940: Bowls & playoff
Five games. Four ranked teams lost. Four games matched two ranked teams. Winners are listed first; numbers before names are AP ranks going in.
The week in review
Ranked against ranked
| Jan 1, 1941 | 4Boston College 19, 6Tennessee 13Sugar Bowl | Box score |
| Jan 1, 1941 | 3Stanford 21, 8Nebraska 13Rose Bowl | Box score |
| Jan 1, 1941 | 2Texas A&M 13, 14Fordham 12Cotton Bowl | Box score |
| Jan 1, 1941 | 11Mississippi State 14, 9Georgetown 7upsetOrange Bowl | Box score |
Upsets
| Jan 1, 1941 | 11Mississippi State 14, 9Georgetown 7upsetOrange Bowl | Box score |
A ranked team beaten as the betting favorite, or, where no line is on file, by an unranked or lower-ranked team.
FBS vs. FBS
| Jan 1, 1941 | 4Boston College 19, 6Tennessee 13Sugar Bowl | Box score |
| Jan 1, 1941 | 11Mississippi State 14, 9Georgetown 7upsetOrange Bowl | Box score |
| Jan 1, 1941 | 3Stanford 21, 8Nebraska 13Rose Bowl | Box score |
| Jan 1, 1941 | 2Texas A&M 13, 14Fordham 12Cotton Bowl | Box score |
Everyone else
| Jan 1, 1941 | Western Reserve 26, Arizona State 13upsetSun Bowl | Box score |