1942: 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, 1943 | 7Alabama 37, 1Boston College 21upsetOrange Bowl | Box score |
| Jan 1, 1943 | 5Georgia 9, 11UCLA 0Rose Bowl | Box score |
| Jan 1, 1943 | 10Tennessee 14, 6Tulsa 7upsetSugar Bowl | Box score |
| Jan 1, 1943 | 18Texas 14, 2Georgia Tech 7upsetCotton Bowl | Box score |
Upsets
| Jan 1, 1943 | 7Alabama 37, 1Boston College 21upsetOrange Bowl | Box score |
| Jan 1, 1943 | 18Texas 14, 2Georgia Tech 7upsetCotton Bowl | Box score |
| Jan 1, 1943 | 10Tennessee 14, 6Tulsa 7upsetSugar 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, 1943 | 7Alabama 37, 1Boston College 21upsetOrange Bowl | Box score |
| Jan 1, 1943 | 5Georgia 9, 11UCLA 0Rose Bowl | Box score |
| Jan 1, 1943 | 10Tennessee 14, 6Tulsa 7upsetSugar Bowl | Box score |
| Jan 1, 1943 | 18Texas 14, 2Georgia Tech 7upsetCotton Bowl | Box score |
Everyone else
| Jan 1, 1943 | Second Air Force (Washington) 13, Hardin Simmons 7upsetSun Bowl | Box score |