The 1939 Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season was the season of college football played by the six member schools of the Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) as part of the 1939 college football season.
The Maryville Bearcats from Maryville, Missouri, led by head coach Ryland Milner, compiled a perfect 9–0 record, shut out seven of nine opponents, and won the MIAA championship.The 1939 season was part of a 21-game winning streak for Maryville that began with an undefeated 1938 season and ended in October 1940.
Conference overview Conf. rankTeamHead coachConf. recordOverall recordPoints scoredPoints against1MaryvilleRyland Milner5–09–0167202SpringfieldRed Blair3–1–17–1–1129753RollaGale Bullman3–25–41111204WarrensburgCarl Voltmer1–2–23–3–3 5Cape GirardeauAbe Stuber1–3–15–3–1 6KifksvilleMalcolm Eiken0–52–654100
Teams Maryville
The 1939 Maryville Bearcats football team was an American football team that represented Maryville State Teachers College (later renamed as Northwest Missouri State University) at Maryville, Missouri. In their third season under head coach Ryland Milner, the Bearcats compiled a perfect 9–0 record (5–0 against MIAA opponents), shut out seven of nine opponents, and won the Missouri Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) championship.
Guard Marion Rogers was selected by the Associated Press as a first-team player on the 1939 Little All-America college football team. Four Northwest Missouri players received first-team honors on the 1939 all-conference team: Bill Bernau at back; Green at tackle; and M. Rogers and R. Rogers at guard.
Maryville was ranked at No. 155 (out of 609 teams) in the final Litkenhous Ratings for 1939.
Springfield
The 1939 Springfield Bears football team represented the Springfield State College (later renamed Missouri State University) at Springfield, Missouri. In their second season under head coach Red Blair, the Bears compiled a 7–1–1 record (3–1–1 against MIAA opponents) and finished in second place in the Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA).
Two Springfield players received first-team honors on the 1939 all-conference team: quarterback Dwight Bumpus and end Russell Kaminsky.
Springfield was ranked at No. 201 (out of 609 teams) in the final Litkenhous Ratings for 1939.
Rolla
The 1939 Rolla Miners football team represented the Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy (later renamed as Missouri University of Science and Technology) at Rolla, Missouri. In their third year under head coach Gale Bullman, the Miners compiled a 5–4 record (3–2 against MIAA opponents), finished in third place in the MIAA, and were outscored by a total of 120 to 111.
Rolla was ranked at No. 299 (out of 609 teams) in the final Litkenhous Ratings for 1939.
Warrensburg
The 1939 Warrensburg Mules football team represented the Warrensburg State College (later renamed University of Central Missouri) at Warrensburg, Missouri. In their fifth year under head coach Carl Voltmer, the Mules compiled a 3–3–3 record (1–2–2 against conference opponents), and finished in fourth place in the Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA).
Warrensburg was ranked at No. 290 (out of 609 teams) in the final Litkenhous Ratings for 1939.
Cape Girardeau
The 1939 Cape Girardeau Indians football team represented Cape Girardeau State College (later renamed as Southeast Missouri State University) at Cape Girardeau, Missouri. In their eighth season under head coach Abe Stuber, the Indians compiled a 5–3–1 record (1–3–1 against conference opponents) and finished in fifth place in the Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA).
Cape Girardeau was ranked at No. 298 (out of 609 teams) in the final Litkenhous Ratings for 1939.
Kirksville
The 1939 Kirksville Bulldogs football team represented the Kirksville State Teaches College (also known as Northeast Missouri State Teachers College, later renamed as Truman State University) at Kirksville, Missouri. In their first year under head coach Malcolm Eiken, the Bulldogs compiled a 2–6 record (0–5 against conference opponents) and finished in last place out of six teams in the Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association.
Kirksville was ranked at No. 367 (out of 609 teams) in the final Litkenhous Ratings for 1939.
All-conference team At the end of the season, the conference coaches selected an all-conference team consisting of the following first-team players:
Backs: Bill Bernau, Maryville; Harvey Ladd, Rolla; Dwight Bumpus, Springfield; Keith Gooch, Warrensburg Ends: Russell Kaminsky, Springfield; William Kies, Cape Girardeau Tackles: John Green, Maryville; Hay, Cape Girardeau Guards: Marion Rogers, Maryville; Richard Rogers, Maryville Center: Joe Spafford, Rolla
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