Factoid 231 – The 1941 College Football season.

In 1941 there were 119 teams playing in Division 1. The season would see three teams claim the national championship: Alabama; Minnesota; and Texas. Texas did not lay claim to its title.

The Minnesota Golden Gophers started the season as #1 and finished there as well. They were coached by Bernie Bierman and went 8-0. Halfback Bruce Smith and Tackle Dick Wildung were named All-Americans. Bruce Smith was awarded the Heisman Trophy, the only Golden Gopher to win the award. At the time the Big Ten did not allow teams to participate in post-season bowl games. (My, how times have changed.)*

National Champions

• Alabama 9–2 Frank Thomas (HS) *
• Minnesota 8–0 Bernie Bierman (AP, BR, BS, CFRA, DeS, DuS, HAF, L, NCF, PS, SR) *
• Texas 8–1–1 Dana Bible (B(QPRS), WS) *

• WWII: Erwin Rommel arrived in Tripoli.
• Attack on Pearl Harbor: Aircraft flying from Imperial Japanese Navy carriers launched a surprise attack on the United States fleet at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, thus drawing the United States into World War II. The attack began at 7:48 a.m. Hawaiian Standard Time and was announced on radio stations in the U.S. at about 11:26 p.m. PST (19.26 GMT).
• The occupied Netherlands started the first popular uprising in Europe against the Axis powers, the "February strike" against German deportation of Jews in Amsterdam and surroundings.