1940 Saint Mary's Gaels football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1940
| team = Saint Mary's Gaels
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = Independent
| record = 5–3
| head_coach = Red Strader
| hc_year = 1st
| captain =
| stadium = Kezar Stadium
}}
{{1940 Western college football independents records}}
The 1940 Saint Mary's Gaels football team was an American football team that represented Saint Mary's College of California during the 1940 college football season. In their first season under head coach Red Strader, the Gaels compiled a 5–3 record and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 100 to 68.{{cite web|title=1940 Saint Mary's (CA) Gaels Schedule and Results|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=SR/College Football|accessdate=August 25, 2017|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/saint-marys-ca/1940-schedule.html}}
Saint Mary's was ranked at No. 49 (out of 697 college football teams) in the final rankings under the Litkenhous Difference by Score system for 1940.{{cite news|title=Final 1940 Litkenhous Ratings|newspaper=The Boston Globe|author=Dr. E. E. Litkenhous|date=December 19, 1940|page=22|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/123126338/final-1940-litkenhous-ratings/|via=Newspapers.com}}
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
| rankyear = 1940
| poll = AP
| attend = y
| source = y
|September 28||Gonzaga|Kezar Stadium|San Francisco CA|W 16-0|20,000|{{cite news|title=Aguirre Stars as Gaels Trim Gonzaga Team|newspaper=The Ogden Standard-Examiner|date=September 30, 1940|page=10|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/23034035/aguirre_stars_as_gaels_trim_gonzaga_team/|via=Newspapers.com}}
|October 5|at|California|California Memorial Stadium|Berkeley, CA|L 6-9|50,000|{{cite news|title=Bears Come Back, 9-6: Al Derian Provides Punch|newspaper=San Francisco Examiner|author=Prescott Sullivan|date=October 6, 1940|pages=Sports 2, 4|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/23211500/bears_come_back_96_al_derian/|via=Newspapers.com}}
|October 13|vs|San Francisco|Kezar Stadium|San Francisco, CA|W 13-7|16,000|{{cite news|title=Intercepted Pass Gives Gaels 13-7 Win Over Dons|newspaper=Oakland Tribune|author=Alan Ward|date=October 14, 1940|page=16|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/22953967/intercepted_pass_gives_gaels_137_win/|via=Newspapers.com}}
|October 20|at|Loyola (CA)|Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum|Los Angeles, CA|W 18-7|10,000|{{cite news|title=St. Mary's Gaels Overpower Loyola Lions by 18 to 7|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|author=Charles Curtis|date=October 21, 1940|pages=9–10|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/22932439/st_marys_gaels_overpower_loyola_lions/|via=Newspapers.com}}
|October 26|at|No. 11 Fordham|Polo Grounds|New York, NY|W 9-6|34,500|{{cite news|title=Gaels' Field Goal Trips Rams, 9-6|newspaper=Daily News (New York City)|author=Jack Smith|date=October 27, 1940|page=82|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/23211870/gaels_field_goal_trips_rams_96/|via=Newspapers.com}}
|November 3|at|Portland|Multnomah Field|Portland, OR|W 25-13|9,000|{{cite news|title=Battling Pilots Lose Thriller to Gaels, 25 to 13|newspaper=Medford Mail Tribune|date=November 4, 1940|page=4|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/23211992/battling_pilots_lose_thriller_to_gaels/|via=Newspapers.com}}
|November 10||Duquesne|Kezar Stadium|San Francisco, CA|L 6-7|12,000|{{cite news|title=Duquesne Upsets Galloping Gaels, 7-6: Poor Kicks Contribute To Defeat|newspaper=San Francisco Examiner|author=Curley Grieve|date=November 11, 1940|pages=15, 18|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/23211789/duquesne_upsets_galloping_gaels_76/|via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news|title=Dukes Rally To Beat St. Mary's 7-6: Bluff Team Drives Back To Cop Tie|newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|date=November 11, 1940|pages=16, 18|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/23212137/dukes_rally_to_beat_st_marys_76/|via=Newspapers.com}}
|November 17|vs|No. 19 Santa Clara|Kezar Stadium|San Francisco, CA|L 7-19|40,000|{{cite news|title=St. Mary's Crushed, 19-7|newspaper=Oakland Tribune|date=November 18, 1940|pages=10, 14|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/17698121/st_marys_crushed_197/|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}