| Year: | 1939 |
| Team: | Syracuse Orangemen |
| Sport: | football |
| Conference: | Independent |
| Record: | 3–3–2 |
| Head Coach: | Ossie Solem |
| Hc Year: | 3rd |
| Captain: | Duffy Daugherty, William Hoffman[1] |
| Stadium: | Archbold Stadium |
The 1939 Syracuse Orangemen football team represented Syracuse University in the 1939 college football season. The Orangemen were led by third-year head coach Ossie Solem and played their home games at Archbold Stadium in Syracuse, New York. The team was co-captained by guard Hugh "Duffy" Daugherty, who would later become a Hall-of-Fame-inducted coach at Michigan State. The Daily Orange predicted before the season that Syracuse will beat all the team except Duke.[2]
The 1939 bout between Syracuse and Duke was a rout with Duke coming out on top 33-6. It was Gerald Courtney the Syracuse all-American who ran the only scoring goal down the sidelines for 74 yards. Gerald playing both sides of the ball both in offense and defense. The Charlotte Observer Sports was quoted saying "Gerald Courtney and his orange henchmen couldn't stop the Blue Devils". [3] This was the second time these teams had met, and Syracuse had won the first meeting.
Syracuse was ranked at No. 75 (out of 609 teams) in the final Litkenhous Ratings for 1939.[4]
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-charlotte-observer-gerry-runs-for-a/146843471/