| Year: | 1940 |
| Team: | Milligan Buffaloes |
| Sport: | football |
| Conference: | Smoky Mountain Conference |
| Short Conf: | Smoky Mountain |
| Record: | 9–0 |
| Conf Record: | 5–0 |
| Head Coach: | Steve Lacy |
| Hc Year: | 8th |
| Stadium: | Roosevelt Stadium |
| Champion: | Smoky Mountain champion |
The 1940 Milligan Buffaloes football team was an American football team that represented Milligan University as a member of the Smoky Mountain Conference during the 1940 college football season. In their eighth year under head coach Steve Lacy, the Buffaloes compiled a perfect 9–0 record (5–0 in conference games), won the Smoky Mountain Conference championship, shut out six of nine opponents, and outscored all opponents by a total of 179 to 33.[1]
Four Milligan players were first-team picks for the 1940 All-Smoky Mountain Conference football team: Big Bill Showalter at fullback; Charlie D'Agata at end; Frank Spraker at tackle; and James Riggs at guard. Three others were named to the second team: Hope Burton at halfback; Hugh Blessing at end; and Fred Dellinger at guard.[2]
The team played its home games at Roosevelt Stadium in Johnson City, Tennessee.