| Year Game Played: | 1940 |
| Game Name: | Sugar Bowl |
| Football Season: | 1939 |
| Visitor Name Short: | Texas A&M |
| Visitor Nickname: | Aggies |
| Visitor School: | Texas A&M |
| Home Name Short: | Tulane |
| Home Nickname: | Green Wave |
| Home School: | Tulane University |
| Visitor Record: | 10–0 |
| Visitor Conference: | SWC |
| Home Record: | 8–0–1 |
| Home Conference: | SEC |
| Visitor Coach: | Homer Norton |
| Home Coach: | Red Dawson |
| Visitor Rank Ap: | 1 |
| Home Rank Ap: | 5 |
| Visitor 1Q: | 7 |
| Visitor 2Q: | 0 |
| Visitor 3Q: | 0 |
| Visitor 4Q: | 7 |
| Home 1Q: | 0 |
| Home 2Q: | 0 |
| Home 3Q: | 7 |
| Home 4Q: | 6 |
| Date Game Played: | January 1 |
| Stadium: | Tulane Stadium |
| City: | New Orleans, Louisiana |
| Referee: | Ted Arnold |
| Attendance: | 73,000[1] |
The 1940 Sugar Bowl featured the top-ranked Texas A&M Aggies, and the fifth-ranked Tulane Green Wave. The game was played at Tulane's home field, Tulane Stadium.
Texas A&M entered the game with an undefeated record and a ranking of #1 in the AP Poll, having six shutouts while allowing just 18 points the whole year. They entered the polls at #9 prior to their game against TCU on October 21, slowly rising up the ranks to #1 before their match-up against Texas on November 30, whom they shut out 20-0. They finished as champion of the Southwest Conference for the first time in 12 years. Tulane began the years with three wins before a tie to North Carolina that made them go from #4 in the polls to #9. However, they rose back up to #9 with five straight wins, including victories over #14 Ole Miss and #20 Alabama, finishing as co-champion of the Southeastern Conference with Tennessee and Georgia Tech, their first title in five years.
Texas A&M took lead in the a first quarter with a 1-yard touchdown run from running back John Kimbrough. He finished the game with 159 yards rushing on 25 carries. In the third quarter, Tulane's Kellogg returned a punt 75 yards for touchdown, tying the game at 7–7. In the third quarter, Tulane's Monnett Butler, former Oak Grove High School star, scored on a 2-yard touchdown run. The extra point attempt was blocked, giving Tulane a 13–7 lead. Kimbrough's second rushing touchdown of the game rallied the Aggies to a 14–13 win.