The 1941 Texas Longhorns football team was an American football team that represented the University of Texas as a member of the Southwest Conference during the 1941 college football season. In their fifth year under head coach Dana X. Bible, the Longhorns compiled an 8âÂÂ1âÂÂ1 record (4âÂÂ1âÂÂ1 against conference opponents), were ranked No. 4 in the final AP Poll, and outscored their opponents by a total of 338 to 55.
Four Longhorns were selected as first-team players on the 1941 All-Southwest Conference football team: fullback Pete Layden, halfback Jack Crain, end Malcolm Kutner, and guard Chal Daniel. Kutner was also selected by the Associated Press, International News Service and Collier's as a first-team All-American and was later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
On October 27, 1941, the Longhorns became the first Texas Longhorns football team to reach No. 1 in the AP Poll. They were recognized as national champions by Berryman QPRS, James Howell, and the Williamson System.
In 1941 the Longhorns ran a single-wing offense under coach Dana X. Bible. The change in rules allowing free substitution prior to the year allowed coach Bible to sub in entire units throughout the game, and in games where the Horns were comfortably in the lead he would typically rest the starters by substituting in the entire 2nd or 3rd string teams.