1938 Sugar Bowl

The 1938 Sugar Bowl was the fourth edition of the Sugar Bowl and featured the LSU Tigers and the Santa Clara Broncos in a rematch of the previous year's game. It was played on Saturday, January 1, 1938, at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Background
LSU was invited to the Sugar Bowl for the third consecutive season, and was a slight favorite. The Broncos were undefeated on the season and as such were invited to the Sugar Bowl once again. In the final AP poll released in late November, LSU was eighth and Santa Clara was tied for ninth with Notre Dame.

Game summary
In the rain, LSU failed to capitalize despite having fewer turnovers, more first downs, and more yards than the Broncos. At one point, Pinky Rohm tried to score from the Bronco 3, but he was stopped by Al Wolff as the Broncos went to work on a drive, culminating with a Jim Coughlan touchdown catch from Bruno Pellegrini. LSU kept trying to get on the scoreboard, but they kept turning it over on downs and were stopped at Santa Clara's 23 on the final play, as Santa Clara topped the Tigers for a second straight year.

Aftermath
LSU had to wait five years to gain their first bowl win, at the Orange Bowl in Miami. Santa Clara's next (and final) bowl game appearance came after the 1949 season, a win at the Orange Bowl in over Kentucky.