1940 Central Michigan Bearcats football team

The 1940 Central Michigan Bearcats football team represented Central Michigan College of Education, later renamed Central Michigan University, as an independent during the 1940 college football season. In their fourth season under head coach Ron Finch, the Bearcats compiled a 4–3–1 record and were outscored by their opponents by a combined total of 88 to 60. The team achieved shut out victories over Ferris State (37–0), Ball State (7–0), Michigan State Normal (24–0), and DeSales (7–0), tied Wayne State (7–7), and lost to Northern Illinois (6–9), Bradley (0–19), and Eastern Kentucky (0–25).

Central Michigan was ranked at No. 271 (out of 697 college football teams) in the final rankings under the Litkenhous Difference by Score system for 1940.