William & Mary Tribe football, 1940–49

The William & Mary Indians football teams represented The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, United States. Now known as the William & Mary Tribe, the program was established in 1893. Their long-time football rival is the University of Richmond. Their annual meeting is dubbed the I-64 Bowl, so named for the highway connecting the two nearby schools.

The 1940s was the most successful decade in William & Mary football history. The Indians (Tribe) amassed more wins than any other decade (and this includes a non-existent 1943 season due to World War II), had the largest positive-point differential, won two conference championships and qualified for back-to-back bowl games in 1947 and 1948. There were 24 National Football League (NFL) Draft selections, which is the most all-time for William & Mary in a single decade. Among the draftees were Garrard "Buster" Ramsey (1943), Ralph Sazio (1947) and Lou Creekmur (1948). These three players were later enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame, Canadian Football Hall of Fame and NFL Hall of Fame, respectively.

Additionally, the 1940s was the only decade in which William & Mary was an Associated Press nationally ranked team as a member of Division I-A. In 1942 their peak ranking was #13 (Week 6); in 1946 it was #18 (Week 3); in 1947 it was #12 (Week 6); and in 1948 it was #17 (Final Poll). The three-year streak of 1946 to 1948 saw William & Mary ranked at least at some point during the regular season, and two of those years (1947, 1948) they finished as a nationally ranked team in the final AP Polls.

1943
No team was fielded due to World War II.

1947
The William & Mary Indians finished the regular season ranked #14 in the AP Poll after their 35–0 win over Richmond.

1948
The William & Mary Indians finished the regular season ranked #17 in the AP Poll after their 9–0 win over Arkansas.

Decade totals

 * Final record: 64–20–5
 * Points scored: 2,146
 * Points against: 748
 * +/- point differential: +1,398