By Darin Football Fix: The Cotton Bowl Heroics of “Bonnie Banks”
“Your daily dose of classic gridiron lore and legendary voices”
On this day, February 7, we celebrate the birth of a man who was essentially a one-man highlights reel before highlight reels existed: Banks McFadden.
While he was an All-American on the basketball court, it was the 1940 Cotton Bowl that cemented his status as a gridiron deity. Facing a powerhouse Boston College team, McFadden put on a masterclass in versatility. He didn’t just play; he dominated every phase of the game.
He broke up four passes on defense, but his most legendary contribution was his right leg. McFadden unleashed two punts of 50+ yards that pinned the Eagles deep in their own territory, preserving Clemson’s narrow 6-3 lead. That victory wasn’t just a win—it was Clemson’s first-ever bowl appearance and their first-ever bowl win, launching the program into the national spotlight forever.
The Fix Factoid: Banks McFadden was so athletic that in 1939, he was voted the Nation’s Most Versatile Athlete. After a brief but successful stint in the NFL where he led the league in yards per carry, he chose to return to Clemson because he simply missed the South Carolina hills.
