1936–37 NCAA football bowl games
The 1936–37 NCAA football bowl games were the final games of the 1936 college football season, and included the debuts of the Cotton Bowl Classic and Bacardi Bowl, which would complement the Orange, Rose, Sugar Bowl and Sun Bowl as the fifth and sixth post-season games. This was the only season that the Bacardi Bowl was recognized by the NCAA.
Poll rankings
The below table lists top teams, their win-loss records, and the bowls they later played in.| AP | Team | W–L | Conf. | Bowl |
| 1 | Minnesota Golden Gophers | 7–1 | Big Ten | — |
| 2 | LSU Tigers | 9–0–1 | SEC | Sugar Bowl |
| 3 | Pittsburgh Panthers | 7–1–1 | Ind. | Rose Bowl |
| 4 | Alabama Crimson Tide | 8–0–1 | SEC | — |
| 5 | Washington Huskies | 7–1–1 | PCC | Rose Bowl |
| 6 | Santa Clara Broncos | 7–0 | Ind. | Sugar Bowl |
| 7 | Northwestern Wildcats | 7–1 | Big Ten | — |
| 8 | Notre Dame Fighting Irish | 6–2 | Ind. | — |
| 9 | Nebraska Cornhuskers | 7–2 | Big Six | — |
| 10 | Penn Quakers | 7–1 | Ind. | — |
| 11 | Duke Blue Devils | 9–1 | Southern | — |
| 12 | Yale Bulldogs | 7–1 | Ind. | — |
| 13 | Dartmouth Indians | 7–1–1 | Ind. | — |
| 14 | Duquesne Dukes | 7–2 | Ind. | Orange Bowl |
| 15 | Fordham Rams | 5–1–2 | Ind. | — |
| 16 | TCU Horned Frogs | 7–2–2 | SWC | Cotton Bowl Classic |
| 17 | Tennessee Volunteers | 6–2–1 | SEC | — |
| T18 | Arkansas Razorbacks | 6–3 | SWC | — |
| T18 | Navy Midshipmen | 6–3 | Ind. | — |
| 20 | Marquette Golden Avalanche | 7–1 | Ind. | Cotton Bowl Classic |
The Big Ten Conference did not allow its members to participate in bowl games until the 1947 Rose Bowl.
Bowl schedule
Rankings are from the final regular season AP Poll.| Date | Game | Site | Teams | Affiliations | Results |
| Jan. 1 | Rose Bowl | Rose Bowl Pasadena, California | #3 Pittsburgh Panthers #5 Washington Huskies | Independent PCC | Pittsburgh 21 Washington 0 |
| Jan. 1 | Sugar Bowl | Tulane Stadium New Orleans, Louisiana | #6 Santa Clara Broncos #2 LSU Tigers | Independent SEC | Santa Clara 21 LSU 14 |
| Jan. 1 | Orange Bowl | Miami Field Miami, Florida | #14 Duquesne Dukes Mississippi State | Independent SEC | Duquesne 13 Mississippi State 12 |
| Jan. 1 | Sun Bowl | Jones Stadium El Paso, Texas | Hardin–Simmons Cowboys Texas Mines Miners | Independent Border | Hardin–Simmons 34 Texas Mines 6 |
| Jan. 1 | Cotton Bowl Classic | Cotton Bowl Dallas, Texas | #16 TCU #20 Marquette | SWC Independent | TCU 16 Marquette 6 |
| Jan. 1 | Bacardi Bowl | La Tropical Stadium Havana, Cuba | Auburn Tigers Villanova Wildcats | SEC Independent | Auburn 7 Villanova 7 |