final season at Clemson was the turning point in the Tigers' program. His team went 9–1 during that season, finishing second to Duke in the Southern Conference. The Tigers also received their first bowl invitation and bowl victory that year, defeating nationally ranked Boston College 6–3 in the 1940 Cotton Bowl Classic. The 1939 Tigers finished with a No. 12 ranking in the final AP poll. Clemson also had their first Associated Press All-American that year in Banks McFadden. Jess Neely, along with then athletic director Rupert Fike, founded the IPTAY Scholarship Fund, which supports the Clemson Athletic Department. An acronym for "I Pay Ten A Year," as that was what it asked boosters to donate when founded in 1934, IPTAY has since grown into one of the largest and most comprehensive collegiate sporting funds in the nation and a model for other programs. Frank Howard era (1940–1969) After Jess Neely left to become the head coach at Rice, his line coach, Frank Howard was named his successor. Known for his colorful persona, and penchant for imaginative language with both probable, and improbable stories, in his 30 years at Clemson, Howard compiled a 165–118–12 record, a 3–3 bowl record, won two Southern Conference championships, and six ACC championships. Seven of Howard's teams finished the year ranked in at least one final poll. During his stay at Clemson, Howard also oversaw the athletic department, ticket sales, and was an assistant coach for the baseball team. He also incorporated the Single Wing, T-formation, and I-formation offenses at different points during his coaching career at Clemson. In the sterling 1948 season, the team won a Southern Conference championship (Howard's first of eight). The Tiger's also won their second bowl game, a 1948 Gator Bowl win over Missouri, finished 11th in the national rankings, and Howard was named Southern Conference Coach of the Year. For the rest of his life, Howard credited the 1948 team with saving his job. Howard nearly repeated the 1948 success in 1950 when the Tigers were ranked tenth by the Associated Press with a 9–0–1 season and a 15–14 win over Miami (Florida) in Clemson's first Orange Bowl win. In January 1952, after a 7–2 regular season campaign, the Tiger's were invited back to the Gator Bowl, and by being conference champions once again in 1956, Clemson played in the 1957 Orange Bowl. In their second Gator Bowl trip,