The Undefeated Streak and National Championships

[jthomasou78]

I was always curious as to how we went so long without losing a football game and only won a championship in two years. I was shocked that two weeks before losing to Notre Dame we had been dropped to number 2 in the polls.

Can you imagine in todays time a team not losing for 3 years and not ranked unanimously number 1?

[Frozen Sooner]

Well, part of it was that the undefeated streak both began and ended in the middle of seasons.

[badger]

Well, part of it was that the undefeated streak both began and ended in the middle of seasons.

which, according to the big, mizzou and roid ragin' chase daniel, makes it not astreak if it's not in the same game, season, whatev :mad:

SAM BRADFORD HAS THE RECORD!!!!

[SbOrOiNaEnR]

Well, part of it was that the undefeated streak both began and ended in the middle of seasons.

And because of that, there were only 3 undefeated or untied full seasons. '55 and '56 are a non-issue (obviously)...and in '54, you had tOSU, UCLA, and Oklahoma all finish the season unbeaten or untied. In their last games, tOSU beat a 12th-ranked Michigan team 21-7, while UCLA torched #8 SUC 34-0, all while we beat a pre-relevant Nebbish 55-7 and (are they ever relevant?) Aggy 14-0 a week later. It's just an example of Auburn karma 50 years earlier, and I don't have a lot of beef with not winning one then.

[tulsaoilerfan]

I was always curious as to how we went so long without losing a football game and only won a championship in two years. I was shocked that two weeks before losing to Notre Dame we had been dropped to number 2 in the polls.

Can you imagine in todays time a team not losing for 3 years and not ranked unanimously number 1?

That damn ESPN bias got us!!:texan:

[jthomasou78]

Another problem was an archaic conference rule that prevented us from going to the Orange Bowl in consecutive years.

[SbOrOiNaEnR]

Another problem was an archaic conference rule that prevented us from going to the Orange Bowl in consecutive years.

Would that have really mattered though? Back then, the last polls were taken and the national championship was decided after the last week of the season, long before the bowl games. The true spirit of the bowls was still intact - that of a meaningless exhibition.

[tulsaoilerfan]

Would that have really mattered though? Back then, the last polls were taken and the national championship was decided after the last week of the season, long before the bowl games. The true spirit of the bowls was still intact - that of a meaningless exhibition.

No, cause the polls were final before the bowls