Most Undeserving National Champions....

[SteelClip49]

1936-Present


1960 Minnesota
Should have been either Ole Miss or Missouri

1964 Alabama
Should have been Arkansas

1965 Alabama
Literally backed their way into the title after all the top teams lost

1966 Notre Dame
Played on purpose to a tie to keep the #1 rankings

1973 Alabama
Lost to ND in the Sugar Bowl for the AP vote.
Should have been either Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State or Oklahoma

1974 USC
Screw you UPI!

1978 Alabama
Bammer lost to co-NC USC in B'Ham and if anyone deserved a shot at a split, it was Oklahoma

1983 Miami
Auburn was royally screwed

1984 Mormons
After the UF debacle, certainly the UW/OU game was for the crown. Guess not. Damn mormons.

1990 Colorado
Yeah you played a tough schedule but you lost a game. GT just tied a game.

1993 Florida State
Again, should have been Auburn despite their probation or Notre Dame

2008 Florida
It should be Utah's title

[SteelClip49]

Oh and 2007 LSU....2 loss national champion- Fail!

[rainiersooner]

2008 Florida
It should be Utah's title

Eh, I don't know about that. If we had won, would you still say it should be Utah's title?

[TheUnnamedSooner]

1936-Present



1990 Colorado
Yeah you played a tough schedule but you lost a game. GT just tied a game.


Schedules should be taken into consideration. Who did CU lose to and who did GT tie? Isn't this the year that CU got the famous 5th down? that should be the reason more than the one you stated.



2008 Florida
It should be Utah's title

Same as above. Would you be saying the same thing if OU beat florida?

[MichiganSooner]

1966 Notre Dame. That was callous playing for the tie against #1 Michigan State.

1973 Alabama. Should have went to Michigan or OU. Michigan was tied that year by Ohio State but the Wolverines had 2 excellent chances in the final minutes to take the lead. Mike Lantry, a Viet Nam veteran, missed two long field goals by inches.

[yermom]

by some of that logic, OU should be on the list in 1950

[SteelClip49]

I didn't put OU 1950 because I didn't want to get any RED ;)

[MamaMia]

LSU and USC

[TheUnnamedSooner]

I didn't put OU 1950 because I didn't want to get any RED ;)

That's the same as 1966 Notre Dame and playing for a tie!

[A-M]

I didn't put OU 1950 because I didn't want to get any RED ;)

Trust me 'cause I learned the hard way. If you don't agree with the heavy hitters on this board, you will get a lot of RED from them. They won't let anyone else have an opinion that is any different the theirs or the red comes out fast.

[The Remnant]

1974 USC ditto

[soonervegas]

My era....

1. 1984 BYU - playing a 6-5 Michigan for the National Championship, not cool.

2. 2007 LSU's 2 loss - BCS Home Game fiasco

3. 1990 Colorado - 1 tie, 1 loss, 1 prayer

[Salt City Sooner]

BYU '84's opponents, the game score, & their respective final records:

@ Pitt W 20-14 (3-7-1)

Baylor W 47-13 (5-6)

Tulsa W 38-15 (6-5, won Missouri Valley Conference)

@ Hawaii W 18-13 (7-4)

@ Colorado St. W 52-9 (3-8)

Wyoming W 41-38 (6-6)

@ Air Force W 30-25 (8-4)

@ New Mexico W 48-0 (4-8)

UTEP W 42-9 (2-9)

San Diego St. W 34-3 (4-7-1)

@ Utah W 24-14 (6-5-1)

Utah St. W 38-13 (1-10)

Holiday Bowl vs. Michigan W 24-17 (6-6)

That's an aggregate total of 61-85-3. 13-0? Yes. Resume of a national champion? Hardly.

[badger]

I think out of all of OU's national championships, 1950 is the most questionable one.

Out of all of the national championships claimed by all schools throughout college football history, I think any that claimed retroactively (like USC claiming 1939 outta the blue, likely to the chagrin of A&M fans) are VERY questionable.

[JohnnyMack]

Colorado 1990 or BYU 1984

[King Crimson]

Colorado splits with Georgia Tech in 90.

BYU is the most questionable.

[XingTheRubicon]

Don't forget UT 1970. Nebbish was the best team that year and won the AP.

[John Kochtoston]

They can have 1950 back when they give us 1954. We were ranked No. 1 for half the year, then inexplicably finished third (behind two other unbeatens) despite never losing.

[XingTheRubicon]

It was understood at the beginning of the year in 1950 that the AP and UPI National Champion was crowned before the bowl games.

However, in 1970, everyone knew the AP voted after the bowl games.

Nebraska won, UT gagged...in their home state.


1970 National Champions = Nebraska

[OUmillenium]

LSU was the first one that came to my mind. Thought it would be on the first list.

[AlbqSooner]

1936-Present


1974 USC
Screw you UPI!

The ONLY reason USC was voted by the UPI is that, due to OU being on probation, the Coaches were not permitted to vote for OU.

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

Most Definitely the 0-10 Alabama Crimson Tide of 1955 winning the coveted Tuscaloosa Chamber of Commerce National Championship has to be up there....

[OU_Sooners75]

Well, if you are talking most undeserved...where is the likes of Maryland in the early 1950s and other teams that got granted the NC yet lost their bowl games?

[OU_Sooners75]

The ONLY reason USC was voted by the UPI is that, due to OU being on probation, the Coaches were not permitted to vote for OU.

UPI was not conducted by the coaches, was it?

I always thought that the UP/UPI was from the United Press International sportswriters whenever it was in existence.

[badger]

If you're talking about the last decade, I think the weakest national championship team was LSU in 2007. A lot of things happened that weren't intended to by the college football gods that year that would have meant a more legit champion than one with two losses... but it's not like each and every season has the same quality players and teams.

OU definitely defied the football gods by beating Mizzou twice. We lose one of those games and the nat'l champion is a one-loss team (either tOSU or Mizzou). Of course, we aren't the only ones that goaded the gods... Arizona definitely wasn't supposed to steal Oregon's Duck-Heisman-QB guy's knee... and it definitely wasn't supposed to happen on a national stage at the end of the season... and right before the commercial break that the (Nike-funded!) Heisman ad ran promoting their guy for the stiffy arm trophy.

Who else? Oregon State is in for a lot of football hell for its upset over almighty SC, Colorado is ghey NTTAWWT, Pitt somehow embarrasses WV... heh.

It was a strange football season all-around, so that title will always raise eyebrows, because the entire season did.

[AlbqSooner]

UPI was not conducted by the coaches, was it?

I always thought that the UP/UPI was from the United Press International sportswriters whenever it was in existence.

In 1974 AP (Associated Press)=sportswriters voting; UPI (United Press International)=coaches voting.

[TXBOOMER]

If history doesn't show the need for a playoff nothing does.

[SbOrOiNaEnR]

Nobody's mentioned USC and One-Pete's 2003 AP title that really puts the boldfaced M in Mythical National Championship.

[badger]

Nobody's mentioned USC and One-Pete's 2003 AP title that really puts the boldfaced M in Mythical National Championship.

I know about the game the next year and all... the game that never happened... but I really think that OU would have beaten USC in 2003 had they somehow jumped LSU.

I also think we would have had both the AP votes and the USA Today/ESPN Coaches votes had we beaten LSU.

But, we didn't. We got clobbered, as the legend goes... clobbered by a whole 7 points. :rolleyes:

[JLEW1818]

steal Oregon's Duck-Heisman-QB guy's knee...

that's the last time i ever cheered when a player got hurt... i was yelling at my T.V. that Thursday night "down goes Dixon, down goes Dixon" we now controlled OUr own destiny...... 2 days later we play at texas tech, and Sam Bradford gets a concussion.......................:mad:

If he wouldn't have gotten hurt we would have played an undefeated Ohio State team in the National Championship...

F my life

[badger]

that's the last time i ever cheered when a player got hurt... i was yelling at my T.V. that Thursday night "down goes Dixon, down goes Dixon" we now controlled OUr own destiny...... 2 days later we play at *Texas* tech, and Sam Bradford gets a concussion.......................:mad:

If he wouldn't have gotten hurt we would have played an undefeated Ohio State team in the National Championship...

F my life

I started to get excited when that happened, but husband stopped me, reminding me how tough it was when Jason had that happen to him and that the kid's football career likely just ended, not just the title and Heisman runs, but his whole career of NFL millions and stuff - gone.

The timing of Nike's commercial couldn't have been worse, that's what I remember more than the fact that Mikey Stoops got his annual signature win.

[JLEW1818]

yah... well at least he played baseball some too.... does he still play? think he was in the Braves farm system for a while..

but in the end... he still got his college education paid for.... so his life aint horrible....lol

[Sooner Schemer]

1978 Alabama
They're just as deserving as USC, who won the Rose Bowl on a phantom touchdown.
(Charles White lost a fumble at the one before diving across the goal line.)
I believe that Alabama was ranked #1 going into the bowl games, only to have USC lobby themselves into a share of the championship.

But OU was the only team to beat everyone on its schedule after winning the rematch with Nebraska.

[RedstickSooner]

I wasn't familiar with BYU's 1984 season -- 'cuz, y'know, who the hell cares?

But after seeing *how* they "won", I have to say, I don't see how anyone else can be a serious contender. Playing crap teams like that, barely winning, and playing NOBODY who was any good... I bet a dozen teams could've won it all with that schedule that year.

They didn't prove they belonged in the top-10 with that record. Let alone the MNC.

[SbOrOiNaEnR]

I wasn't familiar with BYU's 1984 season -- 'cuz, y'know, who the hell cares?

But after seeing *how* they "won", I have to say, I don't see how anyone else can be a serious contender. Playing crap teams like that, barely winning, and playing NOBODY who was any good... I bet a dozen teams could've won it all with that schedule that year.

They didn't prove they belonged in the top-10 with that record. Let alone the MNC.

That'd be our title if we hadn't collapsed in The Schooner Game against Washington.

That was also the year of the Todd-Dodge-IN-BOUNDS-COMPLETION-to-Keith-Stanberry bull$hit tie against Hook 'em where we were 100% jobbed by SWC officials.

Side note: Last year I applied for a job with Jeff Ward, the kicker who hit the 32 yard field goal to snatch a tie from the hands of defeat.

[Crucifax Autumn]

I wasn't familiar with BYU's 1984 season -- 'cuz, y'know, who the hell cares?

But after seeing *how* they "won", I have to say, I don't see how anyone else can be a serious contender. Playing crap teams like that, barely winning, and playing NOBODY who was any good... I bet a dozen teams could've won it all with that schedule that year.

They didn't prove they belonged in the top-10 with that record. Let alone the MNC.

That's why the King voted for Fresno State #1 I believe that year. Said something to the effect of if undefeated is all that counts and it doesn't matter what your schedule was then Fresno is undefeated too.

[RedstickSooner]

That's why the King voted for Fresno State #1 I believe that year. Said something to the effect of if undefeated is all that counts and it doesn't matter what your schedule was then Fresno is undefeated too.

And that's why he's the King.

[Salt City Sooner]

That's why the King voted for Fresno State #1 I believe that year. Said something to the effect of if undefeated is all that counts and it doesn't matter what your schedule was then Fresno is undefeated too.
He did that the following year, when we won the title, & he was the only one to not vote OU #1. Think he got the point across?

[Crucifax Autumn]

Yeah...that's right! I knew I had something smucked up on the story!

[ouwasp]

byu '84

Nothing else comes close imo. Grant Teaff of Baylor (comment opp) knifed OU in the back with his comments; his "lofty status" as a revered classy former coach never held much water with me because of those...

[OU_Sooners75]

In 1974 AP (Associated Press)=sportswriters voting; UPI (United Press International)=coaches voting.


Okay, in 1974...however, the UPI or UP poll started in 1950. ;)

[Crucifax Autumn]

I thought it was a coaches poll all along and when UPI tanked then the USA Today poll replaced the coaches portion.

screw it...here ya go:


The Coaches' Poll began selecting the top 20 teams on a weekly basis during the 1950-1951 college football and basketball seasons. It was initially published by United Press (after 1958, United Press International). For the 1990-1991 football and basketball seasons, the poll expanded to a top 25, and it has retained this format since.

College football
Beginning in the 1974 season, the poll of coaches conducted its final poll after the bowl games for the first time. In 1991, USA Today and CNN took over publishing the coaches' football poll. In 1997, ESPN took the place of CNN as co-sponsor. Finally, following the 2005 season, as a result of controversial voting practices related to the BCS, ESPN dropped its co-sponsorship of the football poll, leaving USA Today as the sole sponsor.

Although the coaches' football poll is often generally in accord with the AP Poll, there are important differences. Eleven times the Coaches Poll has crowned a different national champion than the AP Poll – in 1954, 1957, 1965, 1970, 1973, 1974, 1978, 1990, 1991, 1997, and 2003 – causing consternation among some college football fans. Until 1974 the final Coaches Poll was taken before the bowl games occurred. This was changed after the 1973 season, when Alabama was crowned as the Coaches Poll national champion despite having lost its bowl game to Notre Dame. Also, since 1974, teams on probation are not recognized in the poll of coaches while the AP permits their inclusion.

The winner of the BCS National Championship Game is required to be voted number one, yet the AP Poll does not have this requirement. The winner of the Coaches' Poll is awarded the exquisite Waterford Crystal National Championship Coaches' Trophy in an on-field post-game presentation.

[NMSooner'80]

BYU '84 was by far the worst. And, it gets all the more irritating living in a Mountain West (old WAC) town that still thinks Utah should have won it last year. I saw Utah play out here on Nov. 1, they didn't deserve to beat a UNM team that went 4-8. The game was 13-10, and their only TD should never have counted (the guy's knee was down on a flea-flicker).

[MI Sooner]

I grew up an MSU fan and my family members have gone there, but I never understood the complaint about the '66 game against ND. If you tie a team at their place and play comprable schedules otherwise, you should be #1. So what if it's *****-ish to play for the tie. It dumb-ish to play for the win when it makes it a lot more likely you'll lose than win.

[soonerfan28]

I'd have to say 93 FSU. They lost to Notre Dame.

[JLEW1818]

2005 texas

[yermom]

you think they let VY keep his crystal football?

[JLEW1818]

Titans took it away!!!!!!!!!

Said, "well Vince 2 can play at this game"!!!!!!!!!!! hahaha