AP Top 10: Final Record -- Key Bowl Results
1. LSU: 11-0-0 -- W, Sugar, 7-0
2. Iowa: 8-1-1 -- W, Rose, 38-12
3. Army: 8-0-1 -- NONE
4. Auburn: 9-0-1 -- NONE
5. Oklahoma: 10-1-0 -- W, Orange, 21-6
6. Air Force: 9-0-2 -- T, Cotton, 0-0
7. Wisconsin: 7-1-1 -- NONE
8. Ohio State: 6-1-2 -- NONE
9. Syracuse: 8-2-0 -- L, Orange, 6-21
10. TCU: 8-2-1 -- T, Cotton, 0-0
Okay, so there shouldn't be much drama here at all. LSU is clearly the team to beat, and unless they have a weak schedule of Oklahoman proportions, they should be safe. Let's check it out, shall we?
Despite the very unimpressive bowl win over #12 Clemson (8-3), the Baton Rouge boys has an SOS rating of 51%, which is decent. They beat 5-4-1 Alabama on the road by ten points, they beat 6-5 Hardin-Simmons at home by 14 points, they beat 5-4-1 Kentucky at home by 25 points, they beat #14 Florida (6-4-1) at home by three points (10-7), and they beat #11 Mississippi (9-2) at home by 14 points. In reality, there are no jaw-dropping wins there at all. They are mostly close wins over good teams, although LSU only beat Mississippi State (3-6) on the road by one point. But there's no "dominance" here at all. Even that bowl win is pretty weak. But again, it's a clean slate, right?
Does that mean the door is open? Perhaps ... Iowa and Oklahoma are the only teams with a chance to steal this McMNC from LSU, since Auburn was still on probation (and I don't service academies, even though I am THRILLED to see Air Force here). Wisconsin has no shot, since they finished second in the Big Ten, by the way.
Iowa did tie #6 Air Force at home, a better team than LSU faced all season. So there shouldn't be too much of a penalty there at all for the Hawkeyes. They also lost to #8 Ohio State by ten points at home. Again, the Buckeyes were a better team than LSU faced all season, but a loss at home in double digits hurts. Iowa's overall SOS is going to have to be pretty "phat" to overtake LSU.
Iowa did beat #10 TCU in a 17-0 shutout at home (again, a better win than any on LSU's resume); they beat 5-3-1 Indiana at home by 21 points; they beat #7 Wisconsin on the road by 11 points, yet another win more impressive than any LSU victory in 1958. They also UPI #17 Northwestern (5-4) by six points at home, they beat #17 Notre Dame (6-4) at home by ten points, and they beat #16 California (7-4) in the Rose Bowl by 26 points.
All this adds up to a 63% SOS rating for Iowa. Dat's phat; in fact, I don't think we've seen one higher by a real McMNC contender yet. The obvious problem is Iowa's loss and tie versus LSU's perfect record. But Iowa's blemishes came against better teams than LSU faced all season, and Iowa's bowl win AND schedule rating were significantly more impressive than LSU's comparable marks.
Stay tuned, while we investigate the Sooners:
Oklahoma's only loss was a one-point road defeat to Texas (unranked at 7-3). They beat 6-4 Colorado on the road by 16 points, they shut out 5-4-1 Missouri at home (39-0), they shut out #19 Oklahoma State on the road (7-0), and they beat #9 Syracuse in the Orange Bowl by 15 points. They have a better win in that bowl game than any win LSU has, and the bowl game win itself is a better bowl game win than LSU's Sugar Bowl win. And Oklahoma trumps LSU in SOS rating (52%-51%), even if only by a little. But the loss to an unranked team hurts the Sooners, even if it was on the road by a point to a winning team. If Oklahoma wins that game against the Longhorns, they trump LSU. But with the loss, the other Oklahoma advantages aren't enough to dethrone LSU.
Which brings us back to Iowa vs. LSU here: Iowa has EVERY edge on LSU except one. Iowa played a better schedule, beat better teams by better margins, had a more impressive bowl win, etc. But LSU was unbeaten and untied while Iowa suffered one of each, albeit to better teams than LSU faced all year.
This is tough: this is about W/L record versus SOS, in essence -- the classic RSFC debate, if you will. In the end, LSU's SOS rating was good enough; it was over 50%, which is the benchmark for an acceptable schedule. Unlike Oklahoma's 34% rating in 1956, LSU's SOS rating is good enough to hold off a very good Iowa team in 1958.
But just BARELY.
McMNC Revisions
1. LSU
2. Iowa
3. Oklahoma
4. Wisconsin
5. Ohio State
RUNNING SCORECARD:
Tennessee: +1938, +1942, +1950, -1951
Iowa: +1956
Georgia Tech: +1952
Illinois: +1951
Michigan: +1947, =1948
Georgia: +1946
Alabama: +1945
Purdue: +1943
Stanford: +1940
California: +1937
Pittsburgh: +1936, -1937
LSU: =1958
Texas A&M: =1939
Michigan State: -1952, +1953
Ohio State: -1942, +1944, =1954
Oklahoma: +1949, -1950, =1955, -1956, +1957
TCU: -1938
Maryland: -1953
Auburn: -1957
Army: -1944, -1945
Minnesota: -1936, -1940, =1941
Notre Dame: -1943, -1946, -1947, -1949
Monday, March 31, 2008
Thursday, March 27, 2008
1957 McMNC: Oklahoma Sooners
AP Top 10: Final Record -- Key Bowl Results
1. Auburn: 10-0-0 -- NONE
2. Ohio State: 9-1-0 -- W, Rose, 10-7
3. Michigan State: 8-1-0 -- NONE
4. Oklahoma: 10-1-0 -- W, Orange, 48-21
5. Navy: 9-1-1 -- W, Cotton, 20-7
6. Iowa: 7-1-1 -- NONE
7. Mississippi: 9-1-1 -- W, Sugar, 39-7
8. Rice: 7-4-0 -- L, Cotton, 7-20
9. Texas A&M: 8-3-0 -- L, Gator, 0-3
10. Notre Dame: 7-3-0 -- NONE
Some notes here: Arizona State, coached by Dan Devine, went 10-0-0 but didn't play in a bowl game. They finished #12 in the country with a 38% SOS rating. So they get props, but they are not a part of this discussion. Also, A&M started off 8-0 before losing its last three games by a combined SIX points. That sucks for them and Bear Bryant. Finally, Auburn was on probation, so their #1 ranking and AP MNC goes out the window here. Sorry, no cheaters win the McMNC.
This leaves us with Ohio State, Michigan State, Oklahoma and Mississippi as teams with legit claims to the McMNC. We can eliminate Sparty right away, because like 1955, they didn't win their conference. A seven-point home loss to 5-4 Purdue costs the Spartans big time, but not really as Ohio State would have trumped them anyway as a Big Ten squad with a bowl win AND a better SOS rating (see below).
Mississippi is an interesting consideration: they finished second in the SEC to Auburn, but we know Auburn cheated. The two teams didn't play each other, and they were the only two SEC teams with fewer than two conference losses (neither Auburn or Mississippi lost in conference play, although the Rebels did have a tie -- which cost them first place). But with Auburn on probation, we have a dilemma: do we count Auburn's SEC "title" even though they were on probation? If they're not eligible for my McMNC award, are they eligible for the SEC title? I just don't know.
Ole Miss has a strong case, so let's deal with that first: with an SOS rating of 53%, they have wins over 5-3-2 Vanderbilt (a 28-0 road shutout), 5-4-1 Houston, #13 Tennessee (14-7 road win over the 8-3 Vols), and #11 Texas in the Sugar Bowl (the 'Horns were 6-4-1 overall). They lost at home to 6-4 Arkansas (then in the SWC, of course) by six points, and they tied #14 Mississippi State (6-2-1) on the road. Overall, an impressive slate, but we still have to resolve that earlier question. Stay tuned ...
Oklahoma did play a better schedule in 1958, so they are in the conversation. In fact, they played a decent schedule (51% SOS rating). They beat #11 Texas on the road by 14 points, they shut out 5-4-1 Kansas by 47 points at home, they beat 6-3-1 Colorado at home, they beat 5-4-1 Missouri on the road by 25 points, they beat 6-3-1 Oklahoma State by 47 points at home. And they pounded #16 Duke (6-3-2) in the Orange Bowl. Their one loss, famously, was a 7-0 home loss to #10 Notre Dame, ending that 57-game winning streak they'd been building since 1953. Overall, an impressive resume.
Finally, we have Ohio State: the Buckeyes lost their first game at home to 6-4-1 TCU by four points, and then ran the table. They beat #19 Wisconsin (6-3) by three points on the road, they beat 5-4 Purdue at home, they beat #6 Iowa at home, they beat 5-3-1 Michigan on the road by 17 points, and they beat 7-4 Oregon in the Rose Bowl. Overall, though, their SOS rating (48%) falls behind Oklahoma and Mississippi.
So, what to do? Ohio State has the weakest SOS and the weakest bowl win. They lose out there, and that eliminates them since all the teams have one loss. Ironic, but TCU and Arkansas were both 2-4 in the SWC, so those are hurtful losses, considering Oklahoma lost only to a Top 10 team. Oklahoma wins almost all comparisons here, save the SOS rating -- but even that was relatively close to Mississippi's rating (53-51). The bowl victories are relatively close, too, with Mississippi's win over Texas perhaps slightly better than the Sooners' win over Duke.
So with the Buckeyes out, it's between Oklahoma and Mississippi. So that second-place question becomes important. Or does it? Oklahoma's biggest blemish is the smallest blemish in this comparison, and since the SOS ratings and bowl wins are close enough, the Sooners' loss is much better than the Rebels' loss AND tie.
This year, Oklahoma earned it.
McMNC Revisions
1. Oklahoma
2. Mississippi
3. Ohio State
4. Michigan State
5. Arizona State
RUNNING SCORECARD:
Tennessee: +1938, +1942, +1950, -1951
Iowa: +1956
Georgia Tech: +1952
Illinois: +1951
Michigan: +1947, =1948
Georgia: +1946
Alabama: +1945
Purdue: +1943
Stanford: +1940
California: +1937
Pittsburgh: +1936, -1937
Texas A&M: =1939
Michigan State: -1952, +1953
Ohio State: -1942, +1944, =1954
Oklahoma: +1949, -1950, =1955, -1956, +1957
TCU: -1938
Maryland: -1953
Auburn: -1957
Army: -1944, -1945
Minnesota: -1936, -1940, =1941
Notre Dame: -1943, -1946, -1947, -1949
1. Auburn: 10-0-0 -- NONE
2. Ohio State: 9-1-0 -- W, Rose, 10-7
3. Michigan State: 8-1-0 -- NONE
4. Oklahoma: 10-1-0 -- W, Orange, 48-21
5. Navy: 9-1-1 -- W, Cotton, 20-7
6. Iowa: 7-1-1 -- NONE
7. Mississippi: 9-1-1 -- W, Sugar, 39-7
8. Rice: 7-4-0 -- L, Cotton, 7-20
9. Texas A&M: 8-3-0 -- L, Gator, 0-3
10. Notre Dame: 7-3-0 -- NONE
Some notes here: Arizona State, coached by Dan Devine, went 10-0-0 but didn't play in a bowl game. They finished #12 in the country with a 38% SOS rating. So they get props, but they are not a part of this discussion. Also, A&M started off 8-0 before losing its last three games by a combined SIX points. That sucks for them and Bear Bryant. Finally, Auburn was on probation, so their #1 ranking and AP MNC goes out the window here. Sorry, no cheaters win the McMNC.
This leaves us with Ohio State, Michigan State, Oklahoma and Mississippi as teams with legit claims to the McMNC. We can eliminate Sparty right away, because like 1955, they didn't win their conference. A seven-point home loss to 5-4 Purdue costs the Spartans big time, but not really as Ohio State would have trumped them anyway as a Big Ten squad with a bowl win AND a better SOS rating (see below).
Mississippi is an interesting consideration: they finished second in the SEC to Auburn, but we know Auburn cheated. The two teams didn't play each other, and they were the only two SEC teams with fewer than two conference losses (neither Auburn or Mississippi lost in conference play, although the Rebels did have a tie -- which cost them first place). But with Auburn on probation, we have a dilemma: do we count Auburn's SEC "title" even though they were on probation? If they're not eligible for my McMNC award, are they eligible for the SEC title? I just don't know.
Ole Miss has a strong case, so let's deal with that first: with an SOS rating of 53%, they have wins over 5-3-2 Vanderbilt (a 28-0 road shutout), 5-4-1 Houston, #13 Tennessee (14-7 road win over the 8-3 Vols), and #11 Texas in the Sugar Bowl (the 'Horns were 6-4-1 overall). They lost at home to 6-4 Arkansas (then in the SWC, of course) by six points, and they tied #14 Mississippi State (6-2-1) on the road. Overall, an impressive slate, but we still have to resolve that earlier question. Stay tuned ...
Oklahoma did play a better schedule in 1958, so they are in the conversation. In fact, they played a decent schedule (51% SOS rating). They beat #11 Texas on the road by 14 points, they shut out 5-4-1 Kansas by 47 points at home, they beat 6-3-1 Colorado at home, they beat 5-4-1 Missouri on the road by 25 points, they beat 6-3-1 Oklahoma State by 47 points at home. And they pounded #16 Duke (6-3-2) in the Orange Bowl. Their one loss, famously, was a 7-0 home loss to #10 Notre Dame, ending that 57-game winning streak they'd been building since 1953. Overall, an impressive resume.
Finally, we have Ohio State: the Buckeyes lost their first game at home to 6-4-1 TCU by four points, and then ran the table. They beat #19 Wisconsin (6-3) by three points on the road, they beat 5-4 Purdue at home, they beat #6 Iowa at home, they beat 5-3-1 Michigan on the road by 17 points, and they beat 7-4 Oregon in the Rose Bowl. Overall, though, their SOS rating (48%) falls behind Oklahoma and Mississippi.
So, what to do? Ohio State has the weakest SOS and the weakest bowl win. They lose out there, and that eliminates them since all the teams have one loss. Ironic, but TCU and Arkansas were both 2-4 in the SWC, so those are hurtful losses, considering Oklahoma lost only to a Top 10 team. Oklahoma wins almost all comparisons here, save the SOS rating -- but even that was relatively close to Mississippi's rating (53-51). The bowl victories are relatively close, too, with Mississippi's win over Texas perhaps slightly better than the Sooners' win over Duke.
So with the Buckeyes out, it's between Oklahoma and Mississippi. So that second-place question becomes important. Or does it? Oklahoma's biggest blemish is the smallest blemish in this comparison, and since the SOS ratings and bowl wins are close enough, the Sooners' loss is much better than the Rebels' loss AND tie.
This year, Oklahoma earned it.
McMNC Revisions
1. Oklahoma
2. Mississippi
3. Ohio State
4. Michigan State
5. Arizona State
RUNNING SCORECARD:
Tennessee: +1938, +1942, +1950, -1951
Iowa: +1956
Georgia Tech: +1952
Illinois: +1951
Michigan: +1947, =1948
Georgia: +1946
Alabama: +1945
Purdue: +1943
Stanford: +1940
California: +1937
Pittsburgh: +1936, -1937
Texas A&M: =1939
Michigan State: -1952, +1953
Ohio State: -1942, +1944, =1954
Oklahoma: +1949, -1950, =1955, -1956, +1957
TCU: -1938
Maryland: -1953
Auburn: -1957
Army: -1944, -1945
Minnesota: -1936, -1940, =1941
Notre Dame: -1943, -1946, -1947, -1949
Monday, March 24, 2008
1956 McMNC: Iowa Hawkeyes
AP Top 10: Final Record -- Key Bowl Results
1. Oklahoma: 11-0-0 -- None
2. Tennessee: 10-1-0 -- L, Sugar, 7-13
3. Iowa: 9-1-0 -- W, Rose, 35-19
4. Georgia Tech: 10-1-0 -- W, Gator, 21-14
5. Texas A&M: 9-0-1 -- None
6. Miami-FL: 8-1-1 -- None
7. Michigan: 7-2-0 -- None
8. Syracuse: 7-2-0 -- L, Cotton, 27-28
9. Michigan State: 7-2-0 -- None
10. Oregon State: 7-3-1 -- L, Rose, 19-35
This year is pretty bad overall. Oklahoma didn't play in a bowl game, because of the no-repeat rule. Tennessee blew yet another chance at a perfect season by losing their bowl game. Texas A&M was on probation. And only four of the Top 10 played in the bowls.
Yuck.
First, Tennessee is a perfect example of why the bowls matter even in this era. They would have walked away with the McMNC here if they had just won their bowl game. But they didn't. They lost, and you can't have a team lose a bowl game and win the McMNC. But Oklahoma didn't play in a bowl game, and while it may have bee beyond their control, it's too easy to sit at home and let other teams lay it on the line while you bask in the glory of a finished season.
Second, this is one of the first moments (if not the first?) where a team on probation also would have had a shot at the McMNC. But I don't reward cheaters, so Bear Bryant gets screwed here. Although ... not really. Cheaters only get screwed by themselves.
This now comes down to Oklahoma, Iowa and Georgia Tech. And since Oklahoma was lucky to escape with the 1955 McMNC, their schedule strength again makes this an open debate for healthy discussion.
The Sooners' SOS rating was 34% in 1956, which is a friggin' joke. They played #20 Colorado (8-2-1) on the road and beat them, 27-19. And that's it. No one else on their schedule had a winning record -- and they didn't play in a bowl game. Now, I'll give Oklahoma props for TRYING. They did schedule Notre Dame in 1956, but the Irish went 2-8; the Sooners pasted them, 40-0, in South Bend. Texas was 1-9, and Nebraska was 4-6. It was clearly just a bad year for some of these opponents. But still, we are left with a very unimpressive resume for Oklahoma in 1956, even more so than in 1955.
Georgia Tech is eliminated from contention here, since like Michigan State in 1955, they finished second in their conference. Tennessee won the SEC in 1956 with a 6-0 mark, while Tech merely went 7-1 in league play (losing at home to the Vols by six points, by the way). It's too bad for Tech, since they had a 55% SOS rating and beat 6-4 Kentucky on the road, 7-3 Auburn at home, 6-4 Tulane at home (by 40 points!), 5-4-1 Duke on the road, 6-3-1 Florida at home, and #13 Pittsburgh (7-3-1) in the Gator Bowl. All in all, a good season for Tech, but no McMNC cigar.
Which leaves only Iowa: the Hawkeyes' SOS rating is 56%, which is fantastic in comparison to Oklahoma's pathetic SOS. Iowa also beat #10 Oregon State TWICE during the season, including a 14-13 win at home in October. They shutout 7-3 Hawaii at home, 34-0; they shutout #12 Minnesota (6-1-2) on the road, 7-0; they shutout #15 Ohio State (6-3) at home, 6-0. Their only loss was a three-point defeat at home to #7 Michigan. Wouldn't be ironic if Michigan played spoiler for a Big Ten team two years in a row?
Overall, though, Iowa had FOUR wins against Top 15 teams in 1956. Oklahoma's only win against a winning team was against #20 Colorado. Plus, Iowa had to travel to Pasadena and play in the Rose Bowl, where they beat a team they'd already faced earlier in the year. And we all know rematches suck for the team that won the first game (ask 1996 Florida State). Maybe if Oklahoma's single win over a ranked team had been a bit more impressive, but an eight-point road win over #20 isn't enough to compensate for everything else bad on that schedule -- or to overcome Iowa's imperfect record earned against significantly better competition.
In the end, Iowa's SOS and bowl win trumps Oklahoma's perfect season without a bowl game: the Hawkeyes' one loss was very respectable, and the Sooners' weak schedule was just TOO weak.
Sorry, Bud.
McMNC Revisions
1. Iowa
2. Oklahoma
3. Tennessee
4. Georgia Tech
5. Miami-FL
RUNNING SCORECARD:
Tennessee: +1938, +1942, +1950, -1951
Iowa: +1956
Georgia Tech: +1952
Illinois: +1951
Michigan: +1947, =1948
Georgia: +1946
Alabama: +1945
Purdue: +1943
Stanford: +1940
California: +1937
Pittsburgh: +1936, -1937
Texas A&M: =1939
Michigan State: -1952, +1953
Ohio State: -1942, +1944, =1954
TCU: -1938
Maryland: -1953
Oklahoma: +1949, -1950, =1955, -1956
Army: -1944, -1945
Minnesota: -1936, -1940, =1941
Notre Dame: -1943, -1946, -1947, -1949
1. Oklahoma: 11-0-0 -- None
2. Tennessee: 10-1-0 -- L, Sugar, 7-13
3. Iowa: 9-1-0 -- W, Rose, 35-19
4. Georgia Tech: 10-1-0 -- W, Gator, 21-14
5. Texas A&M: 9-0-1 -- None
6. Miami-FL: 8-1-1 -- None
7. Michigan: 7-2-0 -- None
8. Syracuse: 7-2-0 -- L, Cotton, 27-28
9. Michigan State: 7-2-0 -- None
10. Oregon State: 7-3-1 -- L, Rose, 19-35
This year is pretty bad overall. Oklahoma didn't play in a bowl game, because of the no-repeat rule. Tennessee blew yet another chance at a perfect season by losing their bowl game. Texas A&M was on probation. And only four of the Top 10 played in the bowls.
Yuck.
First, Tennessee is a perfect example of why the bowls matter even in this era. They would have walked away with the McMNC here if they had just won their bowl game. But they didn't. They lost, and you can't have a team lose a bowl game and win the McMNC. But Oklahoma didn't play in a bowl game, and while it may have bee beyond their control, it's too easy to sit at home and let other teams lay it on the line while you bask in the glory of a finished season.
Second, this is one of the first moments (if not the first?) where a team on probation also would have had a shot at the McMNC. But I don't reward cheaters, so Bear Bryant gets screwed here. Although ... not really. Cheaters only get screwed by themselves.
This now comes down to Oklahoma, Iowa and Georgia Tech. And since Oklahoma was lucky to escape with the 1955 McMNC, their schedule strength again makes this an open debate for healthy discussion.
The Sooners' SOS rating was 34% in 1956, which is a friggin' joke. They played #20 Colorado (8-2-1) on the road and beat them, 27-19. And that's it. No one else on their schedule had a winning record -- and they didn't play in a bowl game. Now, I'll give Oklahoma props for TRYING. They did schedule Notre Dame in 1956, but the Irish went 2-8; the Sooners pasted them, 40-0, in South Bend. Texas was 1-9, and Nebraska was 4-6. It was clearly just a bad year for some of these opponents. But still, we are left with a very unimpressive resume for Oklahoma in 1956, even more so than in 1955.
Georgia Tech is eliminated from contention here, since like Michigan State in 1955, they finished second in their conference. Tennessee won the SEC in 1956 with a 6-0 mark, while Tech merely went 7-1 in league play (losing at home to the Vols by six points, by the way). It's too bad for Tech, since they had a 55% SOS rating and beat 6-4 Kentucky on the road, 7-3 Auburn at home, 6-4 Tulane at home (by 40 points!), 5-4-1 Duke on the road, 6-3-1 Florida at home, and #13 Pittsburgh (7-3-1) in the Gator Bowl. All in all, a good season for Tech, but no McMNC cigar.
Which leaves only Iowa: the Hawkeyes' SOS rating is 56%, which is fantastic in comparison to Oklahoma's pathetic SOS. Iowa also beat #10 Oregon State TWICE during the season, including a 14-13 win at home in October. They shutout 7-3 Hawaii at home, 34-0; they shutout #12 Minnesota (6-1-2) on the road, 7-0; they shutout #15 Ohio State (6-3) at home, 6-0. Their only loss was a three-point defeat at home to #7 Michigan. Wouldn't be ironic if Michigan played spoiler for a Big Ten team two years in a row?
Overall, though, Iowa had FOUR wins against Top 15 teams in 1956. Oklahoma's only win against a winning team was against #20 Colorado. Plus, Iowa had to travel to Pasadena and play in the Rose Bowl, where they beat a team they'd already faced earlier in the year. And we all know rematches suck for the team that won the first game (ask 1996 Florida State). Maybe if Oklahoma's single win over a ranked team had been a bit more impressive, but an eight-point road win over #20 isn't enough to compensate for everything else bad on that schedule -- or to overcome Iowa's imperfect record earned against significantly better competition.
In the end, Iowa's SOS and bowl win trumps Oklahoma's perfect season without a bowl game: the Hawkeyes' one loss was very respectable, and the Sooners' weak schedule was just TOO weak.
Sorry, Bud.
McMNC Revisions
1. Iowa
2. Oklahoma
3. Tennessee
4. Georgia Tech
5. Miami-FL
RUNNING SCORECARD:
Tennessee: +1938, +1942, +1950, -1951
Iowa: +1956
Georgia Tech: +1952
Illinois: +1951
Michigan: +1947, =1948
Georgia: +1946
Alabama: +1945
Purdue: +1943
Stanford: +1940
California: +1937
Pittsburgh: +1936, -1937
Texas A&M: =1939
Michigan State: -1952, +1953
Ohio State: -1942, +1944, =1954
TCU: -1938
Maryland: -1953
Oklahoma: +1949, -1950, =1955, -1956
Army: -1944, -1945
Minnesota: -1936, -1940, =1941
Notre Dame: -1943, -1946, -1947, -1949
Thursday, March 20, 2008
1955 McMNC: Oklahoma Sooners
AP Top 10: Final Record -- Key Bowl Results
1. Oklahoma: 11-0-0 -- W, Orange, 20-6
2. Michigan State: 9-1-0 -- W, Rose, 17-14
3. Maryland: 10-1-0 -- L, Orange, 6-20
4. UCLA: 9-2-0 -- L, Rose, 14-17
5. Ohio State: 7-2-0 -- None
6. TCU: 9-2-0 -- L, Cotton, 13-14
7. Georgia Tech: 9-1-1 -- W, Sugar, 7-0
8. Auburn: 8-2-1 -- L, Gator, 13-25
9. Notre Dame: 8-2-0 -- None
10. Mississippi: 10-1-0 -- W, Cotton, 14-13
Well, we have an obvious answer here, but it never can be that simple, can it?
Oklahoma was the only major school to run the table, and they won a bowl game. However, Michigan State, Georgia Tech and Mississippi might all have claim on this, depending on their credentials. We need to be sure, because sometimes, it ain't always what it seems, is it?
I'm curious why Mississippi was ranked so low. They were the SEC champions with a 5-1 conference record. Their SOS rating was 56%, which is pretty good. And their only loss was to 6-3-1 Kentucky on the road by seven points. They could have been ranked much higher. They beat 5-4-1 North Texas, 34-0, at home; they beat 8-3 Vanderbilt on the road, 13-0; they beat 5-4-1 Tulane on the road by 14 points; they beat 5-4-1 Arkansas at home by ten points; they beat 6-4 Houston at home by 16 points; they beat 6-4 Mississippi State on the road, 26-0; they beat #6 TCU in the Cotton Bowl. Ah ... now I understand. The SEC was down, they had no wins over ranked opponents until the Cotton Bowl, and most of the teams they beat were a shade over .500, which helps build a nice SOS rating but really doesn't impress anyone with a brain. Still, with a 56% SOS, maybe they're in this discussion.
Mississippi trumps Georgia Tech, however, for two reasons: 1) Mississippi was the SEC champion, while Tech went 4-1-1 in league play; 2) If the SEC was weak, Georgia Tech's 51% SOS rating is less than Mississippi's, anyway. And yes, Georgia Tech was in the SEC back then. But Tech's schedule is more impressive on the whole, despite the SOS rating gap: they beat #14 Miami-FL (6-3) by eight points at home, they lost to #8 Auburn (8-2-1) by two points at home, they beat UPI #16 Duke (7-2-1) 27-0 at home, they tied 6-3-1 Tennessee on the road, and they beat #11 Pittsburgh (7-4) in their bowl game. Again, none of the games make you think, "Wow!" -- but it does illustrate the deception of the SOS rating. Mississippi built a nice resume without accruing a single impressive win, but Tech really had the better schedule. Either way, it's a moot point since Mississippi won the SEC, and we'll have no second-place teams winning the McMNC.
Which brings us to the Big Ten. Ohio State finished 6-0 in conference and won the Big Ten, but they didn't play Michigan State. The Buckeyes lost by six points twice, on the road to #16 Stanford (6-3-1) and at home to Duke. But they won the Big Ten, nonetheless. Michigan State was second in the Big Ten with a 5-1 conference mark. Their only loss was on the road to #12 Michigan (7-2) by seven points. The Spartans had an SOS rating of 58%, which is very strong. They beat #16 Stanford 38-14 at home, they beat #9 Notre Dame by 14 points at home, they beat 5-3-1 Illinois by 14 points at home, they beat 5-3-1 Purdue 27-0 on the road, and of course, they beat #4 UCLA on the road in the Rose Bowl. Overall, a very good season, but isn't it ironic that Michigan spoiled Sparty's season and national title hopes in 1955? Despite the impressive resume with only one loss (and a loss that there is no shame in), Michigan State finished second in the Big Ten and second in the AP poll. Again, you just can't have a second-place team winning the McMNC.
So, Oklahoma: their SOS rating was pathetic at 43%, not exactly impressive. They beat #11 Pittsburgh (7-4) by 12 points at home, they beat 6-4 Colorado by 35 points at home, and they beat previously unbeaten Maryland in the Orange Bowl, of course. Two wins over ranked teams, only three wins over winning teams total and a 43% SOS rating might be one of the lowest seasons, benchmark-wise, for the McMNC ever. Michigan State played a better schedule and beat more ranked teams, but they finished second in their conference. Oklahoma did have a better bowl win, too.
And that basically gift-wraps the 1955 McMNC to a rather undeserving Oklahoma team. In the end, they went undefeated, and none of the one-loss, bowl-winning teams met the standard McMNC criteria. This is not to take anything away from the Sooners, who were in the middle of their historic undefeated run, but geez, they sure were playing some weak-ass schedules.
McMNC Revisions
1. Oklahoma
2. Michigan State
3. Mississippi
4. Georgia Tech
5. Maryland
RUNNING SCORECARD:
Tennessee: +1938, +1942, +1950, -1951
Georgia Tech: +1952
Illinois: +1951
Michigan: +1947, =1948
Georgia: +1946
Alabama: +1945
Purdue: +1943
Stanford: +1940
California: +1937
Oklahoma: +1949, -1950, =1955
Pittsburgh: +1936, -1937
Texas A&M: =1939
Michigan State: -1952, +1953
Ohio State: -1942, +1944, =1954
TCU: -1938
Maryland: -1953
Army: -1944, -1945
Minnesota: -1936, -1940, =1941
Notre Dame: -1943, -1946, -1947, -1949
1. Oklahoma: 11-0-0 -- W, Orange, 20-6
2. Michigan State: 9-1-0 -- W, Rose, 17-14
3. Maryland: 10-1-0 -- L, Orange, 6-20
4. UCLA: 9-2-0 -- L, Rose, 14-17
5. Ohio State: 7-2-0 -- None
6. TCU: 9-2-0 -- L, Cotton, 13-14
7. Georgia Tech: 9-1-1 -- W, Sugar, 7-0
8. Auburn: 8-2-1 -- L, Gator, 13-25
9. Notre Dame: 8-2-0 -- None
10. Mississippi: 10-1-0 -- W, Cotton, 14-13
Well, we have an obvious answer here, but it never can be that simple, can it?
Oklahoma was the only major school to run the table, and they won a bowl game. However, Michigan State, Georgia Tech and Mississippi might all have claim on this, depending on their credentials. We need to be sure, because sometimes, it ain't always what it seems, is it?
I'm curious why Mississippi was ranked so low. They were the SEC champions with a 5-1 conference record. Their SOS rating was 56%, which is pretty good. And their only loss was to 6-3-1 Kentucky on the road by seven points. They could have been ranked much higher. They beat 5-4-1 North Texas, 34-0, at home; they beat 8-3 Vanderbilt on the road, 13-0; they beat 5-4-1 Tulane on the road by 14 points; they beat 5-4-1 Arkansas at home by ten points; they beat 6-4 Houston at home by 16 points; they beat 6-4 Mississippi State on the road, 26-0; they beat #6 TCU in the Cotton Bowl. Ah ... now I understand. The SEC was down, they had no wins over ranked opponents until the Cotton Bowl, and most of the teams they beat were a shade over .500, which helps build a nice SOS rating but really doesn't impress anyone with a brain. Still, with a 56% SOS, maybe they're in this discussion.
Mississippi trumps Georgia Tech, however, for two reasons: 1) Mississippi was the SEC champion, while Tech went 4-1-1 in league play; 2) If the SEC was weak, Georgia Tech's 51% SOS rating is less than Mississippi's, anyway. And yes, Georgia Tech was in the SEC back then. But Tech's schedule is more impressive on the whole, despite the SOS rating gap: they beat #14 Miami-FL (6-3) by eight points at home, they lost to #8 Auburn (8-2-1) by two points at home, they beat UPI #16 Duke (7-2-1) 27-0 at home, they tied 6-3-1 Tennessee on the road, and they beat #11 Pittsburgh (7-4) in their bowl game. Again, none of the games make you think, "Wow!" -- but it does illustrate the deception of the SOS rating. Mississippi built a nice resume without accruing a single impressive win, but Tech really had the better schedule. Either way, it's a moot point since Mississippi won the SEC, and we'll have no second-place teams winning the McMNC.
Which brings us to the Big Ten. Ohio State finished 6-0 in conference and won the Big Ten, but they didn't play Michigan State. The Buckeyes lost by six points twice, on the road to #16 Stanford (6-3-1) and at home to Duke. But they won the Big Ten, nonetheless. Michigan State was second in the Big Ten with a 5-1 conference mark. Their only loss was on the road to #12 Michigan (7-2) by seven points. The Spartans had an SOS rating of 58%, which is very strong. They beat #16 Stanford 38-14 at home, they beat #9 Notre Dame by 14 points at home, they beat 5-3-1 Illinois by 14 points at home, they beat 5-3-1 Purdue 27-0 on the road, and of course, they beat #4 UCLA on the road in the Rose Bowl. Overall, a very good season, but isn't it ironic that Michigan spoiled Sparty's season and national title hopes in 1955? Despite the impressive resume with only one loss (and a loss that there is no shame in), Michigan State finished second in the Big Ten and second in the AP poll. Again, you just can't have a second-place team winning the McMNC.
So, Oklahoma: their SOS rating was pathetic at 43%, not exactly impressive. They beat #11 Pittsburgh (7-4) by 12 points at home, they beat 6-4 Colorado by 35 points at home, and they beat previously unbeaten Maryland in the Orange Bowl, of course. Two wins over ranked teams, only three wins over winning teams total and a 43% SOS rating might be one of the lowest seasons, benchmark-wise, for the McMNC ever. Michigan State played a better schedule and beat more ranked teams, but they finished second in their conference. Oklahoma did have a better bowl win, too.
And that basically gift-wraps the 1955 McMNC to a rather undeserving Oklahoma team. In the end, they went undefeated, and none of the one-loss, bowl-winning teams met the standard McMNC criteria. This is not to take anything away from the Sooners, who were in the middle of their historic undefeated run, but geez, they sure were playing some weak-ass schedules.
McMNC Revisions
1. Oklahoma
2. Michigan State
3. Mississippi
4. Georgia Tech
5. Maryland
RUNNING SCORECARD:
Tennessee: +1938, +1942, +1950, -1951
Georgia Tech: +1952
Illinois: +1951
Michigan: +1947, =1948
Georgia: +1946
Alabama: +1945
Purdue: +1943
Stanford: +1940
California: +1937
Oklahoma: +1949, -1950, =1955
Pittsburgh: +1936, -1937
Texas A&M: =1939
Michigan State: -1952, +1953
Ohio State: -1942, +1944, =1954
TCU: -1938
Maryland: -1953
Army: -1944, -1945
Minnesota: -1936, -1940, =1941
Notre Dame: -1943, -1946, -1947, -1949
Monday, March 17, 2008
1954 McMNC: Ohio State Buckeyes
AP Top 10: Final Record -- Key Bowl Results
1. Ohio State: 10-0-0 -- W, Rose, 20-7
2. UCLA: 9-0-0 -- None
3. Oklahoma: 10-0-0 -- None
4. Notre Dame: 9-1-0 -- None
5. Navy: 8-2-0 -- W, Sugar, 21-0
6. Mississippi: 9-2-0 -- L, Sugar, 0-21
7. Army: 7-2-0 -- None
8. Maryland: 7-2-1 -- None
9. Wisconsin: 7-2-0 -- None
10. Arkansas: 8-3-0 -- L, Cotton, 6-14
Okay, so basically, we have four options here: Ohio State ran the table and won a bowl game, UCLA ran the table but was prevented from the Rose Bowl because of the "no repeat" rules in effect, Oklahoma ran the table but was prevented from the Orange Bowl for the same reason, and Notre Dame almost ran the table.
It's interesting to note that NAVY played in the Sugar Bowl. If Navy was taking bowl bids, why the heck wasn't Notre Dame?!
But I digress ...
Let's start with the Irish: their SOS rating is 51%, and the game they lost was at home, to 5-3-1 Purdue, by 13 points. Not a bad loss, but certainly not a close loss, either. Plus, since it was at home, it's worse. In general, this loss will probably eliminate the Irish from consideration here, especially since the Boilermakers lost at home to Ohio State by 22 points. Transitive score believer or not, that's not a good comparison for Notre Dame at all. And, of course, they didn't play in a bowl. Imagine if Notre Dame has beaten Mississippi in the Sugar Bowl instead of Navy, though. Then we'd be talking about a whole new comparison here.
Oklahoma ran the table, but their SOS rating was weak at 46% ... they played 7-3 Kansas State, 7-2-1 Colorado, 6-5 Nebraska, and 5-4-1 Oklahoma A&M/State. They didn;t play a ranked team all season, in fact. To their credit, they did play six road games, including a jaunt to Berkeley (to face the 5-5 Golden Bears). But in general, this wasn't a strong schedule, and of course, they didn't play in a bowl game. Maybe they were lucky not to?
UCLA played an even weaker schedule than Oklahoma did, playing to a 41% SOS rating. Hello?! Their first game, a 67-0 shellacking over "San Diego Navy", was the only game that opponent played all year, so this 41% could have been a lot worse. They did, however, beat #8 Maryland at home by a 12-7 score, so at least they played a ranked team (unlike Oklahoma). They beat Stanford, 72-0, at home, and the Indians were 4-6 in 1954 -- hardly terrible. They beat 6-4 Oregon, 41-0, at home, and they beat #17 USC (8-4-0), 34-0, at home, too. Clearly UCLA was a good team, as they handled ranked teams, middling teams and poor teams alike. But an overall 41% SOS rating is just lame.
Ohio State won the Rose Bowl over USC, 20-7. That comparative score pales big-time to UCLA's whitewashing of the Trojans. The Buckeyes have a better SOS rating than the Bruins do (49%), albeit still not "good". Crazy how the Top 3 teams in the AP poll all played weak schedules, eh? Ohio State beat 5-4 Iowa at home by six points; they beat #9 Wisconsin (7-2) at home, 31-14; as noted above, they beat 5-3-1 Purdue on the road, and they beat both #15 Michigan (6-3) at home by 14 points and #17 USC in the Rose Bowl. They have wins over three ranked teams, and they won a bowl game to go undefeated and untied.
If UCLA had played in a bowl game, they would have played Ohio State. It's sad to think the nation was deprived of a No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup in the Granddaddy in 1954, but that's the way it goes. UCLA suffered because of a dumb rule that would eventually be revoked, but oh well ... that's the breaks. Of course, the Bruins lost the Rose Bowl in 1953 and 1955, anyway, so they probably would have lost this one, too.
Way to go, Woody ... you've won your first McMNC.
McMNC Revisions
1. Ohio State
2. UCLA
3. Oklahoma
4. Notre Dame
5. Mississippi
RUNNING SCORECARD:
Tennessee: +1938, +1942, +1950, -1951
Georgia Tech: +1952
Illinois: +1951
Michigan: +1947, =1948
Georgia: +1946
Alabama: +1945
Purdue: +1943
Stanford: +1940
California: +1937
Oklahoma: +1949, -1950
Pittsburgh: +1936, -1937
Texas A&M: =1939
Michigan State: -1952, +1953
Ohio State: -1942, +1944, =1954
TCU: -1938
Maryland: -1953
Army: -1944, -1945
Minnesota: -1936, -1940, =1941
Notre Dame: -1943, -1946, -1947, -1949
1. Ohio State: 10-0-0 -- W, Rose, 20-7
2. UCLA: 9-0-0 -- None
3. Oklahoma: 10-0-0 -- None
4. Notre Dame: 9-1-0 -- None
5. Navy: 8-2-0 -- W, Sugar, 21-0
6. Mississippi: 9-2-0 -- L, Sugar, 0-21
7. Army: 7-2-0 -- None
8. Maryland: 7-2-1 -- None
9. Wisconsin: 7-2-0 -- None
10. Arkansas: 8-3-0 -- L, Cotton, 6-14
Okay, so basically, we have four options here: Ohio State ran the table and won a bowl game, UCLA ran the table but was prevented from the Rose Bowl because of the "no repeat" rules in effect, Oklahoma ran the table but was prevented from the Orange Bowl for the same reason, and Notre Dame almost ran the table.
It's interesting to note that NAVY played in the Sugar Bowl. If Navy was taking bowl bids, why the heck wasn't Notre Dame?!
But I digress ...
Let's start with the Irish: their SOS rating is 51%, and the game they lost was at home, to 5-3-1 Purdue, by 13 points. Not a bad loss, but certainly not a close loss, either. Plus, since it was at home, it's worse. In general, this loss will probably eliminate the Irish from consideration here, especially since the Boilermakers lost at home to Ohio State by 22 points. Transitive score believer or not, that's not a good comparison for Notre Dame at all. And, of course, they didn't play in a bowl. Imagine if Notre Dame has beaten Mississippi in the Sugar Bowl instead of Navy, though. Then we'd be talking about a whole new comparison here.
Oklahoma ran the table, but their SOS rating was weak at 46% ... they played 7-3 Kansas State, 7-2-1 Colorado, 6-5 Nebraska, and 5-4-1 Oklahoma A&M/State. They didn;t play a ranked team all season, in fact. To their credit, they did play six road games, including a jaunt to Berkeley (to face the 5-5 Golden Bears). But in general, this wasn't a strong schedule, and of course, they didn't play in a bowl game. Maybe they were lucky not to?
UCLA played an even weaker schedule than Oklahoma did, playing to a 41% SOS rating. Hello?! Their first game, a 67-0 shellacking over "San Diego Navy", was the only game that opponent played all year, so this 41% could have been a lot worse. They did, however, beat #8 Maryland at home by a 12-7 score, so at least they played a ranked team (unlike Oklahoma). They beat Stanford, 72-0, at home, and the Indians were 4-6 in 1954 -- hardly terrible. They beat 6-4 Oregon, 41-0, at home, and they beat #17 USC (8-4-0), 34-0, at home, too. Clearly UCLA was a good team, as they handled ranked teams, middling teams and poor teams alike. But an overall 41% SOS rating is just lame.
Ohio State won the Rose Bowl over USC, 20-7. That comparative score pales big-time to UCLA's whitewashing of the Trojans. The Buckeyes have a better SOS rating than the Bruins do (49%), albeit still not "good". Crazy how the Top 3 teams in the AP poll all played weak schedules, eh? Ohio State beat 5-4 Iowa at home by six points; they beat #9 Wisconsin (7-2) at home, 31-14; as noted above, they beat 5-3-1 Purdue on the road, and they beat both #15 Michigan (6-3) at home by 14 points and #17 USC in the Rose Bowl. They have wins over three ranked teams, and they won a bowl game to go undefeated and untied.
If UCLA had played in a bowl game, they would have played Ohio State. It's sad to think the nation was deprived of a No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup in the Granddaddy in 1954, but that's the way it goes. UCLA suffered because of a dumb rule that would eventually be revoked, but oh well ... that's the breaks. Of course, the Bruins lost the Rose Bowl in 1953 and 1955, anyway, so they probably would have lost this one, too.
Way to go, Woody ... you've won your first McMNC.
McMNC Revisions
1. Ohio State
2. UCLA
3. Oklahoma
4. Notre Dame
5. Mississippi
RUNNING SCORECARD:
Tennessee: +1938, +1942, +1950, -1951
Georgia Tech: +1952
Illinois: +1951
Michigan: +1947, =1948
Georgia: +1946
Alabama: +1945
Purdue: +1943
Stanford: +1940
California: +1937
Oklahoma: +1949, -1950
Pittsburgh: +1936, -1937
Texas A&M: =1939
Michigan State: -1952, +1953
Ohio State: -1942, +1944, =1954
TCU: -1938
Maryland: -1953
Army: -1944, -1945
Minnesota: -1936, -1940, =1941
Notre Dame: -1943, -1946, -1947, -1949
Thursday, March 13, 2008
1953 McMNC: Michigan State Spartans
AP Top 15: Final Record -- Key Bowl Results
1. Maryland: 10-1-0 -- L, Orange, 0-7
2. Notre Dame: 9-0-1 -- None
3. Michigan State: 9-1-0 -- W, Rose, 28-20
4. Oklahoma: 9-1-1 -- W, Orange, 7-0
5. UCLA: 8-2-0 -- L, Rose, 20-28
6. Rice: 9-2-0 -- W, Cotton, 28-6
7. Illinois: 7-1-1 -- None
8. Georgia Tech: 9-2-1 -- W, Sugar, 42-19
9. Iowa: 5-3-1 -- None
10. West Virginia: 8-2-0 -- L, Sugar, 19-42
11. Texas: 7-3-0 -- None
12. Texas Tech: 11-1-0 -- W, Gator, 35-13
13. Alabama: 6-3-3 -- L, Cotton, 6-28
14. Army: 7-1-1 -- None
15. Wisconsin: 6-2-1 -- None
We go 15-deep this year, because Texas Tech deserves consideration.
Maryland is out; they lost their bowl game. Sucks to be them, but that's the breaks. That leaves us with another cluttered field: bowl-less Notre Dame, Michigan State, Oklahoma, and Texas Tech.
Let's see where it takes us ...
Texas Tech: Their SOS rating wasn't bad (50%), but they did lose to a 4-5-1 Texas A&M team at home by 13 points. That's a bad loss. They did beat 8-2 UTEP (Texas Western then?) by 21 points on the road, they beat 7-3 Oklahoma State by 14 points on the road, they beat 5-2-3 Mississippi State on the road by seven points, and they beat 5-4-1 Houston by 20 points on the road. Those are four quality road wins right there. But Texas Tech played in the Border Conference back then, and that's just not good enough. They only played two other winning teams in 1953: 6-5 Hardin-Simmons and #17 Auburn (7-3-1) in the Gator Bowl. So, they had one win over a ranked team all season, but they did win that game by 22 points. Will it be enough?
Oklahoma: They played a killer schedule in 1953, with an SOS rating of 58%. Impressive! Their only loss was #2 Notre Dame, a seven-point defeat at home. No shame there. They beat #11 Texas (7-3) by five points on the road, they beat 6-4 Colorado by seven points at home, they trounced 6-3-1 Kansas State on the road by 34 points, they beat 6-4 Missouri by seven points on the road, they beat 7-3 Oklahoma State by 35 points at home, and they beat #1 Maryland by seven points in the Orange Bowl. They played three ranked teams, beat two of them, lost closely to the third and beat four other winning teams. Heck of a schedule. BUT ... on October 3, a week after their season-opening loss to Notre Dame, the Sooners traveled to Pittsburgh and tied a 3-5-1 team, 7-7. As lame ties like this have sunk the McMNC hopes of USC and others already, you know what it's going to do to Oklahoma, don't you? Besides, they lost to Notre Dame, one of the other TUCs in this debate.
Michigan State: Sparty's SOS rating is 50%, and they have a bad loss (losing 6-0 on the road to 2-7 Purdue, though). Their wins? They beat #9 Iowa (5-3-1) by 14 points on the road, they beat 6-3 Ohio State by 15 points on the road, they beat #20 Michigan (6-3) at home by eight points, they beat 6-3-1 Marquette at home by six points, and they beat #5 UCLA (8-2) by eight points on the road in the Rose Bowl. They played an impressive schedule, but is a bad loss better than a good loss and a bad tie? Hmmmm.
Notre Dame: They played a good schedule (56% SOS rating), and at a quick glance, I'm not sure why Maryland was ranked #1 ahead of the Irish. They beat #4 Oklahoma (9-1-1) on the road by seven points, they beat #8 Georgia Tech (9-2-1) by 18 points at home, they beat 4-3-2 Navy by 31 points at home, they tied #9 Iowa (5-3-1) at home, and they beat 6-3-1 USC on the road by 34 points. That's a nice slate, but as noted before, they didn't play a bowl game. Maryland played only one ranked team all year (see below), and the Irish played three (although they tied Iowa). Was that tie enough to sway voters? Obviously.
Anyway ...
So Texas Tech gets #4 slot, because of schedule weakness. Michigan State gets the nod over Oklahoma, simply because one loss is still better than one loss and one tie. And both the bowl wins were equally impressive, for all intents and purposes. UCLA was one point away from perfection heading into the Rose Bowl (losing to Stanford by a point in Palo Alto), while Maryland played only one ranked team all season (#13 Alabama, at 6-3-3) before losing to Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl. In fact, Sparty's bowl win was probably more impressive, considering UCLA had played two ranked teams (#15 Wisconsin and #19 Stanford) and was playing a "home" game in Greater Los Angeles.
So it comes down to Michigan State or Notre Dame.
The Irish beat Purdue on the road by 30 points, when Michigan State couldn't even score against the Boilermakers in West Lafayette. Hmmmm. But Michigan State beat Iowa on the road by 14 points, while the Irish could merely tie the Hawkeyes AT HOME in South Bend. Edge? Notre Dame, but, in truth not by much. Both teams played Purdue on the road, and Notre Dame gets a huge edge there. But Sparty beat Iowa on the road by double digits, while the Irish couldn't beat them at home. That's a plus for MSU, but overall, it's still an edge to Notre Dame. The Irish also get the SOS edge 56-50, but it's not like MSU played a poor schedule. Sparty, too, played three ranked teams, going 3-0 against them. Notre Dame went 2-0-1 against their ranked opponents. The best Irish win? The road win over #4 Oklahoma by seven points; the best MSU win was over #5 UCLA on the road by eight points. That is a wash.
I'm guessing Notre Dame got the edge in the AP poll, because of Johnny Lattner. He won the Heisman Trophy in a very close vote (1850-1794) over Paul Giel of Minnesota. Just for reference, Bo Jackson beat Chuck Long (1509-1464) by slightly less. Perhaps Minnesota's 4-4-1 season is why Giel didn't win the award, and if that's the case, it explains Notre Dame's AP love over Sparty (see TCU, 1938).
Notre Dame has an edge on Sparty, due to the common opponents' tie-versus-loss exchange noted above. But as I have been consistent all along, I have to consider the bowl game. Notre Dame sat at home, while every other team in the Top 6 played a bowl game. Maryland put its perfect season on the line, and it cost them the McMNC. What did Notre Dame put on the line? Nothing. They took their Heisman Trophy and went home.
I know it's not the kids' fault, for Notre Dame chose not to participate in bowl games back then (heck, they even refused a bid in recent years with a winning record, so it's a "choice" of theirs that continues today). But it's been MY rule here since Day One, and as noted, the Irish are going to get plenty of McMNC love down the line. But this year, in perhaps the closest call yet, goes to Sparty, because of the bowl win and the removal of the Heisman Trophy winner "glow" to the decision (see TCU vs. Tennessee in 1938).
And maybe it's poetic justice since Michigan State lost out on the McMNC in 1951 and 1952 due to the lack of a bowl game win.
Take heart, Domers: your poetic justice is going to come a-plenty.
McMNC Revisions
1. Michigan State
2. Notre Dame
3. Oklahoma
4. Texas Tech
5. Maryland
RUNNING SCORECARD:
Tennessee: +1938, +1942, +1950, -1951
Georgia Tech: +1952
Illinois: +1951
Michigan: +1947, =1948
Georgia: +1946
Alabama: +1945
Purdue: +1943
Stanford: +1940
California: +1937
Oklahoma: +1949, -1950
Pittsburgh: +1936, -1937
Texas A&M: =1939
Michigan State: -1952, +1953
Ohio State: -1942, +1944
TCU: -1938
Maryland: -1953
Army: -1944, -1945
Minnesota: -1936, -1940, =1941
Notre Dame: -1943, -1946, -1947, -1949
1. Maryland: 10-1-0 -- L, Orange, 0-7
2. Notre Dame: 9-0-1 -- None
3. Michigan State: 9-1-0 -- W, Rose, 28-20
4. Oklahoma: 9-1-1 -- W, Orange, 7-0
5. UCLA: 8-2-0 -- L, Rose, 20-28
6. Rice: 9-2-0 -- W, Cotton, 28-6
7. Illinois: 7-1-1 -- None
8. Georgia Tech: 9-2-1 -- W, Sugar, 42-19
9. Iowa: 5-3-1 -- None
10. West Virginia: 8-2-0 -- L, Sugar, 19-42
11. Texas: 7-3-0 -- None
12. Texas Tech: 11-1-0 -- W, Gator, 35-13
13. Alabama: 6-3-3 -- L, Cotton, 6-28
14. Army: 7-1-1 -- None
15. Wisconsin: 6-2-1 -- None
We go 15-deep this year, because Texas Tech deserves consideration.
Maryland is out; they lost their bowl game. Sucks to be them, but that's the breaks. That leaves us with another cluttered field: bowl-less Notre Dame, Michigan State, Oklahoma, and Texas Tech.
Let's see where it takes us ...
Texas Tech: Their SOS rating wasn't bad (50%), but they did lose to a 4-5-1 Texas A&M team at home by 13 points. That's a bad loss. They did beat 8-2 UTEP (Texas Western then?) by 21 points on the road, they beat 7-3 Oklahoma State by 14 points on the road, they beat 5-2-3 Mississippi State on the road by seven points, and they beat 5-4-1 Houston by 20 points on the road. Those are four quality road wins right there. But Texas Tech played in the Border Conference back then, and that's just not good enough. They only played two other winning teams in 1953: 6-5 Hardin-Simmons and #17 Auburn (7-3-1) in the Gator Bowl. So, they had one win over a ranked team all season, but they did win that game by 22 points. Will it be enough?
Oklahoma: They played a killer schedule in 1953, with an SOS rating of 58%. Impressive! Their only loss was #2 Notre Dame, a seven-point defeat at home. No shame there. They beat #11 Texas (7-3) by five points on the road, they beat 6-4 Colorado by seven points at home, they trounced 6-3-1 Kansas State on the road by 34 points, they beat 6-4 Missouri by seven points on the road, they beat 7-3 Oklahoma State by 35 points at home, and they beat #1 Maryland by seven points in the Orange Bowl. They played three ranked teams, beat two of them, lost closely to the third and beat four other winning teams. Heck of a schedule. BUT ... on October 3, a week after their season-opening loss to Notre Dame, the Sooners traveled to Pittsburgh and tied a 3-5-1 team, 7-7. As lame ties like this have sunk the McMNC hopes of USC and others already, you know what it's going to do to Oklahoma, don't you? Besides, they lost to Notre Dame, one of the other TUCs in this debate.
Michigan State: Sparty's SOS rating is 50%, and they have a bad loss (losing 6-0 on the road to 2-7 Purdue, though). Their wins? They beat #9 Iowa (5-3-1) by 14 points on the road, they beat 6-3 Ohio State by 15 points on the road, they beat #20 Michigan (6-3) at home by eight points, they beat 6-3-1 Marquette at home by six points, and they beat #5 UCLA (8-2) by eight points on the road in the Rose Bowl. They played an impressive schedule, but is a bad loss better than a good loss and a bad tie? Hmmmm.
Notre Dame: They played a good schedule (56% SOS rating), and at a quick glance, I'm not sure why Maryland was ranked #1 ahead of the Irish. They beat #4 Oklahoma (9-1-1) on the road by seven points, they beat #8 Georgia Tech (9-2-1) by 18 points at home, they beat 4-3-2 Navy by 31 points at home, they tied #9 Iowa (5-3-1) at home, and they beat 6-3-1 USC on the road by 34 points. That's a nice slate, but as noted before, they didn't play a bowl game. Maryland played only one ranked team all year (see below), and the Irish played three (although they tied Iowa). Was that tie enough to sway voters? Obviously.
Anyway ...
So Texas Tech gets #4 slot, because of schedule weakness. Michigan State gets the nod over Oklahoma, simply because one loss is still better than one loss and one tie. And both the bowl wins were equally impressive, for all intents and purposes. UCLA was one point away from perfection heading into the Rose Bowl (losing to Stanford by a point in Palo Alto), while Maryland played only one ranked team all season (#13 Alabama, at 6-3-3) before losing to Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl. In fact, Sparty's bowl win was probably more impressive, considering UCLA had played two ranked teams (#15 Wisconsin and #19 Stanford) and was playing a "home" game in Greater Los Angeles.
So it comes down to Michigan State or Notre Dame.
The Irish beat Purdue on the road by 30 points, when Michigan State couldn't even score against the Boilermakers in West Lafayette. Hmmmm. But Michigan State beat Iowa on the road by 14 points, while the Irish could merely tie the Hawkeyes AT HOME in South Bend. Edge? Notre Dame, but, in truth not by much. Both teams played Purdue on the road, and Notre Dame gets a huge edge there. But Sparty beat Iowa on the road by double digits, while the Irish couldn't beat them at home. That's a plus for MSU, but overall, it's still an edge to Notre Dame. The Irish also get the SOS edge 56-50, but it's not like MSU played a poor schedule. Sparty, too, played three ranked teams, going 3-0 against them. Notre Dame went 2-0-1 against their ranked opponents. The best Irish win? The road win over #4 Oklahoma by seven points; the best MSU win was over #5 UCLA on the road by eight points. That is a wash.
I'm guessing Notre Dame got the edge in the AP poll, because of Johnny Lattner. He won the Heisman Trophy in a very close vote (1850-1794) over Paul Giel of Minnesota. Just for reference, Bo Jackson beat Chuck Long (1509-1464) by slightly less. Perhaps Minnesota's 4-4-1 season is why Giel didn't win the award, and if that's the case, it explains Notre Dame's AP love over Sparty (see TCU, 1938).
Notre Dame has an edge on Sparty, due to the common opponents' tie-versus-loss exchange noted above. But as I have been consistent all along, I have to consider the bowl game. Notre Dame sat at home, while every other team in the Top 6 played a bowl game. Maryland put its perfect season on the line, and it cost them the McMNC. What did Notre Dame put on the line? Nothing. They took their Heisman Trophy and went home.
I know it's not the kids' fault, for Notre Dame chose not to participate in bowl games back then (heck, they even refused a bid in recent years with a winning record, so it's a "choice" of theirs that continues today). But it's been MY rule here since Day One, and as noted, the Irish are going to get plenty of McMNC love down the line. But this year, in perhaps the closest call yet, goes to Sparty, because of the bowl win and the removal of the Heisman Trophy winner "glow" to the decision (see TCU vs. Tennessee in 1938).
And maybe it's poetic justice since Michigan State lost out on the McMNC in 1951 and 1952 due to the lack of a bowl game win.
Take heart, Domers: your poetic justice is going to come a-plenty.
McMNC Revisions
1. Michigan State
2. Notre Dame
3. Oklahoma
4. Texas Tech
5. Maryland
RUNNING SCORECARD:
Tennessee: +1938, +1942, +1950, -1951
Georgia Tech: +1952
Illinois: +1951
Michigan: +1947, =1948
Georgia: +1946
Alabama: +1945
Purdue: +1943
Stanford: +1940
California: +1937
Oklahoma: +1949, -1950
Pittsburgh: +1936, -1937
Texas A&M: =1939
Michigan State: -1952, +1953
Ohio State: -1942, +1944
TCU: -1938
Maryland: -1953
Army: -1944, -1945
Minnesota: -1936, -1940, =1941
Notre Dame: -1943, -1946, -1947, -1949
Monday, March 10, 2008
1952 McMNC: Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
AP Top 10: Final Record -- Key Bowl Results
1. Michigan State: 9-0-0 -- None
2. Georgia Tech: 12-0-0 -- W, Sugar, 24-7
3. Notre Dame: 7-2-1 -- None
4. Oklahoma: 8-1-1 -- None
5. USC: 10-1-0 -- W, Rose, 7-0
6. UCLA: 8-1-0 -- None
7. Mississippi: 8-1-2 -- L, Sugar, 7-24
8. Tennessee: 8-2-1 -- L, Cotton, 0-16
9. Alabama: 10-2-0 -- W, Orange, 61-6
10. Texas: 9-2-0 -- W, Cotton, 16-0
This has to be easier than 1951, right? Right? RIGHT?
Of course.
This is down to three teams: bowl-less Michigan State, Georgia Tech and USC. No one else merits consideration.
Sparty: Yes, believe it or not, Sparty was good in the 1950s. But for the second year in a row here, they're going to get screwed because they didn't play in a bowl game. The SOS was up this year, to a 51% rating. They beat 5-4 Michigan on the road by 14 points, they beat #14 Syracuse (7-3) by 41 points at home, they beat 7-2-1 Penn State by 27 points at home, they beat #18 Purdue on the road by a touchdown, and they beat #3 Notre Dame (7-2-1) at home by 18 points. Those are some serious wins. This may be Sparty's best team ever, in fact. Will it be enough?
Georgia Tech: Their SOS rating is better than Michigan State's (55%). They beat #15 Florida (8-3) by three points at home, they beat #16 Duke (8-2) on the road by 21 points, they beat #9 Alabama (10-2) at home by four points, they beat 7-4 Georgia on the road by 14 points, and they beat #7 Mississippi (8-1-2) by 17 points in the Sugar Bowl. They, too, have some big wins, although they also scraped by Alabama and Florida. They don't have a "best win" to trump Michigan State's win over Notre Dame, either.
USC: Their SOS rating was 56%, and their only loss was a 9-0 defeat on the road to Notre Dame on November 29. Their good wins? They beat 7-3 Cal at home by ten points, they beat 7-3 Washington at home by 33 points, they beat #6 UCLA (8-1) on the "road" by two points, and they beat #11 Wisconsin (6-3-1) in the Rose Bowl by seven points. While they have overall SOS over Georgia Tech and Michigan State, they have fewer wins over ranked teams. And they do have the loss. Unfortunately for the Trojans, the rest of their resume isn't overwhelming enough to ignore that loss.
So it's down to State and Tech. Basically, is Georgia Tech's 17-point win over an 8-0-2 Mississippi team enough to overcome Michigan State's superior regular season? Syracuse plays an interesting role here. Michigan State beat them by 41 points, and Alabama beat them by 56 points in the Orange Bowl. And Georgia Tech beat Alabama by four points. What does this tell us? That Syracuse sucked and wasn't worthy of a #14 ranking. That eliminates one of MSU's best regular season wins, and it leaves us with an obvious conclusion ...
Since there is nothing distinct enough at a glance to separate the two teams, the edge has to go to Georgia Tech, since they played in a bowl game. Sorry, Sparty: you joined the Big Ten one year too late for the McMNC.
McMNC Revisions
1. Georgia Tech
2. Michigan State
3. USC
4. UCLA
5. Oklahoma
RUNNING SCORECARD:
Tennessee: +1938, +1942, +1950, -1951
Georgia Tech: +1952
Illinois: +1951
Michigan: +1947, =1948
Georgia: +1946
Alabama: +1945
Purdue: +1943
Stanford: +1940
California: +1937
Oklahoma: +1949, -1950
Pittsburgh: +1936, -1937
Texas A&M: =1939
Ohio State: -1942, +1944
TCU: -1938
Michigan State: -1952
Army: -1944, -1945
Minnesota: -1936, -1940, =1941
Notre Dame: -1943, -1946, -1947, -1949
1. Michigan State: 9-0-0 -- None
2. Georgia Tech: 12-0-0 -- W, Sugar, 24-7
3. Notre Dame: 7-2-1 -- None
4. Oklahoma: 8-1-1 -- None
5. USC: 10-1-0 -- W, Rose, 7-0
6. UCLA: 8-1-0 -- None
7. Mississippi: 8-1-2 -- L, Sugar, 7-24
8. Tennessee: 8-2-1 -- L, Cotton, 0-16
9. Alabama: 10-2-0 -- W, Orange, 61-6
10. Texas: 9-2-0 -- W, Cotton, 16-0
This has to be easier than 1951, right? Right? RIGHT?
Of course.
This is down to three teams: bowl-less Michigan State, Georgia Tech and USC. No one else merits consideration.
Sparty: Yes, believe it or not, Sparty was good in the 1950s. But for the second year in a row here, they're going to get screwed because they didn't play in a bowl game. The SOS was up this year, to a 51% rating. They beat 5-4 Michigan on the road by 14 points, they beat #14 Syracuse (7-3) by 41 points at home, they beat 7-2-1 Penn State by 27 points at home, they beat #18 Purdue on the road by a touchdown, and they beat #3 Notre Dame (7-2-1) at home by 18 points. Those are some serious wins. This may be Sparty's best team ever, in fact. Will it be enough?
Georgia Tech: Their SOS rating is better than Michigan State's (55%). They beat #15 Florida (8-3) by three points at home, they beat #16 Duke (8-2) on the road by 21 points, they beat #9 Alabama (10-2) at home by four points, they beat 7-4 Georgia on the road by 14 points, and they beat #7 Mississippi (8-1-2) by 17 points in the Sugar Bowl. They, too, have some big wins, although they also scraped by Alabama and Florida. They don't have a "best win" to trump Michigan State's win over Notre Dame, either.
USC: Their SOS rating was 56%, and their only loss was a 9-0 defeat on the road to Notre Dame on November 29. Their good wins? They beat 7-3 Cal at home by ten points, they beat 7-3 Washington at home by 33 points, they beat #6 UCLA (8-1) on the "road" by two points, and they beat #11 Wisconsin (6-3-1) in the Rose Bowl by seven points. While they have overall SOS over Georgia Tech and Michigan State, they have fewer wins over ranked teams. And they do have the loss. Unfortunately for the Trojans, the rest of their resume isn't overwhelming enough to ignore that loss.
So it's down to State and Tech. Basically, is Georgia Tech's 17-point win over an 8-0-2 Mississippi team enough to overcome Michigan State's superior regular season? Syracuse plays an interesting role here. Michigan State beat them by 41 points, and Alabama beat them by 56 points in the Orange Bowl. And Georgia Tech beat Alabama by four points. What does this tell us? That Syracuse sucked and wasn't worthy of a #14 ranking. That eliminates one of MSU's best regular season wins, and it leaves us with an obvious conclusion ...
Since there is nothing distinct enough at a glance to separate the two teams, the edge has to go to Georgia Tech, since they played in a bowl game. Sorry, Sparty: you joined the Big Ten one year too late for the McMNC.
McMNC Revisions
1. Georgia Tech
2. Michigan State
3. USC
4. UCLA
5. Oklahoma
RUNNING SCORECARD:
Tennessee: +1938, +1942, +1950, -1951
Georgia Tech: +1952
Illinois: +1951
Michigan: +1947, =1948
Georgia: +1946
Alabama: +1945
Purdue: +1943
Stanford: +1940
California: +1937
Oklahoma: +1949, -1950
Pittsburgh: +1936, -1937
Texas A&M: =1939
Ohio State: -1942, +1944
TCU: -1938
Michigan State: -1952
Army: -1944, -1945
Minnesota: -1936, -1940, =1941
Notre Dame: -1943, -1946, -1947, -1949
Thursday, March 6, 2008
1951 McMNC: Illinois Fightin' Illini
AP Top 10: Final Record -- Key Bowl Results
1. Tennessee: 10-1-0 -- L, Sugar, 13-28
2. Michigan State: 9-0-0 -- None
3. Maryland: 10-0-0 -- W, Sugar, 28-13
4. Illinois: 9-0-1 -- W, Rose, 40-7
5. Georgia Tech: 11-0-1 -- W, Orange, 17-14
6. Princeton: 9-0-0 -- None
7. Stanford: 9-2-0 -- L, Rose, 7-40
8. Wisconsin: 7-1-1 -- None
9. Baylor: 8-2-1 -- L, Orange, 14-17
10. Oklahoma: 8-2-0 -- None
Only six Top 10 teams played in bowl games this season, but it's still a good place to start. And what a mess we have here!
Tennessee is out, since they didn't win their bowl game. Princeton is out for the same reasons as they were out in 1950. That leaves us with bowl-less Michigan State and three bowl-winning teams without losses: Maryland, Illinois and Georgia Tech.
Wow!
Let's start with Sparty: the SOS is mediocre, with a .480 winning percentage for the opponents. Michigan State wasn't in the Big Ten yet, so they were playing an independent schedule. They beat Michigan 25-0 in the Big House, but the Wolverines were only 4-5 in 1951, so that is worthless. They beat 4-3-2 Ohio State and Woody Hayes in Columbus, 24-20. Other wins over winning teams include 5-4 Penn State on the road, a 35-0 whitewash of Notre Dame at home (7-2-1, but unranked in the AP poll for some reason?), and a 38-point win over Colorado (7-3) at home. They didn't beat an AP-ranked team all season, although any year that includes wins over Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Notre Dame and Colorado can't be all that bad. Right?
Maryland: Their SOS is worse than Michigan State's SOS (45%). The Terps went 5-0 in that wacky 17-team Southern Conference, tying with Virginia Military Institute for league championship honors. That might be all we need to know about Maryland in 1951, eh? Their best win, prior to the Sugar Bowl win over previously unblemished Tennessee, was a 27-0 road win over 7-3-1 LSU. All in all, they beat one more ranked team than Sparty did, though, even with the bad schedule. Plus, they did win the bowl game while Michigan State stayed home and played with their toys.
Illinois: The Fightin' Illini trump both MSU and Maryland with their SOS rating (53%), and they won a bowl game BIG, thumping Stanford by 33 points (okay, the password can stay the same). They beat #8 Wisconsin by four points at home, and they beat #17 UCLA by 14 points at home as well. So they won three games over ranked teams, and they had a pretty good SOS. Throw in the bowl game, and they're on top of the crop right now. But the tie? A 0-0 struggle on November 17 at aforementioned Ohio State (4-3-2), which Sparty beat in Columbus. Mmmm, this could get interesting.
Ohio State plays a role here. The Buckeyes were 4-3-2, scored 109 points on the season while giving up only 104 points, and their SOS rating was very good (56%). Sparty proved its mettle by beating Ohio State, but for some reason, Illinois couldn't do that. We have a funny triangle here: MSU >>> Illinois >>> Maryland >>> MSU.
Can another team break this problem into little, irrelevant pieces?
Georgia Tech: The Ramblin' Wreck edges Illinois slightly on SOS rating (54%), they won the SEC with a 7-0 conference mark (yes, they were the conference champs over AP #1 Tennessee, which only went 5-0 in league play in another uneven scheduling blunder for the SEC), and they beat #9 Baylor by a field goal in the Orange Bowl. The SOS is slightly the best, the bowl win is the worst, and they only played four road games out of 12, which is the only schedule that isn't even close to being H/A-balanced. And, of course, they were behind the other three teams in the polls heading into bowl season. How good was Baylor, Georgia Tech's Orange Bowl opponent? Baylor lost to #11 TCU, which finished the season 6-5. How good could they have been to lose to TCU at home by 13 points? And Tech could only beat them by a field goal in a bowl game? Tech's SOS isn't enough to outweigh its weak bowl win, but they do have a bowl win -- which is more than Sparty can say. But Tech tied a 5-4-1 Duke team, 14-14, at home. Bad!
So Georgia Tech fails to win this argument convincingly, or even at all. Ladies and gentlemen, we truly have a clusterfuck here in 1951.
In the end, despite finishing #2 in the AP and UPI polls, Michigan State has to be eliminated from contention, for two reasons: 1) They didn't win a bowl game; 2) They didn't play an AP-ranked team all season. So Sparty falls to #4.
Georgia Tech's weaker bowl win over the weakest bowl opponent (Baylor, since Stanford's only loss was to #12 Cal at 8-2) more than erases its slight SOS edge over Illinois, so they finish at #3 in my revisions here.
So it's down to Illinois and Maryland. The bottom line is that Illinois played a harder schedule from top to bottom, and while Maryland knocked off #1 by 13 points, Illinois knocked off #7 by 33 points. These are equally impressive bowl wins, and Illinois played the significantly better schedule.
McMNC Revisions
1. Illinois
2. Maryland
3. Georgia Tech
4. Michigan State
5. Tennessee
RUNNING SCORECARD:
Tennessee: +1938, +1942, +1950, -1951
Illinois: +1951
Michigan: +1947, =1948
Georgia: +1946
Alabama: +1945
Purdue: +1943
Stanford: +1940
California: +1937
Oklahoma: +1949, -1950
Pittsburgh: +1936, -1937
Texas A&M: =1939
Ohio State: -1942, +1944
TCU: -1938
Army: -1944, -1945
Minnesota: -1936, -1940, =1941
Notre Dame: -1943, -1946, -1947, -1949
1. Tennessee: 10-1-0 -- L, Sugar, 13-28
2. Michigan State: 9-0-0 -- None
3. Maryland: 10-0-0 -- W, Sugar, 28-13
4. Illinois: 9-0-1 -- W, Rose, 40-7
5. Georgia Tech: 11-0-1 -- W, Orange, 17-14
6. Princeton: 9-0-0 -- None
7. Stanford: 9-2-0 -- L, Rose, 7-40
8. Wisconsin: 7-1-1 -- None
9. Baylor: 8-2-1 -- L, Orange, 14-17
10. Oklahoma: 8-2-0 -- None
Only six Top 10 teams played in bowl games this season, but it's still a good place to start. And what a mess we have here!
Tennessee is out, since they didn't win their bowl game. Princeton is out for the same reasons as they were out in 1950. That leaves us with bowl-less Michigan State and three bowl-winning teams without losses: Maryland, Illinois and Georgia Tech.
Wow!
Let's start with Sparty: the SOS is mediocre, with a .480 winning percentage for the opponents. Michigan State wasn't in the Big Ten yet, so they were playing an independent schedule. They beat Michigan 25-0 in the Big House, but the Wolverines were only 4-5 in 1951, so that is worthless. They beat 4-3-2 Ohio State and Woody Hayes in Columbus, 24-20. Other wins over winning teams include 5-4 Penn State on the road, a 35-0 whitewash of Notre Dame at home (7-2-1, but unranked in the AP poll for some reason?), and a 38-point win over Colorado (7-3) at home. They didn't beat an AP-ranked team all season, although any year that includes wins over Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Notre Dame and Colorado can't be all that bad. Right?
Maryland: Their SOS is worse than Michigan State's SOS (45%). The Terps went 5-0 in that wacky 17-team Southern Conference, tying with Virginia Military Institute for league championship honors. That might be all we need to know about Maryland in 1951, eh? Their best win, prior to the Sugar Bowl win over previously unblemished Tennessee, was a 27-0 road win over 7-3-1 LSU. All in all, they beat one more ranked team than Sparty did, though, even with the bad schedule. Plus, they did win the bowl game while Michigan State stayed home and played with their toys.
Illinois: The Fightin' Illini trump both MSU and Maryland with their SOS rating (53%), and they won a bowl game BIG, thumping Stanford by 33 points (okay, the password can stay the same). They beat #8 Wisconsin by four points at home, and they beat #17 UCLA by 14 points at home as well. So they won three games over ranked teams, and they had a pretty good SOS. Throw in the bowl game, and they're on top of the crop right now. But the tie? A 0-0 struggle on November 17 at aforementioned Ohio State (4-3-2), which Sparty beat in Columbus. Mmmm, this could get interesting.
Ohio State plays a role here. The Buckeyes were 4-3-2, scored 109 points on the season while giving up only 104 points, and their SOS rating was very good (56%). Sparty proved its mettle by beating Ohio State, but for some reason, Illinois couldn't do that. We have a funny triangle here: MSU >>> Illinois >>> Maryland >>> MSU.
Can another team break this problem into little, irrelevant pieces?
Georgia Tech: The Ramblin' Wreck edges Illinois slightly on SOS rating (54%), they won the SEC with a 7-0 conference mark (yes, they were the conference champs over AP #1 Tennessee, which only went 5-0 in league play in another uneven scheduling blunder for the SEC), and they beat #9 Baylor by a field goal in the Orange Bowl. The SOS is slightly the best, the bowl win is the worst, and they only played four road games out of 12, which is the only schedule that isn't even close to being H/A-balanced. And, of course, they were behind the other three teams in the polls heading into bowl season. How good was Baylor, Georgia Tech's Orange Bowl opponent? Baylor lost to #11 TCU, which finished the season 6-5. How good could they have been to lose to TCU at home by 13 points? And Tech could only beat them by a field goal in a bowl game? Tech's SOS isn't enough to outweigh its weak bowl win, but they do have a bowl win -- which is more than Sparty can say. But Tech tied a 5-4-1 Duke team, 14-14, at home. Bad!
So Georgia Tech fails to win this argument convincingly, or even at all. Ladies and gentlemen, we truly have a clusterfuck here in 1951.
In the end, despite finishing #2 in the AP and UPI polls, Michigan State has to be eliminated from contention, for two reasons: 1) They didn't win a bowl game; 2) They didn't play an AP-ranked team all season. So Sparty falls to #4.
Georgia Tech's weaker bowl win over the weakest bowl opponent (Baylor, since Stanford's only loss was to #12 Cal at 8-2) more than erases its slight SOS edge over Illinois, so they finish at #3 in my revisions here.
So it's down to Illinois and Maryland. The bottom line is that Illinois played a harder schedule from top to bottom, and while Maryland knocked off #1 by 13 points, Illinois knocked off #7 by 33 points. These are equally impressive bowl wins, and Illinois played the significantly better schedule.
McMNC Revisions
1. Illinois
2. Maryland
3. Georgia Tech
4. Michigan State
5. Tennessee
RUNNING SCORECARD:
Tennessee: +1938, +1942, +1950, -1951
Illinois: +1951
Michigan: +1947, =1948
Georgia: +1946
Alabama: +1945
Purdue: +1943
Stanford: +1940
California: +1937
Oklahoma: +1949, -1950
Pittsburgh: +1936, -1937
Texas A&M: =1939
Ohio State: -1942, +1944
TCU: -1938
Army: -1944, -1945
Minnesota: -1936, -1940, =1941
Notre Dame: -1943, -1946, -1947, -1949
Monday, March 3, 2008
1950 McMNC: Tennessee Volunteers
AP Top 10: Final Record -- Key Bowl Results
1. Oklahoma: 10-1-0 -- L, Sugar, 7-13
2. Army: 8-1-0 -- None
3. Texas: 9-2-0 -- L, Cotton, 14-20
4. Tennessee: 11-1-0 -- W, Cotton, 20-14
5. California: 9-1-1 -- L, Rose, 6-14
6. Princeton: 9-0-0 -- None
7. Kentucky: 11-1-0 -- W, Sugar, 13-7
8. Michigan State: 8-1-0 -- None
9. Michigan: 6-3-1 -- W, Rose, 14-6
10. Clemson: 9-0-1 -- W, Orange, 15-14
Just an interesting note: California went 29-0-1 in the 1948, 1949 and 1950 seasons, only to lose the Rose Bowl each time (by a combined 17 points total). They could have been three-time McMNCs by now. But no ... perhaps we need to change RSFC's secret password to "calsucks".
Second note: seven of the Top 10 teams played in a bowl game. This is progress!
But I digress.
This is a discussion between Tennessee, Kentucky and Clemson. The Sooners blew their shot at a second McMNC by losing the Sugar Bowl to Kentucky, and Texas dropped the ball by losing the Cotton Bowl to Tennessee. So a team will rise from outside the Top 3 to take the title.
[Another digression: Princeton's best win? Over UPI #19 Navy, which went 3-6 ... enough said, along with their already-weak opponents' WP of .430!]
But who will it be?
Clemson: They finished 8th in the Southern Conference with a 3-0-1 record. Yes, they finished EIGHTH. Talk about an asinine conference: as far as I can tell, there were 17 teams in the Southern Conference in 1950 (the ACC wouldn't be formed until the 1953 season). Washington & Lee won the Southern Conference with a 6-0 league record, while Virginia Tech finished 17th with an 0-8 league mark. Whatever! Anyway, once again, Clemson played a weak schedule: opponents won only 39% of their games. Clemson only played three winning teams in 1950: North Carolina State (5-4-1), Wake Forest (6-1-2), and #15 Miami (9-1-1) in the Orange Bowl. In the end, the weak schedule outdoes their W-L record. Plus, the tie was against 3-4-2 South Carolina. As USC can tell you, that's inexcusable for a McMNC.
Tennessee: They played a great schedule, as opposing teams won 60% of their games. The only loss was to 4-5 Mississippi State on the road on September 30. They beat 7-3 Duke, #16 Alabama (9-2), #18 Washington & Lee (8-3), #7 Kentucky (11-1), 7-4 Vanderbilt and #3 Texas (9-2). That's a pretty good slate of games. However, the Vols were not the SEC champs in 1950. Kentucky is the 1950 SEC champion of record.
Kentucky: Like the Vols, the Wildcats also played a great schedule with the same SOS rating. They beat 8-2 North Texas, 8-4 Cincinnati (coached by Sid Gillman) and #1 Oklahoma (10-1). They scored 83 points against North Dakota! And, of course, they were the SEC champs in 1950.
So wait -- we have a problem here. Tennessee beat Kentucky, 7-0, on November 25. But Kentucky "won" the SEC. Why? Uneven schedules. The Wildcats were 5-1 in SEC play, while the Vols were only 4-1 in conference games. Both teams finished 11-1, both won major bowl games over Top 5 teams, and both played great schedules.
Kentucky's bowl win is better than Tennessee's, albeit not by much. To beat the unblemished #1 team by six points is better than beating the one-loss #3 team by six points. And Tennessee played more games against winning teams in 1950.
And finally, of course, the Vols beat Kentucky in the head-to-head matchup. That's all it takes, guys.
McMNC Revisions
1. Tennessee
2. Kentucky
3. Clemson
4. Oklahoma
5. California
RUNNING SCORECARD:
Tennessee: +1938, +1942, +1950
Michigan: +1947, =1948
Georgia: +1946
Alabama: +1945
Purdue: +1943
Stanford: +1940
California: +1937
Oklahoma: +1949, -1950
Pittsburgh: +1936, -1937
Texas A&M: =1939
Ohio State: -1942, +1944
TCU: -1938
Army: -1944, -1945
Minnesota: -1936, -1940, =1941
Notre Dame: -1943, -1946, -1947, -1949
1. Oklahoma: 10-1-0 -- L, Sugar, 7-13
2. Army: 8-1-0 -- None
3. Texas: 9-2-0 -- L, Cotton, 14-20
4. Tennessee: 11-1-0 -- W, Cotton, 20-14
5. California: 9-1-1 -- L, Rose, 6-14
6. Princeton: 9-0-0 -- None
7. Kentucky: 11-1-0 -- W, Sugar, 13-7
8. Michigan State: 8-1-0 -- None
9. Michigan: 6-3-1 -- W, Rose, 14-6
10. Clemson: 9-0-1 -- W, Orange, 15-14
Just an interesting note: California went 29-0-1 in the 1948, 1949 and 1950 seasons, only to lose the Rose Bowl each time (by a combined 17 points total). They could have been three-time McMNCs by now. But no ... perhaps we need to change RSFC's secret password to "calsucks".
Second note: seven of the Top 10 teams played in a bowl game. This is progress!
But I digress.
This is a discussion between Tennessee, Kentucky and Clemson. The Sooners blew their shot at a second McMNC by losing the Sugar Bowl to Kentucky, and Texas dropped the ball by losing the Cotton Bowl to Tennessee. So a team will rise from outside the Top 3 to take the title.
[Another digression: Princeton's best win? Over UPI #19 Navy, which went 3-6 ... enough said, along with their already-weak opponents' WP of .430!]
But who will it be?
Clemson: They finished 8th in the Southern Conference with a 3-0-1 record. Yes, they finished EIGHTH. Talk about an asinine conference: as far as I can tell, there were 17 teams in the Southern Conference in 1950 (the ACC wouldn't be formed until the 1953 season). Washington & Lee won the Southern Conference with a 6-0 league record, while Virginia Tech finished 17th with an 0-8 league mark. Whatever! Anyway, once again, Clemson played a weak schedule: opponents won only 39% of their games. Clemson only played three winning teams in 1950: North Carolina State (5-4-1), Wake Forest (6-1-2), and #15 Miami (9-1-1) in the Orange Bowl. In the end, the weak schedule outdoes their W-L record. Plus, the tie was against 3-4-2 South Carolina. As USC can tell you, that's inexcusable for a McMNC.
Tennessee: They played a great schedule, as opposing teams won 60% of their games. The only loss was to 4-5 Mississippi State on the road on September 30. They beat 7-3 Duke, #16 Alabama (9-2), #18 Washington & Lee (8-3), #7 Kentucky (11-1), 7-4 Vanderbilt and #3 Texas (9-2). That's a pretty good slate of games. However, the Vols were not the SEC champs in 1950. Kentucky is the 1950 SEC champion of record.
Kentucky: Like the Vols, the Wildcats also played a great schedule with the same SOS rating. They beat 8-2 North Texas, 8-4 Cincinnati (coached by Sid Gillman) and #1 Oklahoma (10-1). They scored 83 points against North Dakota! And, of course, they were the SEC champs in 1950.
So wait -- we have a problem here. Tennessee beat Kentucky, 7-0, on November 25. But Kentucky "won" the SEC. Why? Uneven schedules. The Wildcats were 5-1 in SEC play, while the Vols were only 4-1 in conference games. Both teams finished 11-1, both won major bowl games over Top 5 teams, and both played great schedules.
Kentucky's bowl win is better than Tennessee's, albeit not by much. To beat the unblemished #1 team by six points is better than beating the one-loss #3 team by six points. And Tennessee played more games against winning teams in 1950.
And finally, of course, the Vols beat Kentucky in the head-to-head matchup. That's all it takes, guys.
McMNC Revisions
1. Tennessee
2. Kentucky
3. Clemson
4. Oklahoma
5. California
RUNNING SCORECARD:
Tennessee: +1938, +1942, +1950
Michigan: +1947, =1948
Georgia: +1946
Alabama: +1945
Purdue: +1943
Stanford: +1940
California: +1937
Oklahoma: +1949, -1950
Pittsburgh: +1936, -1937
Texas A&M: =1939
Ohio State: -1942, +1944
TCU: -1938
Army: -1944, -1945
Minnesota: -1936, -1940, =1941
Notre Dame: -1943, -1946, -1947, -1949
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)