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