AP Top 10: Final Record -- Key Bowl Results
1. Notre Dame: 9-0-1 -- NONE
2. Michigan State: 9-0-1 -- NONE
3. Alabama: 11-0-0 -- W, Sugar, 34-7
4. Georgia: 10-1-0 -- W, Cotton, 24-9
5. UCLA: 9-1-0 -- NONE
6. Nebraska: 9-2-0 -- L, Sugar, 7-34
7. Purdue: 9-2-0 -- W, Rose, 14-13
8. Georgia Tech: 9-2-0 -- L, Orange, 12-27
9. Miami-FL: 8-2-1 -- W, Liberty, 14-7
10. SMU: 8-3-0 -- L, Cotton, 9-24
Note: The AP only ranked ten teams in 1966, and in a surprise move, they went BACK to the final poll being pre-bowl this season. Go figure ...
This was the year of the "Game of the Century", a 10-10 tie in East Lansing between Notre Dame and Sparty. After that tie on November 19, the Irish traveled to Los Angeles and beat the shit out of USC, 51-0. That may have swayed voters a bit, since the Irish tied the Spartans on the road without their starting QB and their starting RB.
But I digress.
We can consider five teams this year: Notre Dame, Michigan State, Alabama, UCLA and Georgia. But let's break some "ties" first.
Notre Dame versus Michigan State: They tied on Michigan State's home field, which gives a slight edge to Notre Dame. The Irish also have the SOS rating edge, 54%-49%. Notre Dame beat #7 Purdue on the road by ten points, while Michigan State beat Purdue by 21 points at home. Edge? Michigan State. Notre Dame beat Northwestern on the road by a 35-7 score, while Michigan State beat Northwestern on the road, 22-0. Draw. Notre Dame was 4-0-1 against winning teams in 1966, while Michigan State was just 2-0-1 against winning teams in 1966. The Big Ten had a down year, and three Spartan opponents (North Carolina State, Penn State and Ohio State) were a combined 14-15. So Notre Dame gets the head-to-head edge over Michigan State in 1966.
Alabama versus Georgia: Both teams went undefeated in SEC play, although Alabama was 6-0 and Georgia was 5-0. The SEC was ridiculous, once again, in uneven scheduling. Anyway, the Bulldogs have the SOS rating edge, 50%-46%. But they also have one loss: an OOC road loss by one point to #9 Miami-FL. That is hardly a blemish, all things considered. But the SEC can only have one representative in this debate, so let's look closer: Alabama had six wins over winning teams, including three wins over ranked teams (UPI #12 Mississippi [8-3], UPI #14 Tennessee [8-3], and AP #6 Nebraska). The first two were road games, and 'Bama nicked the Vols by one point. Also, Nebraska (45% SOS rating) certainly wasn't "up" for its bowl game, as they blew their perfect season in the last game of the regular season, losing by one point on the road to Oklahoma. As for Georgia, they had five wins over winning teams, including four wins over ranked teams (UPI #12 Mississippi, UPI #11 Florida [9-2], AP #8 Georgia Tech and AP #10 SMU). Plus, they had a fifth game against a ranked opponent in their close road loss to Miami-FL. Overall, the scheduling edge goes to Georgia, because they played better teams and only lost one game to a Top 10 team on the road by a point. While 'Bama's bowl win over #6 Nebraska is very good, it comes with a caveat of disinterest from the Cornhuskers. But in the end, Alabama went undefeated, and Georgia's SOS edge isn't enough to compensate for a loss.
So we have Notre Dame and Alabama alive here, with UCLA still to consider: The Bruins had a poor SOS rating at 47%, and they lost to unranked Washington (6-4) on the road by 13 points. That's not a bad loss, but combined with the reality they didn't play in a bowl game, they really have no shot at passing either the Irish or the Tide in this analysis.
So it's Notre Dame versus Alabama: yes, the Irish didn't play in a bowl game, either, but as noted, they had a superior SOS rating (54%-46%). Their only blemish is a great tie on the road to the other #1 team for most of the season. Notre Dame was 4-0-1 against winning teams; Alabama was 6-0 against winning teams. The Irish played three ranked teams all season [AP #7 Purdue, AP #2 Michigan State, and UPI #18 USC [7-4]), while Alabama also played three ranked teams (UPI #12 Mississippi [8-3], UPI #14 Tennessee [8-3], and AP #6 Nebraska). Notre Dame played a more top-heavy schedule, for sure, and overall, they had a better schedule as well. But they didn't play in a bowl game, and Alabama did. Notre Dame did beat their opponents by an average of 32 points, while Alabama only beat theirs by an average of 23 points.
In 1943, the Irish lost the McMNC because of a bad tie; in 1946, the Irish lost the McMNC because their SOS wasn't enough to overcome the lack of a bowl game (only a 3% edge over Georgia) and a tie blemish; in 1947, the Irish had a far inferior SOS rating to Michigan (48%-39%) and no bowl win on their resume; in 1949, they lost to Oklahoma because of an inferior SOS rating (52%-50%) and no bowl win.
This time, they have the edge in SOS by a significant margin, and the blemish on their record really isn't a blemish: it was as good as victory considering the circumstances and the fact Alabama played no opponent of that caliber all season long.
The lack of bowl game doesn't hurt the Irish in 1966, because the rest of their resume was finally strong enough to overcome that inequity. I realize this is two years in a row I've broken my own "rules", but rules were made to be broken on special occasions.
McMNC Revisions
1. Notre Dame
2. Alabama
3. Georgia
4. Michigan State
5. UCLA
RUNNING SCORECARD:
Tennessee: +1938, +1942, +1950, -1951
UCLA: +1965
Arkansas: +1964
Mississippi: +1962
Washington: +1960
Iowa: +1956
Georgia Tech: +1952
Illinois: +1951
Michigan: +1947, =1948
Georgia: +1946
Purdue: +1943
Stanford: +1940
California: +1937
Pittsburgh: +1936, -1937
Texas: =1963
Syracuse: =1959
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
USC: -1962
Alabama: +1945, =1961, -1964, -1965
Army: -1944, -1945
Minnesota: -1936, -1940, =1941, -1960
Notre Dame: -1943, -1946, -1947, -1949, =1966
Monday, April 28, 2008
Thursday, April 24, 2008
1965 McMNC: UCLA
AP Top 10: Final Record -- Key Bowl Results
1. Alabama: 9-1-1 -- W, Orange, 39-28
2. Michigan State: 10-1-0 -- L, Rose, 12-14
3. Arkansas: 10-1-0 -- L, Cotton, 7-14
4. UCLA: 8-2-1 -- W, Rose, 14-12
5. Nebraska: 10-1-0 -- L, Orange, 28-39
6. Missouri: 8-2-1 -- W, Sugar, 20-18
7. Tennessee: 8-1-2 -- W, Bluebonnet, 27-6
8. LSU: 8-3-0 -- W, Cotton, 14-7
9. Notre Dame: 7-2-1 -- NONE
10. USC: 7-2-1 -- NONE
Note: The AP only ranked ten teams in 1965, and for the first time ever, the final poll was conducted AFTER the bowl games. This was a direct result of the 1964 AP poll, which named Alabama its champion only to see Arkansas finish undefeated while 'Bama lost its bowl game (a result the McMNC remedied previously, of course). While this doesn't affect the McMNC debates, obviously, it is an interesting tidbit. This is the beginning of a decade-long transition to bowl relevancy for the "MNC" itself.
The top three teams in the AP poll all lost their bowl games (Michigan State, Arkansas, Nebraska). If the AP hadn't switched their polling in 1965, Michigan State would have been its champion of record.
But they did lose, and that leaves us with an interesting debate. Is winning a bowl game still a requirement? It has been an McMNC mainstay since 1936, but this year is odd. Alabama, UCLA, Missouri and Tennessee are the teams that fit the usual criteria, and there are some problems here -- as we will see. Perhaps we still need to consider Michigan State and Arkansas (the Cornhuskers get eliminated on the basis of their head-to-head loss to Alabama in the Orange Bowl).
So that's six teams under consideration in 1965, to start.
Alabama: They are the SEC champion of record in 1965, with a 6-1-1 conference mark. They also had a very solid 55% SOS rating. They lost to UPI #15 Georgia (6-4) on the road to open the season by one point, and they tied #7 Tennessee at home (7-7). They also beat UPI #17 Mississippi (7-4) at home by one point, they pounded #8 LSU on the road by 24 points (!), and they beat previously unbeaten and then-#3 Nebraska in the Orange Bowl. The LSU score looks impressive, but LSU finished just 3-3 in SEC play, also losing 23-0 at Mississippi. Was the SEC that strong? Perhaps. Either way, 'Bama played five winnings teams in 1965, going 3-1-1 against them.
UCLA: You want a strong SOS rating? The Bruins' SOS rating of 69% in 1965 is perhaps an all-time high in the McMNC discussions. Yes, they have two losses and a tie (just like Missouri, see below), but look at the slate: they lost by ten points on the road to #2 Michigan State to open the season. Then, the Bruins tied #6 Missouri (14-14) on the road in mid-October. Finally, UCLA traveled to Knoxville on December 4 and lost to the #7 Vols by three points. Are you kidding me? All three of the games on the road? No wonder this team was battled-tested enough to win the Rose Bowl in its rematch with Michigan State. Other games on the slate contributing to that 69% SOS rating? They beat UPI #19 Syracuse (7-3) by ten points at home, they beat 6-3-1 Stanford by 17 points on the road, they beat #10 USC on the "road" by four points, and they beat then-#1 Michigan State in the Rose Bowl. They also beat 5-5 Penn State (by two on the road), 5-5 California (by 53 points at home), and 5-5 Washington (by four points at home). Those mid-level wins certainly contributed to the SOS rating, but seven games against winning teams, going 4-2-1 and finishing with a 69% SOS rating is a GREAT season and generally better than Alabama's 1965 marks, even with the extra loss.
Missouri: With a 51% SOS rating, they better have some amazing wins to keep pace with the Tide. They lost 7-0 at home to open the season against UPI #18 Kentucky (6-4, 3-3 in SEC play), and they also lost to #5 Nebraska by two points at home. Their tie came against #4 UCLA at home (14-14). So their flaws are decent flaws. They did beat 5-4-1 Minnesota on the road by 11 points, they beat 5-4-1 Iowa State on the road by 16 points, they beat UPI #20 Colorado (6-2-2) on the road by 13 points, and they beat UPI #12 Florida (7-4, 4-2 in SEC play) in the Sugar Bowl. They played seven winning teams in 1965, and they went 4-2-1 in those games. A good resume all around, but it's not enough to overcome the edge 'Bama has on them in the loss column.
Tennessee: This is a problem, since the Vols didn't win the SEC. As we know, Alabama won the conference, but Tennessee's SEC record was 2-1-2 and they tied 'Bama on the road (7-7). Now WHY Alabama played EIGHT conference games and Tennessee only played FIVE is just asinine. Do we hold that against the Volunteers? They were clearly a team just as good as Alabama. Their SOS rating was an amazing 60% in 1965! They beat 7-3-1 Georgia Tech at home by 14 points, they lost to UPI #17 Mississippi by one point at home, they beat UPI #18 Kentucky on the road by 16 points, they beat #4 UCLA at home by three points, and they beat UPI #16 Tulsa (8-3) by 21 in their bowl game. They played six teams with winning records in 1965, and they went 4-1-1 in those games. Their other tie? At home to 5-5-1 Auburn, which went 4-2-1 in SEC play in 1965. Not a bad tie, but ... the extra blemish is another tough one to overcome if we want to consider the Vols for the McMNC.
So Alabama, UCLA and Tennessee are still viable TUCs in 1965. What about the three previously unbeaten teams which lost their bowl games?
Michigan State: They split with UCLA, so they can't get eliminated there. Their SOS was equal to Alabama's at 55%. They beat 6-4 Illinois by ten points at home, they beat UPI #11 Ohio State (7-2) at home by 25 points, they beat UPI #13 Purdue (7-2-1) on the road by four points, and they beat #9 Notre Dame on the road by nine points. Overall, they played games against teams with winning records six times, winning a 1965-high five of them (5-1). No other TUC can match that 83% winning percentage against winning teams. But they lost their bowl game by two points, a road rematch with a Top 5 team. That's the definition of a "good" loss. I can't eliminate Sparty from the debate just yet.
Arkansas: The Razorbacks "only" have a 50% SOS rating, which -- against this group -- might eliminate them consideration, especially since they lost their bowl game to a mid-level SEC team (albeit a Top 10 team). They beat UPI #18 Tulsa by eight points at home, they beat 6-5 TCU at home in a 28-0 shutout, they beat 6-4 Texas by three points at home, and they beat UPI #10 Texas Tech (8-3) by 18 points at home. Overall, they went 4-1 against teams with winning records, but the low SOS rating dooms them in this crowd.
So what does that leave us with? Alabama (55%, 3-1-1, bowl win), Michigan State (55%, 5-1, bowl loss), UCLA (69%, 4-2-1, bowl win) and Tennessee (60%, 4-1-1, bowl win), in AP poll order. In the end, Sparty just can't hang with the others due to the bowl loss, but they had an amazing season, of course. Also, Tennessee's blemish against Auburn is the blemish versus an unranked team in this debate, so they can't hang, either.
So it's Alabama versus UCLA. Considering Nebraska's SOS rating was 44%, UCLA has the better bowl win, as they beat a significantly better team (Michigan State) in their bowl game. Add that to the HUGE edge UCLA has in SOS rating (and relative difficulty, with those road games), and it's enough to overcome Alabama's single advantage: overall W/L record. Common opponent? The Vols, who tied Alabama in Tuscaloosa and beat UCLA by three in Knoxville. That's pretty even, in truth.
In the end, I'm crowning a McMNC with two losses, contrary to the belief I stated in the 1960 analysis (that no two-loss team should ever win the McMNC if at all possible). Why? Because their SOS is too good to ignore, and they have every other required attribute. If they had scheduled a pancake instead of the road games at Michigan State and/or Tennessee, they'd have won this hands-down.
As it is, it's one of the closest decisions I've made yet in this McMNC analytical saga, and I don't really like it. But if I'm going to value SOS at all, I have to reward a team that schedules like this 1965 UCLA team scheduled. But Alabama didn't face a pancake schedule, either, like Oklahoma did in 1956. This isn't because of anything the Tide didn't do.
It's just because of what UCLA did. There's no way to ignore the best schedule I've ever seen in this McMNC discussion.
McMNC Revisions
1. UCLA
2. Alabama
3. Tennessee
4. Michigan State
5. Arkansas
RUNNING SCORECARD:
Tennessee: +1938, +1942, +1950, -1951
UCLA: +1965
Arkansas: +1964
Mississippi: +1962
Washington: +1960
Iowa: +1956
Georgia Tech: +1952
Illinois: +1951
Michigan: +1947, =1948
Georgia: +1946
Purdue: +1943
Stanford: +1940
California: +1937
Pittsburgh: +1936, -1937
Texas: =1963
Syracuse: =1959
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
USC: -1962
Alabama: +1945, =1961, -1964, -1965
Army: -1944, -1945
Minnesota: -1936, -1940, =1941, -1960
Notre Dame: -1943, -1946, -1947, -1949
1. Alabama: 9-1-1 -- W, Orange, 39-28
2. Michigan State: 10-1-0 -- L, Rose, 12-14
3. Arkansas: 10-1-0 -- L, Cotton, 7-14
4. UCLA: 8-2-1 -- W, Rose, 14-12
5. Nebraska: 10-1-0 -- L, Orange, 28-39
6. Missouri: 8-2-1 -- W, Sugar, 20-18
7. Tennessee: 8-1-2 -- W, Bluebonnet, 27-6
8. LSU: 8-3-0 -- W, Cotton, 14-7
9. Notre Dame: 7-2-1 -- NONE
10. USC: 7-2-1 -- NONE
Note: The AP only ranked ten teams in 1965, and for the first time ever, the final poll was conducted AFTER the bowl games. This was a direct result of the 1964 AP poll, which named Alabama its champion only to see Arkansas finish undefeated while 'Bama lost its bowl game (a result the McMNC remedied previously, of course). While this doesn't affect the McMNC debates, obviously, it is an interesting tidbit. This is the beginning of a decade-long transition to bowl relevancy for the "MNC" itself.
The top three teams in the AP poll all lost their bowl games (Michigan State, Arkansas, Nebraska). If the AP hadn't switched their polling in 1965, Michigan State would have been its champion of record.
But they did lose, and that leaves us with an interesting debate. Is winning a bowl game still a requirement? It has been an McMNC mainstay since 1936, but this year is odd. Alabama, UCLA, Missouri and Tennessee are the teams that fit the usual criteria, and there are some problems here -- as we will see. Perhaps we still need to consider Michigan State and Arkansas (the Cornhuskers get eliminated on the basis of their head-to-head loss to Alabama in the Orange Bowl).
So that's six teams under consideration in 1965, to start.
Alabama: They are the SEC champion of record in 1965, with a 6-1-1 conference mark. They also had a very solid 55% SOS rating. They lost to UPI #15 Georgia (6-4) on the road to open the season by one point, and they tied #7 Tennessee at home (7-7). They also beat UPI #17 Mississippi (7-4) at home by one point, they pounded #8 LSU on the road by 24 points (!), and they beat previously unbeaten and then-#3 Nebraska in the Orange Bowl. The LSU score looks impressive, but LSU finished just 3-3 in SEC play, also losing 23-0 at Mississippi. Was the SEC that strong? Perhaps. Either way, 'Bama played five winnings teams in 1965, going 3-1-1 against them.
UCLA: You want a strong SOS rating? The Bruins' SOS rating of 69% in 1965 is perhaps an all-time high in the McMNC discussions. Yes, they have two losses and a tie (just like Missouri, see below), but look at the slate: they lost by ten points on the road to #2 Michigan State to open the season. Then, the Bruins tied #6 Missouri (14-14) on the road in mid-October. Finally, UCLA traveled to Knoxville on December 4 and lost to the #7 Vols by three points. Are you kidding me? All three of the games on the road? No wonder this team was battled-tested enough to win the Rose Bowl in its rematch with Michigan State. Other games on the slate contributing to that 69% SOS rating? They beat UPI #19 Syracuse (7-3) by ten points at home, they beat 6-3-1 Stanford by 17 points on the road, they beat #10 USC on the "road" by four points, and they beat then-#1 Michigan State in the Rose Bowl. They also beat 5-5 Penn State (by two on the road), 5-5 California (by 53 points at home), and 5-5 Washington (by four points at home). Those mid-level wins certainly contributed to the SOS rating, but seven games against winning teams, going 4-2-1 and finishing with a 69% SOS rating is a GREAT season and generally better than Alabama's 1965 marks, even with the extra loss.
Missouri: With a 51% SOS rating, they better have some amazing wins to keep pace with the Tide. They lost 7-0 at home to open the season against UPI #18 Kentucky (6-4, 3-3 in SEC play), and they also lost to #5 Nebraska by two points at home. Their tie came against #4 UCLA at home (14-14). So their flaws are decent flaws. They did beat 5-4-1 Minnesota on the road by 11 points, they beat 5-4-1 Iowa State on the road by 16 points, they beat UPI #20 Colorado (6-2-2) on the road by 13 points, and they beat UPI #12 Florida (7-4, 4-2 in SEC play) in the Sugar Bowl. They played seven winning teams in 1965, and they went 4-2-1 in those games. A good resume all around, but it's not enough to overcome the edge 'Bama has on them in the loss column.
Tennessee: This is a problem, since the Vols didn't win the SEC. As we know, Alabama won the conference, but Tennessee's SEC record was 2-1-2 and they tied 'Bama on the road (7-7). Now WHY Alabama played EIGHT conference games and Tennessee only played FIVE is just asinine. Do we hold that against the Volunteers? They were clearly a team just as good as Alabama. Their SOS rating was an amazing 60% in 1965! They beat 7-3-1 Georgia Tech at home by 14 points, they lost to UPI #17 Mississippi by one point at home, they beat UPI #18 Kentucky on the road by 16 points, they beat #4 UCLA at home by three points, and they beat UPI #16 Tulsa (8-3) by 21 in their bowl game. They played six teams with winning records in 1965, and they went 4-1-1 in those games. Their other tie? At home to 5-5-1 Auburn, which went 4-2-1 in SEC play in 1965. Not a bad tie, but ... the extra blemish is another tough one to overcome if we want to consider the Vols for the McMNC.
So Alabama, UCLA and Tennessee are still viable TUCs in 1965. What about the three previously unbeaten teams which lost their bowl games?
Michigan State: They split with UCLA, so they can't get eliminated there. Their SOS was equal to Alabama's at 55%. They beat 6-4 Illinois by ten points at home, they beat UPI #11 Ohio State (7-2) at home by 25 points, they beat UPI #13 Purdue (7-2-1) on the road by four points, and they beat #9 Notre Dame on the road by nine points. Overall, they played games against teams with winning records six times, winning a 1965-high five of them (5-1). No other TUC can match that 83% winning percentage against winning teams. But they lost their bowl game by two points, a road rematch with a Top 5 team. That's the definition of a "good" loss. I can't eliminate Sparty from the debate just yet.
Arkansas: The Razorbacks "only" have a 50% SOS rating, which -- against this group -- might eliminate them consideration, especially since they lost their bowl game to a mid-level SEC team (albeit a Top 10 team). They beat UPI #18 Tulsa by eight points at home, they beat 6-5 TCU at home in a 28-0 shutout, they beat 6-4 Texas by three points at home, and they beat UPI #10 Texas Tech (8-3) by 18 points at home. Overall, they went 4-1 against teams with winning records, but the low SOS rating dooms them in this crowd.
So what does that leave us with? Alabama (55%, 3-1-1, bowl win), Michigan State (55%, 5-1, bowl loss), UCLA (69%, 4-2-1, bowl win) and Tennessee (60%, 4-1-1, bowl win), in AP poll order. In the end, Sparty just can't hang with the others due to the bowl loss, but they had an amazing season, of course. Also, Tennessee's blemish against Auburn is the blemish versus an unranked team in this debate, so they can't hang, either.
So it's Alabama versus UCLA. Considering Nebraska's SOS rating was 44%, UCLA has the better bowl win, as they beat a significantly better team (Michigan State) in their bowl game. Add that to the HUGE edge UCLA has in SOS rating (and relative difficulty, with those road games), and it's enough to overcome Alabama's single advantage: overall W/L record. Common opponent? The Vols, who tied Alabama in Tuscaloosa and beat UCLA by three in Knoxville. That's pretty even, in truth.
In the end, I'm crowning a McMNC with two losses, contrary to the belief I stated in the 1960 analysis (that no two-loss team should ever win the McMNC if at all possible). Why? Because their SOS is too good to ignore, and they have every other required attribute. If they had scheduled a pancake instead of the road games at Michigan State and/or Tennessee, they'd have won this hands-down.
As it is, it's one of the closest decisions I've made yet in this McMNC analytical saga, and I don't really like it. But if I'm going to value SOS at all, I have to reward a team that schedules like this 1965 UCLA team scheduled. But Alabama didn't face a pancake schedule, either, like Oklahoma did in 1956. This isn't because of anything the Tide didn't do.
It's just because of what UCLA did. There's no way to ignore the best schedule I've ever seen in this McMNC discussion.
McMNC Revisions
1. UCLA
2. Alabama
3. Tennessee
4. Michigan State
5. Arkansas
RUNNING SCORECARD:
Tennessee: +1938, +1942, +1950, -1951
UCLA: +1965
Arkansas: +1964
Mississippi: +1962
Washington: +1960
Iowa: +1956
Georgia Tech: +1952
Illinois: +1951
Michigan: +1947, =1948
Georgia: +1946
Purdue: +1943
Stanford: +1940
California: +1937
Pittsburgh: +1936, -1937
Texas: =1963
Syracuse: =1959
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
USC: -1962
Alabama: +1945, =1961, -1964, -1965
Army: -1944, -1945
Minnesota: -1936, -1940, =1941, -1960
Notre Dame: -1943, -1946, -1947, -1949
Monday, April 21, 2008
1964 McMNC: Arkansas Razorbacks
AP Top 10: Final Record -- Key Bowl Results
1. Alabama: 10-1-0 -- L, Orange Bowl, 17-21
2. Arkansas: 11-0-0 -- W, Cotton, 10-7
3. Notre Dame: 9-1-0 -- NONE
4. Michigan: 9-1-0 -- W, Rose, 34-7
5. Texas: 10-1-0 -- W, Orange, 21-17
6. Nebraska: 9-2-0 -- L, Cotton, 7-10
7. LSU: 8-2-1 -- W, Sugar, 13-10
8. Oregon State: 8-3-0 -- L, Rose, 7-34
9. Ohio State: 7-2-0 -- NONE
10. USC: 7-3-0 -- NONE
Note: The AP only ranked ten teams in 1964.
Well, what a mess. You have an AP champion who lost its bowl game, and therefore, the Tide won't be winning the McMNC for 1964. The TUCs? Arkansas, Notre Dame, Michigan and Texas. However, even thought Texas knocked off #1 Alabama, they won't be eligible for the McMNC because they lost a head-to-head matchup, and the SWC title, to Arkansas. Sorry, Texas -- there is no repeat McMNC for you.
[That leaves 1947-48 Michigan as the only repeat McMNCs so far, for those of you keeping score at home.]
Arkansas: The Hogs start off well with a 50% SOS rating, which is out of the 40s and acceptable. They beat UPI #18 Tulsa (9-2) by nine points at home, they beat #5 Texas by a point on the road, they beat 6-4-1 Texas Tech in a 17-0 road shutout, and they beat #6 Nebraska in their bowl game. Not overly strong, but a good schedule for the most part.
Notre Dame: The Irish check in with a weak 46% SOS rating. They beat 6-3 Purdue by 19 points at home, they beat UPI #20 Michigan State (4-5!) by 27 points at home, but they lost to #10 USC by three points on the road in their last game of the season. Whoops! No bowl win and an underwhelming SOS rating doom the Irish to also-ran status.
Michigan: They have a 53% SOS rating, and their only loss was a one-point home defeat to Purdue. But that is enough, since their SOS isn't significantly better than Arkansas' rating. The Wolverines did beat UPI #20 Michigan State on the road by seven points, beat 5-4 Minnesota by seven points at home, beat UPI #16 Illinois (6-3) by 15 points at home, shut out #9 Ohio State by ten points on the road, and wiped Beaver ass (heh) in the Rose Bowl. That's five wins over ranked/winning teams, which is more than Arkansas, but not significantly so. Michigan does have an edge in SOS over Arkansas, but not a big enough one to overcome the one loss.
Arkansas ascends in 1964.
McMNC Revisions
1. Arkansas
2. Michigan
3. Notre Dame
4. Texas
5. Alabama
RUNNING SCORECARD:
Tennessee: +1938, +1942, +1950, -1951
Arkansas: +1964
Mississippi: +1962
Washington: +1960
Iowa: +1956
Georgia Tech: +1952
Illinois: +1951
Michigan: +1947, =1948
Georgia: +1946
Purdue: +1943
Stanford: +1940
California: +1937
Pittsburgh: +1936, -1937
Texas: =1963
Syracuse: =1959
LSU: =1958
Texas A&M: =1939
Michigan State: -1952, +1953
Ohio State: -1942, +1944, =1954
Alabama: +1945, =1961, -1964
Oklahoma: +1949, -1950, =1955, -1956, +1957
TCU: -1938
Maryland: -1953
Auburn: -1957
USC: -1962
Army: -1944, -1945
Minnesota: -1936, -1940, =1941, -1960
Notre Dame: -1943, -1946, -1947, -1949
1. Alabama: 10-1-0 -- L, Orange Bowl, 17-21
2. Arkansas: 11-0-0 -- W, Cotton, 10-7
3. Notre Dame: 9-1-0 -- NONE
4. Michigan: 9-1-0 -- W, Rose, 34-7
5. Texas: 10-1-0 -- W, Orange, 21-17
6. Nebraska: 9-2-0 -- L, Cotton, 7-10
7. LSU: 8-2-1 -- W, Sugar, 13-10
8. Oregon State: 8-3-0 -- L, Rose, 7-34
9. Ohio State: 7-2-0 -- NONE
10. USC: 7-3-0 -- NONE
Note: The AP only ranked ten teams in 1964.
Well, what a mess. You have an AP champion who lost its bowl game, and therefore, the Tide won't be winning the McMNC for 1964. The TUCs? Arkansas, Notre Dame, Michigan and Texas. However, even thought Texas knocked off #1 Alabama, they won't be eligible for the McMNC because they lost a head-to-head matchup, and the SWC title, to Arkansas. Sorry, Texas -- there is no repeat McMNC for you.
[That leaves 1947-48 Michigan as the only repeat McMNCs so far, for those of you keeping score at home.]
Arkansas: The Hogs start off well with a 50% SOS rating, which is out of the 40s and acceptable. They beat UPI #18 Tulsa (9-2) by nine points at home, they beat #5 Texas by a point on the road, they beat 6-4-1 Texas Tech in a 17-0 road shutout, and they beat #6 Nebraska in their bowl game. Not overly strong, but a good schedule for the most part.
Notre Dame: The Irish check in with a weak 46% SOS rating. They beat 6-3 Purdue by 19 points at home, they beat UPI #20 Michigan State (4-5!) by 27 points at home, but they lost to #10 USC by three points on the road in their last game of the season. Whoops! No bowl win and an underwhelming SOS rating doom the Irish to also-ran status.
Michigan: They have a 53% SOS rating, and their only loss was a one-point home defeat to Purdue. But that is enough, since their SOS isn't significantly better than Arkansas' rating. The Wolverines did beat UPI #20 Michigan State on the road by seven points, beat 5-4 Minnesota by seven points at home, beat UPI #16 Illinois (6-3) by 15 points at home, shut out #9 Ohio State by ten points on the road, and wiped Beaver ass (heh) in the Rose Bowl. That's five wins over ranked/winning teams, which is more than Arkansas, but not significantly so. Michigan does have an edge in SOS over Arkansas, but not a big enough one to overcome the one loss.
Arkansas ascends in 1964.
McMNC Revisions
1. Arkansas
2. Michigan
3. Notre Dame
4. Texas
5. Alabama
RUNNING SCORECARD:
Tennessee: +1938, +1942, +1950, -1951
Arkansas: +1964
Mississippi: +1962
Washington: +1960
Iowa: +1956
Georgia Tech: +1952
Illinois: +1951
Michigan: +1947, =1948
Georgia: +1946
Purdue: +1943
Stanford: +1940
California: +1937
Pittsburgh: +1936, -1937
Texas: =1963
Syracuse: =1959
LSU: =1958
Texas A&M: =1939
Michigan State: -1952, +1953
Ohio State: -1942, +1944, =1954
Alabama: +1945, =1961, -1964
Oklahoma: +1949, -1950, =1955, -1956, +1957
TCU: -1938
Maryland: -1953
Auburn: -1957
USC: -1962
Army: -1944, -1945
Minnesota: -1936, -1940, =1941, -1960
Notre Dame: -1943, -1946, -1947, -1949
Thursday, April 17, 2008
1963 McMNC: Texas Longhorns
AP Top 10: Final Record -- Key Bowl Results
1. Texas: 11-0-0 -- W, Cotton, 28-6
2. Navy: 9-2-0 -- L, Cotton, 6-28
3. Illinois: 8-1-1 -- W, Rose, 17-7
4. Pittsburgh: 9-1-0 -- NONE
5. Auburn: 9-2-0 -- L, Orange, 7-13
6. Nebraska: 10-1-0 -- W, Orange, 13-7
7. Mississippi: 7-1-2 -- L, Sugar, 7-12
8. Alabama: 9-2-0 -- W, Sugar, 12-7
9. Oklahoma: 8-2-0 -- NONE
10. Michigan State: 6-2-1 -- NONE
Note: The AP only ranked ten teams in 1963. And again, we had a #1 vs. #2 in a bowl game. Wow!
Texas has the edge here, of course, so let's see if they earned it. Although Mississippi and Alabama cancel each other out here: Mississippi won the SEC with a 5-0-1 conference mark, but Alabama beat them in the Sugar Bowl to eliminate them. Auburn is out, too, of course. Is there any team worthy enough to challenge Texas, if that crack exists? Illinois, Pittsburgh and Nebraska, of course.
Texas: The Longhorns have a 49% SOS rating, which is probably good enough considering they were the only undefeated team in 1963. They beat #9 Oklahoma by 21 points in a home game, they beat 6-4 Rice at home by four points, they beat UPI #20 Baylor (8-3) in a seven-point shutout at home, and they beat #2 Navy in the Cotton Bowl. But Navy's other loss was to 4-7 SMU on the road, and Texas beat SMU on the road by five points. Maybe Navy wasn't a worthy #2 team? They beat four winning teams all year, two of which were AP Top 10 teams. Solid effort.
Illinois: The Illini have a lot to make up since they have a loss and a tie, so their 49% SOS rating isn't impressive in this debate. They beat 5-4 Northwestern by a point at home, they tied 5-3-1 Ohio State on the road (20-20), they beat 5-4 Purdue at home by 20 points, they LOST to 3-4-2 Michigan at HOME, they beat 5-4 Wisconsin on the road by ten points, and they beat #10 Michigan State on the road in a huge 13-0 win that decided the Big Ten title. And they beat 6-5 Washington in the Rose Bowl. A nice season, but losing to Michigan was pathetic. That alone pretty much eliminates them from contention.
Pittsburgh: Biggest problem with the Panthers is they didn't go bowling. As an independent, they had a 52% SOS rating. They lost by 12 points on the road to #2 Navy, which is a respectable loss, but since Texas beat Navy by 22 points (albeit in a relative home game), that's a big gap and direct comparison that Pitt loses. They did beat UPI #15 Washington at home by seven points, they beat UPI #12 Syracuse (8-2) at home by eight points, they beat 7-3 Army at home in a 28-0 shutout, and they beat #UPI #16 Penn State (7-3) by a point at home. A good season, but they aren't good enough to overcome Texas.
Nebraska: The Cornhuskers finally escaped Bud Wilkinson's shadow in 1963. With a 50% SOS rating, it was a good season for Nebraska. However, they lost to 7-4 Air Force, which lost to 7-3 Army, which lost to 9-2 Navy. And we know how Navy did against Texas ... fun times with transitive scores, eh? But the schedule power just isn't there. ne of Nebraska's wins over a "winning team" was a 58-7 home victory over 2-1 South Dakota State. They beat UPI #16 Missouri (7-3) by a point on the road, and they beat Oklahoma and Auburn to end the season. Again, good, but not enough to overcome the Longhorns.
Hook 'em, 'Horns.
McMNC Revisions
1. Texas
2. Nebraska
3. Illinois
4. Mississippi
5. Pittsburgh
RUNNING SCORECARD:
Tennessee: +1938, +1942, +1950, -1951
Mississippi: +1962
Washington: +1960
Iowa: +1956
Georgia Tech: +1952
Illinois: +1951
Michigan: +1947, =1948
Georgia: +1946
Alabama: +1945, =1961
Purdue: +1943
Stanford: +1940
California: +1937
Pittsburgh: +1936, -1937
Texas: =1963
Syracuse: =1959
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
USC: -1962
Army: -1944, -1945
Minnesota: -1936, -1940, =1941, -1960
Notre Dame: -1943, -1946, -1947, -1949
1. Texas: 11-0-0 -- W, Cotton, 28-6
2. Navy: 9-2-0 -- L, Cotton, 6-28
3. Illinois: 8-1-1 -- W, Rose, 17-7
4. Pittsburgh: 9-1-0 -- NONE
5. Auburn: 9-2-0 -- L, Orange, 7-13
6. Nebraska: 10-1-0 -- W, Orange, 13-7
7. Mississippi: 7-1-2 -- L, Sugar, 7-12
8. Alabama: 9-2-0 -- W, Sugar, 12-7
9. Oklahoma: 8-2-0 -- NONE
10. Michigan State: 6-2-1 -- NONE
Note: The AP only ranked ten teams in 1963. And again, we had a #1 vs. #2 in a bowl game. Wow!
Texas has the edge here, of course, so let's see if they earned it. Although Mississippi and Alabama cancel each other out here: Mississippi won the SEC with a 5-0-1 conference mark, but Alabama beat them in the Sugar Bowl to eliminate them. Auburn is out, too, of course. Is there any team worthy enough to challenge Texas, if that crack exists? Illinois, Pittsburgh and Nebraska, of course.
Texas: The Longhorns have a 49% SOS rating, which is probably good enough considering they were the only undefeated team in 1963. They beat #9 Oklahoma by 21 points in a home game, they beat 6-4 Rice at home by four points, they beat UPI #20 Baylor (8-3) in a seven-point shutout at home, and they beat #2 Navy in the Cotton Bowl. But Navy's other loss was to 4-7 SMU on the road, and Texas beat SMU on the road by five points. Maybe Navy wasn't a worthy #2 team? They beat four winning teams all year, two of which were AP Top 10 teams. Solid effort.
Illinois: The Illini have a lot to make up since they have a loss and a tie, so their 49% SOS rating isn't impressive in this debate. They beat 5-4 Northwestern by a point at home, they tied 5-3-1 Ohio State on the road (20-20), they beat 5-4 Purdue at home by 20 points, they LOST to 3-4-2 Michigan at HOME, they beat 5-4 Wisconsin on the road by ten points, and they beat #10 Michigan State on the road in a huge 13-0 win that decided the Big Ten title. And they beat 6-5 Washington in the Rose Bowl. A nice season, but losing to Michigan was pathetic. That alone pretty much eliminates them from contention.
Pittsburgh: Biggest problem with the Panthers is they didn't go bowling. As an independent, they had a 52% SOS rating. They lost by 12 points on the road to #2 Navy, which is a respectable loss, but since Texas beat Navy by 22 points (albeit in a relative home game), that's a big gap and direct comparison that Pitt loses. They did beat UPI #15 Washington at home by seven points, they beat UPI #12 Syracuse (8-2) at home by eight points, they beat 7-3 Army at home in a 28-0 shutout, and they beat #UPI #16 Penn State (7-3) by a point at home. A good season, but they aren't good enough to overcome Texas.
Nebraska: The Cornhuskers finally escaped Bud Wilkinson's shadow in 1963. With a 50% SOS rating, it was a good season for Nebraska. However, they lost to 7-4 Air Force, which lost to 7-3 Army, which lost to 9-2 Navy. And we know how Navy did against Texas ... fun times with transitive scores, eh? But the schedule power just isn't there. ne of Nebraska's wins over a "winning team" was a 58-7 home victory over 2-1 South Dakota State. They beat UPI #16 Missouri (7-3) by a point on the road, and they beat Oklahoma and Auburn to end the season. Again, good, but not enough to overcome the Longhorns.
Hook 'em, 'Horns.
McMNC Revisions
1. Texas
2. Nebraska
3. Illinois
4. Mississippi
5. Pittsburgh
RUNNING SCORECARD:
Tennessee: +1938, +1942, +1950, -1951
Mississippi: +1962
Washington: +1960
Iowa: +1956
Georgia Tech: +1952
Illinois: +1951
Michigan: +1947, =1948
Georgia: +1946
Alabama: +1945, =1961
Purdue: +1943
Stanford: +1940
California: +1937
Pittsburgh: +1936, -1937
Texas: =1963
Syracuse: =1959
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
USC: -1962
Army: -1944, -1945
Minnesota: -1936, -1940, =1941, -1960
Notre Dame: -1943, -1946, -1947, -1949
Monday, April 14, 2008
1962 McMNC: Mississippi Rebels
AP Top 10: Final Record -- Key Bowl Results
1. USC: 11-0-0 -- W, Rose, 42-37
2. Wisconsin: 8-2-0 -- L, Rose, 37-42
3. Mississippi: 10-0-0 -- W, Sugar, 17-13
4. Texas: 9-1-1 -- L, Cotton, 0-13
5. Alabama: 10-1-0 -- W, Orange, 17-0
6. Arkansas: 9-2-0 -- L, Sugar, 13-17
7. LSU: 9-1-1 -- W, Cotton, 13-0
8. Oklahoma: 8-3-0 -- L, Orange, 0-17
9. Penn State: 9-2-0 -- L, Gator, 7-17
10. Minnesota: 6-2-1 -- NONE
Note: The AP only ranked ten teams in 1962. Don't ask why, but this affects how we view "ranked" teams for the SOS analysis below. By the way, did you know the 2-7 Illinois squad finished the year ranked #18 in the UPI poll? Seriously. Don't you just LOVE the quirks of college football?! And hey, a #1 vs. #2 in the Rose Bowl! Woo-hoo!
Hello, John McKay. Still one of my favorite quipsters. The Trojans lead the debate here, but Mississippi, 'Bama and LSU might be able to lay claim. Let's check it out.
USC: The Trojans only had a 48% SOS rating, which isn't really bad, but it's not good, either. They beat UPI #14 Duke (8-2) by seven at home, UPI #18 Illinois by 12 on the road, and UPI #14 Washington (7-1-2) by 14 points in a home shutout. They also outscored #2 Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl. That's not a strong schedule, since the only AP-ranked team they beat was Wisconsin. Overall, they only played THREE winning teams ALL year. But hey, they went undefeated, right?
Mississippi: They won the SEC, which eliminates 'Bama and LSU from this discussion, actually, although AGAIN, there was uneven scheduling (Ole Miss was 6-0 in SEC play, the Tide was 6-1 in conference games). They, too, had a 48% SOS rating. Mississippi beat 8-1 Memphis on the road by 14 points, beat 7-4 Houston at home by 33 points, they beat #7 LSU on the road by eight points, and they beat #6 Arkansas in the Sugar Bowl. So, they barely played a better schedule than USC did. Maybe that was the key to going undefeated in 1962?
So, that's that. Pretty pathetic, either way, huh? USC had five road games, Mississippi had four road games. The Rebels gave up 53 points in ten games, while the Trojans gave up 92 points in 11 games. Mississippi won its games by an average of 19 points per game, while USC only won its games by an average of 15 points per outing. The Rebels had four players drafted by the NFL; the Trojans only had two players drafted by the NFL. The SEC had some very good Top 10 teams; the "Pac-6" did not.
So why was Mississippi ranked below one-loss Wisconsin heading into the bowl season? They seem to be, on paper, a better team than USC was in 1962. Wisconsin's only loss prior to the Rose Bowl was a 14-7 defeat on the road at Ohio State (#13 UPI, 6-3 overall, 4-2 in the Big Ten). Wisconsin had a win over #10 Minnesota, but nothing stands out in their record for 1962.
The AP voters saw it as USC >>> Wisconsin >>> Mississippi, though, for some reason. I can't figure out why. Not that I need to, but ... there was no "Heisman Hype" for USC in 1962. Maybe the media just liked McKay? I can see that, but ... as much as I like him, I am not buying it.
Mississippi wins my McMNC for 1962, denying Southern Cal its first McMNC.
McMNC Revisions
1. Mississippi
2. USC
3. Alabama
4. LSU
5. Texas
RUNNING SCORECARD:
Tennessee: +1938, +1942, +1950, -1951
Mississippi: +1962
Washington: +1960
Iowa: +1956
Georgia Tech: +1952
Illinois: +1951
Michigan: +1947, =1948
Georgia: +1946
Alabama: +1945, =1961
Purdue: +1943
Stanford: +1940
California: +1937
Pittsburgh: +1936, -1937
Syracuse: =1959
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
USC: -1962
Army: -1944, -1945
Minnesota: -1936, -1940, =1941, -1960
Notre Dame: -1943, -1946, -1947, -1949
1. USC: 11-0-0 -- W, Rose, 42-37
2. Wisconsin: 8-2-0 -- L, Rose, 37-42
3. Mississippi: 10-0-0 -- W, Sugar, 17-13
4. Texas: 9-1-1 -- L, Cotton, 0-13
5. Alabama: 10-1-0 -- W, Orange, 17-0
6. Arkansas: 9-2-0 -- L, Sugar, 13-17
7. LSU: 9-1-1 -- W, Cotton, 13-0
8. Oklahoma: 8-3-0 -- L, Orange, 0-17
9. Penn State: 9-2-0 -- L, Gator, 7-17
10. Minnesota: 6-2-1 -- NONE
Note: The AP only ranked ten teams in 1962. Don't ask why, but this affects how we view "ranked" teams for the SOS analysis below. By the way, did you know the 2-7 Illinois squad finished the year ranked #18 in the UPI poll? Seriously. Don't you just LOVE the quirks of college football?! And hey, a #1 vs. #2 in the Rose Bowl! Woo-hoo!
Hello, John McKay. Still one of my favorite quipsters. The Trojans lead the debate here, but Mississippi, 'Bama and LSU might be able to lay claim. Let's check it out.
USC: The Trojans only had a 48% SOS rating, which isn't really bad, but it's not good, either. They beat UPI #14 Duke (8-2) by seven at home, UPI #18 Illinois by 12 on the road, and UPI #14 Washington (7-1-2) by 14 points in a home shutout. They also outscored #2 Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl. That's not a strong schedule, since the only AP-ranked team they beat was Wisconsin. Overall, they only played THREE winning teams ALL year. But hey, they went undefeated, right?
Mississippi: They won the SEC, which eliminates 'Bama and LSU from this discussion, actually, although AGAIN, there was uneven scheduling (Ole Miss was 6-0 in SEC play, the Tide was 6-1 in conference games). They, too, had a 48% SOS rating. Mississippi beat 8-1 Memphis on the road by 14 points, beat 7-4 Houston at home by 33 points, they beat #7 LSU on the road by eight points, and they beat #6 Arkansas in the Sugar Bowl. So, they barely played a better schedule than USC did. Maybe that was the key to going undefeated in 1962?
So, that's that. Pretty pathetic, either way, huh? USC had five road games, Mississippi had four road games. The Rebels gave up 53 points in ten games, while the Trojans gave up 92 points in 11 games. Mississippi won its games by an average of 19 points per game, while USC only won its games by an average of 15 points per outing. The Rebels had four players drafted by the NFL; the Trojans only had two players drafted by the NFL. The SEC had some very good Top 10 teams; the "Pac-6" did not.
So why was Mississippi ranked below one-loss Wisconsin heading into the bowl season? They seem to be, on paper, a better team than USC was in 1962. Wisconsin's only loss prior to the Rose Bowl was a 14-7 defeat on the road at Ohio State (#13 UPI, 6-3 overall, 4-2 in the Big Ten). Wisconsin had a win over #10 Minnesota, but nothing stands out in their record for 1962.
The AP voters saw it as USC >>> Wisconsin >>> Mississippi, though, for some reason. I can't figure out why. Not that I need to, but ... there was no "Heisman Hype" for USC in 1962. Maybe the media just liked McKay? I can see that, but ... as much as I like him, I am not buying it.
Mississippi wins my McMNC for 1962, denying Southern Cal its first McMNC.
McMNC Revisions
1. Mississippi
2. USC
3. Alabama
4. LSU
5. Texas
RUNNING SCORECARD:
Tennessee: +1938, +1942, +1950, -1951
Mississippi: +1962
Washington: +1960
Iowa: +1956
Georgia Tech: +1952
Illinois: +1951
Michigan: +1947, =1948
Georgia: +1946
Alabama: +1945, =1961
Purdue: +1943
Stanford: +1940
California: +1937
Pittsburgh: +1936, -1937
Syracuse: =1959
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
USC: -1962
Army: -1944, -1945
Minnesota: -1936, -1940, =1941, -1960
Notre Dame: -1943, -1946, -1947, -1949
Thursday, April 10, 2008
1961 McMNC: Alabama Crimson Tide
AP Top 10: Final Record -- Key Bowl Results
1. Alabama: 11-0-0 -- W, Sugar, 10-3
2. Ohio State: 8-0-1 -- NONE
3. Texas: 10-1-0 -- W, Cotton, 12-7
4. LSU: 10-1-0 -- W, Orange, 25-7
5. Mississippi: 10-2-0 -- L, Cotton, 7-12
6. Minnesota: 8-2-0 -- W, Rose, 21-3
7. Colorado: 9-2-0 -- L, Orange, 7-25
8. Michigan State: 7-2-0 -- NONE
9. Arkansas: 8-3-0 -- L, Sugar, 3-10
10. Utah State: 9-1-1 -- NONE
Side note: Rutgers went 9-0 in 1961 with a 45% SOS rating. Their schedule was mostly full of Ivy League schools. Also, Utah State lost its last regular season game to 6-5 Baylor by 15 points at home.
Second note: This was the year that Ohio State's faculty declined the bid to the Rose Bowl, perhaps costing Woody a McMNC. [Damn teachers: who the hell do they think they are?!]
This comes down to 'Bama, Texas and LSU -- a good, ol' fashioned South brawl for the McMNC. Sweet ... although Ohio State still has a shot, too. Alabama and LSU didn't play each other in SEC play, and the Tide are the champions of record, simply because they went 7-0 in league play while LSU "only" went 6-0 in conference games. Seriously, the uneven schedules crap is ridiculous. So for the time being, I will still consider LSU.
Let's start with the Tide and see if there are any cracks: their SOS was only 48%, so yes, there is daylight there perhaps. They beat 6-4 Tennessee by 31 points at home, they beat 5-4-1 Houston on the road in a 17-0 shutout, they beat #13 Georgia Tech (7-4) at home 10-0, they beat 6-4 Auburn on the road 34-0, and they beat #9 Arkansas in the Sugar Bowl. So, they only beat two ranked teams all year, and their SOS is not overtly strong. No wonder they only gave up 25 points all season.
Can anyone beat that?
Ohio State: Poor SOS rating (45%) and no bowl game hurts the Buckeyes. Their tie (7-7) was to 3-5-2 TCU at home in the first game of the year. That hurts, too. They did beat #16 UCLA (7-4) at home by ten points, they beat UPI #18 Wisconsin (6-3) on the road by nine points, they beat 5-4 Iowa by 16 points at home, and they beat 6-3 Michigan by 30 points in Ann Arbor (ouch). Overall, it's not impressive enough to dethrone Alabama, and combining the BAD tie with the lack of a bowl win, Ohio State just doesn't cut it this year. Sorry, Woody.
If the TCU tie was enough to kill Ohio State, then Texas is out because they friggin' lost to TCU at HOME, 6-0. Sure, they beat #5 Mississippi in the Cotton Bowl, a better win than any Alabama posted, but the Tide didn't lose to a 3-5-2 team at home, either. Combined with the same SOS rating (48%) as Alabama, the Longhorns just don't cut it.
That leaves us with LSU as the last opponent for the Tide. A 54% SOS rating starts the Tigers out strong, and their bowl win is more impressive than Alabama's, for sure. So who did LSU lose to? Is it excusable? They lost to a ranked team on the road in their first game of the season. But it was a 13-point loss to 7-5 Rice (AP #17) ... Alabama beat #9 and #13, so can LSU out-do that by enough to compensate? LSU beat #13 Georgia Tech by the same 10-0 score, also at home. LSU also beat #5 Mississippi by three points at home, giving them two wins (including their bowl win over #7 Colorado) that are better than any Alabama win. That's strong.
But in the end, a loss to #17 is too much to overcome, considering Alabama won all its games and beat almost as many ranked teams as LSU (and did so convincingly).
Roll Tide, roll!
McMNC Revisions
1. Alabama
2. LSU
3. Ohio State
4. Texas
5. Minnesota
RUNNING SCORECARD:
Tennessee: +1938, +1942, +1950, -1951
Washington: +1960
Iowa: +1956
Georgia Tech: +1952
Illinois: +1951
Michigan: +1947, =1948
Georgia: +1946
Alabama: +1945, =1961
Purdue: +1943
Stanford: +1940
California: +1937
Pittsburgh: +1936, -1937
Syracuse: =1959
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, -1960
Notre Dame: -1943, -1946, -1947, -1949
1. Alabama: 11-0-0 -- W, Sugar, 10-3
2. Ohio State: 8-0-1 -- NONE
3. Texas: 10-1-0 -- W, Cotton, 12-7
4. LSU: 10-1-0 -- W, Orange, 25-7
5. Mississippi: 10-2-0 -- L, Cotton, 7-12
6. Minnesota: 8-2-0 -- W, Rose, 21-3
7. Colorado: 9-2-0 -- L, Orange, 7-25
8. Michigan State: 7-2-0 -- NONE
9. Arkansas: 8-3-0 -- L, Sugar, 3-10
10. Utah State: 9-1-1 -- NONE
Side note: Rutgers went 9-0 in 1961 with a 45% SOS rating. Their schedule was mostly full of Ivy League schools. Also, Utah State lost its last regular season game to 6-5 Baylor by 15 points at home.
Second note: This was the year that Ohio State's faculty declined the bid to the Rose Bowl, perhaps costing Woody a McMNC. [Damn teachers: who the hell do they think they are?!]
This comes down to 'Bama, Texas and LSU -- a good, ol' fashioned South brawl for the McMNC. Sweet ... although Ohio State still has a shot, too. Alabama and LSU didn't play each other in SEC play, and the Tide are the champions of record, simply because they went 7-0 in league play while LSU "only" went 6-0 in conference games. Seriously, the uneven schedules crap is ridiculous. So for the time being, I will still consider LSU.
Let's start with the Tide and see if there are any cracks: their SOS was only 48%, so yes, there is daylight there perhaps. They beat 6-4 Tennessee by 31 points at home, they beat 5-4-1 Houston on the road in a 17-0 shutout, they beat #13 Georgia Tech (7-4) at home 10-0, they beat 6-4 Auburn on the road 34-0, and they beat #9 Arkansas in the Sugar Bowl. So, they only beat two ranked teams all year, and their SOS is not overtly strong. No wonder they only gave up 25 points all season.
Can anyone beat that?
Ohio State: Poor SOS rating (45%) and no bowl game hurts the Buckeyes. Their tie (7-7) was to 3-5-2 TCU at home in the first game of the year. That hurts, too. They did beat #16 UCLA (7-4) at home by ten points, they beat UPI #18 Wisconsin (6-3) on the road by nine points, they beat 5-4 Iowa by 16 points at home, and they beat 6-3 Michigan by 30 points in Ann Arbor (ouch). Overall, it's not impressive enough to dethrone Alabama, and combining the BAD tie with the lack of a bowl win, Ohio State just doesn't cut it this year. Sorry, Woody.
If the TCU tie was enough to kill Ohio State, then Texas is out because they friggin' lost to TCU at HOME, 6-0. Sure, they beat #5 Mississippi in the Cotton Bowl, a better win than any Alabama posted, but the Tide didn't lose to a 3-5-2 team at home, either. Combined with the same SOS rating (48%) as Alabama, the Longhorns just don't cut it.
That leaves us with LSU as the last opponent for the Tide. A 54% SOS rating starts the Tigers out strong, and their bowl win is more impressive than Alabama's, for sure. So who did LSU lose to? Is it excusable? They lost to a ranked team on the road in their first game of the season. But it was a 13-point loss to 7-5 Rice (AP #17) ... Alabama beat #9 and #13, so can LSU out-do that by enough to compensate? LSU beat #13 Georgia Tech by the same 10-0 score, also at home. LSU also beat #5 Mississippi by three points at home, giving them two wins (including their bowl win over #7 Colorado) that are better than any Alabama win. That's strong.
But in the end, a loss to #17 is too much to overcome, considering Alabama won all its games and beat almost as many ranked teams as LSU (and did so convincingly).
Roll Tide, roll!
McMNC Revisions
1. Alabama
2. LSU
3. Ohio State
4. Texas
5. Minnesota
RUNNING SCORECARD:
Tennessee: +1938, +1942, +1950, -1951
Washington: +1960
Iowa: +1956
Georgia Tech: +1952
Illinois: +1951
Michigan: +1947, =1948
Georgia: +1946
Alabama: +1945, =1961
Purdue: +1943
Stanford: +1940
California: +1937
Pittsburgh: +1936, -1937
Syracuse: =1959
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, -1960
Notre Dame: -1943, -1946, -1947, -1949
Monday, April 7, 2008
1960 McMNC: Washington Huskies
AP Top 10: Final Record -- Key Bowl Results
1. Minnesota: 8-2-0 -- L, Rose, 7-17
2. Mississippi: 10-0-1 -- W, Sugar, 14-6
3. Iowa: 8-1-0 -- NONE
4. Navy: 9-2-0 -- L, Orange, 14-21
5. Missouri: 10-1-0 -- W, Orange, 21-14
6. Washington: 10-1-0 -- W, Rose, 17-7
7. Arkansas: 8-3-0 -- L, Cotton, 6-7
8. Ohio State: 7-2-0 -- NONE
9. Alabama: 8-1-2 -- T, Bluebonnet, 3-3
10. Duke: 8-3-0 -- W, Cotton, 7-6
On added thought here: New Mexico State went 11-0 in 1960 and finished ranked #17 in the AP poll. Their SOS rating was 47%, and they beat 8-2 Wichita State, 7-3 Arizona State, and 9-2 Utah State in the Sun Bowl. No wins over ranked teams, but ...
This year is a disgrace on par with what happened in 2007: no two-loss team should ever win the McMNC, and I stand by that assertion. The AP poll really should have begun its shift to post-bowl voting after this season, but they still waited for almost a decade to finalize that move. Id0ts!
And the sad thing is that Iowa isn't eligible for the McMNC, because they finished a half-game behind Minnesota in the Big Ten standings. Uneven schedules? Still in 1960. What a f**ked up season ...
This comes down to Mississippi, Missouri and Washington.
The Rebels had a 53% SOS rating and no losses to go with their Sugar Bowl win. They beat 6-4 Houston on the road 42-0, they beat 5-4-1 Kentucky at home by 15 points, they beat 8-2 Memphis by 11 on the road, they beat #7 Arkansas on the road by three points, they tied 5-4-1 LSU at home (6-6), they beat UPI #19 Tennessee (6-2-2) on the road by three touchdowns, and they beat 7-4 Rice in the Sugar Bowl. So they had only one win over an AP-ranked team all season. Mmmm.
Missouri had a 47% SOS rating, and their one loss was to #11 Kansas (7-2-1) at home by 16 points in the last regular season game of the year (choke?). They recovered to beat #4 Navy in the Orange Bowl, of course, and they also beat #16 Penn State (7-3) on the road by 13 points. The Tigers beat 7-3 Iowa State at home, and they beat 6-4 Colorado at home, as well. The problem was that some teams they beat majorly sucked (0-9-1 SMU, and 1-9 Kansas State), and Oklahoma had a down year (3-6-1). They beat more ranked teams than Mississippi did, and their one loss is better than Mississippi's tie. Still too close to call conclusively, so ...
Washington won its second straight Rose Bowl and compiled a 49% SOS rating along the way. Their one loss? To #4 Navy by a point at home. That's the "best" of the blemishes in this group, for sure. Plus, they had the best bowl win, knocking off #1 Minnesota in the Rose Bowl. They beat 7-2-1 UCLA at home by two points, they beat 6-3-1 Oregon State on the road by one point, and they beat 7-3-1 Oregon at home by a point. That's three wins over winning, albeit unranked, teams by four points. Team that just knows how to win? Oddly enough, however, only Navy and Minnesota were ranked on Washington's schedule in 1960. The AAWU was clearly getting no respect! USC had a down year (4-6), while Cal and Stanford were a combined 2-17-1, which hurt Washington's SOS. But why UCLA, Oregon and Oregon State were unranked? Oregon, for one, lost to Michigan (5-4) and #16 Penn State by a combined 50 points. That could have something to do with it? Oregon State only lost by ten on the road to #3 Iowa, although they did have an inexcusable loss to Cal at home. UCLA tied #19 Purdue on the road, and they beat #10 Duke on the road by three touchdowns. Clearly, an early sign of the Pac-10 bias.
So is it Mississippi, Missouri or Washington? Mississippi wins the SOS category, Washington wins the most-impressive bowl win category, and Washington wins the least-painful blemish to the record category as well. But Missouri beat the team that beat Washington ... In reality, the SOS category is a wash, since no team played a particularly good or bad schedule. That really does leave Washington as the team with the best resume, since their loss was to #4 by a mere point -- AND they beat #1 in their bowl game by a larger margin than either of the others beat their lesser opponents.
Congratulations, U-Dub.
McMNC Revisions
1. Washington
2. Mississippi
3. Missouri
4. Iowa
5. Minnesota
RUNNING SCORECARD:
Tennessee: +1938, +1942, +1950, -1951
Washington: +1960
Iowa: +1956
Georgia Tech: +1952
Illinois: +1951
Michigan: +1947, =1948
Georgia: +1946
Alabama: +1945
Purdue: +1943
Stanford: +1940
California: +1937
Pittsburgh: +1936, -1937
Syracuse: =1959
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, -1960
Notre Dame: -1943, -1946, -1947, -1949
1. Minnesota: 8-2-0 -- L, Rose, 7-17
2. Mississippi: 10-0-1 -- W, Sugar, 14-6
3. Iowa: 8-1-0 -- NONE
4. Navy: 9-2-0 -- L, Orange, 14-21
5. Missouri: 10-1-0 -- W, Orange, 21-14
6. Washington: 10-1-0 -- W, Rose, 17-7
7. Arkansas: 8-3-0 -- L, Cotton, 6-7
8. Ohio State: 7-2-0 -- NONE
9. Alabama: 8-1-2 -- T, Bluebonnet, 3-3
10. Duke: 8-3-0 -- W, Cotton, 7-6
On added thought here: New Mexico State went 11-0 in 1960 and finished ranked #17 in the AP poll. Their SOS rating was 47%, and they beat 8-2 Wichita State, 7-3 Arizona State, and 9-2 Utah State in the Sun Bowl. No wins over ranked teams, but ...
This year is a disgrace on par with what happened in 2007: no two-loss team should ever win the McMNC, and I stand by that assertion. The AP poll really should have begun its shift to post-bowl voting after this season, but they still waited for almost a decade to finalize that move. Id0ts!
And the sad thing is that Iowa isn't eligible for the McMNC, because they finished a half-game behind Minnesota in the Big Ten standings. Uneven schedules? Still in 1960. What a f**ked up season ...
This comes down to Mississippi, Missouri and Washington.
The Rebels had a 53% SOS rating and no losses to go with their Sugar Bowl win. They beat 6-4 Houston on the road 42-0, they beat 5-4-1 Kentucky at home by 15 points, they beat 8-2 Memphis by 11 on the road, they beat #7 Arkansas on the road by three points, they tied 5-4-1 LSU at home (6-6), they beat UPI #19 Tennessee (6-2-2) on the road by three touchdowns, and they beat 7-4 Rice in the Sugar Bowl. So they had only one win over an AP-ranked team all season. Mmmm.
Missouri had a 47% SOS rating, and their one loss was to #11 Kansas (7-2-1) at home by 16 points in the last regular season game of the year (choke?). They recovered to beat #4 Navy in the Orange Bowl, of course, and they also beat #16 Penn State (7-3) on the road by 13 points. The Tigers beat 7-3 Iowa State at home, and they beat 6-4 Colorado at home, as well. The problem was that some teams they beat majorly sucked (0-9-1 SMU, and 1-9 Kansas State), and Oklahoma had a down year (3-6-1). They beat more ranked teams than Mississippi did, and their one loss is better than Mississippi's tie. Still too close to call conclusively, so ...
Washington won its second straight Rose Bowl and compiled a 49% SOS rating along the way. Their one loss? To #4 Navy by a point at home. That's the "best" of the blemishes in this group, for sure. Plus, they had the best bowl win, knocking off #1 Minnesota in the Rose Bowl. They beat 7-2-1 UCLA at home by two points, they beat 6-3-1 Oregon State on the road by one point, and they beat 7-3-1 Oregon at home by a point. That's three wins over winning, albeit unranked, teams by four points. Team that just knows how to win? Oddly enough, however, only Navy and Minnesota were ranked on Washington's schedule in 1960. The AAWU was clearly getting no respect! USC had a down year (4-6), while Cal and Stanford were a combined 2-17-1, which hurt Washington's SOS. But why UCLA, Oregon and Oregon State were unranked? Oregon, for one, lost to Michigan (5-4) and #16 Penn State by a combined 50 points. That could have something to do with it? Oregon State only lost by ten on the road to #3 Iowa, although they did have an inexcusable loss to Cal at home. UCLA tied #19 Purdue on the road, and they beat #10 Duke on the road by three touchdowns. Clearly, an early sign of the Pac-10 bias.
So is it Mississippi, Missouri or Washington? Mississippi wins the SOS category, Washington wins the most-impressive bowl win category, and Washington wins the least-painful blemish to the record category as well. But Missouri beat the team that beat Washington ... In reality, the SOS category is a wash, since no team played a particularly good or bad schedule. That really does leave Washington as the team with the best resume, since their loss was to #4 by a mere point -- AND they beat #1 in their bowl game by a larger margin than either of the others beat their lesser opponents.
Congratulations, U-Dub.
McMNC Revisions
1. Washington
2. Mississippi
3. Missouri
4. Iowa
5. Minnesota
RUNNING SCORECARD:
Tennessee: +1938, +1942, +1950, -1951
Washington: +1960
Iowa: +1956
Georgia Tech: +1952
Illinois: +1951
Michigan: +1947, =1948
Georgia: +1946
Alabama: +1945
Purdue: +1943
Stanford: +1940
California: +1937
Pittsburgh: +1936, -1937
Syracuse: =1959
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, -1960
Notre Dame: -1943, -1946, -1947, -1949
Thursday, April 3, 2008
1959 McMNC: Syracuse University
AP Top 10: Final Record -- Key Bowl Results
1. Syracuse: 11-0-0 -- W, Cotton, 23-14
2. Mississippi: 10-1-0 -- W, Sugar, 21-0
3. LSU: 9-2-0 -- L, Sugar, 0-21
4. Texas: 9-2-0 -- L, Cotton, 14-23
5. Georgia: 10-1-0 -- W, Orange, 14-0
6. Wisconsin: 7-3-0 -- L, Rose, 8-44
7. TCU: 8-3-1 -- L, Bluebonnet, 7-23
8. Washington: 10-1-0 -- W, Rose, 44-8
9. Arkansas: 9-2-0 -- W, Gator, 14-7
10. Alabama: 7-2-2 -- L, Liberty, 0-7
Interesting that every team in the Top 10 played in a bowl game in 1959, including the top four teams facing each other. All they needed was a "plus-one" concept, and they'd have saved us many years of anguish.
Again, like 1958, we have an obvious answer, but let's verify it before crowning the Orangemen of old. In the end, this exploration includes Syracuse, Mississippi, Georgia and Washington.
Immediately, we can eliminate #2 Mississippi because Georgia won the SEC with a perfect 7-0 league mark. The Rebels lost a 7-3 decision on the road to LSU in league play, even though they avenged that loss emphatically in the Sugar Bowl later. Tough luck, but oh well.
Georgia won the SEC, and their only loss was a big loss (30-14) at 6-4 South Carolina. Otherwise, the Bulldogs beat #10 Alabama by 14 points at home, they beat 5-3-2 Vanderbilt at home by 15 points, they beat #19 Florida (5-4-1) by 11 points at home, they beat UPI #19 Auburn (7-3) at home by a point, they beat 6-5 Georgia Tech on the road by seven, and they beat #18 Missouri (6-5) in the Orange Bowl. This is similar to LSU's 1958 schedule: nothing great, but a lot of good wins. Overall, their SOS rating was 51%, so that fits, too. A good year for Georgia, but the resume is not "great" enough to overcome a perfect team in Syracuse.
Or is it?
Syracuse beat 5-4-1 Navy by 26 points on the road, they beat 6-4 Holy Cross by 36 points at home, they shut out #20 Pittsburgh (6-4) on the road by 35 points, they #12 Penn State (9-2) by two points on the road, they beat 5-4-1 UCLA on the road by 28 points, and they beat #4 Texas in the Cotton Bowl. They had three wins over ranked teams, but those were really the only good teams they played all year as they garnered a 55% SOS rating. This was like a current college basketball schedules: you play enough teams that look good on paper but suck in reality in order to build your RPI (Navy, Holy Cross, UCLA in this case). But hey, they do trump Georgia.
So it's down to Washington.
The Huskies make their McMNC debut here with a banging bowl win. No team can match that 36-point thumping of #6 Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl. Washington's one loss was to #14 USC (8-2) at home by seven points, and their overall SOS rating was only 49%. The overpowering bowl win is probably not enough to compensate for that one loss in a debate versus Syracuse, but let's look at the rest of the schedule anyway: a one-point over 8-2 Oregon on the road, a 16-point win over UCLA on the road, and a 20-0 win over 6-4 Washington State at home. They beat one ranked team all year (Wisconsin) and lost to the only other ranked team that they played.
That's just not enough to beat the Orange for the McMNC, is it?
McMNC Revisions
1. Syracuse
2. Georgia
3. Washington
4. Mississippi
5. Arkansas
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
Syracuse: =1959
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
1. Syracuse: 11-0-0 -- W, Cotton, 23-14
2. Mississippi: 10-1-0 -- W, Sugar, 21-0
3. LSU: 9-2-0 -- L, Sugar, 0-21
4. Texas: 9-2-0 -- L, Cotton, 14-23
5. Georgia: 10-1-0 -- W, Orange, 14-0
6. Wisconsin: 7-3-0 -- L, Rose, 8-44
7. TCU: 8-3-1 -- L, Bluebonnet, 7-23
8. Washington: 10-1-0 -- W, Rose, 44-8
9. Arkansas: 9-2-0 -- W, Gator, 14-7
10. Alabama: 7-2-2 -- L, Liberty, 0-7
Interesting that every team in the Top 10 played in a bowl game in 1959, including the top four teams facing each other. All they needed was a "plus-one" concept, and they'd have saved us many years of anguish.
Again, like 1958, we have an obvious answer, but let's verify it before crowning the Orangemen of old. In the end, this exploration includes Syracuse, Mississippi, Georgia and Washington.
Immediately, we can eliminate #2 Mississippi because Georgia won the SEC with a perfect 7-0 league mark. The Rebels lost a 7-3 decision on the road to LSU in league play, even though they avenged that loss emphatically in the Sugar Bowl later. Tough luck, but oh well.
Georgia won the SEC, and their only loss was a big loss (30-14) at 6-4 South Carolina. Otherwise, the Bulldogs beat #10 Alabama by 14 points at home, they beat 5-3-2 Vanderbilt at home by 15 points, they beat #19 Florida (5-4-1) by 11 points at home, they beat UPI #19 Auburn (7-3) at home by a point, they beat 6-5 Georgia Tech on the road by seven, and they beat #18 Missouri (6-5) in the Orange Bowl. This is similar to LSU's 1958 schedule: nothing great, but a lot of good wins. Overall, their SOS rating was 51%, so that fits, too. A good year for Georgia, but the resume is not "great" enough to overcome a perfect team in Syracuse.
Or is it?
Syracuse beat 5-4-1 Navy by 26 points on the road, they beat 6-4 Holy Cross by 36 points at home, they shut out #20 Pittsburgh (6-4) on the road by 35 points, they #12 Penn State (9-2) by two points on the road, they beat 5-4-1 UCLA on the road by 28 points, and they beat #4 Texas in the Cotton Bowl. They had three wins over ranked teams, but those were really the only good teams they played all year as they garnered a 55% SOS rating. This was like a current college basketball schedules: you play enough teams that look good on paper but suck in reality in order to build your RPI (Navy, Holy Cross, UCLA in this case). But hey, they do trump Georgia.
So it's down to Washington.
The Huskies make their McMNC debut here with a banging bowl win. No team can match that 36-point thumping of #6 Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl. Washington's one loss was to #14 USC (8-2) at home by seven points, and their overall SOS rating was only 49%. The overpowering bowl win is probably not enough to compensate for that one loss in a debate versus Syracuse, but let's look at the rest of the schedule anyway: a one-point over 8-2 Oregon on the road, a 16-point win over UCLA on the road, and a 20-0 win over 6-4 Washington State at home. They beat one ranked team all year (Wisconsin) and lost to the only other ranked team that they played.
That's just not enough to beat the Orange for the McMNC, is it?
McMNC Revisions
1. Syracuse
2. Georgia
3. Washington
4. Mississippi
5. Arkansas
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
Syracuse: =1959
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
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