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