AP Top 10: Final Record -- Key Bowl Results
1. Miami-FL: 12-0-0 -- W, Orange, 20-14
2. Florida State: 11-1-0 -- W, Fiesta, 31-28
3. Oklahoma: 11-1-0 -- L, Orange, 14-20
4. Syracuse: 11-0-1 -- T, Sugar, 16-16
5. LSU: 10-1-1 -- W, Gator, 30-13
6. Nebraska: 10-2-0 -- L, Fiesta, 28-31
7. Auburn: 9-1-2 -- T, Sugar, 16-16
8. Michigan State: 9-2-1 -- W, Rose, 20-17
9. UCLA: 10-2-0 -- W, Aloha, 20-16
10. Texas A&M: 10-2-0 -- W, Cotton, 35-10
There really isn't much to discuss here: Miami-FL went undefeated, and they beat #2 Florida State by a point, and they beat #3 Oklahoma by six points. The only team with a shot? Syracuse, left out of the fray despite being undefeated at the end of the regular season. Oklahoma and Miami-FL were chosen to duke it out in the Orange Bowl, while the Orangemen were relegated to the Sugar Bowl. I am not sure what Syracuse's motivation would have been, knowing they could win and still not be the MNC champion.
However, the debate doesn't go very far. Winning your bowl game has been a firm requisite of the McMNC since 1936. Tying your bowl game? Never a consideration. But in the end, Syracuse had a 49% SOS rating to Miami's 55% SOS rating, so there's not even an outside shot. The Orangemen didn't beat a ranked team all season, and their best wins were over unranked 8-4 Penn State and 8-4 Pittsburgh. Miami's best wins? Uh huh.
Case closed, in perhaps the easiest McMNC discussion to date.
McMNC Revisions
1. Miami
2. Syracuse
3. Florida State
4. Oklahoma
5. LSU
RUNNING SCORECARD:
USC: -1962, =1967, +1969, =1972, +1978, +1979
Pittsburgh: +1936, -1937, =1976, +1980
Tennessee: +1938, +1942, +1950, -1951
Penn State: +1977, +1981, =1982, =1986
UCLA: +1965
Arkansas: +1964
Mississippi: +1962
Washington: +1960
Iowa: +1956
Georgia Tech: +1952
Illinois: +1951
Michigan: +1947, =1948
Purdue: +1943
Stanford: +1940
California: +1937
Nebraska: =1970, =1971
BYU: =1984
Syracuse: =1959
LSU: =1958
Texas A&M: =1939
Auburn: -1957, +1983
Georgia: +1946, -1980
Michigan State: -1952, +1953
Ohio State: -1942, +1944, =1954, =1968
Oklahoma: +1949, -1950, =1955, -1956, +1957, =1975, =1986
TCU: -1938
Maryland: -1953
Clemson: -1981
Miami-FL: -1983, =1987
Texas: =1963, -1969
Army: -1944, -1945
Minnesota: -1936, -1940, =1941, -1960
Alabama: +1945, =1961, -1964, -1965, -1978, -1979
Notre Dame: -1943, -1946, -1947, -1949, =1966, =1973, -1977
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Monday, July 7, 2008
1986 McMNC: Penn State Nittany Lions
AP Top 10: Final Record -- Key Bowl Results
1. Penn State: 12-0-0 -- W, Fiesta, 14-10
2. Miami-FL: 11-1-0 -- L, Fiesta, 10-14
3. Oklahoma: 11-1-0 -- W, Orange, 42-8
4. Arizona State: 10-1-1 -- W, Rose, 22-15
5. Nebraska: 10-2-0 -- W, Sugar, 30-15
6. Auburn: 10-2-0 -- W, Citrus, 16-7
7. Ohio State: 10-3-0 -- W, Cotton, 28-12
8. Michigan: 11-2-0 -- L, Rose, 15-22
9. Alabama: 10-3-0 -- W, Sun, 28-6
10. LSU: 9-3-0 -- L, Sugar, 15-30
Oh, John Shaffner.
Two notes: the Top 9 all had double-digit wins. Impressive. Also, explain to me HOW Ohio State finished ahead of Michigan in this final poll. They had an inferior record AND they lost to the Wolverines, head-to-head, at home in the regular season. I guess the bowl games really matter, eh?
Surface? It's Penn State. But we must look at other teams out of obligation to the truth. Those teams are Oklahoma and Arizona State (which proved anyone can beat Bo in a bowl game -- even John Cooper).
ASU went 5-1-1 in Pac-10 play, beating AP #14 UCLA (8-3-1) and AP #18 Washington (8-3-1) for the league title (both went 5-2-1 in conference games, in yet another example of stupid, unbalanced scheduling). The Sun Devils had a 52% SOS rating, and their only loss was to AP #11 Arizona (9-3) in the last regular season game, on the road in Tucson. That knocked them out of the title hunt at the time. But what really knocks them out of this McMNC discussion is the tie: no, it wasn't against UCLA or Washington. ASU beat both teams during the season. The Sun Devils tied 3-7-1 Washington State at home on September 27, and no one has that kind of game against a losing team and still wins a McMNC.
Oklahoma's one loss was to Miami-FL on the road, also on September 27. Is there some significance there? 9/27 put through Numerology O'McMNC gives us the lucky number ... nine. Does that mean Penn State is dressed to the nines in 1986 for the McMNC? Stay tuned! Well, actually, I have the answer for you right here: the Sooners' SOS rating was 55%, which is pretty good. They beat AP #14 UCLA at home by 35 points to open the season. They beat 6-6 Minnesota in a 63-0 pounding the next week at home. They shutout 6-5 Oklahoma State at home 19-0, they whitewashed 6-5 Iowa State 38-0 on the road, they beat #5 Nebraska by three points on the road, and they pounded AP #15 Arkansas (9-3) in the Orange Bowl. The defense threw five shutouts in 12 games and only gave up 81 points on the season while scoring 508 points themselves. Amazing numbers, but alas, they did lose to a team that Penn State beat in the Fiesta Bowl. They may be the best #2 team ever (since 1983 Nebraska didn't finish #2 in the McMNC rankings). To edge out the Nittany Lions, the Sooners need a ten-point edge in SOS ...
And they won't get it, as Penn State finished with a perfect record and a 54% SOS rating -- not great, but good enough to clinch the deal here. The Nittany Lions beat 6-5 Temple at home by 30 points, they beat AP #19 Boston College (9-3) on the road by 12 points, they beat AP #9 Alabama on the road by 20 points, and they beat #2 Miami-FL in the Fiesta Bowl. Not a great schedule as noted, but it's good enough since they ran the table.
Has Paterno ever properly thanked Vinny T. for this one?!
McMNC Revisions
1. Penn State
2. Miami
3. Oklahoma
4. Arizona State
5. Nebraska
RUNNING SCORECARD:
USC: -1962, =1967, +1969, =1972, +1978, +1979
Pittsburgh: +1936, -1937, =1976, +1980
Tennessee: +1938, +1942, +1950, -1951
Penn State: +1977, +1981, =1982, =1986
UCLA: +1965
Arkansas: +1964
Mississippi: +1962
Washington: +1960
Iowa: +1956
Georgia Tech: +1952
Illinois: +1951
Michigan: +1947, =1948
Purdue: +1943
Stanford: +1940
California: +1937
Nebraska: =1970, =1971
BYU: =1984
Syracuse: =1959
LSU: =1958
Texas A&M: =1939
Auburn: -1957, +1983
Georgia: +1946, -1980
Michigan State: -1952, +1953
Ohio State: -1942, +1944, =1954, =1968
Oklahoma: +1949, -1950, =1955, -1956, +1957, =1975, =1986
TCU: -1938
Maryland: -1953
Clemson: -1981
Miami-FL: -1983
Texas: =1963, -1969
Army: -1944, -1945
Minnesota: -1936, -1940, =1941, -1960
Alabama: +1945, =1961, -1964, -1965, -1978, -1979
Notre Dame: -1943, -1946, -1947, -1949, =1966, =1973, -1977
1. Penn State: 12-0-0 -- W, Fiesta, 14-10
2. Miami-FL: 11-1-0 -- L, Fiesta, 10-14
3. Oklahoma: 11-1-0 -- W, Orange, 42-8
4. Arizona State: 10-1-1 -- W, Rose, 22-15
5. Nebraska: 10-2-0 -- W, Sugar, 30-15
6. Auburn: 10-2-0 -- W, Citrus, 16-7
7. Ohio State: 10-3-0 -- W, Cotton, 28-12
8. Michigan: 11-2-0 -- L, Rose, 15-22
9. Alabama: 10-3-0 -- W, Sun, 28-6
10. LSU: 9-3-0 -- L, Sugar, 15-30
Oh, John Shaffner.
Two notes: the Top 9 all had double-digit wins. Impressive. Also, explain to me HOW Ohio State finished ahead of Michigan in this final poll. They had an inferior record AND they lost to the Wolverines, head-to-head, at home in the regular season. I guess the bowl games really matter, eh?
Surface? It's Penn State. But we must look at other teams out of obligation to the truth. Those teams are Oklahoma and Arizona State (which proved anyone can beat Bo in a bowl game -- even John Cooper).
ASU went 5-1-1 in Pac-10 play, beating AP #14 UCLA (8-3-1) and AP #18 Washington (8-3-1) for the league title (both went 5-2-1 in conference games, in yet another example of stupid, unbalanced scheduling). The Sun Devils had a 52% SOS rating, and their only loss was to AP #11 Arizona (9-3) in the last regular season game, on the road in Tucson. That knocked them out of the title hunt at the time. But what really knocks them out of this McMNC discussion is the tie: no, it wasn't against UCLA or Washington. ASU beat both teams during the season. The Sun Devils tied 3-7-1 Washington State at home on September 27, and no one has that kind of game against a losing team and still wins a McMNC.
Oklahoma's one loss was to Miami-FL on the road, also on September 27. Is there some significance there? 9/27 put through Numerology O'McMNC gives us the lucky number ... nine. Does that mean Penn State is dressed to the nines in 1986 for the McMNC? Stay tuned! Well, actually, I have the answer for you right here: the Sooners' SOS rating was 55%, which is pretty good. They beat AP #14 UCLA at home by 35 points to open the season. They beat 6-6 Minnesota in a 63-0 pounding the next week at home. They shutout 6-5 Oklahoma State at home 19-0, they whitewashed 6-5 Iowa State 38-0 on the road, they beat #5 Nebraska by three points on the road, and they pounded AP #15 Arkansas (9-3) in the Orange Bowl. The defense threw five shutouts in 12 games and only gave up 81 points on the season while scoring 508 points themselves. Amazing numbers, but alas, they did lose to a team that Penn State beat in the Fiesta Bowl. They may be the best #2 team ever (since 1983 Nebraska didn't finish #2 in the McMNC rankings). To edge out the Nittany Lions, the Sooners need a ten-point edge in SOS ...
And they won't get it, as Penn State finished with a perfect record and a 54% SOS rating -- not great, but good enough to clinch the deal here. The Nittany Lions beat 6-5 Temple at home by 30 points, they beat AP #19 Boston College (9-3) on the road by 12 points, they beat AP #9 Alabama on the road by 20 points, and they beat #2 Miami-FL in the Fiesta Bowl. Not a great schedule as noted, but it's good enough since they ran the table.
Has Paterno ever properly thanked Vinny T. for this one?!
McMNC Revisions
1. Penn State
2. Miami
3. Oklahoma
4. Arizona State
5. Nebraska
RUNNING SCORECARD:
USC: -1962, =1967, +1969, =1972, +1978, +1979
Pittsburgh: +1936, -1937, =1976, +1980
Tennessee: +1938, +1942, +1950, -1951
Penn State: +1977, +1981, =1982, =1986
UCLA: +1965
Arkansas: +1964
Mississippi: +1962
Washington: +1960
Iowa: +1956
Georgia Tech: +1952
Illinois: +1951
Michigan: +1947, =1948
Purdue: +1943
Stanford: +1940
California: +1937
Nebraska: =1970, =1971
BYU: =1984
Syracuse: =1959
LSU: =1958
Texas A&M: =1939
Auburn: -1957, +1983
Georgia: +1946, -1980
Michigan State: -1952, +1953
Ohio State: -1942, +1944, =1954, =1968
Oklahoma: +1949, -1950, =1955, -1956, +1957, =1975, =1986
TCU: -1938
Maryland: -1953
Clemson: -1981
Miami-FL: -1983
Texas: =1963, -1969
Army: -1944, -1945
Minnesota: -1936, -1940, =1941, -1960
Alabama: +1945, =1961, -1964, -1965, -1978, -1979
Notre Dame: -1943, -1946, -1947, -1949, =1966, =1973, -1977
Thursday, July 3, 2008
1985 McMNC: Oklahoma Sooners
AP Top 10: Final Record -- Key Bowl Results
1. Oklahoma: 11-1-0 -- W, Orange, 25-10
2. Michigan: 10-1-1 -- W, Fiesta, 27-23
3. Penn State: 11-1-0 -- L, Orange, 10-25
4. Tennessee: 9-1-2 -- W, Sugar, 35-7
5. Florida: 9-1-1 -- NONE (probation)
6. Texas A&M: 10-2-0 -- W, Cotton, 36-16
7. UCLA: 9-2-1 -- W, Rose, 45-28
8. Air Force: 12-1-0 -- W, Bluebonnet, 24-16
9. Miami: 10-2-0 -- L, Sugar, 7-35
10. Iowa: 10-2-0 -- L, Rose, 28-45
With no BYU in the picture, it gets a lot easier, huh?
Think again.
Oklahoma, Michigan, Tennessee, Florida, Texas A&M, UCLA and Air Force all could make arguments for their ascension to the throne in 1985. But, of course -- as usual -- there are some issues with a few candidacies.
Michigan didn't win the Big Ten; that honor went to the Hawkeyes who defeated Michigan 12-10 at home mid-season (a #1 vs. #2 matchup at the time). Too bad, because the Wolverines checked in with a 59% SOS rating in 1985. Perhaps if Ronnie Harmon hadn't fumbled away the Rose Bowl, Iowa (55% SOS) would be in this discussion. But I digress ... Florida is ineligible (again) due to probation status. Technically, Florida won the SEC on the basis of their head-to-head win over Tennessee (17-10 win in the Swamp), but since the Vols also matched the Gators' SEC mark with a 5-1 record, we can still consider Tennessee as the SEC champ without overlooking anything other than the cheatenous reality that was Florida and Charley Pell. And finally, Air Force is out, because as much as I admire the cadets, their 46% SOS rating falls short of the others' marks (the war era omission of military academies is long since irrelevant, by the way).
So Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas A&M and UCLA are in the running. In reverse order ...
UCLA: With a 57% SOS, the Bruins had a good year capped off by a big bowl win/upset over Iowa. UCLA had two Pac-10 road losses, though: by seven at unranked 7-5 Washington and by four "at" 6-6 USC. Not very impressive. The tie was on the road at Tennessee, however. Yet by losing to two unranked teams, especially the Trojans in the last regular season game, the Bruins pretty much killed their shot at the McMNC in 1985.
Texas A&M: The Aggies had a great season, marred only by losses to AP #13 Alabama (9-2-1) on the road, 23-10, and to AP #17 Baylor (9-3) on the road, 20-15. These losses to Top 20 teams on the road were counterbalanced by a 56% SOS rating overall, which included beating 7-4 Louisiana-Monroe (or whatever direction they were back then) by 14 points at home, thumping 6-5 Tulsa by 35 points at home, scraping by 6-5 SMU at home by two points, beating AP #12 Arkansas (10-2) at home by four points, thrashing 8-4 Texas at home by 32 points, and trouncing 8-4 Auburn in the Cotton Bowl by 20 points. In the end, they only beat one ranked team all season, and that's just not good enough.
Tennessee: The Vols' 58% SOS rating puts them ahead of both UCLA and A&M, and they also have fewer losses, too, than either of those 1985 also-rans. But two ties?! The aforementioned tie against #7 UCLA isn't a bad thing, nor is the second deadlock: a 6-6 home scrum against AP #19 Georgia Tech (9-2-1). Yes, both ties were at home, but those were Top 20 teams. Their loss was to cheatenous #5 Florida on the road by seven points. Heck, Tennessee was damn close to being perfect in 1985, if you look at it a certain way. They did beat 8-4 Auburn by 18 points at home, they beat AP #13 Alabama (9-2-1) on the road by two points, and they beat #9 Miami-FL by 28 points in the Sugar Bowl. They played a lot of good teams: five opponents won at least nine games, but the Vols only went 2-1-2 in those games. They certainly didn't dominate their schedule, even allowing for the Florida problem.
Oklahoma: The Sooners beat then-#1 Penn State in the Orange Bowl to even open up this debate. They beat 7-5 Minnesota on the road by six points, the beat 8-4 Texas on the road by seven points, they lost by 13 points at home to #9 Miami on October 19 (the game where Troy Aikman broke his lef), shutout 7-5 Colorado at home (31-0), beat AP #11 Nebraska (9-3) by 20 points at home, shutout 8-4 Oklahoma State on the road (13-0), beat 6-5 SMU at home by 22 points, and then beat Penn State in the Orange Bowl by 15 points. Overall, their SOS rating (56%) was dragged down by 1-10 Missouri and 1-10 Kansas State. They were fortunate Miami lost the Sugar Bowl, for otherwise the 'Canes could have stolen this McMNC from them.
In the end, it has to be Oklahoma: they did enough against a good enough schedule to be above all other teams in 1985.
McMNC Revisions
1. Oklahoma
2. Penn State
3. Michigan
4. Tennessee
5. UCLA
RUNNING SCORECARD:
USC: -1962, =1967, +1969, =1972, +1978, +1979
Pittsburgh: +1936, -1937, =1976, +1980
Tennessee: +1938, +1942, +1950, -1951
Penn State: +1977, +1981, =1982
UCLA: +1965
Arkansas: +1964
Mississippi: +1962
Washington: +1960
Iowa: +1956
Georgia Tech: +1952
Illinois: +1951
Michigan: +1947, =1948
Purdue: +1943
Stanford: +1940
California: +1937
Nebraska: =1970, =1971
BYU: =1984
Syracuse: =1959
LSU: =1958
Texas A&M: =1939
Auburn: -1957, +1983
Georgia: +1946, -1980
Michigan State: -1952, +1953
Ohio State: -1942, +1944, =1954, =1968
Oklahoma: +1949, -1950, =1955, -1956, +1957, =1975, =1986
TCU: -1938
Maryland: -1953
Clemson: -1981
Miami-FL: -1983
Texas: =1963, -1969
Army: -1944, -1945
Minnesota: -1936, -1940, =1941, -1960
Alabama: +1945, =1961, -1964, -1965, -1978, -1979
Notre Dame: -1943, -1946, -1947, -1949, =1966, =1973, -1977
1. Oklahoma: 11-1-0 -- W, Orange, 25-10
2. Michigan: 10-1-1 -- W, Fiesta, 27-23
3. Penn State: 11-1-0 -- L, Orange, 10-25
4. Tennessee: 9-1-2 -- W, Sugar, 35-7
5. Florida: 9-1-1 -- NONE (probation)
6. Texas A&M: 10-2-0 -- W, Cotton, 36-16
7. UCLA: 9-2-1 -- W, Rose, 45-28
8. Air Force: 12-1-0 -- W, Bluebonnet, 24-16
9. Miami: 10-2-0 -- L, Sugar, 7-35
10. Iowa: 10-2-0 -- L, Rose, 28-45
With no BYU in the picture, it gets a lot easier, huh?
Think again.
Oklahoma, Michigan, Tennessee, Florida, Texas A&M, UCLA and Air Force all could make arguments for their ascension to the throne in 1985. But, of course -- as usual -- there are some issues with a few candidacies.
Michigan didn't win the Big Ten; that honor went to the Hawkeyes who defeated Michigan 12-10 at home mid-season (a #1 vs. #2 matchup at the time). Too bad, because the Wolverines checked in with a 59% SOS rating in 1985. Perhaps if Ronnie Harmon hadn't fumbled away the Rose Bowl, Iowa (55% SOS) would be in this discussion. But I digress ... Florida is ineligible (again) due to probation status. Technically, Florida won the SEC on the basis of their head-to-head win over Tennessee (17-10 win in the Swamp), but since the Vols also matched the Gators' SEC mark with a 5-1 record, we can still consider Tennessee as the SEC champ without overlooking anything other than the cheatenous reality that was Florida and Charley Pell. And finally, Air Force is out, because as much as I admire the cadets, their 46% SOS rating falls short of the others' marks (the war era omission of military academies is long since irrelevant, by the way).
So Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas A&M and UCLA are in the running. In reverse order ...
UCLA: With a 57% SOS, the Bruins had a good year capped off by a big bowl win/upset over Iowa. UCLA had two Pac-10 road losses, though: by seven at unranked 7-5 Washington and by four "at" 6-6 USC. Not very impressive. The tie was on the road at Tennessee, however. Yet by losing to two unranked teams, especially the Trojans in the last regular season game, the Bruins pretty much killed their shot at the McMNC in 1985.
Texas A&M: The Aggies had a great season, marred only by losses to AP #13 Alabama (9-2-1) on the road, 23-10, and to AP #17 Baylor (9-3) on the road, 20-15. These losses to Top 20 teams on the road were counterbalanced by a 56% SOS rating overall, which included beating 7-4 Louisiana-Monroe (or whatever direction they were back then) by 14 points at home, thumping 6-5 Tulsa by 35 points at home, scraping by 6-5 SMU at home by two points, beating AP #12 Arkansas (10-2) at home by four points, thrashing 8-4 Texas at home by 32 points, and trouncing 8-4 Auburn in the Cotton Bowl by 20 points. In the end, they only beat one ranked team all season, and that's just not good enough.
Tennessee: The Vols' 58% SOS rating puts them ahead of both UCLA and A&M, and they also have fewer losses, too, than either of those 1985 also-rans. But two ties?! The aforementioned tie against #7 UCLA isn't a bad thing, nor is the second deadlock: a 6-6 home scrum against AP #19 Georgia Tech (9-2-1). Yes, both ties were at home, but those were Top 20 teams. Their loss was to cheatenous #5 Florida on the road by seven points. Heck, Tennessee was damn close to being perfect in 1985, if you look at it a certain way. They did beat 8-4 Auburn by 18 points at home, they beat AP #13 Alabama (9-2-1) on the road by two points, and they beat #9 Miami-FL by 28 points in the Sugar Bowl. They played a lot of good teams: five opponents won at least nine games, but the Vols only went 2-1-2 in those games. They certainly didn't dominate their schedule, even allowing for the Florida problem.
Oklahoma: The Sooners beat then-#1 Penn State in the Orange Bowl to even open up this debate. They beat 7-5 Minnesota on the road by six points, the beat 8-4 Texas on the road by seven points, they lost by 13 points at home to #9 Miami on October 19 (the game where Troy Aikman broke his lef), shutout 7-5 Colorado at home (31-0), beat AP #11 Nebraska (9-3) by 20 points at home, shutout 8-4 Oklahoma State on the road (13-0), beat 6-5 SMU at home by 22 points, and then beat Penn State in the Orange Bowl by 15 points. Overall, their SOS rating (56%) was dragged down by 1-10 Missouri and 1-10 Kansas State. They were fortunate Miami lost the Sugar Bowl, for otherwise the 'Canes could have stolen this McMNC from them.
In the end, it has to be Oklahoma: they did enough against a good enough schedule to be above all other teams in 1985.
McMNC Revisions
1. Oklahoma
2. Penn State
3. Michigan
4. Tennessee
5. UCLA
RUNNING SCORECARD:
USC: -1962, =1967, +1969, =1972, +1978, +1979
Pittsburgh: +1936, -1937, =1976, +1980
Tennessee: +1938, +1942, +1950, -1951
Penn State: +1977, +1981, =1982
UCLA: +1965
Arkansas: +1964
Mississippi: +1962
Washington: +1960
Iowa: +1956
Georgia Tech: +1952
Illinois: +1951
Michigan: +1947, =1948
Purdue: +1943
Stanford: +1940
California: +1937
Nebraska: =1970, =1971
BYU: =1984
Syracuse: =1959
LSU: =1958
Texas A&M: =1939
Auburn: -1957, +1983
Georgia: +1946, -1980
Michigan State: -1952, +1953
Ohio State: -1942, +1944, =1954, =1968
Oklahoma: +1949, -1950, =1955, -1956, +1957, =1975, =1986
TCU: -1938
Maryland: -1953
Clemson: -1981
Miami-FL: -1983
Texas: =1963, -1969
Army: -1944, -1945
Minnesota: -1936, -1940, =1941, -1960
Alabama: +1945, =1961, -1964, -1965, -1978, -1979
Notre Dame: -1943, -1946, -1947, -1949, =1966, =1973, -1977
Monday, June 30, 2008
1984 McMNC: BYU Cougars
AP Top 10: Final Record -- Key Bowl Results
1. BYU: 13-0-0 -- W, Holiday, 24-17
2. Washington: 11-1-0 -- W, Orange, 28-17
3. Florida: 9-1-1 -- NONE (probation)
4. Nebraska: 10-2-0 -- W, Sugar, 28-10
5. Boston College: 10-2-0 -- W, Cotton, 45-28
6. Oklahoma: 9-2-1 -- L, Orange, 17-28
7. Oklahoma State: 10-2-0 -- W, Gator, 21-14
8. SMU: 10-2-0 -- W, Aloha, 27-20
9. UCLA: 9-3-0 -- W, Fiesta, 39-37
10. USC: 9-3-0 -- W, Rose, 20-17
Well, this is a weird season (aren't they all?). It's really a simple matter of BYU and Washington here. We've tracked BYU's ascent up the AP poll recently, and they finally reached the summit here in 1984.
The problem is this: Washington didn't win its conference in 1984. The Huskies finished second to USC, losing the head-to-head matchup by nine points on the road on November 10 -- thus losing the Pac-10 crown to the Trojans and eliminating themselves from McMNC contention. Same with Nebraska (lost the Big 8 crown to Oklahoma the same way). Florida? Cheatenous. Too bad, because their 56% SOS rating would have been enough (perhaps) to dethrone the Cougars (assuming the Gators would have won a bowl game to go 10-1-1). Oklahoma State falls the same way Nebraska did; SMU didn't win the SWC (losing the head-to-head tiebreak to Houston). As the Pac-10 champ, USC has three losses.
Boston College, even with its two losses, is really the only team we can consider, even partially, as an alternative to BYU. Why? A 60% SOS rating, coupled with a one-point road loss to UPI #18 West Virginia (8-4) and a seven-point road loss to 6-5 Penn State. At least those are decent losses (although hardly "good" losses). The Eagles did beat 6-5 Temple at home by 14 points, as well as 7-3 Rutgers at home by 12 points. Not exactly "good" wins, though, eh? They beat 8-3-1 Army by 14 points at home, they beat 6-5 Syracuse at home by eight points, and they beat AP #18 Miami-FL on the road by two points (you might remember that game -- http://youtube.com/watch?v=r-qkpsygNYo). Finally, they beat 8-3 Holy Cross on the road by 35 points, and they beat 7-5 Houston, the SWC "champ", in the Cotton Bowl. Not exactly a barn-burning schedule: they beat one ranked team, and even that was a friggin' miracle. This is perhaps the softest "good" schedule we've seen yet in an McMNC analysis.
But consider the other option here is BYU. Surely, their schedule probably was just as squishy: the Cougars' SOS rating was a mere 42% in 1984. They did try, however, to schedule good teams. They traveled to Pittsburgh, but the Panthers were only 3-7-1 in 1984. BYU beat by six points. The Cougars beat 6-5 Tulsa by 23 points at home, they beat 7-4 Hawaii by five points on the road, they beat 8-4 Air Force by five points on the road, and they beat 6-5-1 Utah on the road by ten points. Those were the only four winning teams BYU faced all year; none of them were from a major conference, and even the Cougars' Holiday Bowl opponent finished a mere 6-6 (Michigan). In addition to the Wolverines, the only major-conference opponent BYU faced all season was 5-6 Baylor: the Cougars beat them 47-13 in Provo.
The reality is this: Boston College didn't play a good enough schedule or beat enough good teams to overcome their two losses. And BYU didn't play a very good schedule, either, but the chips fell just right for the Cougars in 1984: no major-conference team won its conference, won its bowl game AND finished with less than three losses.
BYU wins the 1984 McMNC by default, basically.
McMNC Revisions
1. BYU
2. Washington
3. Boston College
4. Nebraska
5. Oklahoma State
RUNNING SCORECARD:
USC: -1962, =1967, +1969, =1972, +1978, +1979
Pittsburgh: +1936, -1937, =1976, +1980
Tennessee: +1938, +1942, +1950, -1951
Penn State: +1977, +1981, =1982
UCLA: +1965
Arkansas: +1964
Mississippi: +1962
Washington: +1960
Iowa: +1956
Georgia Tech: +1952
Illinois: +1951
Michigan: +1947, =1948
Purdue: +1943
Stanford: +1940
California: +1937
Nebraska: =1970, =1971
BYU: =1984
Syracuse: =1959
LSU: =1958
Texas A&M: =1939
Auburn: -1957, +1983
Georgia: +1946, -1980
Michigan State: -1952, +1953
Ohio State: -1942, +1944, =1954, =1968
Oklahoma: +1949, -1950, =1955, -1956, +1957, =1975
TCU: -1938
Maryland: -1953
Clemson: -1981
Miami-FL: -1983
Texas: =1963, -1969
Army: -1944, -1945
Minnesota: -1936, -1940, =1941, -1960
Alabama: +1945, =1961, -1964, -1965, -1978, -1979
Notre Dame: -1943, -1946, -1947, -1949, =1966, =1973, -1977
1. BYU: 13-0-0 -- W, Holiday, 24-17
2. Washington: 11-1-0 -- W, Orange, 28-17
3. Florida: 9-1-1 -- NONE (probation)
4. Nebraska: 10-2-0 -- W, Sugar, 28-10
5. Boston College: 10-2-0 -- W, Cotton, 45-28
6. Oklahoma: 9-2-1 -- L, Orange, 17-28
7. Oklahoma State: 10-2-0 -- W, Gator, 21-14
8. SMU: 10-2-0 -- W, Aloha, 27-20
9. UCLA: 9-3-0 -- W, Fiesta, 39-37
10. USC: 9-3-0 -- W, Rose, 20-17
Well, this is a weird season (aren't they all?). It's really a simple matter of BYU and Washington here. We've tracked BYU's ascent up the AP poll recently, and they finally reached the summit here in 1984.
The problem is this: Washington didn't win its conference in 1984. The Huskies finished second to USC, losing the head-to-head matchup by nine points on the road on November 10 -- thus losing the Pac-10 crown to the Trojans and eliminating themselves from McMNC contention. Same with Nebraska (lost the Big 8 crown to Oklahoma the same way). Florida? Cheatenous. Too bad, because their 56% SOS rating would have been enough (perhaps) to dethrone the Cougars (assuming the Gators would have won a bowl game to go 10-1-1). Oklahoma State falls the same way Nebraska did; SMU didn't win the SWC (losing the head-to-head tiebreak to Houston). As the Pac-10 champ, USC has three losses.
Boston College, even with its two losses, is really the only team we can consider, even partially, as an alternative to BYU. Why? A 60% SOS rating, coupled with a one-point road loss to UPI #18 West Virginia (8-4) and a seven-point road loss to 6-5 Penn State. At least those are decent losses (although hardly "good" losses). The Eagles did beat 6-5 Temple at home by 14 points, as well as 7-3 Rutgers at home by 12 points. Not exactly "good" wins, though, eh? They beat 8-3-1 Army by 14 points at home, they beat 6-5 Syracuse at home by eight points, and they beat AP #18 Miami-FL on the road by two points (you might remember that game -- http://youtube.com/watch?v=r-qkpsygNYo). Finally, they beat 8-3 Holy Cross on the road by 35 points, and they beat 7-5 Houston, the SWC "champ", in the Cotton Bowl. Not exactly a barn-burning schedule: they beat one ranked team, and even that was a friggin' miracle. This is perhaps the softest "good" schedule we've seen yet in an McMNC analysis.
But consider the other option here is BYU. Surely, their schedule probably was just as squishy: the Cougars' SOS rating was a mere 42% in 1984. They did try, however, to schedule good teams. They traveled to Pittsburgh, but the Panthers were only 3-7-1 in 1984. BYU beat by six points. The Cougars beat 6-5 Tulsa by 23 points at home, they beat 7-4 Hawaii by five points on the road, they beat 8-4 Air Force by five points on the road, and they beat 6-5-1 Utah on the road by ten points. Those were the only four winning teams BYU faced all year; none of them were from a major conference, and even the Cougars' Holiday Bowl opponent finished a mere 6-6 (Michigan). In addition to the Wolverines, the only major-conference opponent BYU faced all season was 5-6 Baylor: the Cougars beat them 47-13 in Provo.
The reality is this: Boston College didn't play a good enough schedule or beat enough good teams to overcome their two losses. And BYU didn't play a very good schedule, either, but the chips fell just right for the Cougars in 1984: no major-conference team won its conference, won its bowl game AND finished with less than three losses.
BYU wins the 1984 McMNC by default, basically.
McMNC Revisions
1. BYU
2. Washington
3. Boston College
4. Nebraska
5. Oklahoma State
RUNNING SCORECARD:
USC: -1962, =1967, +1969, =1972, +1978, +1979
Pittsburgh: +1936, -1937, =1976, +1980
Tennessee: +1938, +1942, +1950, -1951
Penn State: +1977, +1981, =1982
UCLA: +1965
Arkansas: +1964
Mississippi: +1962
Washington: +1960
Iowa: +1956
Georgia Tech: +1952
Illinois: +1951
Michigan: +1947, =1948
Purdue: +1943
Stanford: +1940
California: +1937
Nebraska: =1970, =1971
BYU: =1984
Syracuse: =1959
LSU: =1958
Texas A&M: =1939
Auburn: -1957, +1983
Georgia: +1946, -1980
Michigan State: -1952, +1953
Ohio State: -1942, +1944, =1954, =1968
Oklahoma: +1949, -1950, =1955, -1956, +1957, =1975
TCU: -1938
Maryland: -1953
Clemson: -1981
Miami-FL: -1983
Texas: =1963, -1969
Army: -1944, -1945
Minnesota: -1936, -1940, =1941, -1960
Alabama: +1945, =1961, -1964, -1965, -1978, -1979
Notre Dame: -1943, -1946, -1947, -1949, =1966, =1973, -1977
Thursday, June 26, 2008
1983 McMNC: Auburn Tigers
AP Top 10: Final Record -- Key Bowl Results
1. Miami-FL: 11-1-0 -- W, Orange, 31-30
2. Nebraska: 12-1-0 -- L, Orange, 30-31
3. Auburn: 11-1-0 -- W, Sugar, 9-7
4. Georgia: 10-1-1 -- W, Cotton, 10-9
5. Texas: 11-1-0 -- L, Cotton, 9-10
6. Florida: 9-2-1 -- W, Gator, 14-6
7. BYU: 11-1-0 -- W, Holiday, 21-17
8. Michigan: 9-3-0 -- L, Sugar, 7-9
9. Ohio State: 9-3-0 -- W, Fiesta, 28-23
10. Illinois: 10-2-0 -- L, Rose, 9-45
This was a big year, and in the end, the voters were swayed by the on-field theatrics of the moment. However, in anointing Miami-FL the AP title, the voters overlooked some good teams. Auburn, Georgia and BYU also deserve consideration in this crazy year of bowl upsets by the smallest margins possible.
Going into the bowls, #1 Nebraska and #2 Texas looked strong. They both lost by a point, including Nebraska's much-ballyhooed decision to go for the win instead of the tie and the title.
Georgia isn't in this discussion, however, because they lost to Auburn head-to-head. Although it's worth pointing out that the SEC finally played a balanced schedule in 1983, with all teams playing six conference games.
Let's start with Brigham Young, however. Their rise to respectability continued in 1983, as they finished in the Top 10 finally. Their one loss was a four-point road defeat at 7-4-1 Baylor, the third-place SWC team in 1983. It was their first game of the year, and they ran the table from there on out. The Cougars beat 8-3 Bowling Green by 35 points at home, they beat AP #13 Air Force (10-2) by 18 points on the road, and they beat AP #17 and eventual Rose Bowl champion UCLA (7-4-1) by two points in Los Angeles. Heck, via transitive scores, that means BYU was better than the whole Big Ten, right? Maybe that's why they finished seventh in the AP poll ahead of three Big Ten teams. BYU also beat 7-5 Wyoming on the road by 31 points, and they beat 7-5 Missouri in the Holiday Bowl. They beat five winning teams, they beat two ranked teams, and they only lost on the road to a winning team by a few points. Their SOS rating for the season was 51%, which is consistent with the previous seasons. It's interesting to see how this sets up BYU for 1984, but more on that later. Regardless, it's a solid season for the Cougars with wins over good/ranked teams.
Auburn won the SEC with a perfect 6-0 mark, and their only loss was an early 13-point defeat at home to #5 Texas on September 17. They won their last ten games of the season to finish 11-1. Along the way, they beat 7-4 Southern Mississippi by 21 points at home, they beat unranked 9-3 Tennessee on the road by 23 points, they beat 7-5 Florida State at home by three points, they beat 6-5-1 Kentucky by 28 points on the road, they beat #6 Florida at home by seven points, they beat unranked 8-4 Maryland at home by 12 points, they beat #4 Georgia on the road by six points, they beat AP #15 Alabama (8-4) at home by three points, and they beat #8 Michigan in the Sugar Bowl. Overall, they played ten winning teams in 1983, and they beat NINE of them. They're lucky in the sense their loss to Texas was nullified by the 'Horns losing the Cotton Bowl. After all, you just can't have a team losing its bowl game at the top of the polls (otherwise, Nebraska would have stayed #1 despite its loss to Miami-FL, right?). But this schedule amounts to an incredible 65% SOS rating, one of the better seasons we've seen in this whole McMNC analysis, for sure.
That leaves us with the Hurricanes, who benefited from a home-field advantage in the Orange Bowl stunner. Miami-FL also got lucky, like Auburn, in that their one loss came early to a highly-ranked team that had no chance at the title. Florida beat Miami in the Swamp, by 25 points, on September 3. After that, the 'Canes shutout 7-5 Notre Dame 20-0 at home, they beat AP #16 West Virginia (9-3) by 17 points at home, they beat AP #20 East Carolina by five points at home, they beat 7-5 Florida State on the road by one point, and they won the Orange Bowl by a point over then-#1 Nebraska. They played six winning teams, winning five of the games. They beat three ranked teams on the season, and their SOS rating was a solid 53% in 1983.
In the end, though, it just isn't possible to overlook the fact Auburn played a significantly harder schedule while also losing only one game -- to a better team than the 'Canes lost to in 1983. In the end, voters were probably swayed by the drama of the Orange Bowl, and they lost sight of the fact Auburn was a significantly better team in 1983.
Therefore, the Tigers get the McMNC for 1983, and a 25-year wrong is finally righted.
McMNC Revisions
1. Auburn
2. Miami-FL
3. Nebraska
4. Texas
5. BYU
RUNNING SCORECARD:
USC: -1962, =1967, +1969, =1972, +1978, +1979
Pittsburgh: +1936, -1937, =1976, +1980
Tennessee: +1938, +1942, +1950, -1951
Penn State: +1977, +1981, =1982
UCLA: +1965
Arkansas: +1964
Mississippi: +1962
Washington: +1960
Iowa: +1956
Georgia Tech: +1952
Illinois: +1951
Michigan: +1947, =1948
Purdue: +1943
Stanford: +1940
California: +1937
Nebraska: =1970, =1971
Syracuse: =1959
LSU: =1958
Texas A&M: =1939
Auburn: -1957, +1983
Georgia: +1946, -1980
Michigan State: -1952, +1953
Ohio State: -1942, +1944, =1954, =1968
Oklahoma: +1949, -1950, =1955, -1956, +1957, =1975
TCU: -1938
Maryland: -1953
Clemson: -1981
Miami-FL: -1983
Texas: =1963, -1969
Army: -1944, -1945
Minnesota: -1936, -1940, =1941, -1960
Alabama: +1945, =1961, -1964, -1965, -1978, -1979
Notre Dame: -1943, -1946, -1947, -1949, =1966, =1973, -1977
1. Miami-FL: 11-1-0 -- W, Orange, 31-30
2. Nebraska: 12-1-0 -- L, Orange, 30-31
3. Auburn: 11-1-0 -- W, Sugar, 9-7
4. Georgia: 10-1-1 -- W, Cotton, 10-9
5. Texas: 11-1-0 -- L, Cotton, 9-10
6. Florida: 9-2-1 -- W, Gator, 14-6
7. BYU: 11-1-0 -- W, Holiday, 21-17
8. Michigan: 9-3-0 -- L, Sugar, 7-9
9. Ohio State: 9-3-0 -- W, Fiesta, 28-23
10. Illinois: 10-2-0 -- L, Rose, 9-45
This was a big year, and in the end, the voters were swayed by the on-field theatrics of the moment. However, in anointing Miami-FL the AP title, the voters overlooked some good teams. Auburn, Georgia and BYU also deserve consideration in this crazy year of bowl upsets by the smallest margins possible.
Going into the bowls, #1 Nebraska and #2 Texas looked strong. They both lost by a point, including Nebraska's much-ballyhooed decision to go for the win instead of the tie and the title.
Georgia isn't in this discussion, however, because they lost to Auburn head-to-head. Although it's worth pointing out that the SEC finally played a balanced schedule in 1983, with all teams playing six conference games.
Let's start with Brigham Young, however. Their rise to respectability continued in 1983, as they finished in the Top 10 finally. Their one loss was a four-point road defeat at 7-4-1 Baylor, the third-place SWC team in 1983. It was their first game of the year, and they ran the table from there on out. The Cougars beat 8-3 Bowling Green by 35 points at home, they beat AP #13 Air Force (10-2) by 18 points on the road, and they beat AP #17 and eventual Rose Bowl champion UCLA (7-4-1) by two points in Los Angeles. Heck, via transitive scores, that means BYU was better than the whole Big Ten, right? Maybe that's why they finished seventh in the AP poll ahead of three Big Ten teams. BYU also beat 7-5 Wyoming on the road by 31 points, and they beat 7-5 Missouri in the Holiday Bowl. They beat five winning teams, they beat two ranked teams, and they only lost on the road to a winning team by a few points. Their SOS rating for the season was 51%, which is consistent with the previous seasons. It's interesting to see how this sets up BYU for 1984, but more on that later. Regardless, it's a solid season for the Cougars with wins over good/ranked teams.
Auburn won the SEC with a perfect 6-0 mark, and their only loss was an early 13-point defeat at home to #5 Texas on September 17. They won their last ten games of the season to finish 11-1. Along the way, they beat 7-4 Southern Mississippi by 21 points at home, they beat unranked 9-3 Tennessee on the road by 23 points, they beat 7-5 Florida State at home by three points, they beat 6-5-1 Kentucky by 28 points on the road, they beat #6 Florida at home by seven points, they beat unranked 8-4 Maryland at home by 12 points, they beat #4 Georgia on the road by six points, they beat AP #15 Alabama (8-4) at home by three points, and they beat #8 Michigan in the Sugar Bowl. Overall, they played ten winning teams in 1983, and they beat NINE of them. They're lucky in the sense their loss to Texas was nullified by the 'Horns losing the Cotton Bowl. After all, you just can't have a team losing its bowl game at the top of the polls (otherwise, Nebraska would have stayed #1 despite its loss to Miami-FL, right?). But this schedule amounts to an incredible 65% SOS rating, one of the better seasons we've seen in this whole McMNC analysis, for sure.
That leaves us with the Hurricanes, who benefited from a home-field advantage in the Orange Bowl stunner. Miami-FL also got lucky, like Auburn, in that their one loss came early to a highly-ranked team that had no chance at the title. Florida beat Miami in the Swamp, by 25 points, on September 3. After that, the 'Canes shutout 7-5 Notre Dame 20-0 at home, they beat AP #16 West Virginia (9-3) by 17 points at home, they beat AP #20 East Carolina by five points at home, they beat 7-5 Florida State on the road by one point, and they won the Orange Bowl by a point over then-#1 Nebraska. They played six winning teams, winning five of the games. They beat three ranked teams on the season, and their SOS rating was a solid 53% in 1983.
In the end, though, it just isn't possible to overlook the fact Auburn played a significantly harder schedule while also losing only one game -- to a better team than the 'Canes lost to in 1983. In the end, voters were probably swayed by the drama of the Orange Bowl, and they lost sight of the fact Auburn was a significantly better team in 1983.
Therefore, the Tigers get the McMNC for 1983, and a 25-year wrong is finally righted.
McMNC Revisions
1. Auburn
2. Miami-FL
3. Nebraska
4. Texas
5. BYU
RUNNING SCORECARD:
USC: -1962, =1967, +1969, =1972, +1978, +1979
Pittsburgh: +1936, -1937, =1976, +1980
Tennessee: +1938, +1942, +1950, -1951
Penn State: +1977, +1981, =1982
UCLA: +1965
Arkansas: +1964
Mississippi: +1962
Washington: +1960
Iowa: +1956
Georgia Tech: +1952
Illinois: +1951
Michigan: +1947, =1948
Purdue: +1943
Stanford: +1940
California: +1937
Nebraska: =1970, =1971
Syracuse: =1959
LSU: =1958
Texas A&M: =1939
Auburn: -1957, +1983
Georgia: +1946, -1980
Michigan State: -1952, +1953
Ohio State: -1942, +1944, =1954, =1968
Oklahoma: +1949, -1950, =1955, -1956, +1957, =1975
TCU: -1938
Maryland: -1953
Clemson: -1981
Miami-FL: -1983
Texas: =1963, -1969
Army: -1944, -1945
Minnesota: -1936, -1940, =1941, -1960
Alabama: +1945, =1961, -1964, -1965, -1978, -1979
Notre Dame: -1943, -1946, -1947, -1949, =1966, =1973, -1977
Monday, June 23, 2008
1982 McMNC: Penn State Nittany Lions
AP Top 10: Final Record -- Key Bowl Results
1. Penn State: 11-1-0 -- W, Sugar, 27-23
2. SMU: 11-0-1 -- W, Cotton, 7-3
3. Nebraska: 12-1-0 -- W, Orange, 21-20
4. Georgia: 11-1-0 -- L, Sugar, 23-27
5. UCLA: 10-1-1 -- W, Rose, 24-14
6. Arizona State: 10-2-0 -- W, Fiesta, 32-21
7. Washington: 10-2-0 -- W, Aloha, 21-20
8. Clemson: 9-1-1 -- NONE (probation)
9. Arkansas: 9-2-1 -- W, Bluebonnet, 28-24
10. LSU: 8-3-1 -- L, Orange, 20-21
So, here we are in another clusterf**k season. Surprise.
Penn State, SMU, Nebraska, UCLA, Arizona State and Washington qualify as our TUCs for the 1982 McMNC. However, since three teams reside in the same conference, that tie is broken easily before we even get started: UCLA wins the conference title (although, like the SEC, the Pac-10 is idiotic when it comes to balanced schedules!), despite losing the head-to-head matchup against Washington. Go figure: UCLA was 5-1-1 in conference play, while the Huskies were 6-2 in league play. Doh!
So, that leave sus with Penn State, SMU, Nebraska and UCLA. Now, SMU was on probation in 1981, and in 1985, they would receive another three years' probation. In 1986, they'd get caught doing something illegal AGAIN and face the death penalty. How does this impact the 1982 team? They had a new coach who was innocent of the charges brought resulting in the 1981 probation, but this coach was probably at the center of the 1985 charges, too. All in all, SMU is just too problematic to consider for its cheatenous patterns. They're out.
Down to three teams (Penn State, Nebraska and UCLA), there is one more tie to break: Nebraska lost at Penn State on September 23rd by three points. That gives the Nittany Lions a head-to-head edge over the 'Huskers and eliminates them.
So we're now down to two teams: Penn State and UCLA. Phew, that was easy!
UCLA has an SOS rating of 55%, and they have a loss and a tie. The loss was a three-point setback on the road at #7 Washington. Surely, this is not a bad loss. However, the Bruins also have a tie: at home to unranked 6-4-1 Arizona (24-24). For what it is worth, the Wildcats had a three-point win at 6-4-1 Notre Dame and ten-point home win over #6 Arizona State that kept the Sun Devils from the Rose Bowl. They were a decent team. The Bruins also had consecutive road wins over unranked 7-5 Wisconsin (51-26) and UPI #15 Michigan (8-4) by a 31-27 score in September, while beating 7-4 California on the road by 16 points, AP #15 USC by a point at "home" and Michigan once again in the Rose Bowl. They had seven games against winning teams and went 5-1-1. A good schedule, to be sure, even with the two blemishes.
Penn State, however, did its seemingly-usual number with a 63% SOS rating. Their one loss was a 21-point road setback at UPI #17 Alabama (8-4). Can a team that loses a game by 20 points still win the McMNC? The Nittany Lions had wins over AP #20 Maryland (8-4) at home by eight points, the three-point win over #3 Nebraska at home, a 24-0 win over AP #19 West Virginia (9-3) on the road, a 35-point win over unranked 8-3-1 Boston College on the road, a 54-0 win over unranked 6-5 North Carolina State, a ten-point road win over Notre Dame, a nine-point win over #10 Pittsburgh at home, and the bowl win over then-#1 and previously unbeaten Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. Penn State played NINE winning teams in 1982, and they won eight of those games.
That's overwhelming enough to compensate for the one blowout loss, on the road, to a legend in his last season. This is Penn State's second McMNC in a row, and it is their third McMNC in the last six seasons.
Dynasty?
McMNC Revisions
1. Penn State
2. UCLA
3. Nebraska
4. Georgia
5. SMU
RUNNING SCORECARD:
USC: -1962, =1967, +1969, =1972, +1978, +1979
Pittsburgh: +1936, -1937, =1976, +1980
Tennessee: +1938, +1942, +1950, -1951
Penn State: +1977, +1981, =1982
UCLA: +1965
Arkansas: +1964
Mississippi: +1962
Washington: +1960
Iowa: +1956
Georgia Tech: +1952
Illinois: +1951
Michigan: +1947, =1948
Purdue: +1943
Stanford: +1940
California: +1937
Nebraska: =1970, =1971
Syracuse: =1959
LSU: =1958
Texas A&M: =1939
Georgia: +1946, -1980
Michigan State: -1952, +1953
Ohio State: -1942, +1944, =1954, =1968
Oklahoma: +1949, -1950, =1955, -1956, +1957, =1975
TCU: -1938
Maryland: -1953
Auburn: -1957
Clemson: -1981
Texas: =1963, -1969
Army: -1944, -1945
Minnesota: -1936, -1940, =1941, -1960
Alabama: +1945, =1961, -1964, -1965, -1978, -1979
Notre Dame: -1943, -1946, -1947, -1949, =1966, =1973, -1977
1. Penn State: 11-1-0 -- W, Sugar, 27-23
2. SMU: 11-0-1 -- W, Cotton, 7-3
3. Nebraska: 12-1-0 -- W, Orange, 21-20
4. Georgia: 11-1-0 -- L, Sugar, 23-27
5. UCLA: 10-1-1 -- W, Rose, 24-14
6. Arizona State: 10-2-0 -- W, Fiesta, 32-21
7. Washington: 10-2-0 -- W, Aloha, 21-20
8. Clemson: 9-1-1 -- NONE (probation)
9. Arkansas: 9-2-1 -- W, Bluebonnet, 28-24
10. LSU: 8-3-1 -- L, Orange, 20-21
So, here we are in another clusterf**k season. Surprise.
Penn State, SMU, Nebraska, UCLA, Arizona State and Washington qualify as our TUCs for the 1982 McMNC. However, since three teams reside in the same conference, that tie is broken easily before we even get started: UCLA wins the conference title (although, like the SEC, the Pac-10 is idiotic when it comes to balanced schedules!), despite losing the head-to-head matchup against Washington. Go figure: UCLA was 5-1-1 in conference play, while the Huskies were 6-2 in league play. Doh!
So, that leave sus with Penn State, SMU, Nebraska and UCLA. Now, SMU was on probation in 1981, and in 1985, they would receive another three years' probation. In 1986, they'd get caught doing something illegal AGAIN and face the death penalty. How does this impact the 1982 team? They had a new coach who was innocent of the charges brought resulting in the 1981 probation, but this coach was probably at the center of the 1985 charges, too. All in all, SMU is just too problematic to consider for its cheatenous patterns. They're out.
Down to three teams (Penn State, Nebraska and UCLA), there is one more tie to break: Nebraska lost at Penn State on September 23rd by three points. That gives the Nittany Lions a head-to-head edge over the 'Huskers and eliminates them.
So we're now down to two teams: Penn State and UCLA. Phew, that was easy!
UCLA has an SOS rating of 55%, and they have a loss and a tie. The loss was a three-point setback on the road at #7 Washington. Surely, this is not a bad loss. However, the Bruins also have a tie: at home to unranked 6-4-1 Arizona (24-24). For what it is worth, the Wildcats had a three-point win at 6-4-1 Notre Dame and ten-point home win over #6 Arizona State that kept the Sun Devils from the Rose Bowl. They were a decent team. The Bruins also had consecutive road wins over unranked 7-5 Wisconsin (51-26) and UPI #15 Michigan (8-4) by a 31-27 score in September, while beating 7-4 California on the road by 16 points, AP #15 USC by a point at "home" and Michigan once again in the Rose Bowl. They had seven games against winning teams and went 5-1-1. A good schedule, to be sure, even with the two blemishes.
Penn State, however, did its seemingly-usual number with a 63% SOS rating. Their one loss was a 21-point road setback at UPI #17 Alabama (8-4). Can a team that loses a game by 20 points still win the McMNC? The Nittany Lions had wins over AP #20 Maryland (8-4) at home by eight points, the three-point win over #3 Nebraska at home, a 24-0 win over AP #19 West Virginia (9-3) on the road, a 35-point win over unranked 8-3-1 Boston College on the road, a 54-0 win over unranked 6-5 North Carolina State, a ten-point road win over Notre Dame, a nine-point win over #10 Pittsburgh at home, and the bowl win over then-#1 and previously unbeaten Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. Penn State played NINE winning teams in 1982, and they won eight of those games.
That's overwhelming enough to compensate for the one blowout loss, on the road, to a legend in his last season. This is Penn State's second McMNC in a row, and it is their third McMNC in the last six seasons.
Dynasty?
McMNC Revisions
1. Penn State
2. UCLA
3. Nebraska
4. Georgia
5. SMU
RUNNING SCORECARD:
USC: -1962, =1967, +1969, =1972, +1978, +1979
Pittsburgh: +1936, -1937, =1976, +1980
Tennessee: +1938, +1942, +1950, -1951
Penn State: +1977, +1981, =1982
UCLA: +1965
Arkansas: +1964
Mississippi: +1962
Washington: +1960
Iowa: +1956
Georgia Tech: +1952
Illinois: +1951
Michigan: +1947, =1948
Purdue: +1943
Stanford: +1940
California: +1937
Nebraska: =1970, =1971
Syracuse: =1959
LSU: =1958
Texas A&M: =1939
Georgia: +1946, -1980
Michigan State: -1952, +1953
Ohio State: -1942, +1944, =1954, =1968
Oklahoma: +1949, -1950, =1955, -1956, +1957, =1975
TCU: -1938
Maryland: -1953
Auburn: -1957
Clemson: -1981
Texas: =1963, -1969
Army: -1944, -1945
Minnesota: -1936, -1940, =1941, -1960
Alabama: +1945, =1961, -1964, -1965, -1978, -1979
Notre Dame: -1943, -1946, -1947, -1949, =1966, =1973, -1977
Thursday, June 19, 2008
1981 McMNC: Penn State Nittany Lions
AP Top 10: Final Record -- Key Bowl Results
1. Clemson: 12-0-0 -- W, Orange, 22-15
2. Texas: 10-1-1 -- W, Cotton, 14-12
3. Penn State: 10-2-0 -- W, Fiesta, 26-10
4. Pittsburgh: 11-1-0 -- W, Sugar, 24-20
5. SMU: 10-1-0 -- NONE (probation)
6. Georgia: 10-2-0 -- L, Sugar, 20-24
7. Alabama: 9-2-1 -- L, Cotton, 12-14
8. Miami: 9-2-0 -- NONE (probation)
9. North Carolina: 10-2-0 -- W, Gator, 31-27
10. Washington: 10-2-0 -- W, Rose, 28-0
What a boring season. Clemson is the clear front-runner, almost by default. Pittsburgh has a shot, while Texas and Penn State have outside looks, too. But SMU? No way, cheaters. And oh look! The Hurricanes on probation, too ... surprise (not!).
So let's go with Penn State first, just because we can. Yes, they have two losses, but I've already crossed that barrier before in a special circumstance. Will this be another one? The Nittany Lions have an SOS rating of 63%, which is outstanding, of course. But with two losses?! They lost to #8 Miami on the road by three points. When you lose to a team on probation, though, does that count? (See 1977 Penn State, for example). I am not so sure it should count. The other loss was a 15-point home setback to #7 Alabama. Now, two losses to Top 8 teams isn't a bad thing, and it really should be only one loss since the Hurricanes were cheatenous. The SOS was built with wins over unranked 6-5 Cincinnati at home (52-0), AP #11 Nebraska (9-3) on the road (30-24), AP #17 West Virginia (9-3) at home (30-7), #4 Pittsburgh on the road (48-14)and AP #14 USC (9-3) in the Fiesta Bowl (26-10). That's a packed schedule.
The PSU win over Pittsburgh also pretty much eliminates the Panthers. You cannot lose a home game by 34 points and expect to win the McMNC, no matter what. Sorry, Pitt. Your 11-1 record with a 57% SOS is great, but you can't shake that ugly home loss no matter what you do.
The Longhorns posted a 54% SOS rating, with a loss to UPI #16 Arkansas (8-4) by 31 points on the road. No. You just can't lose a game by 31 points, even on the road, and expect to compete for the McMNC. Besides, the Longhorns also had a tie to unranked 7-4-1 Houston on the road (14-14), and those two blemishes are significantly worse than Penn State's two losses (see above). So Texas is out.
Can Clemson hold on? It would be a tough justification to give two-loss Penn State the McMNC over an undefeated team, but the Tigers' SOS rating was only 49% in 1981. They beat unranked 6-5 Tulane on the road by eight points, they beat #6 Georgia at home by ten points, they beat unranked 6-5 Duke on the road by 28 points, they beat #9 North Carolina on the road by two points, and they beat #11 Nebraska in the Orange Bowl by seven points. You can't argue with the two wins over Top 10 teams, and their SOS was dragged down by 0-4 Wofford (yes, that was their record) and 1-10 Virginia. The overall SOS is weak, but the individual wins are good.
So it's Penn State versus Clemson. In a comparative game, they both played #11 Nebraska: Penn State won in Lincoln by six, Clemson won in Miami by seven. A slight edge goes to Penn State for the road effort. Both teams also played North Carolina State (4-7): Clemson beat the 'Pack at home by ten points, and Penn State beat them on the road by seven points. That's a wash. Penn State played powerhouses Nebraska (road), Alabama, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh (road) and USC (bowl). Clemson played powerhouses Georgia and Nebraska (bowl). Overall, we know Penn State had the significantly better schedule, but they also had two losses -- one to a cheatenous team on probation.
There's a sidebar here that needs to be discussed as well. Clemson was put on probation during the 1982 season for several seasons of infractions, from 1977 through 1981. This means they basically cheated to win this AP title in 1981, and I cannot tolerate verified cheaters winning anything. Now I realize this means I may have to go back and revise some previous seasons, too, but there is no way Clemson wins my McMNC for 1981 when they were nailed for over 70 recruiting violations that led directly to the players on this 1981 team.
Penn State runs a clean program, and they are not going to be denied a McMNC in 1981 at the expense of TWO cheatenous programs (Miami and Clemson). Add in the significant edge in SOS for the Nittany Lions, and you have a McMNC you can be proud of this year.
McMNC Revisions
1. Penn State
2. Clemson
3. Pittsburgh
4. Texas
5. North Carolina
RUNNING SCORECARD:
USC: -1962, =1967, +1969, =1972, +1978, +1979
Pittsburgh: +1936, -1937, =1976, +1980
Tennessee: +1938, +1942, +1950, -1951
Penn State: +1977, +1981
UCLA: +1965
Arkansas: +1964
Mississippi: +1962
Washington: +1960
Iowa: +1956
Georgia Tech: +1952
Illinois: +1951
Michigan: +1947, =1948
Purdue: +1943
Stanford: +1940
California: +1937
Nebraska: =1970, =1971
Syracuse: =1959
LSU: =1958
Texas A&M: =1939
Georgia: +1946, -1980
Michigan State: -1952, +1953
Ohio State: -1942, +1944, =1954, =1968
Oklahoma: +1949, -1950, =1955, -1956, +1957, =1975
TCU: -1938
Maryland: -1953
Auburn: -1957
Clemson: -1981
Texas: =1963, -1969
Army: -1944, -1945
Minnesota: -1936, -1940, =1941, -1960
Alabama: +1945, =1961, -1964, -1965, -1978, -1979
Notre Dame: -1943, -1946, -1947, -1949, =1966, =1973, -1977
1. Clemson: 12-0-0 -- W, Orange, 22-15
2. Texas: 10-1-1 -- W, Cotton, 14-12
3. Penn State: 10-2-0 -- W, Fiesta, 26-10
4. Pittsburgh: 11-1-0 -- W, Sugar, 24-20
5. SMU: 10-1-0 -- NONE (probation)
6. Georgia: 10-2-0 -- L, Sugar, 20-24
7. Alabama: 9-2-1 -- L, Cotton, 12-14
8. Miami: 9-2-0 -- NONE (probation)
9. North Carolina: 10-2-0 -- W, Gator, 31-27
10. Washington: 10-2-0 -- W, Rose, 28-0
What a boring season. Clemson is the clear front-runner, almost by default. Pittsburgh has a shot, while Texas and Penn State have outside looks, too. But SMU? No way, cheaters. And oh look! The Hurricanes on probation, too ... surprise (not!).
So let's go with Penn State first, just because we can. Yes, they have two losses, but I've already crossed that barrier before in a special circumstance. Will this be another one? The Nittany Lions have an SOS rating of 63%, which is outstanding, of course. But with two losses?! They lost to #8 Miami on the road by three points. When you lose to a team on probation, though, does that count? (See 1977 Penn State, for example). I am not so sure it should count. The other loss was a 15-point home setback to #7 Alabama. Now, two losses to Top 8 teams isn't a bad thing, and it really should be only one loss since the Hurricanes were cheatenous. The SOS was built with wins over unranked 6-5 Cincinnati at home (52-0), AP #11 Nebraska (9-3) on the road (30-24), AP #17 West Virginia (9-3) at home (30-7), #4 Pittsburgh on the road (48-14)and AP #14 USC (9-3) in the Fiesta Bowl (26-10). That's a packed schedule.
The PSU win over Pittsburgh also pretty much eliminates the Panthers. You cannot lose a home game by 34 points and expect to win the McMNC, no matter what. Sorry, Pitt. Your 11-1 record with a 57% SOS is great, but you can't shake that ugly home loss no matter what you do.
The Longhorns posted a 54% SOS rating, with a loss to UPI #16 Arkansas (8-4) by 31 points on the road. No. You just can't lose a game by 31 points, even on the road, and expect to compete for the McMNC. Besides, the Longhorns also had a tie to unranked 7-4-1 Houston on the road (14-14), and those two blemishes are significantly worse than Penn State's two losses (see above). So Texas is out.
Can Clemson hold on? It would be a tough justification to give two-loss Penn State the McMNC over an undefeated team, but the Tigers' SOS rating was only 49% in 1981. They beat unranked 6-5 Tulane on the road by eight points, they beat #6 Georgia at home by ten points, they beat unranked 6-5 Duke on the road by 28 points, they beat #9 North Carolina on the road by two points, and they beat #11 Nebraska in the Orange Bowl by seven points. You can't argue with the two wins over Top 10 teams, and their SOS was dragged down by 0-4 Wofford (yes, that was their record) and 1-10 Virginia. The overall SOS is weak, but the individual wins are good.
So it's Penn State versus Clemson. In a comparative game, they both played #11 Nebraska: Penn State won in Lincoln by six, Clemson won in Miami by seven. A slight edge goes to Penn State for the road effort. Both teams also played North Carolina State (4-7): Clemson beat the 'Pack at home by ten points, and Penn State beat them on the road by seven points. That's a wash. Penn State played powerhouses Nebraska (road), Alabama, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh (road) and USC (bowl). Clemson played powerhouses Georgia and Nebraska (bowl). Overall, we know Penn State had the significantly better schedule, but they also had two losses -- one to a cheatenous team on probation.
There's a sidebar here that needs to be discussed as well. Clemson was put on probation during the 1982 season for several seasons of infractions, from 1977 through 1981. This means they basically cheated to win this AP title in 1981, and I cannot tolerate verified cheaters winning anything. Now I realize this means I may have to go back and revise some previous seasons, too, but there is no way Clemson wins my McMNC for 1981 when they were nailed for over 70 recruiting violations that led directly to the players on this 1981 team.
Penn State runs a clean program, and they are not going to be denied a McMNC in 1981 at the expense of TWO cheatenous programs (Miami and Clemson). Add in the significant edge in SOS for the Nittany Lions, and you have a McMNC you can be proud of this year.
McMNC Revisions
1. Penn State
2. Clemson
3. Pittsburgh
4. Texas
5. North Carolina
RUNNING SCORECARD:
USC: -1962, =1967, +1969, =1972, +1978, +1979
Pittsburgh: +1936, -1937, =1976, +1980
Tennessee: +1938, +1942, +1950, -1951
Penn State: +1977, +1981
UCLA: +1965
Arkansas: +1964
Mississippi: +1962
Washington: +1960
Iowa: +1956
Georgia Tech: +1952
Illinois: +1951
Michigan: +1947, =1948
Purdue: +1943
Stanford: +1940
California: +1937
Nebraska: =1970, =1971
Syracuse: =1959
LSU: =1958
Texas A&M: =1939
Georgia: +1946, -1980
Michigan State: -1952, +1953
Ohio State: -1942, +1944, =1954, =1968
Oklahoma: +1949, -1950, =1955, -1956, +1957, =1975
TCU: -1938
Maryland: -1953
Auburn: -1957
Clemson: -1981
Texas: =1963, -1969
Army: -1944, -1945
Minnesota: -1936, -1940, =1941, -1960
Alabama: +1945, =1961, -1964, -1965, -1978, -1979
Notre Dame: -1943, -1946, -1947, -1949, =1966, =1973, -1977
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)