re: 1983 Auburn Tigers: The biggest hosing in modern CFB history

Kinda reminds me of the hose job Bama got in 1977. Bama entered the bowls ranked #3 behind #1 Texas led by Earl Campbell and #2 Oklahoma. Texas played #5 Notre Dame in the Cotton Bowl and Texas lost 38-10 when Campbell and his backup Johnny Lam Jones were injured in the game and the Irish, led by Joe Montana beat the Horns. #3 Bama destroyed #9 Ohio State coached by Woody Hayes in the Sugar Bowl 35-6. Then #2 Oklahoma lost to the #6 Arkansas Razorbacks 31-6 despite Lou Holtz suspending several starters just before the game. So if #1 and #2 lost and #3 won handily, #3 is your National Champion, right?
Nope, it was awarded to #5 Notre Dame.

Four teams all finished 11-1 and had an argument for #1: Texas whose loss was to Notre Dame in the Cotton Bowl, essentially eliminating them from the discussion; Notre Dame, whose loss was to Ole Miss in September one week after Bama thrashed the Rebels in B'ham; Arkansas who lost to Texas at home 13-9 in October; and Alabama, who lost to Nebraska on the road in September.

frick, you're onto me

Tx dominated AU at JH and dominated Georgia in the bowl game. They just lost at the end by fumbling a punt. Tx was a better team than AU.

my favorite year in cfb.

1-6 were almost impossible to pick from.

One theory I've heard, and have read about; the reason why Alabama didn't win in 1966 is because of how the two previous seasons ended based on benefit of the doubt. But, 1965 should have been an example of why Alabama should have won in 1977 and Auburn in 1983. In 1965, #1-3 lost their bowls while #4 Alabama won putting them next in line to move up thus winning the AP.

1983 Auburn should have won no matter what. Their loss to Texas cancels out because they beat Georgia. Auburn also defeated Florida, the same Florida that handed Miami a 25 point loss.

The polls had an agenda. The new flavor was Miami, and they "stopped" the best team of all time, at the time (Nebraska), by NU refusing to settle for a tie. (A tie would still have given NU the title). But the loss automatically should have propelled Auburn much like Alabama did in 1965.

Notre Dame the blue blood of blue bloods jumping bama in '77 isn't the same as what happened to Auburn in '83.

Somebody check strength of schedule from '77...bet the edge goes to ND.

Your story about #1 and #2 going down at the end of the season, with Miami jumping Auburn gave me flashbacks to 2007. Same exact thing happened to UGA who was arguably the best team. The "Computers" selected other teams.

I'm an Auburn fan and agree we got screwed in 1983, but it's worth noting that Nebraska came to Jordan Hare and kicked our butts in 1982 in what may be the biggest beatdown Auburn has ever received. And Auburn played Miami in the 1984 kickoff classic nine months later in what was billed as a game to settle the debate and Miami won. Granted those were different seasons, but they helped color the perception.

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In 1977, Alabama ran the table against a very good schedule after a season opening loss by a TD at a top 10 ranked Nebraska team. That Alabama team smoked the same Ole Miss team that upset Notre Dame within a few weeks of those two games. #5 Notre Dame beat #1 Texas in the Cotton Bowl while #3 Alabama throttled Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl while #2 also lost their bowl game. Notre Dame jumped #3 Alabama going from #5 to #1 in the final poll. Alabama finished the year #2

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Didn't the AP Poll pay y'all back in 1978 with an MNC y'all didn't deserve though?

How many of y'all describe the Bama 1978 AP MNC as a hosing against USC?

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That's okay. If you guys really thought you deserved it, you'd claim it anyways.

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Of course we deserved it. But no, we don't claim it.