re: 1950: Who DESERVED the National Title

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Stuff like this is why many older SEC fans harped for years on anti-SEC bias in the media. My dad (in his 80's) HATED Kirk Herbstreit for the longest time, and now just barely tolerates him. It's also why he hates Notre Dame with a passion - in a time when champions were crowned by subjectivity from a base of voters, some teams got the benefit of the doubt that SEC teams did not.

The last 27 seasons have more than shown that there should not have been an anti-SEC bias, but now it's come almost a complete 180 - SEC teams get the benefit of the doubt now.

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Was it anti-SEC bias when the Bear was given two titles and preceded to lose their bowl games. Which, not ironically, was the years that caused each of the two main wire services to change their awarding to after the bowl.

It's Kentuck's

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“The Vols lone loss came to a very bad Mississippi State team (4-5) in Starkville, 0-7. ”

After that game whiny General Neyland vowed to never bring a team back to State. And he was true to his word. It would be almost 40 years before a Tennessee team would play again at Scott Field.
Blaming the location of the loss is weak. Maybe that day State was simply the better team.
Though I can understand his anger since that game cost UT the National Championship.
Growing up my Dad had zero for Tennessee and that was the reason why.

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this game is probably different if Oklahoma thinks they are playing for the national championship rather than an exhibition after winning the national championship.

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So, who "deserved" the NC? It's not a head-to-head matchup because the Sooners just weren't trying.

Now that's some serious soothsaying skill, junior.

Well the AP and crystal football trophies are in Norman, OK.

That’s the defense y’all use for 1964 and 1973.

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Arkansas was voted #1 in the FWAA

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lol

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that’s listed as a major poll by the NCAA

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since when has the NCAA sanctioned a national champion in fbs?

I posed the question to Gemini:

The 1950 college football national championship is one of the most debated in history, with no single definitive answer. Multiple teams have a claim:

* Oklahoma (AP, Coaches Poll Champion): Oklahoma finished the regular season undefeated (9-0) and was recognized as the national champion in the final Associated Press (AP) poll and the United Press (UP) coaches poll. However, the polls were issued before bowl games, and Oklahoma subsequently lost to Kentucky in the Sugar Bowl.

* Kentucky: Coached by Bear Bryant, Kentucky finished 11-1 and defeated undefeated #1 Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl. Based on computer rankings (like Jeff Sagarin's, which was released in 1990 and retroactively applied), Kentucky claims the 1950 championship.

* Tennessee: The Volunteers had an 11-1 record, including a victory over #3 Texas in the Cotton Bowl. While ranked #4 in the final AP Poll, several other selectors (Billingsley Report, DeVold System, Dunkel System, College Football Researchers Association, and National Championship Foundation) recognize Tennessee as the 1950 champion.

* Princeton: Princeton went a perfect 9-0 and was ranked #6 in the final AP Poll. They are recognized as national champions by the Poling System and Boand System.

Ultimately, "who deserved" the trophy is subjective and depends on which criteria you prioritize – pre-bowl poll results, post-bowl game results, or various retroactive computer rankings. There's no consensus.

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After that game whiny General Neyland vowed to never bring a team back to State. And he was true to his word. It would be almost 40 years before a Tennessee team would play again at Scott Field. Blaming the location of the loss is weak.

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Which also supports taking into account that Kentucky had to travel to Knoxville. Playing on the road in the SEC had never been easy.

In fact, in those days, I wonder where the team slept? I bet Starkville didn’t have a ton of hotels.

The Tennessee Volunteers were the back to back 1950 natty champs and 1951 natty champs.

Neyland sure had it rolling when he was not deployed overseas to be a general in various different wars.