NCAA Champions and Super Bowl teams in the same state

Submitted by Mr. Elbel on January 26th, 2024 at 4:34 PM

An interesting tidbit of history that I looked into this afternoon: No Super Bowl Champion has ever won in a state where the NCAA Football Champion also won in the same season. There's been some close calls over the years, and I'm specifically looking at the overlapping season, as opposed to when the games were played within the calendar year.

Since the Super Bowl was first played for the 1966 season, two times has a team from the state of the NCAA Champ even played in the Super Bowl: in 1967 the Raiders lost to the Packers while USC won the championship outright, and in 1970 the Cowboys lost to the Colts while Texas won a shared championship with both Nebraska and Ohio State (#1 Coaches, #3 AP). Obviously, when teams like Alabama, Oklahoma, Clemson, or Nebraska win, they don't have a corresponding NFL team to root for within their state. And while there's certainly a shared fanbase between Texas and Dallas, I'd imagine it's much smaller for USC and Oakland given the distance. Still, neither time did the pro team win the Super Bowl.

So, our current situation this football season seems to be unique, even beyond the historical runs of our Wolverines and the Detroit Lions. If the Lions win this Sunday and find themselves in the Super Bowl, they'll only be the 3rd team ever to do it the same season as an in-state college champion (and the first in over 50 years!). If they find a way to win the whole damn thing, not only will I probably just die on the spot, but we'll be the first dual-champion ever! That the campus and team are so well-connected and within the same metro makes it extra-special. What a crazy, incredible football season.

Go Blue! One Pride!

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PopeLando

January 26th, 2024 at 5:23 PM ^

I don’t often feel bad for Taylor Swift, but dude imagine cheering your boyfriend on, knowing without a shadow of a doubt that the camera will find you a dozen times a game, and if you don’t look 100% engaged and happy at every single moment, there will be headlines about it.

Poor girl deserves to watch a game on the couch.

And I, for one, would be extremely grateful to NOT have to put up with all the “so Taylor, what did you think of the game?” questions. Very much a “but where is Ja?!?!” situation…

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sharklover

January 27th, 2024 at 10:34 AM ^

Yes, but she brought the attention on herself. She's currently in the midst of a blockbuster world tour that includes a major motion picture concert film and dozens of shows at massive stadiums, each in front of sold out audiences of tens of thousands of fans. If her goal was to live a quiet, retiring life out of the spotlight and away from public attention, she's going about it all wrong. She doesn't even have to go to the games. That's a choice.

Joined: 11/30/2015

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PopeLando

January 27th, 2024 at 2:36 PM ^

Oh yeah, she’s a cold, calculating, 24/7/365 PR machine. Knows exactly what she’s doing. That’s why I don’t often feel sorry for her.

But girl’s still human, and at this point skipping a game would generate some headlines too. So she’s caught between a rock and a hard place, and I can understand how that might get tiresome.

Also, and I cannot state this enough, I don’t want to have to deal with the inevitable “Taylor Swift halftime interview” or the post-game Swift interviews. Let the girl enjoy a moment with her boyfriend.

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Durham Blue

January 26th, 2024 at 4:38 PM ^

I thought about this the other day.  Thanks for doing the research!  My feeling was this year is a unicorn for a state.  If the Lions can pull off a Stupor Bowl win then our beloved state is in rarified air.

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mrlmichael

January 26th, 2024 at 4:49 PM ^

I was thinking that. There's a ton of memes out there that basically say the same thing depending on the person making it.

The Lions/Michigan football finally won a Super Bowl/National Championship, and all it took was sacrificing the Pistons/Michigan basketball.

Meanwhile, I am not a super follower of hockey but it kind of looks like the Red Wings and Michigan hockey are aligned as well, both well positioned to make the post season but not really make much of a run once there. But the hockey fans can correct me if I am wrong on that.

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rainking

January 26th, 2024 at 4:45 PM ^

After Michigan beat OSU for the third straight time, my wife said "wouldn't it be mind blowing if the Lions beat the Browns in the SuperBowl?" Indeed it would be. Maybe some day!

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McSomething

January 27th, 2024 at 10:39 AM ^

That's not exactly true for the Browns. The original Browns are currently the Baltimore Ravens. I don't care who gets to claim the history, the actual team lineage left town. The current Browns are an expansion* team from 1999. Jacksonville began in 1995, and are actually older.

*people can cite the "deactivation" all they want, to fill a roster there was an expansion draft for the team

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M go Bru

January 26th, 2024 at 8:08 PM ^

I already looked this up:

1946 Chicago Bears NFL / Notre Dame NCAA (AP)

1947 Chicago Cardinals NFL / Notre Dame NCAA (AP)

1952 Detroit Lions NFL / MSU NCAA  (AP, UPI)

1976 Pittsburgh Steelers and Pittsburg Panthers NCAA (AP, UPI) 

 

I consider  Notre Dame close enough to Chicago though not in the same state.

 

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MGoVictory

January 26th, 2024 at 4:48 PM ^

Of course, in the men's basketball, in 1989 Michigan won the NCAA championship and the Pistons won the NBA championship. This has also happened a few times for California with UCLA and the Lakers, not sure of any other examples.

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Amazinblu

January 26th, 2024 at 4:54 PM ^

A lot of firsts - with impacts on precedence.  I believe that Lee Corso picked Michigan to win the NC game against Washington.

The world is changing - Go Lions…

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Ballislife

January 26th, 2024 at 4:58 PM ^

I was thinking about this the other day, as well! If it does happen, I hope someone creates a "Football Runs Through Michigan" shirt/hoodie. My vision for the shirt would be the state of Michigan in the background with both teams logos over their respective trophies and the verbiage under the state. I would love to see a prototype from some of you creative types out there. 

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FrankMurphy

January 26th, 2024 at 5:06 PM ^

Minor quibble: the football national championship is not awarded by the NCAA. The CFP is run by the conferences and the NY6 bowls, not by the NCAA. The NCAA doesn't award a championship of any kind at the FBS level (they do in FCS and lower divisions, however). That's why, in contrast with basketball, the football championship is only referred to as the "National Championship" and not the "NCAA Championship" or "NCAA National Championship."

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FrankMurphy

January 26th, 2024 at 6:05 PM ^

They do insofar as regulation is concerned. The CFP games are subject to the NCAA's rules and compliance regime just like the championship tournament of any other collegiate sport. But unlike March Madness (for example) the CFP isn't actually run by the NCAA. Unlike the NCAA Tournament selection committee, The CFP selection committee isn't employed by the NCAA.

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Vasav

January 26th, 2024 at 5:19 PM ^

This is great work, OP! Texas'  and Ohio's 1970 championship is because the Coaches' and NFF Polls were before the bowls back then. Nebraska won their bowl game, and their only blemish was a tie at USC. Further, SoCal didn't have Raiders fans back then. The Lions have a chance to really do something special here.

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