Auburn athletic officials considering recognizing as many as seven more national championship teams

Submitted by Cold War on

“If other schools are using these same polls to declare a national championship, we should at least consider it,” Auburn athletics director Jay Jacobs said. “I don’t think there’s a better time for the Auburn family to consider it than right here at the end of the BCS era.

“As we transition into another playoff format for the national champion, I just think we need to look hard at it.”

The 1910, 1913, 1914, 1958, 1983, 1993 and 2004 teams are all under consideration. Each finished undefeated or won the conference championship, or both. All were recognized as national champions by at least one national selector, which are used by other schools to recognize National Championships.

The facts are laid out quite thoroughly by Michael Skotnicki in his book, Auburn’s Unclaimed National Championships, which was published in 2012.

“Texas A&M decided upon entering the SEC that they would add the 1919 and 1927 titles,” Skotnicki said. “Minnesota added the 1904 title last summer. USC added the 1939 title in 2004. Ole Miss claims three national titles and not one is AP, Coaches’ Poll or BCS.

http://auburn.247sports.com/Article/Auburn-may-recognize-more-National-…

bronxblue

February 1st, 2014 at 8:51 PM ^

Yes and no.  Early 1900's seasons I get to an extent because so few teams travelled or played across regional lines, but Auburn is trying to count seasons like 2004, even though they were clearly were NOT the champions.  I get that USC had the title stripped, but then it should go to Oklahoma.  And "recognized by media outlets" as a champion is pretty weak when the only two I could find where Darryl W. Perry and GBE College Football Ratings. 

I've always thought those early championships by all schools were suspect, but when you get into the 1970s and beyond you are kind of ignoring reality.

hackattack13

February 1st, 2014 at 7:52 PM ^

Not saying Michigan should do this, but isn't there a few more NC we could add if we did this too?  I don't know the years but I think there are 2-4 more years we were recognized as the NC by various polls that we do not recognize currently.  Anyone know the years?

Vasav

February 1st, 2014 at 10:46 PM ^

The most controversial one we claim is probably 1948, when ND was awarded the AP title pre-Bowl games, but the Freep hosted an unofficial post-bowl poll that we won and claim. Yost's point-a-minute teams, Kipke's teams and Crisler's teams are all pretty legit.

bronxblue

February 1st, 2014 at 8:54 PM ^

Well, to be fair, until the BCS game it was pretty easy for multiple teams to claim titles and have fair arguments.  Hell, Nebraska had an argument when they tied UM.  I never understood how a championship in a sport could be based solely on the whims of a bunch of writers, but that's how the damn thing was done for decades. 

L'Carpetron Do…

February 1st, 2014 at 10:16 PM ^

A dude I work with who went to Yale likes to say Yale won more than any other team and he has an insane number like 27 national championships or something like that.  I usually say most of them came when there were only two other teams, Harvard and Princeton.  

bacon1431

February 1st, 2014 at 8:18 PM ^

Totally fine with me. The old method was silly and national championships shouldn't be limited to 1-2 teams based on voters who could only have knowledge of many teams by word of mouth. Even recognizing the 2004 team is ok in my book. They got left out because they started behind in the polls.

bacon1431

February 1st, 2014 at 9:47 PM ^

Then how come USC got a share the year before? I don't get worked up about having a definitive champion based on a system as or more flawed than the previous one. If you go undefeated in a major conference, by all means claim a share. I don't care if it's being declared by the US Blind & Deaf Geriatric Association Poll, fine with me.

trickydick81

February 1st, 2014 at 9:20 PM ^

Considering their biggest rival claims the 1973 title, I don't blame them.

 

A little history. Alabama went 11-0 in the regular season, were voted national champions and then promptly lost (in a classic) to undefeated Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl.

 

This is clearly a case where Notre Dame  should be the only title holder, yet Alabama still claims it too...

French West Indian

February 2nd, 2014 at 2:51 PM ^

....historical quirks that modern college football fans seem to understand, that for a long time the final polls (and the default mythical "national" champion) were compiled at the end of the regular season before the bowls. 

Flocka

February 1st, 2014 at 10:51 PM ^

We should recognize every year possible ! If other schools do it we may as well. MSU for example recognizes a few shady titles.

BlockM

February 1st, 2014 at 11:12 PM ^

I think the funniest thing is that anyone cares. Would you sleep better at night knowing that Michigan had actually won twelve or thirteen NCs?

Bill the Butcher

February 1st, 2014 at 11:55 PM ^

We could claim 16 from Major selectors.  Additionally, all 11 of our claimed titles are recognized by college football data warehouse.  So at least we aren't too shady on claiming obscure titles.  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/College_football_national_championships_in…

interesting that Notre Dame has more recognized titles than claimed titles.  That seems like an odd move on their part.

French West Indian

February 2nd, 2014 at 3:01 PM ^

..."national" championships in FBS college football are stupid and thus considered mythical.

Even with the recent BCS and the new playoff, it's still going to be a "mythical' championship because the NCAA is not signing off on it.

Until the day that there is a level playing field across all the FBS conferences (with respect to scheduling, oversigning, etc) and the NCAA officially awards a title, then there is really no point in celebrating any of these "mythical" titles.  And as long as we keep talking about national championships then the only thing we are accomplishing is to legitimize the current system which basically rewards those who game it, i.e., the SEC.

Frankly, I'd rather have half a Big Ten championship than a dozen "national" championships because to win the Big Ten is a reflection of play on the field under an agreed upon set of rules whereas these "national" championships are often a result of off-field politicking.