Phil C
01-09-2006, 05:13 PM
This is a list of the times when it happened and several of them were considered Game of the Century! Please remember when I write something like1943 Season that it covers the time period of Sept 1, 1943 to Jan. 31, 1944 to include post regurlar season bowl games. Unless otherwise noted the winner won the Mythical National Championship for that year. The polls considered were the AP, UPI and BCS. I thought it might be useful to have this post here in case someone was ever interested in the history.
1943
Oct. 9, 1943 No. 1 Notre Dame 35 Michigan 12
Nov. 20, 1943 No. 1 Notre Dame 14 No. 2 Iowa Pre-Flight 13
1944
Dec. 2, 1944 No. 1 Army 23 No. 2 Navy 7
1945
Nov. 10, 1945 No. 1. Army 48 No. 2 Notre Dame 0
Dec. 2, 1945 No. 1 Army 32 No. 2 Navy 13
1946
Nov. 9, 1946 No. 1 Army 0 No. 2 Notre Dame 0 (tie)
Army had won the MNC in 1945 and 1946 but with this tie Notre Dame moved into No. 1 even though Army outplayed them. Notre Dame had an easier time with their remaining schedule and Army just barely beat Navy in their last game so ND was voted No. 1. Unfortunately for many years as long as Notre Dame or a Big 10 school was undefeated and untied no one else had a shot at the MNC no matter what their record was.
1962
Jan. 1, 1963 No. 1 USC 42 No. 2 Wisconsin 37
1963
Oct. 12, 1963 No. 2 Texas 28 No. 1 Oklahoma 7
Jan. 1, 1964 No. 1 Texas 28 No. 2 Navy 6
1966
Nov. 19, 1966 Notre Dame 10, Michigan State 10 (tie)
Notre Dame awarded the MNC even though in last minute they opted to run the clock out instead of try at least one long pass to set up a field goal to win. ND was criticized much for this decision even though they were awarded the MNC.
1968
Sept. 28, 1968 No. 1 Purdue 37 No. 2 Notre Dame 22
Purdue later lost their only game of the year to Ohio State 13 to 0. Ohio State used this win to get the MNC.
Jan. 1, 1969 No. 1 Ohio State 27 No. 2 USC 16
1969
Dec. 6, 1969 No. 1 Texas 15 No. 2 Arkansas 14
1971
Nov. 25, 1971 No. 1 Nebraska 35 No. 2 Oklahoma 31
Jan. 1, 1972 No. 1 Nebraska 38 No. 2 Alabama 6
1978
Jan. 1, 1979 No. 2 Alabama 14, No. 1 Penn State 7
AP chose Alabama that year, UPI chose USC
1981
Sept. 26, 1981 No. 1 USC 28 No. 2 Oklahoma 24
USC would later lose a game and Clemson won the MNC.
1982
Jan. 1, 1983 No. 2 Penn State 27 No. 1 Georgia 23
1985
Oct. 19, 1985 No. 1 Iowa 12 No. 2 Michigan 10
Iowa would later lose a game and Oklahoma would win the MNC.
1986
Sept. 27, 1986 No. 2 Miami 28 No. Oklahoma16 See next entry
Jan. 2, 1987 No. 2 Penn State 14 No. 1 Miami 10
Penn State wins MNC in 1986
1987
Nov. 21, 1987 No. 2 Oklahoma 17 No. 1 Nebraska 7 See next entry
Jan. 1, 1988 No. 2 Miami 20 No. 1 Oklahoma14
Miami wins MNC in 1987
1988
Nov. 26, 1988 No. 1 Notre Dame 27 No. 2 USC 10
1989
Sept. 26, 1989 No. 1 Notre Dame 24 No. 2 Michigan 19
Notre Dame would later lose and Miami would win the MNC.
1991
Nov. 16, 1991 No. 2 Miami 17 No. 1 Florida State 16
AP chose Miami as MNC, UPI Choose Washington
1992
Jan. 1, 1993 No. 2 Alabama 34 No. 1 Miami 13
1993
Nov. 13, 1993 No. 2 Notre Dame 31 No. 1 Florida State 24
This was a strange year. ND later loses and Florida State goes into the Orange Bowl No. 1 and
Jan. 1, 1994 No. 1 Florida State 18 No. 2 Nebraska 16
1995
Jan. 2, 1996 No. 1 Nebraska 62 No. 2 Florida 24
1996
Another strange year.
Nov. 30, 1996 No. 2 Florida State 24 No. 1 Florida 21
Actually Florida would win the MNC in a strange twist of fate. Florida State would probably have played Nebraska but Nebraka got beat by Texas in the Big 12 Championship Game so Florida State had to play a rematch with Florida in the Sugar Bowl and Florida won the rematch 52 to 20 and got the MNC. A strange ending indeed.
1998
The BCS comes into being
Jan. 4, 1999 No. 1 Tennessee 23 Florida State 16
1999
Jan. 4, 2000 No. 1 Florida State 46 No. 2 Virginia Tech 29
2000
Jan. 3, 2001 No. 1 Oklahoma 13 No. 2 Florida State 2
Controversy over No. 2. Some thought Miami should have been in that game since they beat Florida State during the season but the BCS formula said otherwise.
2001
Jan. 2, 2002 No. 1 Miami 37 No. 2 Nebraska 14
More controversy between the polls on No. 2 Again. Oh well.
2002
Jan. 3, 2002 No. 2 Ohio State 31 Miami 24 At last no controversy
2003
Jan. 4, 2004 No. 2 LSU 21 No. 1 Oklahoma 14 The controversy here was that USC was left off. AP gave its' MNC to USC.
2004
Jan. 4, 2005 No. 1 USC 55 No. 2 Oklahoma 19 There was controversy over Auburn being left off with its' perfect record but the polls were unanamous in selected USC as its' MNC.
2005
Jan. 4, 2006 No. 2 Texas 41 USC 38 No controversy this year.
This last one in my opinion is the greatest of them all. The game was exciting and lived up to the hype and was well played by both teams and wasn't decided until the last play was over. UT Scored the winning TD with 19 seconds left but even afterward if USC had made a big play on the last play and got a 15 yard pass to the sidelines and ran it out of bounds with a second or two left a field goal would have sent it overtime but the USC QB was rushed out of the pocket and lost valuable seconds and time ran out as he threw the ball out of bounds. Also the game had two Heisman Trophy winners and one runner up. There were other players that won awards such as Michael Huff who got the Thorpe Award. Many players on these teams will no doubt go on to successful pro careers.
In conclusion we will await until No. 1 plays No. 2 again with many thrills and much excitement to come in the future. But they have their work cut out for them to match or bypass the 2006 Rose Bowl.
1943
Oct. 9, 1943 No. 1 Notre Dame 35 Michigan 12
Nov. 20, 1943 No. 1 Notre Dame 14 No. 2 Iowa Pre-Flight 13
1944
Dec. 2, 1944 No. 1 Army 23 No. 2 Navy 7
1945
Nov. 10, 1945 No. 1. Army 48 No. 2 Notre Dame 0
Dec. 2, 1945 No. 1 Army 32 No. 2 Navy 13
1946
Nov. 9, 1946 No. 1 Army 0 No. 2 Notre Dame 0 (tie)
Army had won the MNC in 1945 and 1946 but with this tie Notre Dame moved into No. 1 even though Army outplayed them. Notre Dame had an easier time with their remaining schedule and Army just barely beat Navy in their last game so ND was voted No. 1. Unfortunately for many years as long as Notre Dame or a Big 10 school was undefeated and untied no one else had a shot at the MNC no matter what their record was.
1962
Jan. 1, 1963 No. 1 USC 42 No. 2 Wisconsin 37
1963
Oct. 12, 1963 No. 2 Texas 28 No. 1 Oklahoma 7
Jan. 1, 1964 No. 1 Texas 28 No. 2 Navy 6
1966
Nov. 19, 1966 Notre Dame 10, Michigan State 10 (tie)
Notre Dame awarded the MNC even though in last minute they opted to run the clock out instead of try at least one long pass to set up a field goal to win. ND was criticized much for this decision even though they were awarded the MNC.
1968
Sept. 28, 1968 No. 1 Purdue 37 No. 2 Notre Dame 22
Purdue later lost their only game of the year to Ohio State 13 to 0. Ohio State used this win to get the MNC.
Jan. 1, 1969 No. 1 Ohio State 27 No. 2 USC 16
1969
Dec. 6, 1969 No. 1 Texas 15 No. 2 Arkansas 14
1971
Nov. 25, 1971 No. 1 Nebraska 35 No. 2 Oklahoma 31
Jan. 1, 1972 No. 1 Nebraska 38 No. 2 Alabama 6
1978
Jan. 1, 1979 No. 2 Alabama 14, No. 1 Penn State 7
AP chose Alabama that year, UPI chose USC
1981
Sept. 26, 1981 No. 1 USC 28 No. 2 Oklahoma 24
USC would later lose a game and Clemson won the MNC.
1982
Jan. 1, 1983 No. 2 Penn State 27 No. 1 Georgia 23
1985
Oct. 19, 1985 No. 1 Iowa 12 No. 2 Michigan 10
Iowa would later lose a game and Oklahoma would win the MNC.
1986
Sept. 27, 1986 No. 2 Miami 28 No. Oklahoma16 See next entry
Jan. 2, 1987 No. 2 Penn State 14 No. 1 Miami 10
Penn State wins MNC in 1986
1987
Nov. 21, 1987 No. 2 Oklahoma 17 No. 1 Nebraska 7 See next entry
Jan. 1, 1988 No. 2 Miami 20 No. 1 Oklahoma14
Miami wins MNC in 1987
1988
Nov. 26, 1988 No. 1 Notre Dame 27 No. 2 USC 10
1989
Sept. 26, 1989 No. 1 Notre Dame 24 No. 2 Michigan 19
Notre Dame would later lose and Miami would win the MNC.
1991
Nov. 16, 1991 No. 2 Miami 17 No. 1 Florida State 16
AP chose Miami as MNC, UPI Choose Washington
1992
Jan. 1, 1993 No. 2 Alabama 34 No. 1 Miami 13
1993
Nov. 13, 1993 No. 2 Notre Dame 31 No. 1 Florida State 24
This was a strange year. ND later loses and Florida State goes into the Orange Bowl No. 1 and
Jan. 1, 1994 No. 1 Florida State 18 No. 2 Nebraska 16
1995
Jan. 2, 1996 No. 1 Nebraska 62 No. 2 Florida 24
1996
Another strange year.
Nov. 30, 1996 No. 2 Florida State 24 No. 1 Florida 21
Actually Florida would win the MNC in a strange twist of fate. Florida State would probably have played Nebraska but Nebraka got beat by Texas in the Big 12 Championship Game so Florida State had to play a rematch with Florida in the Sugar Bowl and Florida won the rematch 52 to 20 and got the MNC. A strange ending indeed.
1998
The BCS comes into being
Jan. 4, 1999 No. 1 Tennessee 23 Florida State 16
1999
Jan. 4, 2000 No. 1 Florida State 46 No. 2 Virginia Tech 29
2000
Jan. 3, 2001 No. 1 Oklahoma 13 No. 2 Florida State 2
Controversy over No. 2. Some thought Miami should have been in that game since they beat Florida State during the season but the BCS formula said otherwise.
2001
Jan. 2, 2002 No. 1 Miami 37 No. 2 Nebraska 14
More controversy between the polls on No. 2 Again. Oh well.
2002
Jan. 3, 2002 No. 2 Ohio State 31 Miami 24 At last no controversy
2003
Jan. 4, 2004 No. 2 LSU 21 No. 1 Oklahoma 14 The controversy here was that USC was left off. AP gave its' MNC to USC.
2004
Jan. 4, 2005 No. 1 USC 55 No. 2 Oklahoma 19 There was controversy over Auburn being left off with its' perfect record but the polls were unanamous in selected USC as its' MNC.
2005
Jan. 4, 2006 No. 2 Texas 41 USC 38 No controversy this year.
This last one in my opinion is the greatest of them all. The game was exciting and lived up to the hype and was well played by both teams and wasn't decided until the last play was over. UT Scored the winning TD with 19 seconds left but even afterward if USC had made a big play on the last play and got a 15 yard pass to the sidelines and ran it out of bounds with a second or two left a field goal would have sent it overtime but the USC QB was rushed out of the pocket and lost valuable seconds and time ran out as he threw the ball out of bounds. Also the game had two Heisman Trophy winners and one runner up. There were other players that won awards such as Michael Huff who got the Thorpe Award. Many players on these teams will no doubt go on to successful pro careers.
In conclusion we will await until No. 1 plays No. 2 again with many thrills and much excitement to come in the future. But they have their work cut out for them to match or bypass the 2006 Rose Bowl.