WELCOME

I thank you for coming to visit my blog. I have been a sports fan since my early days in Southern California. The Dodgers appeared on the scene in 1958 with the Lakers coming to town in 1960. Back then, everything was on radio so I was blessed to hear Dodger broadcasts by the legendary (and still working) Vin Scully. His love of the game is sure contagious. I was also blessed for years to hear the colorful commentary of the late, great Chick Hearn.

This is an outlet for all opinions I have about what's going on in sports today and what went on before. The past is a good way to appreciate those greats who have come before and the ones who are now. I hope you enjoy this and make comments. I am open for improvement.

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Perfect seasons--no national championship Part 2

Today we're going to look at Penn State's next two undefeated seasons and still no national championship.

1969-Penn State started out in the AP preseason poll ranked #3 behind Ohio State, 1968 National Champion and Arkansas who ended the 1968 season (after bowls) ranked 6th. Their regular season schedule sported seven teams from the 1968 schedule, only three of which had winning records--West Virginia (7-3); Syracuse (6-4); and Boston College (6-3).  This year sees Colorado (4-6), Ohio(10-1), and North Carolina State(6-4) in the mix. In 1968, Ohio University averaged 37.6 ppg while allowing only 17.9 ppg. They were ranked in the Top 20 AP poll the last 6 weeks of the 1968 regular season, coming from the MAC Conference.

Penn State took care of them and the rest of their schedule going 11-0. The Nittany Lions averaged over 31 ppg while only giving up only 8.7 ppg with two shutouts against West Virginia and Maryland. Two out of the three new teams they added (Colorado and Ohio) were above .500. Only West Virgina, Kansas State, and Colorado were ever ranked in the Top 20 poll, with only West Virginia and Colorado remaining in the final poll.

Texas ended up national champions in '69. This is a bit of a puzzlement. The Southwest Conference that existed in 1969 only had 2 winning teams other than Texas. Their only two games of significance in the regular season were against Oklahoma and Arkansas Strength of schedule would have to favor Penn State as their opponents won 49 games that year as opposed to Texas' 39. They did have a common opponent in Navy and neither one had any trouble with them.

The final stat that I wonder about is why #1 ranked Texas did not play #2 Penn State in the Cotton Bowl on New Year's Day. The winner would have been the national champion outright. I allege that pitting Notre Dame, who had already lost one game and was ranked below Penn State all year, against Texas in the Cotton Bowl avoided that obvious matchup. Penn State won the Orange Bowl against #6 Missouri, Texas beats Notre Dame, #1 and #2 remain undefeating and Texas wins in a popularity contest.

Tomorrow: I know I promised 1973 in this blog, but unable to complete. 1973 undefeated Penn State.




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