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An attempt to make sure the Frogs don't take us lightly:

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/sports/7345420.htm

According to the list, TCU won the national championship in 1935, but I thought that we won it in 1935 in at least one of the polls. What gives?

Sewanee

I believe you are correct.

In fact doesn't TCU have some kind of banner on their scoreboard touting their national championships in 36 and 38? I don't remember seeing any mention of it in 35.

In 1938, TCU was recognized by 14 publications as National Champions. Tennessee was recognized by 22. But the recognized publication of the time was the AP poll, which chose TCU, so that is a very legitimate claim for one national championship.

In 1935, TCU was recognized as national champs by 2 minor publications, while SMU was chosen by 6 publications. However, Minnesota was declared national champs by 22 publications, including both of the recognized associations. Note that SMU beat TCU this year.

TCU has no claim in 1936, but they were selected by one minor publication in 1932.

SMU was additionaly declared national champs by one minor publication in 1923, one in 1981, and 2 in 1982.

We have more of a claim to the 1935 national championship than they do, although Minnesota has the strongest claim. We also have had more teams recognized by at least one publication than them. However, we have never been declared national champs by the leading publication of the current year so we do not have any rock solid claims.

(my numbers may be off by a couple)

We have more of a claim to the 1935 national championship than they do, although Minnesota has the strongest claim. We also have had more teams recognized by at least one publication than them. However, we have never been declared national champs by the leading publication of the current year so we do not have any rock solid claims.

(my numbers may be off by a couple) [/QB]

You lost your last game in a bowl. Most publications back then didn't recongnize bowl games in the rankings. The ones that did recognized TCU as the national champions as we beat #3 LSU in the Sugar Bowl while you guys lost. Our only loss was to the #1 team at the time (SMU). It was because of this confusion that the AP was created to attempt to give one team the title. Several teams did have claim to the title, SMU included, although by todays standards...no claim at all.

We have more of a claim to the 1935 national championship than they do, although Minnesota has the strongest claim. We also have had more teams recognized by at least one publication than them. However, we have never been declared national champs by the leading publication of the current year so we do not have any rock solid claims.

(my numbers may be off by a couple) [/QB]

You lost your last game in a bowl. Most publications back then didn't recongnize bowl games in the rankings. The ones that did recognized TCU as the national champions as we beat #3 LSU in the Sugar Bowl while you guys lost. Our only loss was to the #1 team at the time (SMU). It was because of this confusion that the AP was created to attempt to give one team the title. Several teams did have claim to the title, SMU included, although by todays standards...no claim at all.

S.M.U. Heritage Hall has in its possession the complete newsreel of the 1935 SMU vs TCU game, showing all 5 touchdowns in the game (including the last touchdown on a pass to the great SMU All American, Bobby Wilson, -- with audio -- and will probably be showing it soon on SMU Channel 7 along with the Rose Bowl game.

Ahhh just got back from Dallas I love being at SMU!!! Go Mustangs Kill the Frogs

Stealth is right about the 1935 year. Here's what gets me:
Minnesota went undefeated, while SMU and TCU both lost games, true. BUT, Minnesota played 8 games the whole year and went 8-0.

Not only did SMU go 8-0, but we went 9-0, then 10-0, then 11-0, then 12-0 (defeating #2 TCU), and finally 12-1. This was like in 2000 (?) when BYU's SOS went down in their 13th game of the season when they played someone crappy. Most teams played 11 or 12 games, why should BYU get penalized for playing an EXTRA game. Of course, they got blown out by Hawaii, so this became a non-issue.

I think it's a bunk argument that Minnesota gets it either way. SMU v TCU is more of a logical argument (one was #1 before the bowls, and the other after the bowls).