Auburn, please don't be stupid like Bama and OM

[ShotgunDawg]

For me, one of the dumbest things about college football is the insistence on claiming National Championships that you didn't win for the purpose of having more to sell in recruiting.

Looks like Auburn is contemplating this. So, so, stupid

http://www.al.com/auburnfootball/index.ssf/2014/01/auburn_hopes_to_win_a_national.html

[Dawgfan77]

1941 is ours dammit!!! If Bama OM and now Auburn can claim mythical NC so can we. Make this happen grasshopper

[drummerdawg]

Texas a&m just added a couple national and conference championships yo their stadium last year

[Rick Danko]

1941 is ours dammit!!! If Bama OM and now Auburn can claim mythical NC so can we. Make this happen grasshopper

Just curious as I have never taken the time to look, but in 1941 did we finish #1 in any poll? I know that is why Bama and OM claim them, they finished in the "Saskatchewan Times" poll at #1, just wondering did we or do people say this because we beat Bama that year? Really just curious the history of the 1941 season.

[FlabLoser]

Don't be stupid? Don't claim national championships?

Look, if you think the media or goodwill of the general public is gonna up and serve all the respect that you, I, or whatever school deserves - it ain't gonna happen.

Didn't you ever listen to Don Henley?


I make my living off the Evening News
Just give me something-something I can use
People love it when you lose,
They love dirty laundry

In the PR world, you gotta go out there and take what's your's! Our what you want to be your's!

Sitting back and waiting for some good-hearted writer to credit us for 1941, or sitting back and waiting for Dak's Heisman run to happen by itself, is absolutely a page from the Larry Templeton school of athletic directing. It is weak, passive, reactive, and completely ineffective.

Auburn is doing what's best for Auburn.

And we should do the same for MSU and for Dak.

[Johnson85]

Just curious as I have never taken the time to look, but in 1941 did we finish #1 in any poll? I know that is why Bama and OM claim them, they finished in the "Saskatchewan Times" poll at #1, just wondering did we or do people say this because we beat Bama that year? Really just curious the history of the 1941 season.

ACtually, that's not why Ole Miss claims them. Ole Miss did finish number one in a semi-legitimate poll once (not the AP obviously, but something in between that and the Oxford Eagle). But Ole Miss also claims national championships because years after the games were played, people looked at stats and ranked them number one based on that. You'd think I was a blind homer to claim this, but they actually do this.

[ShotgunDawg]

Don't be stupid? Don't claim national championships?

Look, if you think the media or goodwill of the general public is gonna up and serve all the respect that you, I, or whatever school deserves - it ain't gonna happen.

Didn't you ever listen to Don Henley?


I make my living off the Evening News
Just give me something-something I can use
People love it when you lose,
They love dirty laundry

In the PR world, you gotta go out there and take what's your's! Our what you want to be your's!

Sitting back and waiting for some good-hearted writer to credit us for 1941, or sitting back and waiting for Dak's Heisman run to happen by itself, is absolutely a page from the Larry Templeton school of athletic directing. It is weak, passive, reactive, and completely ineffective.

Auburn is doing what's best for Auburn.

And we should do the same for MSU and for Dak.

I understand what your saying. I just think it is ridiculous that claiming National Titles from 20+ years ago actually helps you today.

[archdog]

Don't be stupid? Don't claim national championships?

Look, if you think the media or goodwill of the general public is gonna up and serve all the respect that you, I, or whatever school deserves - it ain't gonna happen.

Didn't you ever listen to Don Henley?


I make my living off the Evening News
Just give me something-something I can use
People love it when you lose,
They love dirty laundry

In the PR world, you gotta go out there and take what's your's! Our what you want to be your's!

Sitting back and waiting for some good-hearted writer to credit us for 1941, or sitting back and waiting for Dak's Heisman run to happen by itself, is absolutely a page from the Larry Templeton school of athletic directing. It is weak, passive, reactive, and completely ineffective.

Auburn is doing what's best for Auburn.

And we should do the same for MSU and for Dak.

I do think that the Media says time and time again that Bama has 13 national championships, when they really only have 6-7. So yes, the PR world gives it to them. I say screw the historic polls, if Bama claims 1941, then we should claim 1941.

We beat BAMA head to head, won the SEC, and won our bowl game.
Bama did not beat us, did not win the SEC, and I am guessing that they did win their bowl game.

So as long as they claim it, we should be able to claim it.

[Quaoarsking]

In 1941, we were 8-1-1 and have absolutely no claim to the title. The only reason to "claim" that one is because Alabama claims it, even though they finished #20 in the final AP poll, and we won the SEC and beat them. But it's really more of a message board joke than something we could seriously do.
ETA: The one loss was to an undefeated Duquesne team, weakening our case even further.

However, in 1940, we finished 10-0-1, and even though we weren't named national champion by any contemporary poll, we have some leg to stand on being undefeated. If we were ever to actually claim one, it would be 1940, not 1941.

[Dawgfan77]

I believe we were scheduled to play in the 41 orange or rose cannot remember but there was a historical moment on the 7th of December that caused a few bowls including those two to be cancelled. While I agree with both claiming the 40 and 41 MNC, if we would have played in one of those two bowls and won then we really would have been 41 NC

[Rick Danko]

Thanks QKing and 77 for the info, was always interested in where that '41 statement came from.

[Quaoarsking]

I believe we were scheduled to play in the 41 orange or rose cannot remember but there was a historical moment on the 7th of December that caused a few bowls including those two to be cancelled. While I agree with both claiming the 40 and 41 MNC, if we would have played in one of those two bowls and won then we really would have been 41 NC

According to Wikipedia, those bowls were not canceled, but because of wartime train schedules, we were not able to get to the Cotton or Sugar Bowls, so Alabama and Georgia went instead. However, even if we had played in a bowl game and won convincingly, we would have had too much ground to make up in the polls. Really, no one would advocate claiming 1941 if Alabama didn't (which they should be ashamed of)


Rank

Team (FPV)

Conf

WLT

PTS

Last Week





1
< 1

Minnesota (http://www.collegepollarchive.com/football/ap/teams/by_season.cfm?seasonid=1941&teamid=1) (84.5)

Big Ten

8-0

945.5

DNP





2
< 3

Duke (http://www.collegepollarchive.com/football/ap/teams/by_season.cfm?seasonid=1941&teamid=2) (9.5)

Southern

9-0

725.5







3
< 4

Notre Dame (http://www.collegepollarchive.com/football/ap/teams/by_season.cfm?seasonid=1941&teamid=7)

Ind

8-0-1

675







4
< 10

Texas (http://www.collegepollarchive.com/football/ap/teams/by_season.cfm?seasonid=1941&teamid=66) (1)

SWC

7-1-1

494.67







5
< 6

Michigan (http://www.collegepollarchive.com/football/ap/teams/by_season.cfm?seasonid=1941&teamid=48)

Big Ten

6-1-1

455







6
< 8

Fordham (NY) (http://www.collegepollarchive.com/football/ap/teams/by_season.cfm?seasonid=1941&teamid=16)

Ind

7-1

399.33

W 30-9 vs New York





7
< 7

Missouri (http://www.collegepollarchive.com/football/ap/teams/by_season.cfm?seasonid=1941&teamid=60) (1)

Big 6

8-1

328







8
< 5

Duquesne (PA) (http://www.collegepollarchive.com/football/ap/teams/by_season.cfm?seasonid=1941&teamid=11)

Ind

8-0

309.67

DNP





9
< 2

Texas A&M (http://www.collegepollarchive.com/football/ap/teams/by_season.cfm?seasonid=1941&teamid=14)

SWC

8-1

229.67







10
< 11

Navy (MD) (http://www.collegepollarchive.com/football/ap/teams/by_season.cfm?seasonid=1941&teamid=33)

Ind

7-1-1

220.67







11
< 9

Northwestern (http://www.collegepollarchive.com/football/ap/teams/by_season.cfm?seasonid=1941&teamid=4)

Big Ten

5-3

167







12
< 17

Oregon State (http://www.collegepollarchive.com/football/ap/teams/by_season.cfm?seasonid=1941&teamid=56)

PCC

7-2

132.67







13
< 15

Ohio State (http://www.collegepollarchive.com/football/ap/teams/by_season.cfm?seasonid=1941&teamid=31)

Big Ten

6-1-1

81







14
< 20

Georgia (http://www.collegepollarchive.com/football/ap/teams/by_season.cfm?seasonid=1941&teamid=73)

SEC

8-1-1

62.67







15
< 13

Penn (http://www.collegepollarchive.com/football/ap/teams/by_season.cfm?seasonid=1941&teamid=24)

Ind

7-1

61.67







16
< NR

Mississippi State (http://www.collegepollarchive.com/football/ap/teams/by_season.cfm?seasonid=1941&teamid=69)

SEC

7-1-1

18.67







17
< 14

Mississippi (http://www.collegepollarchive.com/football/ap/teams/by_season.cfm?seasonid=1941&teamid=55)

SEC

6-2-1

10







18
< NR

Tennessee (http://www.collegepollarchive.com/football/ap/teams/by_season.cfm?seasonid=1941&teamid=28)

SEC

8-2

8







19
< NR

Washington State (http://www.collegepollarchive.com/football/ap/teams/by_season.cfm?seasonid=1941&teamid=26)

PCC

6-3

7

DNP





20
< 18

Alabama (http://www.collegepollarchive.com/football/ap/teams/by_season.cfm?seasonid=1941&teamid=25)

SEC

8-2

6






In 1940, we still weren't close in the AP Poll, but we got a #1 vote, and were undefeated, so we have some ground to claim one. I'm sure someone could rig up a computer formula that would call us the champions:



Rank


Team (FPV)


Conf


WLT


PTS


Last Week






1

< 1


Minnesota (http://www.collegepollarchive.com/football/ap/teams/by_season.cfm?seasonid=1940&teamid=1) (65)


Big Ten


8-0


1244


DNP






2

< 3


Stanford (http://www.collegepollarchive.com/football/ap/teams/by_season.cfm?seasonid=1940&teamid=46) (44)


PCC


9-0


1125









3

< 5


Michigan (http://www.collegepollarchive.com/football/ap/teams/by_season.cfm?seasonid=1940&teamid=48) (5)


Big Ten


7-1


914









4

< 6


Tennessee (http://www.collegepollarchive.com/football/ap/teams/by_season.cfm?seasonid=1940&teamid=28) (10)


SEC


10-0


885









5

< 4


Boston College (http://www.collegepollarchive.com/football/ap/teams/by_season.cfm?seasonid=1940&teamid=65) (7)


Ind


10-0


798









6

< 2


Texas A&M (http://www.collegepollarchive.com/football/ap/teams/by_season.cfm?seasonid=1940&teamid=14) (1)


SWC


8-1


728









7

< 8


Nebraska (http://www.collegepollarchive.com/football/ap/teams/by_season.cfm?seasonid=1940&teamid=15)


Big 6


8-1


514









8

< 7


Northwestern (http://www.collegepollarchive.com/football/ap/teams/by_season.cfm?seasonid=1940&teamid=4)


Big Ten


6-2


323









9

< 11


Mississippi State (http://www.collegepollarchive.com/football/ap/teams/by_season.cfm?seasonid=1940&teamid=69) (1)


SEC


8-0-1


233.13









10

< 12


Washington (http://www.collegepollarchive.com/football/ap/teams/by_season.cfm?seasonid=1940&teamid=8)


PCC


7-2


210.13









11

< 15


Santa Clara (CA) (http://www.collegepollarchive.com/football/ap/teams/by_season.cfm?seasonid=1940&teamid=23)


Ind


6-1-1


198.13









12

< 14


Fordham (NY) (http://www.collegepollarchive.com/football/ap/teams/by_season.cfm?seasonid=1940&teamid=16)


Ind


7-1


157.13


W 26-0 vs New York






13

< 9


Georgetown (DC) (http://www.collegepollarchive.com/football/ap/teams/by_season.cfm?seasonid=1940&teamid=53)


Ind


8-1


133.13


DNP






14

< 10


Penn (http://www.collegepollarchive.com/football/ap/teams/by_season.cfm?seasonid=1940&teamid=24)


Ind


6-1-1


87.13









15

< 13


Cornell (NY) (http://www.collegepollarchive.com/football/ap/teams/by_season.cfm?seasonid=1940&teamid=38)


Ind


6-2


30.13


DNP






16

< 16


SMU (http://www.collegepollarchive.com/football/ap/teams/by_season.cfm?seasonid=1940&teamid=19)


SWC


7-1-1


9.13









17

< 20


Hardin-Simmons (TX) (http://www.collegepollarchive.com/football/ap/teams/by_season.cfm?seasonid=1940&teamid=71)


Ind


8-0


9


W 27-7 at Howard Payne






18

< 20


Duke (http://www.collegepollarchive.com/football/ap/teams/by_season.cfm?seasonid=1940&teamid=2)


Southern


7-2


8









19

< 18


Lafayette (PA) (http://www.collegepollarchive.com/football/ap/teams/by_season.cfm?seasonid=1940&teamid=70)


MID3


9-0


4


DNP