1964 NCAA University Division football season
Encyclopedia
During the 20th Century, the NCAA
had no playoff for the college football teams that would later be described as "Division I-A". The NCAA cites national champions based on the final results of '"wire service'" (AP and UPI) polls. The AP poll in 1964 consisted of the votes of 55 sportswriters, each of whom would give their opinion of the ten best teams. Under a point system of 10 points for first place, 9 for second, etc., the "overall" ranking was determined. In the preseason poll for 1964, Ole Miss (University of Mississippi
) was #1 with 425 points and Oklahoma University second with 400 points. As the regular season progressed, a new poll would be issued on the Monday following the weekend's games. The "writers' poll" by Associated Press
(AP) was the most popular.
The Associated Press presented the AP Trophy to the Alabama Crimson Tide
due to their 10-0-0 regular season record and their #1 finish in the AP poll. The University of Arkansas
also had a 10-0-0 regular season in 1964, but finished #2 in the final AP poll. On New Year's Day, the Crimson Tide lost to the #5 ranked Texas Longhorns
in the Orange Bowl, to finish the season with a 10-1 record, and the Arkansas Razorbacks defeated the 7th ranked University of Nebraska 10-7 in the Cotton Bowl Classic. Since there were no further polls, Alabama's national championship was unaffected, despite Arkansas' undefeated, untied season. The Arkansas Razorbacks were, however, awarded the UPI Title in 1964, making them co-champions along with Alabama. In 1968 the AP Poll began awarding their national championships following the post-season.
was ranked first and Oklahoma
second. Big Ten rivals Illinois and Ohio State were ranked #3 and #5 respectively, while 1963 champion Texas
was #4. On September 19, #1 Mississippi
beat Memphis State 30-0 at home, while #2 Oklahoma
beat Maryland 13-3 on the road at College Park. #4 Texas defeated Tulane 31-0 at home.
The following week (September 26), #1 Mississippi was upset by a late Kentucky touchdown at Jackson, losing 27-21. #2 Oklahoma
was crushed by Southern California (USC), 40-14, before a record home crowd. #3 Illinois beat California at Berkeley 20-14, and #4 Texas
defeated Texas Tech 23-0. #5 Ohio State defeated Southern Methodist (SMU) at home, 27-8. In the poll that followed, the Texas
were the new #1 and USC #2, followed by 3.Illinois 4.Alabama and 5.Ohio State.
beat Army 17-6 at home. Meanwhile, #2 USC lost at Michigan State, 17-7 and #3 Illinois won 17-6 over Northwestern. #3 Alabama beat Tulane in a neutral site game at Mobile, 36-6. #5 Ohio State beat Indiana at home, 17-9. Previously unranked Kentucky
earned a spot in the next poll after beating Auburn 20-0 in Birmingham
. The top 5 were 1.Texas 2.Illinois 3.Alabama 4.Ohio State and 5.Kentucky.
Top-ranked Texas
beat Oklahoma
28-7 at Dallas on October 10. In a Big 10 showdown at Champaign, Illinois, #4 Ohio State beat the #2 Illini 26-0. #3 Alabama beat North Carolina State 21-0. #5 Kentucky
, previously 3-0, was beaten 48-6 by Florida State. This began a four-game losing streak for Kentucky, en route to a 5-5-0 season. #8 Michigan won at Michigan State 17-10. The top 5 were 1. Texas 2.Ohio State 3.Alabama 4.Notre Dame and 5.Michigan.
On October 17, #8 Arkansas beat the #1 Longhorns
at Austin, 14-13. #2 Ohio State beat the USC Trojans in Columbus, 17-0. #3 Alabama and #4 Notre Dame remained unbeaten, defeating Tennessee (19-8) and UCLA (24-0) respectively. #5 Michigan lost to Purdue 21-20. Ohio State was the new #1. The #6 Nebraska
, which had beaten Kansas State 47-0 (and outscored its opponents 171-34 in five wins), took over 5th place. The rankings were 1.Ohio State 2.Notre Dame 3.Alabama 4.Arkansas 5.Nebraska.
October 24 had #1 Ohio State over Wisconsin at home, 28-3. #2 Notre Dame
beat Stanford 26-7, #3 Alabama
beat Florida 17-14. #4 Arkansas
beat Wichita State 17-0, and #5 Nebraska
beat Colorado 21-3. The top five remained the same in the next poll.
October 31, #1 Ohio State beat Iowa 21-19, while #2 Notre Dame
defeated Navy 40-0. In the next poll, the Fighting Irish rose to #1 . #3 Alabama
(23-6 over Ole Miss), #4 Arkansas
(17-0 over Texas A&M) and #5 Nebraska
(9-0 over Missouri) remained unbeaten.
(17-9 over LSU), #4 Arkansas
(21-0 vs. Rice) and #5 Nebraska
(14-7 over Kansas) stayed unbeaten, and moved up to 2, 3 and 4 in the poll. Texas(7-1), whose lone loss had been to Arkansas, was fifth after its 20-14 win at Baylor.
November 14, #1 Notre Dame hosted Michigan State and beat them 34-7. #2 Alabama
beat Georgia Tech in Atlanta, 14-7, to stay unbeaten, as did #3 Arkansas
(44-0 over SMU) and #4 Nebraska
(27-14 vs. Oklahoma State). #5 Texas
won 28-13 over TCU. The poll remained unchanged (1.Notre Dame 2.Alabama 3.Arkansas 4.Nebraska 5.Texas)
November 21, #1 Notre Dame beat Iowa in South Bend, 28-0. #3 Arkansas
beat Texas Tech 17-0 to close its regular season unbeaten (10-0-0). #4 Nebraska
suffered its first loss, at Oklahoma, 17-7. Michigan defeated Ohio State 10-7 to win the Big 10 Title and a berth in the Rose Bowl . In the November 23 AP poll, unbeaten Notre Dame
, Alabama
and Arkansas
were first, second and third, followed by Texas
and Michigan
. Thanksgiving Day saw #2 Alabama
finish the regular season unbeaten (10-0-0) with a 21-14 win over Auburn in Birmingham. #5 Texas
beat Texas A&M 26-7 to finish 10-1. On November 28, #1 Notre Dame led 17-0 at halftime but lost, 20-17, to USC at Los Angeles. With only Alabama
and Arkansas
remaining unbeaten, both with records of 10-0-0, the final AP poll was taken on November 30. Alabama
took over the #1 spot and recognition as the NCAA national champion. Arkansas
was ranked #2, while Texas
rose to 3rd. Notre Dame
dropped to 4th and Michigan
was 5th.
Alabama won the SEC championship, but a "no repeat rule" prevented them from playing in the Sugar Bowl
for a second straight year. The Orange Bowl invited Alabama
and Texas
on November 21. The Cotton Bowl Classic had invited then-unbeaten Nebraska
on November 15 to play unbeaten Southwestern Conference champion Arkansas
. As such, there would be no #1 vs. #2 matchup in the Cotton Bowl Classic. Notre Dame
declined to play in a bowl game.
In the Orange Bowl, #1 Alabama, led by quarterback Joe Namath
, fell to #5 Texas
21-17. In the final minutes, down by four and facing 4th-and-goal at the Texas 1, Joe Namath ran a quarterback sneak but was stopped short of the goal. In the Cotton Bowl Classic, Arkansas quarterback Fred Marshall drove #2 Arkansas
to a touchdown with 4:41 left to beat #6 Nebraska
10-7. Notable members of the 1964 Arkansas team include Jerry Jones
, later the billionaire owner of the Dallas Cowboys
of the NFL, and Jimmy Johnson
, whom Jones would hire as coach of the Cowboys. #5 Michigan routed #8 Oregon State
34-7 in the Rose Bowl, while in the Sugar Bowl
, #7 LSU
beat unranked Syracuse 10-7 on a late field goal.
A five member committee of the Football Writers Association of America
awarded the University of Arkansas Razorbacks the "Grantland Rice Trophy
" as the #1 team in a poll taken after the bowl games. The Helms Athletic Foundation
, which also took polls after the bowl games, named Arkansas as 1964 National Champions. Notre Dame
was named as the National Football Foundation's national champion. In 1965, the AP's final poll came after the bowl games, but the policy did not become permanent until 1968. The Coaches' Poll adopted the same policy in 1974. Arkansas and Alabama legitimately claim the 1964 National Championship, since all selectors of national title teams are documented in the official 2010 NCAA FBS College Football Record Book. These selectors, including the AP Poll and the Coaches' Poll, were nationally-syndicated in newspapers and magazines during the 1964 football season.
Other bowls:
Tigers (now a Division III team) were 2nd in the UPI poll, and #1 choice for the AP panel. In the NAIA championship game, the Cobbers of Minnesota's Concordia College and the Bearkats of Sam Houston State University
played to a 7-7 tie.
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
had no playoff for the college football teams that would later be described as "Division I-A". The NCAA cites national champions based on the final results of '"wire service'" (AP and UPI) polls. The AP poll in 1964 consisted of the votes of 55 sportswriters, each of whom would give their opinion of the ten best teams. Under a point system of 10 points for first place, 9 for second, etc., the "overall" ranking was determined. In the preseason poll for 1964, Ole Miss (University of Mississippi
University of Mississippi
The University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, is a public, coeducational research university located in Oxford, Mississippi. Founded in 1844, the school is composed of the main campus in Oxford, four branch campuses located in Booneville, Grenada, Tupelo, and Southaven as well as the...
) was #1 with 425 points and Oklahoma University second with 400 points. As the regular season progressed, a new poll would be issued on the Monday following the weekend's games. The "writers' poll" by Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
(AP) was the most popular.
The Associated Press presented the AP Trophy to the Alabama Crimson Tide
Alabama Crimson Tide football
|TeamName = Alabama football |Image = Alabama Crimson Tide Logo.svg |ImageSize = 110 |Helmet = Alabama Football.png |ImageSize2 = 150 |CurrentSeason = 2011 Alabama Crimson Tide football team...
due to their 10-0-0 regular season record and their #1 finish in the AP poll. The University of Arkansas
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
also had a 10-0-0 regular season in 1964, but finished #2 in the final AP poll. On New Year's Day, the Crimson Tide lost to the #5 ranked Texas Longhorns
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
in the Orange Bowl, to finish the season with a 10-1 record, and the Arkansas Razorbacks defeated the 7th ranked University of Nebraska 10-7 in the Cotton Bowl Classic. Since there were no further polls, Alabama's national championship was unaffected, despite Arkansas' undefeated, untied season. The Arkansas Razorbacks were, however, awarded the UPI Title in 1964, making them co-champions along with Alabama. In 1968 the AP Poll began awarding their national championships following the post-season.
September
In the preseason poll released on September 14, 1964, Mississippi (Ole Miss)Ole Miss Rebels
University of Mississippi sports teams, originally known as the "Mississippi Flood" , were re-named the Rebels in 1936 and compete in the twelve-member Southeastern Conference of the NCAA's Division I. The school's colors are cardinal red and navy blue , purposely chosen to mirror the school...
was ranked first and Oklahoma
Oklahoma Sooners football
The Oklahoma Sooners football program is a college football team that represents the University of Oklahoma . The team is currently a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
second. Big Ten rivals Illinois and Ohio State were ranked #3 and #5 respectively, while 1963 champion Texas
Texas Longhorns football
The Texas Longhorns football program is the intercollegiate football team representing The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas. The team currently competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big 12 Conference which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National...
was #4. On September 19, #1 Mississippi
Ole Miss Rebels
University of Mississippi sports teams, originally known as the "Mississippi Flood" , were re-named the Rebels in 1936 and compete in the twelve-member Southeastern Conference of the NCAA's Division I. The school's colors are cardinal red and navy blue , purposely chosen to mirror the school...
beat Memphis State 30-0 at home, while #2 Oklahoma
Oklahoma Sooners football
The Oklahoma Sooners football program is a college football team that represents the University of Oklahoma . The team is currently a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
beat Maryland 13-3 on the road at College Park. #4 Texas defeated Tulane 31-0 at home.
The following week (September 26), #1 Mississippi was upset by a late Kentucky touchdown at Jackson, losing 27-21. #2 Oklahoma
Oklahoma Sooners football
The Oklahoma Sooners football program is a college football team that represents the University of Oklahoma . The team is currently a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
was crushed by Southern California (USC), 40-14, before a record home crowd. #3 Illinois beat California at Berkeley 20-14, and #4 Texas
Texas Longhorns football
The Texas Longhorns football program is the intercollegiate football team representing The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas. The team currently competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big 12 Conference which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National...
defeated Texas Tech 23-0. #5 Ohio State defeated Southern Methodist (SMU) at home, 27-8. In the poll that followed, the Texas
Texas Longhorns football
The Texas Longhorns football program is the intercollegiate football team representing The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas. The team currently competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big 12 Conference which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National...
were the new #1 and USC #2, followed by 3.Illinois 4.Alabama and 5.Ohio State.
October
On October 3, #1 TexasTexas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
beat Army 17-6 at home. Meanwhile, #2 USC lost at Michigan State, 17-7 and #3 Illinois won 17-6 over Northwestern. #3 Alabama beat Tulane in a neutral site game at Mobile, 36-6. #5 Ohio State beat Indiana at home, 17-9. Previously unranked Kentucky
Kentucky Wildcats
The Kentucky Wildcats are the men's and women's intercollegiate athletic squads of the University of Kentucky , a founding member of the Southeastern Conference...
earned a spot in the next poll after beating Auburn 20-0 in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
. The top 5 were 1.Texas 2.Illinois 3.Alabama 4.Ohio State and 5.Kentucky.
Top-ranked Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
beat Oklahoma
Oklahoma Sooners football
The Oklahoma Sooners football program is a college football team that represents the University of Oklahoma . The team is currently a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
28-7 at Dallas on October 10. In a Big 10 showdown at Champaign, Illinois, #4 Ohio State beat the #2 Illini 26-0. #3 Alabama beat North Carolina State 21-0. #5 Kentucky
Kentucky Wildcats
The Kentucky Wildcats are the men's and women's intercollegiate athletic squads of the University of Kentucky , a founding member of the Southeastern Conference...
, previously 3-0, was beaten 48-6 by Florida State. This began a four-game losing streak for Kentucky, en route to a 5-5-0 season. #8 Michigan won at Michigan State 17-10. The top 5 were 1. Texas 2.Ohio State 3.Alabama 4.Notre Dame and 5.Michigan.
On October 17, #8 Arkansas beat the #1 Longhorns
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
at Austin, 14-13. #2 Ohio State beat the USC Trojans in Columbus, 17-0. #3 Alabama and #4 Notre Dame remained unbeaten, defeating Tennessee (19-8) and UCLA (24-0) respectively. #5 Michigan lost to Purdue 21-20. Ohio State was the new #1. The #6 Nebraska
Nebraska Cornhuskers football
The Nebraska Cornhuskers represent the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in college football. The program has established itself as a traditional powerhouse, and has the fourth-most all-time victories of any NCAA Division I-A team. Nebraska is one of only six football programs in NCAA Division I-A...
, which had beaten Kansas State 47-0 (and outscored its opponents 171-34 in five wins), took over 5th place. The rankings were 1.Ohio State 2.Notre Dame 3.Alabama 4.Arkansas 5.Nebraska.
October 24 had #1 Ohio State over Wisconsin at home, 28-3. #2 Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
beat Stanford 26-7, #3 Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
beat Florida 17-14. #4 Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
beat Wichita State 17-0, and #5 Nebraska
Nebraska Cornhuskers football
The Nebraska Cornhuskers represent the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in college football. The program has established itself as a traditional powerhouse, and has the fourth-most all-time victories of any NCAA Division I-A team. Nebraska is one of only six football programs in NCAA Division I-A...
beat Colorado 21-3. The top five remained the same in the next poll.
October 31, #1 Ohio State beat Iowa 21-19, while #2 Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
defeated Navy 40-0. In the next poll, the Fighting Irish rose to #1 . #3 Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
(23-6 over Ole Miss), #4 Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
(17-0 over Texas A&M) and #5 Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
(9-0 over Missouri) remained unbeaten.
November
November 7, #1 Notre Dame beat the Pitt Panthers at Pittsburgh 17-15. Meanwhile, #2 Ohio State's suffered its first loss to unranked (3-4-0) Penn State, 27-0. #3 AlabamaUniversity of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
(17-9 over LSU), #4 Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
(21-0 vs. Rice) and #5 Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
(14-7 over Kansas) stayed unbeaten, and moved up to 2, 3 and 4 in the poll. Texas(7-1), whose lone loss had been to Arkansas, was fifth after its 20-14 win at Baylor.
November 14, #1 Notre Dame hosted Michigan State and beat them 34-7. #2 Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
beat Georgia Tech in Atlanta, 14-7, to stay unbeaten, as did #3 Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
(44-0 over SMU) and #4 Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
(27-14 vs. Oklahoma State). #5 Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
won 28-13 over TCU. The poll remained unchanged (1.Notre Dame 2.Alabama 3.Arkansas 4.Nebraska 5.Texas)
November 21, #1 Notre Dame beat Iowa in South Bend, 28-0. #3 Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
beat Texas Tech 17-0 to close its regular season unbeaten (10-0-0). #4 Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
suffered its first loss, at Oklahoma, 17-7. Michigan defeated Ohio State 10-7 to win the Big 10 Title and a berth in the Rose Bowl . In the November 23 AP poll, unbeaten Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
, Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
and Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
were first, second and third, followed by Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. Thanksgiving Day saw #2 Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
finish the regular season unbeaten (10-0-0) with a 21-14 win over Auburn in Birmingham. #5 Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
beat Texas A&M 26-7 to finish 10-1. On November 28, #1 Notre Dame led 17-0 at halftime but lost, 20-17, to USC at Los Angeles. With only Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
and Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
remaining unbeaten, both with records of 10-0-0, the final AP poll was taken on November 30. Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
took over the #1 spot and recognition as the NCAA national champion. Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
was ranked #2, while Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
rose to 3rd. Notre Dame
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
dropped to 4th and Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
was 5th.
Alabama won the SEC championship, but a "no repeat rule" prevented them from playing in the Sugar Bowl
Sugar Bowl
The Sugar Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Sugar Bowl has been played annually since January 1, 1935, and celebrated its 75th anniversary on January 2, 2009...
for a second straight year. The Orange Bowl invited Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
and Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
on November 21. The Cotton Bowl Classic had invited then-unbeaten Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
on November 15 to play unbeaten Southwestern Conference champion Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
. As such, there would be no #1 vs. #2 matchup in the Cotton Bowl Classic. Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
declined to play in a bowl game.
Conference standings
The following is an incomplete list of conference standings:Bowl games
| ORANGE BOWL 1965 Orange Bowl The 1965 Orange Bowl, part of the 1964 bowl game season, took place on January 1, 1965, at the Orange Bowl Stadium in Miami, Florida. The competing teams were the Alabama Crimson Tide, representing the Southeastern Conference , and the Texas Longhorns, representing the Southwest Conference... |
#3 Texas Longhorns Texas Longhorns football The Texas Longhorns football program is the intercollegiate football team representing The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas. The team currently competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big 12 Conference which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National... |
21 | #1 Alabama Crimson Tide Alabama Crimson Tide football |TeamName = Alabama football |Image = Alabama Crimson Tide Logo.svg |ImageSize = 110 |Helmet = Alabama Football.png |ImageSize2 = 150 |CurrentSeason = 2011 Alabama Crimson Tide football team... |
17 |
| COTTON BOWL | #2 Arkansas Razorbacks Arkansas Razorbacks football The Arkansas Razorbacks football program is a college football team that represents the University of Arkansas. The team is a member of the Southeastern Conference's Western Division, which is in Division I's Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association... |
10 | #6 Nebraska Cornhuskers Nebraska Cornhuskers football The Nebraska Cornhuskers represent the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in college football. The program has established itself as a traditional powerhouse, and has the fourth-most all-time victories of any NCAA Division I-A team. Nebraska is one of only six football programs in NCAA Division I-A... |
7 |
| ROSE BOWL | #5 Michigan Wolverines | 34 | #8 Oregon State Beavers Oregon State Beavers football The Oregon State Beavers football team represents Oregon State University in NCAA Division I-A college football. The team first fielded an organized football team in 1893 and is currently a member of the Pacific-12 Conference. The head coach is Mike Riley, with Danny Langsdorf as the offensive... |
7 |
| SUGAR BOWL | #7 LSU Tigers LSU Tigers football The LSU Tigers football team, also known as the Fighting Tigers or Bayou Bengals, represents Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States in NCAA Division I FBS college football. Current head coach Les Miles has led the team since 2005. Since 1999 when Nick Saban took over as... |
10 | Syracuse Orangemen | 7 |
In the Orange Bowl, #1 Alabama, led by quarterback Joe Namath
Joe Namath
Joseph William "Joe" Namath , nicknamed "Broadway Joe" or "Joe Willie", is a former American football quarterback. He played college football for the University of Alabama under coach Paul "Bear" Bryant and his assistant, Howard Schnellenberger, from 1962–1964, and professional football in the...
, fell to #5 Texas
Texas Longhorns football
The Texas Longhorns football program is the intercollegiate football team representing The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas. The team currently competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big 12 Conference which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National...
21-17. In the final minutes, down by four and facing 4th-and-goal at the Texas 1, Joe Namath ran a quarterback sneak but was stopped short of the goal. In the Cotton Bowl Classic, Arkansas quarterback Fred Marshall drove #2 Arkansas
Arkansas Razorbacks football
The Arkansas Razorbacks football program is a college football team that represents the University of Arkansas. The team is a member of the Southeastern Conference's Western Division, which is in Division I's Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
to a touchdown with 4:41 left to beat #6 Nebraska
Nebraska Cornhuskers football
The Nebraska Cornhuskers represent the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in college football. The program has established itself as a traditional powerhouse, and has the fourth-most all-time victories of any NCAA Division I-A team. Nebraska is one of only six football programs in NCAA Division I-A...
10-7. Notable members of the 1964 Arkansas team include Jerry Jones
Jerry Jones
Jerral "Jerry" Wayne Jones is the owner and general manager of the NFL team, the Dallas Cowboys.-Early life:Jones was born in Los Angeles, California. His family moved to North Little Rock, Arkansas when he was an infant. Jones was a star running back at North Little Rock High School...
, later the billionaire owner of the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
of the NFL, and Jimmy Johnson
Jimmy Johnson (American football coach)
James William "Jimmy" Johnson is an American former NCAA and National Football League head coach. As of 2010, he is currently an analyst for Fox NFL Sunday, the Fox network's NFL pregame show. He was the first football coach whose teams won both an NCAA Division 1A National Championship and a...
, whom Jones would hire as coach of the Cowboys. #5 Michigan routed #8 Oregon State
Oregon State Beavers football
The Oregon State Beavers football team represents Oregon State University in NCAA Division I-A college football. The team first fielded an organized football team in 1893 and is currently a member of the Pacific-12 Conference. The head coach is Mike Riley, with Danny Langsdorf as the offensive...
34-7 in the Rose Bowl, while in the Sugar Bowl
Sugar Bowl
The Sugar Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Sugar Bowl has been played annually since January 1, 1935, and celebrated its 75th anniversary on January 2, 2009...
, #7 LSU
LSU Tigers football
The LSU Tigers football team, also known as the Fighting Tigers or Bayou Bengals, represents Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States in NCAA Division I FBS college football. Current head coach Les Miles has led the team since 2005. Since 1999 when Nick Saban took over as...
beat unranked Syracuse 10-7 on a late field goal.
A five member committee of the Football Writers Association of America
Football Writers Association of America
The Football Writers Association of America is one of the organizations whose College Football All-America Team is recognized by the NCAA...
awarded the University of Arkansas Razorbacks the "Grantland Rice Trophy
Grantland Rice Award
The Grantland Rice Trophy is an annual award presented in the United States since 1954 to the college football team adjudged by the Football Writers Association of America to be "national champion". Named for the legendary sportswriter, Grantland Rice, the trophy was the first national...
" as the #1 team in a poll taken after the bowl games. The Helms Athletic Foundation
Helms Athletic Foundation
The Helms Athletic Foundation was an athletic foundation based in Los Angeles, founded in 1936 by Bill Schroeder and Paul Helms. It put together a panel of experts to select National Champion teams and make All-America team selections in a number of college sports including football and basketball...
, which also took polls after the bowl games, named Arkansas as 1964 National Champions. Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
was named as the National Football Foundation's national champion. In 1965, the AP's final poll came after the bowl games, but the policy did not become permanent until 1968. The Coaches' Poll adopted the same policy in 1974. Arkansas and Alabama legitimately claim the 1964 National Championship, since all selectors of national title teams are documented in the official 2010 NCAA FBS College Football Record Book. These selectors, including the AP Poll and the Coaches' Poll, were nationally-syndicated in newspapers and magazines during the 1964 football season.
Other bowls:
| BOWL | Location | Winner | Loser |
|---|---|---|---|
| SUN | El Paso | Georgia 7 | Texas Tech 0 |
| GATOR | Jacksonville | Florida State 36 | Oklahoma 19 |
| TANGERINE | Orlando | East Carolina 14 | Massachusetts 13 |
| BLUEBONNET | Houston | Tulsa 14 | Mississippi 7 |
| LIBERTY | Atlantic City | Utah 32 | West Virginia 6 |
Other champions
The schools that are now in the NCAA's "Division I-AA" were ranked (along with smaller schools) in the "small college poll" taken by both the UPI (coaches) and AP (a panel of writers). In 1964, UPI ranked the 8-0-0 Golden Eagles of Los Angeles State University as #1 (the school is now California State University at Los Angeles, and has no football team). The 8-0-0 Wittenberg CollegeWittenberg University
Wittenberg University is a private four-year liberal arts college in Springfield, Ohio serving 2,000 full-time students representing 37 states and approximately 30 foreign countries...
Tigers (now a Division III team) were 2nd in the UPI poll, and #1 choice for the AP panel. In the NAIA championship game, the Cobbers of Minnesota's Concordia College and the Bearkats of Sam Houston State University
Sam Houston State University
Sam Houston State University was founded in 1879 and is the third oldest public institution of higher learning in the State of Texas. It is located in Huntsville, Texas. It is one of the oldest purpose-built institutions for the instruction of teachers west of the Mississippi River and the first...
played to a 7-7 tie.