1965 college 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 did recognize a national champion based upon the final results of "wire service" (AP and UPI) polls. The "writers' poll" by Associated Press
(AP) was the most popular, followed by the "coaches' poll" by United Press International
) (UPI). Prior to 1965, both services issued their final polls at the close of the regular season, but before teams competed in bowl games. For the 1965 season, the AP took its final poll after the postseason games, an arrangement made permanent in 1968. The Associated Press presented the "AP Trophy" to the winner.
The AP poll in 1965 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 1965, the writers cast first place votes for 9 different teams, and the range of points between the highest six finishers ranged from 252 to 311 points. Nebraska
was #1 in the preseason rankings, followed by 2.Texas 3.Notre Dame 4.Michigan 5.Alabama 6.Arkansas.. As the regular season progressed, a new poll would be issued on the Monday following the weekend's games.
At season's end, Michigan State, Arkansas and Nebraska were all unbeaten, with records of 10-0-0, and as champions of the Big Ten, Southwestern and Big 8 conferences, respectively, they played in three separate bowl games (Rose, Cotton and Orange). Arkansas and Michigan State lost in their bowl games, and Alabama defeated Nebraska in the Orange Bowl. In the poll taken after the bowls, Alabama was crowned the national champion by the Associated Press. The school had been #1 in the UPI coaches' poll at the end of the 1964 season.
(Big 8) followed by Texas (Southwest), independent Notre Dame, Michigan of the Big Ten and Alabama
from the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Arkansas, the SWC rival to Texas, was #6, followed by USC from the AAWU (which would later be the "Pacific 8" and then the "Pac-10".
narrowly lost to Georgia, 18-17.
#1 Nebraska
beat Texas Christian (TCU) at home, 34-14. #2 Texas shut out Tulane 31-0, #3 Notre Dame crushed California 48-6 at Berkeley, and #4 Michigan won 31-24 at North Carolina. Following the 48-6 win, Notre Dame rose to #1 in the next poll, Nebraska and Texas fell to 2nd and 3rd, Michigan stayed at 4th and Arkansas (which had beaten Oklahoma State 28-14) was 5th. Michigan State defeated UCLA 13-3 at East Lansing and was #7.
On September 25, #1 Notre Dame stayed in Indiana as it lost to #6 Purdue
25-21 at West Lafayette. #2 Nebraska
won 27-17 over Air Force in Colorado Springs. #3 Texas beat Texas Tech
33-7. #4 Michigan barely won over unranked California 10-7 and #5 Arkansas 20-12 defeated Tulsa. In next poll, Texas, Purdue and Nebraska had had 15, 14 and 13 first place votes in a tight race for #1, #2 and #3. Arkansas rose to 4th, while the LSU Tigers
, coming from a 42-14 win over Rice, placed fifth. Michigan State rose to 6th, while Michigan and Notre Dame fell to 7th and 8th place respectively.
Purdue, which was also visiting Texas, played SMU to a 14-14 tie at Dallas. #3 Nebraska
shut out Iowa State 44-0, while #4 Arkansas blanked Texas Christian 28-0. In an SEC matchup at Gainesville, visiting #5 LSU
fell to the Florida Gators 14-7. #10 Georgia beat #7 Michigan in Ann Arbor, 15-7, which would be sufficient to put it into the Top Five, while Michigan State beat Illinois at home, 22-12. The next poll was 1.Texas 2.Nebraska 3.Arkansas 4.Georgia and 5.Michigan State
In October 9 play, all five of the top teams remained unbeaten. #1 Texas shut out Oklahoma, 19-0 at Dallas. #2 Nebraska
held visiting Wisconsin scoreless 37-0. #3 Arkansas won at Baylor, 38-7 and #4 Georgia
beat Clemson at home, 23-9. #5 Michigan State
followed Georgia's visit to Ann Arbor with one of its own, beating Michigan 24-7. The Spartans and Bulldogs traded places in the next poll, which was 1.Texas 2.Nebraska 3.Arkansas 4.Michigan State 5.Georgia
On October 16 the #1 Texas Longhorns met the #3 Arkansas Razorbacks at Fayetteville in a Southwestern Conference matchup between the two 4-0-0 teams. Arkansas won 27-24. Meanwhile,
#2 Nebraska
recorded its third straight shutout, a 41-0 win at Kansas State. In a game that ultimately decided the Big-10 title, #4 Michigan State
beat Ohio State 32-7. #5 Georgia
lost to Florida State at Tallahassee, 10-3. Arkansas was the new #1 in the poll that followed, followed by Michigan State and Nebraska. The USC Trojans, who had beaten Stanford 14-0 and remained unbeaten (4-0-1) were #4 while Texas dropped from first to fifth.
October 23: The #1 Arkansas Razorbacks played North Texas State at Little Rock, winning 55-20. #2 Michigan State
won 14-10 at Purdue and #3 Nebraska
beat Colorado 38-13. The #4 USC Trojans fell to #7 Notre Dame at South Bend, 28-7. #5 Texas lost its second straight game, with Rice winning 20-17. After its 4-0 start, the Longhorns would finish the season 6-4-0. In the next poll, Michigan State received fewer 1st place votes than Arkansas, but had 7 more points overall, 473-466, while Nebraska was third. The three teams were the last to remain unbeaten, all with 6-0-0 records. Notre Dame was fourth, and LSU, 5-1-0 after beating South Carolina 21-7, rose from ninth to fifth.
October 30 #1 Michigan State
overwhelmed Northwestern 49-7 at home in East Lansing. Playing in Little Rock, #2 Arkansas shut out Texas A & M 31-0. #3 Nebraska
won a close one, 16-14, at Missouri and #4 Notre Dame won 29-3 over Navy. The #5 LSU Tigers
were shut out at home by Mississippi, 23-0. Meanwhile, #10 Alabama
beat Mississippi State at Jackson, Miss., 10-7 to take LSU's place at #5. The Top 4 stayed the same: 1.Michigan State 2.Arkansas 3.Nebraska 4.Notre Dame 5.Alabama.
went to 8-0-0 with a 35-0 win at Iowa. #2 Arkansas won 31-0 at Rice. #3 Nebraska
won 42-6 over Kansas. All three remained unbeaten, with 8-0 records.
#4 Notre Dame rolled over the Pitt Panthers, 69-13, at Pittsburgh, and #5 Alabama
won 31-7 at LSU to take the SEC title and a trip to the Sugar Bowl.
November 13 The Top 3 schools extended their records to 9-0-0. #1 Michigan State
beat Indiana 27-13 to guarantee itself the Big Ten title and the trip to Pasadena. #2 Arkansas beat SMU 24-3 at Dallas, with only one game left in SWC play, a match against second place Texas Tech. #3 Nebraska
had a surprisingly difficult game against the 1-6-0 Oklahoma State Cowboys, winning 21-17 at Stillwater, OK. #4 Notre Dame shut out visiting North Carolina, 17-0, and #5 Alabama
beat South Carolina 35-14 at home.
November 20: With its Big Ten title assured, #1 Michigan State
hosted its most difficult opponent yet, #4 Notre Dame, with hopes of finishing its season unbeaten. The Spartans won, 12-3. Though unbeaten, #2 Arkansas was only a game ahead of SWC rival Texas Tech (6-0 vs. 5-1) in conference play. The two met at Arkansas, and the Razorbacks beat the Red Raiders 42-24 to get a spot in the Cotton Bowl. In Los Angeles, #7 UCLA
beat #6 USC 20-16 to win the AAWU (Pac 8) title and the right to meet Michigan State in the Rose Bowl. Thanksgiving Day, #3 Nebraska
beat Oklahoma at home in Lincoln, 21-9 to gain the Big 8 title and the Orange Bowl spot. #5 Alabama
and Auburn University both had the week off. When they met in their annual season closer at Birmingham November 27, the Crimson Tide beat the Tigers 30-3. On the following Saturday (December 4) #4 UCLA
lost to Tennessee 37-34 in a game marred by a questionable pass intereference call and a lost down for UCLA. The next AP poll was 1.Michigan State 2.Arkansas 3.Nebraska 4.Alabama and 5.Tennessee. For the first time, the Associated Press made plans to take its final poll after the post-season bowl games.
It was a day of upsets as #2 Arkansas lost to LSU in the Cotton Bowl. Then came an even bigger stunner when #1 Michigan State lost to 13 point underdog UCLA in the Rose Bowl, 14-12. Trailing 14-6 in the final minute, Michigan State scored and went for a tying 2-point conversion but was stopped just short of the goal line. With #2 Arkansas and #1 Michigan State losing, that meant the Orange Bowl game between #3 Nebraska and #4 Alabama would determine the national champion. Alabama, led by QB Steve Sloan, beat Nebraska 39-28 to claim the national title. The final poll was 1. Alabama, 2. Michigan State, 3. Tennessee, 4. Arkansas, and 5. UCLA.
, now a Division I FCS team, #1. The UPI coaches' poll had Los Angeles State
(8-1-0) 2nd, while the AP poll had a future Division I FBS team, Middle Tennessee State
(10-0-0), as the #2 team. North Dakota State beat another future FCS school, Grambling
, 20-7 in the Pecan Bowl
, one of four regional bowl games for smaller programs. In the NAIA championship game, the St. John's (Minnesota) Johnnies defeated the Linfield
Wildcats 33-0. Both schools now compete in NCAA Division III.
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 did recognize a national champion based upon the final results of "wire service" (AP and UPI) polls. 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, followed by the "coaches' poll" by United Press International
United Press International
United Press International is a once-major international news agency, whose newswires, photo, news film and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines and radio and television stations for most of the twentieth century...
) (UPI). Prior to 1965, both services issued their final polls at the close of the regular season, but before teams competed in bowl games. For the 1965 season, the AP took its final poll after the postseason games, an arrangement made permanent in 1968. The Associated Press presented the "AP Trophy" to the winner.
The AP poll in 1965 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 1965, the writers cast first place votes for 9 different teams, and the range of points between the highest six finishers ranged from 252 to 311 points. 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....
was #1 in the preseason rankings, followed by 2.Texas 3.Notre Dame 4.Michigan 5.Alabama 6.Arkansas.. As the regular season progressed, a new poll would be issued on the Monday following the weekend's games.
At season's end, Michigan State, Arkansas and Nebraska were all unbeaten, with records of 10-0-0, and as champions of the Big Ten, Southwestern and Big 8 conferences, respectively, they played in three separate bowl games (Rose, Cotton and Orange). Arkansas and Michigan State lost in their bowl games, and Alabama defeated Nebraska in the Orange Bowl. In the poll taken after the bowls, Alabama was crowned the national champion by the Associated Press. The school had been #1 in the UPI coaches' poll at the end of the 1964 season.
The AP Regular Season Poll
In the preseason poll released on September 13, 1965, the top five teams were from different conferences. First place was the Nebraska CornhuskersNebraska 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...
(Big 8) followed by Texas (Southwest), independent Notre Dame, Michigan of the Big Ten and Alabama
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...
from the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Arkansas, the SWC rival to Texas, was #6, followed by USC from the AAWU (which would later be the "Pacific 8" and then the "Pac-10".
September
In Week One (September 18) Alabama and USC both fell out of the Top Ten. USC played Minnesota to a 20-20 tie on a Friday night game in Los Angeles while #5 AlabamaAlabama 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...
narrowly lost to Georgia, 18-17.
#1 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 Texas Christian (TCU) at home, 34-14. #2 Texas shut out Tulane 31-0, #3 Notre Dame crushed California 48-6 at Berkeley, and #4 Michigan won 31-24 at North Carolina. Following the 48-6 win, Notre Dame rose to #1 in the next poll, Nebraska and Texas fell to 2nd and 3rd, Michigan stayed at 4th and Arkansas (which had beaten Oklahoma State 28-14) was 5th. Michigan State defeated UCLA 13-3 at East Lansing and was #7.
On September 25, #1 Notre Dame stayed in Indiana as it lost to #6 Purdue
Purdue Boilermakers football
The Purdue Boilermakers football team is the intercollegiate football program of the Purdue University Boilermakers. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big Ten Conference. The Boilermakers have an all-time record of...
25-21 at West Lafayette. #2 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...
won 27-17 over Air Force in Colorado Springs. #3 Texas beat Texas Tech
Texas Tech Red Raiders
The Texas Tech Red Raiders are the athletic teams that represent Texas Tech University . The women's basketball team uses the name Lady Raiders; however, the school's other women's teams use the "Red Raiders" name. The university's athletic program fields teams in 15 varsity sports and 30 club sports...
33-7. #4 Michigan barely won over unranked California 10-7 and #5 Arkansas 20-12 defeated Tulsa. In next poll, Texas, Purdue and Nebraska had had 15, 14 and 13 first place votes in a tight race for #1, #2 and #3. Arkansas rose to 4th, while the 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...
, coming from a 42-14 win over Rice, placed fifth. Michigan State rose to 6th, while Michigan and Notre Dame fell to 7th and 8th place respectively.
October
October 2, #1 Texas hosted Indiana and beat them at home, 27-12.Purdue, which was also visiting Texas, played SMU to a 14-14 tie at Dallas. #3 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...
shut out Iowa State 44-0, while #4 Arkansas blanked Texas Christian 28-0. In an SEC matchup at Gainesville, visiting #5 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...
fell to the Florida Gators 14-7. #10 Georgia beat #7 Michigan in Ann Arbor, 15-7, which would be sufficient to put it into the Top Five, while Michigan State beat Illinois at home, 22-12. The next poll was 1.Texas 2.Nebraska 3.Arkansas 4.Georgia and 5.Michigan State
In October 9 play, all five of the top teams remained unbeaten. #1 Texas shut out Oklahoma, 19-0 at Dallas. #2 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...
held visiting Wisconsin scoreless 37-0. #3 Arkansas won at Baylor, 38-7 and #4 Georgia
Georgia Bulldogs football
The Georgia Bulldogs football team represents the University of Georgia in football. The Bulldogs are a member of the Southeastern Conference and are frequently a top-25 team. The University of Georgia has had a football team since 1892 and has an all-time record of 738–398–54...
beat Clemson at home, 23-9. #5 Michigan State
Michigan State Spartans football
The Michigan State Spartans football program represents Michigan State University in college football as members of the Big Ten Conference at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level...
followed Georgia's visit to Ann Arbor with one of its own, beating Michigan 24-7. The Spartans and Bulldogs traded places in the next poll, which was 1.Texas 2.Nebraska 3.Arkansas 4.Michigan State 5.Georgia
On October 16 the #1 Texas Longhorns met the #3 Arkansas Razorbacks at Fayetteville in a Southwestern Conference matchup between the two 4-0-0 teams. Arkansas won 27-24. Meanwhile,
#2 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...
recorded its third straight shutout, a 41-0 win at Kansas State. In a game that ultimately decided the Big-10 title, #4 Michigan State
Michigan State Spartans football
The Michigan State Spartans football program represents Michigan State University in college football as members of the Big Ten Conference at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level...
beat Ohio State 32-7. #5 Georgia
Georgia Bulldogs football
The Georgia Bulldogs football team represents the University of Georgia in football. The Bulldogs are a member of the Southeastern Conference and are frequently a top-25 team. The University of Georgia has had a football team since 1892 and has an all-time record of 738–398–54...
lost to Florida State at Tallahassee, 10-3. Arkansas was the new #1 in the poll that followed, followed by Michigan State and Nebraska. The USC Trojans, who had beaten Stanford 14-0 and remained unbeaten (4-0-1) were #4 while Texas dropped from first to fifth.
October 23: The #1 Arkansas Razorbacks played North Texas State at Little Rock, winning 55-20. #2 Michigan State
Michigan State Spartans football
The Michigan State Spartans football program represents Michigan State University in college football as members of the Big Ten Conference at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level...
won 14-10 at Purdue and #3 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 38-13. The #4 USC Trojans fell to #7 Notre Dame at South Bend, 28-7. #5 Texas lost its second straight game, with Rice winning 20-17. After its 4-0 start, the Longhorns would finish the season 6-4-0. In the next poll, Michigan State received fewer 1st place votes than Arkansas, but had 7 more points overall, 473-466, while Nebraska was third. The three teams were the last to remain unbeaten, all with 6-0-0 records. Notre Dame was fourth, and LSU, 5-1-0 after beating South Carolina 21-7, rose from ninth to fifth.
October 30 #1 Michigan State
Michigan State Spartans football
The Michigan State Spartans football program represents Michigan State University in college football as members of the Big Ten Conference at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level...
overwhelmed Northwestern 49-7 at home in East Lansing. Playing in Little Rock, #2 Arkansas shut out Texas A & M 31-0. #3 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...
won a close one, 16-14, at Missouri and #4 Notre Dame won 29-3 over Navy. The #5 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...
were shut out at home by Mississippi, 23-0. Meanwhile, #10 Alabama
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...
beat Mississippi State at Jackson, Miss., 10-7 to take LSU's place at #5. The Top 4 stayed the same: 1.Michigan State 2.Arkansas 3.Nebraska 4.Notre Dame 5.Alabama.
November
On November 6, the #1 Michigan State SpartansMichigan State Spartans football
The Michigan State Spartans football program represents Michigan State University in college football as members of the Big Ten Conference at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level...
went to 8-0-0 with a 35-0 win at Iowa. #2 Arkansas won 31-0 at Rice. #3 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...
won 42-6 over Kansas. All three remained unbeaten, with 8-0 records.
#4 Notre Dame rolled over the Pitt Panthers, 69-13, at Pittsburgh, and #5 Alabama
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...
won 31-7 at LSU to take the SEC title and a trip to the Sugar Bowl.
November 13 The Top 3 schools extended their records to 9-0-0. #1 Michigan State
Michigan State Spartans football
The Michigan State Spartans football program represents Michigan State University in college football as members of the Big Ten Conference at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level...
beat Indiana 27-13 to guarantee itself the Big Ten title and the trip to Pasadena. #2 Arkansas beat SMU 24-3 at Dallas, with only one game left in SWC play, a match against second place Texas Tech. #3 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...
had a surprisingly difficult game against the 1-6-0 Oklahoma State Cowboys, winning 21-17 at Stillwater, OK. #4 Notre Dame shut out visiting North Carolina, 17-0, and #5 Alabama
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...
beat South Carolina 35-14 at home.
November 20: With its Big Ten title assured, #1 Michigan State
Michigan State Spartans football
The Michigan State Spartans football program represents Michigan State University in college football as members of the Big Ten Conference at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level...
hosted its most difficult opponent yet, #4 Notre Dame, with hopes of finishing its season unbeaten. The Spartans won, 12-3. Though unbeaten, #2 Arkansas was only a game ahead of SWC rival Texas Tech (6-0 vs. 5-1) in conference play. The two met at Arkansas, and the Razorbacks beat the Red Raiders 42-24 to get a spot in the Cotton Bowl. In Los Angeles, #7 UCLA
UCLA Bruins Football
The UCLA Bruins football program represents the University of California, Los Angeles in college football as members of the Pacific-12 Conference at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The Bruins have enjoyed several periods of success in their history, having been ranked in the top ten of the AP Poll...
beat #6 USC 20-16 to win the AAWU (Pac 8) title and the right to meet Michigan State in the Rose Bowl. Thanksgiving Day, #3 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 Oklahoma at home in Lincoln, 21-9 to gain the Big 8 title and the Orange Bowl spot. #5 Alabama
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...
and Auburn University both had the week off. When they met in their annual season closer at Birmingham November 27, the Crimson Tide beat the Tigers 30-3. On the following Saturday (December 4) #4 UCLA
UCLA Bruins Football
The UCLA Bruins football program represents the University of California, Los Angeles in college football as members of the Pacific-12 Conference at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The Bruins have enjoyed several periods of success in their history, having been ranked in the top ten of the AP Poll...
lost to Tennessee 37-34 in a game marred by a questionable pass intereference call and a lost down for UCLA. The next AP poll was 1.Michigan State 2.Arkansas 3.Nebraska 4.Alabama and 5.Tennessee. For the first time, the Associated Press made plans to take its final poll after the post-season bowl games.
Conference standings
The following is an incomplete list of conference standings:Bowl games
| BOWL | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROSE | #7 UCLA Bruins | 14 | #1 Michigan State Spartans Michigan State Spartans football The Michigan State Spartans football program represents Michigan State University in college football as members of the Big Ten Conference at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level... |
12 |
| COTTON | 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... |
14 | #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... |
7 |
| ORANGE | #4 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... |
39 | #3 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... |
28 |
| SUGAR | #6 Missouri Missouri Tigers football The Missouri Tigers football team represents the University of Missouri in NCAA Division I FBS college football. The team has competed in the North Division of the Big 12 Conference since the conference's inception in 1996... |
20 | Florida Gators | 18 |
| BLUEBONNET | #5 Tennessee Tennessee Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area... |
27 | Tulsa | 6 |
| GATOR | Georgia Tech Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represents the Georgia Institute of Technology in collegiate level football. While the team is officially designated as the Yellow Jackets, it is also referred to as the Ramblin' Wreck. The Yellow Jackets are a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference... |
31 | #10 Texas Tech Texas Tech Red Raiders The Texas Tech Red Raiders are the athletic teams that represent Texas Tech University . The women's basketball team uses the name Lady Raiders; however, the school's other women's teams use the "Red Raiders" name. The university's athletic program fields teams in 15 varsity sports and 30 club sports... |
21 |
It was a day of upsets as #2 Arkansas lost to LSU in the Cotton Bowl. Then came an even bigger stunner when #1 Michigan State lost to 13 point underdog UCLA in the Rose Bowl, 14-12. Trailing 14-6 in the final minute, Michigan State scored and went for a tying 2-point conversion but was stopped just short of the goal line. With #2 Arkansas and #1 Michigan State losing, that meant the Orange Bowl game between #3 Nebraska and #4 Alabama would determine the national champion. Alabama, led by QB Steve Sloan, beat Nebraska 39-28 to claim the national title. The final poll was 1. Alabama, 2. Michigan State, 3. Tennessee, 4. Arkansas, and 5. UCLA.
Other champions
The grouping of schools that would later become the NCAA's Divisions II and III were ranked in the "small college poll", taken by both the UPI (coaches) and AP (a panel of writers). In 1966, both services ranked the (10-0-0) North Dakota State BisonNorth Dakota State Bison football
The North Dakota State Bison football program represents North Dakota State University in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision level and competes in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. From 2004 to 2007, the Bison were members of the Great West Football...
, now a Division I FCS team, #1. The UPI coaches' poll had Los Angeles State
California State University, Los Angeles
California State University, Los Angeles is a public comprehensive university, part of the California State University system...
(8-1-0) 2nd, while the AP poll had a future Division I FBS team, Middle Tennessee State
Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders football
The Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders football team represents Middle Tennessee State University in NCAA Division I FBS football competition. The Blue Raiders, a member of the Sun Belt Conference, play their home games at Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.Rick Stockstill has...
(10-0-0), as the #2 team. North Dakota State beat another future FCS school, Grambling
Grambling State University
Grambling State University is a historically black , public, coeducational university, located in Grambling, Louisiana. The university is the home of legendary football coach Eddie Robinson and is on the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail.-Academics:Grambling State University provides over...
, 20-7 in the Pecan Bowl
Pecan Bowl
Pecan Bowl, a postseason college football bowl game, was first played at Shotwell Stadium located in Abilene, Texas. The first game took place in December 1964, and was played there each year until 1968, when the location was moved to Arlington, Texas. One of four regional playoff bowls of the NCAA...
, one of four regional bowl games for smaller programs. In the NAIA championship game, the St. John's (Minnesota) Johnnies defeated the Linfield
Linfield College
Linfield College is an American private institution of higher learning located in McMinnville, Oregon, United States. As a four-year, undergraduate, liberal arts and sciences college with a campus in Portland, Oregon, it also has an adult degree program located in eight communities throughout the...
Wildcats 33-0. Both schools now compete in NCAA Division III.