Question about Oklahoma's 47-game winning streak...

[BroncoAdam]

How many consecutive national championships did they win? I hear all this talk about USC being the first time to three peat if they win tomorrow, well if USC won 47 straight games doesnt that mean that they wouldve won the national championship (undefeated season) ATLEAST 3 times, if not four straight seasons without a loss? Someone please explain this to me. :-)

[broncofan303]

I think OKU was the last team to 3-peat... I'm not sure, solo or rc could help you out, they're the Sooner fans on this board...

[rcsodak]

NCAA-Record 47-Game Win Streak
Oklahoma holds the NCAA record for most consecutive wins by a major college program at 47-straight. The streak spanned five seasons from 1953-57. Oklahoma lost to Notre Dame, 28-21, in the 1953 season opener and tied Pittsburgh, 7-7, the next week. The streak began with a 19-14 win against archrival Texas in the Cotton Bowl in Dallas on Oct. 10, 1953.

Oklahoma rolled through the rest of the 1953 season and capped a 9-1-1 campaign with a 7-0 shutout of Maryland in the Orange Bowl in Miami.

The Sooners went 10-0 in 1954 and 11-0 in 1955. The 30th-straight win came against Maryland, again in the Orange Bowl, on January 1, 1956, and the Sooners claimed their second National Championship.

OU won its 35th consecutive game with a 40-0 rout of Notre Dame in South Bend on Oct. 27, 1956. Oklahoma finished the season a perfect 10-0 with the streak at 40 games. The Sooners were again voted National Champions.

On Nov. 9, 1957, in Columbia, Mo., Oklahoma won its 47th-consecutive game with a 39-14 victory against the Missouri Tigers. The streak came to an end on Nov. 16, 1957, when the Notre Dame Fighting Irish claimed a 7-0 victory at Owen Field in Norman. The Sooners won the remainder of their games in 1957 and finished with a 48-21 victory against Duke in the Orange Bowl to post a 10-1 record.

Oklahoma's 47-game winning streak is considered one of the greatest feats in major college football history. Amazingly, head coach Bud Wilkinson also led Oklahoma on a 31-game winning streak from 1948-50. That streak ranks eighth on the NCAA's all-time major college football winning streak list.

Since World War I, there have been only four streaks of more than 30 wins in major college football. OU owns two of the four. Toledo won 35 in a row from 1969-71 and the Miami Hurricanes won 34-straight from 2000-02.

Actually, if you want to get technical, OU has won 13 National Championships!!!.
There were years when they'd be 'crowned' champion by the AP.....some years by the Coaches....and some years, by both.

The AP & Coaches Polls
Two polls have dominated the college football landscape. In 1936, the Associated Press introduced its poll, representing the opinion of media around the country. In 1950, a poll of selected Division I coaches also was introduced. The second of those has appeared under various headings, including the one it is known by today, the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll.
Between those two polls, the most recognized and the longest standing, Oklahoma has achieved 13 national championships (finished No. 1 in both polls in some years). No other school in America has combined for as many national crowns under that same formula.

The Sooners have been AP's national champion seven times and have prevailed in the coaches' poll another six. Oklahoma's most recent national championship, won in the 2000 season, came under the BCS format. Prior to the introduction of the BCS, the polls were the mode used to select college football's best team.

[rcsodak]

Some feel that OU DID 3peat...

'71 10-1
Beat Auburn in the Sugar Bowl

'72 10-1
Beat Penn State in the Sugar Bowl

'73 10-0-1
Tied USC (7-7)
NO BOWL

'74 11-0
NO BOWL

'75 10-1
Beat Michigan in the Orange Bowl

Actual Championships were: 2000 - 1985 - 1975 - 1974 - 1956 - 1955 - 1950
But How do you win 47 in a row, and NOT win a championship?????

[Jared]

But How do you win 47 in a row, and NOT win a championship?????

As a Penn State fan, I feel your pain.

Joe Pa has had 5 undefeated team, including 2 in a row in 68 and 69.

yet only 2 national champonships.

1969 was particularly cruel, as 1 loss Texas claimed a national championship over undefeated and 22 straight game winner Penn State. Penn State actually finished 4th that year! Same deal in 1973 when Notre Dame and Alabama split.

Also, the 1994 season should have been a co-championship with Nebraska.

[BroncoAdam]

the Miami Hurricanes won 34-straight from 2000-02.

Haha a streak that was ended by, THE Ohio State Unniversity! LOL

Wow, thanks for the information. Still sounds kinda crazy how they're not considered a "dynasty" and one of the best teams ever if they could win 47 straight games in a row... I mean you hear all of this USC bullcrap and people proclaiming them the best ever, what about this team?

[TXBRONC]

As a Penn State fan, I feel your pain.

Joe Pa has had 5 undefeated team, including 2 in a row in 68 and 69.

yet only 2 national champonships.

1969 was particularly cruel, as 1 loss Texas claimed a national championship over undefeated and 22 straight game winner Penn State. Penn State actually finished 4th that year! Same deal in 1973 when Notre Dame and Alabama split.

Also, the 1994 season should have been a co-championship with Nebraska.

If I'm not mistaken Jared one of reason Penn State didn't lay claim to those National Titles was because they were seen as having a very softl schedule. I'm not defending it but think that's what the reasoning was inpart in those earlier years.

Now the snub in 1994 to me is the most baffling, imo they did deserve a share of the National Title. I say because if memory serves me correctly they had difficult schedule.

[Jared]

If I'm not mistaken Jared one of reason Penn State didn't lay claim to those National Titles was because they were seen as having a very softl schedule. I'm not defending it but think that's what the reasoning was inpart in those earlier years.

Now the snub in 1994 to me is the most baffling, imo they did deserve a share of the National Title. I say because if memory serves me correctly they had difficult schedule.

I have no idea what Texas's schedule was. I am assuming they were still in the old SWC.

Anyway, here is Penn State's 1969 schedule.

Sept. 2     at Navy 	                  W 45-22
Sept. 27   Colorado                     W 27-3
Oct. 4       at #20 Kansas State  W 17-14
Oct. 11	    #17 West Virginia       W 20-0
Oct. 18	     at #5 Syracuse 	      W 15-14
Oct. 25	     Ohio State                   W 42-3
Nov. 1	     at Boston College 	     W 38-16
Nov. 15	    Maryland 	                 W 48-0
Nov. 22	    at #24 Pittsburgh 	    W 27-7
Nov. 29	    North Carolina State   W 33-8
Jan. 1	     #6 Missouri                  W 10-3 (Orange Bowl)

4 ranked teams, and no small schools or D-IAA schools. I do know that there was this belief that Eastern football was not as good as the SEC, Big 10, or SWC back then, and that only USC had any talent out west.


Anyway, I am just sayng that my example highlights was rc was talking about regarding Oklahoma. You can win a lot, and even be undefeated, and still not win a championship. It's really dumb.

[broncofan303]

Anyway, I am just sayng that my example highlights was rc was talking about regarding Oklahoma. You can win a lot, and even be undefeated, and still not win a championship. It's really dumb.

Or you can not even play in the title game and get a championship...LOL, I'm still bitter about our share with GTech, we really shouldn't of been in the title game, but since we were there, we beat the best team that year, oddly enough the Irish, and that proved that they did belong there...

Oh yeah, USC? Had to throw that out on gamenight...

GO HORNS!! (Ow, that hurts)

BTW, Sooner fans, who are you cheering for?

[Jared]

Or you can not even play in the title game and get a championship...LOL, I'm still bitter about our share with GTech, we really shouldn't of been in the title game, but since we were there, we beat the best team that year, oddly enough the Irish, and that proved that they did belong there...

Well between the 5 downs at Missouri, and then Georgia head coach Ray Goff giving hsi first place vote to Colorado, even though Gtech whipped UGA that year, some say Colorado's championship is undeserved.

But you beat ND, so its not like you sucked.