Calling all CFB Historians...

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RespectTheWreck

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Ive noticed before that Michigan State was #1 in both the AP Poll and Coaches poll in 1952.

After doing a bit of research, I found that MSU's opponents had a combined record of 40-39-6 and they only played 9 games.

However, Tech played 12 games and their opponents had a combined record of 62-44-7 (This excludes the 1952 FSU team and includes a bowl game)

Tech played 6 teams with a .500 record or above whereas MSU only played 3 teams with a .500 record and no one on MSU's schedule won more than 7 games.

So can someone explain how we werent consensus National Champions in this 1952?
 
So can someone explain how we werent consensus National Champions in this 1952?
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I think Beano Cook had something to do with it.
 
If I remember right, Michigan St barley won their last game. Dodd and the team were listening to that game on the radio after a Tech game on the bus ride back (I may be remembering that wrong).

The AP and UPI were so overweighted with journalist from the Northeast that Dodd knew they would vote Michigan St #1 if both teams ended up undefeated.

We received our #1 ranking through someone like Scripss-Howard. Certainly a notable publication but not the same cache as AP or UPI.
 
Journalist bias certainly entered my mind, but I didn't have the evidence to back it up.

And I don't think MSU had any trouble in their final game - they beat Marquette 62-13.

All in all, its BS. I was just hoping someone had the real story on this.
 
I would also guess that journalist bias would play a part in the voting. If the regional split was similar back in '52 to the split of today, then the northeast probably had more voters casting ballots then there were in the south.

Also figuring in to the equation may be the fact that an undefeated Michigan State team finished 2nd in the 1951 polls. GT was fifth in both polls at 10-0-1 when the ballots were cast.

See Romejacket's thread, "For What It's Worth", Floridajacket posted a link to the current AP voter breakdown.

In fact, here's the link, again, courtesy of Floridajacket:
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/external/onlinenews.ap.org/collegefootball_rankings/voters.php?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME
 
beej67 said:
I think Beano Cook had something to do with it.
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The poll that ranked us # 1 was known as the poll that was honored. The problem was that there were others as well. In 1952, most of America knew the name Dodd and considered us the NC. From a historic view, people still give credit to other teams as well. In 1964( I hope I am right), there were as many as 6 NC's. Which poll from 1952 do you want to be right?;)

I'll say it again. The poll we won was the most recognized at the time. EVERYONE knew who Bobby Dodd was and it is hard to ignore a 24 game winning streak.
 
I'm pretty sure that the last polls then were before the bowl games. Seems pretty stupid today, but that's how they did it then.

IIRC, GT won their bowl game in 1952 while MSU lost theirs, but MSU still "finished" #1 in the AP poll.
 
floridajacket said:
I'm pretty sure that the last polls then were before the bowl games. Seems pretty stupid today, but that's how they did it then.

IIRC, GT won their bowl game in 1952 while MSU lost theirs, but MSU still "finished" #1 in the AP poll.
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Correct, not sure when they changed that, I want to say mid 60s, but I think thats wrong. Bowl games used to be treated as exhibition games and only sort of "counted." Would love to hear some more insight about that from some of you old fellas.
 
I believe, because they did not get an invite to the Rose Bowl. I mean how early did they offer invites back then? Did they not win the Big 10(or whatever the conf was back then)? Otherwise I don't see why they wouldn't go to Anaheim
 
The INS news service voted Tech #1. INS became UPI sometime later (the coach's poll). So, in both 1952 and 1990 the coaches voted us #1 and the writers picked some other team not as good as us.

I also noticed while watching USC West play the other day that they claim a national championship in 1928. It was written on a prominently displayed banner inside the stadium. I plan on following up on that.
 
MSU was on probation in 1952 and couldn't go to a bowl. They were not eligible for the Rose Bowl as they were not in the Big 10. The team they struggled with was Oregon (IIRC) and they had a losing record. MSU kicked a field goal late to win.

To be correct Tech split the #1 spot in the UPI poll as the International News Service had yet to merge with United Press to form United Press International. INS named Tech no.1

And it was not only media bias but coaching bias as well because the voting media and coaches were dominated by the midwest.

All Tech had going for it was SEC champs, 6 AA's and a 28 game unbeaten streak.
 
augustabuzz said:
All Tech had going for it was SEC champs, 6 AA's and a 28 game unbeaten streak.
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Do we still have more sec titles than uga, and most of the others beside Ala.? Whatever it is, not bad for a 40 year absence.
 
pocket_watch said:
Do we still have more sec titles than uga, and most of the others beside Ala.? Whatever it is, not bad for a 40 year absence.
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I don't think we do anymore. I think we held that lead until the 60's. I used to think that, but I have seen evidence to support otherwise. I will look for a link.
 
Yeah.

What surprised me was that Ole Miss had 6 before we left, but they haven't won a title since then.
 
RamblinPeck said:
Correct, not sure when they changed that, I want to say mid 60s, but I think thats wrong. Bowl games used to be treated as exhibition games and only sort of "counted." Would love to hear some more insight about that from some of you old fellas.
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From what I've researched, the first final AP poll to be released after the bowl games was 1968 (Ohio St. the Nat'l Champ). UPI followed suit in 1974 (USC the N.C.).
 
Interesting numbers when you look at Michigan State and Georgia Tech from the middle of the 1950 season up to the end of the 1952 season.

Michigan State won 24 consecutive games through this stretch, eventually growing to 28 straight into the 1953 season. MSU did not play in a bowl game in '50, '51 or '52. They did in '53.

Georgia Tech went 25-0-1 during this stretch, eventually hitting a streak of 29-0-2 before losing to Notre Dame in '53. GT won the Orange Bowl in '51 and the Sugar Bowl in '52, as well as the Sugar Bowl in '53. Also, during the early '50's (actually starting in '49) GT would defeat UGA 8 consecutive years.
 
GT65_UGA89 said:
From what I've researched, the first final AP poll to be released after the bowl games was 1968 (Ohio St. the Nat'l Champ). UPI followed suit in 1974 (USC the N.C.).
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Correct, prior to 1968 the NAtional Champion was voted on prior to the bowl games.
 
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