1965 Cotton Bowl National Championship Arkansas Razorbacks

From the 1965 Cotton Bowl. The Arkansas Razorbacks defeat the Nebraska Corhuskers and become the only undefeated team in the country. Later that day, the Texas Longhorns defeat the Alabama Crimson Tide, making Arkansas the 1964 national champions. Video courtesy the Hog Database, www.hogdb.com

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• TV
• television
• NCAA
• SWC
• SEC
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• Fayetteville
• Little
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[OtisIsdrunk]

That's odd. I was thinking, "Did Arkansas win a national football championship?" So I checked. It said the AP and UPI champion was Alabama for 1964. Hmmmm.

[ArkansasExpert]

@OtisIsdrunk Alabama was "annointed" as "national champions" BEFORE they lost on New Year's Day. After their loss, there was only one undefeated team left standing. The 1964 Arkansas Razorbacks. Sorry, bud.

[alohawg]

Do it again in 2010...GO HOGS!!!

[FeazBlog]

@FeazBlog Replay clearly shows Namath crossed the goal line.

[FeazBlog]

@jthornton17 Alabama didn't lose badly. They lost 21-17 to Texas in the Orange Bowl on a play that remains controversial to this day. Joe Namath QB sneaked it into the end zone to supposedly take a 23-21 lead with just moments left in the game. The side judge came in and signaled touchdown. The back judge, however, came in and overruled him, giving the ball over to Texas on downs. The officials just so happened to be from the Southwest Conference.

[FeazBlog]

@ArkansasExpert But that was the way it was done then. Bowl games were nothing more than glorified exhibition games in those days. Teams like Notre Dame would skip out on bowl games after perfect seasons because they never counted for anything.

[jthornton17]

@OtisIsdrunk Back in those days, the last polls were taken after the regular season. It changed because of what happened. Bama was 1. and Arkansas was 2. Bama lost badly in it's bowl game and Arkansas won. Because of this, the final poll didn't come out until after the bowl games.

[RollOnToVictory]

This is back when the bowl games where exhibitions, and rewards for a good season (and not given to 6-6 teams). the AP and UPI awarded the championship before the bowls and every knew that's how it worked.

Saying Alabama wasn't the champion that year would be like saying Spain wasn't the soccer champion for 2010 if they lost an high scale exhibition game following the tournament.

split champions year, plain and simple.... now the 1941 title is a load of crap, I'd rather have 1966.

[Maxkillian]

Prior to 1965 the National Championships were handed out before the bowl games. 1964 Alabama was ranked No.1 at the end of the regular season, Arkansas was the only team left undefeated after the bowls games. Then the rules were change in 1965 to award the championship after the bowl games. Which Arkansas was ranked No.2 after the regular season but lost its bowl game Michigan State was ranked No.1 and lost. Alabama won it bowl game and won the National title.

[greymoose1000]

Wow!! Guess one of those 13 fictional national titles is going down the hole and does not count after all. Sorry UAT!!!

[OLEMISSHOTTYTODDY111]

Is this championship recognized by the NCAA? Must be because arkansas was the only undefeated team. Even though they didnt win the Ap or Upi, I believe the NCAA still recognizes it. Could any of y'all tell me?

[BubbaLee2]

AWESOME TEAM HERE!! THERE WERE SEVERAL OF THESE MEN WHO TURNED OUT VERY IMPORTANT MEN IN THE BUSINESS WORLD!!

[PorkersPics]

@OtisIsdrunk you got downed boy buuuuurn