Non-Conference Scheduling rumors

[YOhio]

The CUF definition of a "well-behaved Ute fan":



Anything less will simply NOT do!

[Top Ute]

in 78 Alabama split that title with SC, so that game would not count under Top Ute's definition, since more than one game yielded a national championship.

1978 is a tricky year. SC beat Alabama in Birmingham, lost to Arizona State and was on probation. But Bama did have a 1-2 matchup vs. Penn State in the Sugar Bowl. Since split national championships carry the same weight as consensus ones, I would still call Bama-Penn State a national championship game, seeing either one could make a claim on a NC. I've never stuck to the term "undisputed national champion" in all of this.

[EuropeanFootballMale]

I guess as a nod to the pedantic dickweed contingent I will refer to it as the game that gave BYU a national championship rather than the national championship game.

[shoganai]

And of course the game is less important to Utah. It's not a conference game, and has no affect on our bowl prospects -- outside of the BCS title game. We can still play in the Rose Bowl, even with losing all of our non-conference games.

This has nothing to do with bowl games. The issue is purely a rivalry one, and the BYU/Utah rivalry has nothing to do with being in the same conference.

Saying that it's less important because there's no more conference championship implications, is like saying that your favorite ice cream sundae is no longer good because it only has one cherry on top instead of two.

At least that's how I've always viewed it. Maybe to other fans it's not that big of a deal when no trophies or bowl games are on the line.

[TripletDaddy]

I guess as a nod to the pedantic dickweed contingent I will refer to it as the game that gave BYU a national championship rather than the national championship game.

You should refer to it as "the game that will forever drive Ute fans insane."

[creekster]

so this whole argument is about the difference between a game being "a national championship game" as opposed to a "game for a national championship"?

Wow. Compelling stuff.

[Surfah]

so this whole argument is about the difference between a game being "a national championship game" as opposed to a "game for a national championship"?

Wow. Compelling stuff.

It's what you grasp at when you don't have a national championship.

[TripletDaddy]

It's what you grasp at when you don't have a national championship.

Or a Heisman!

[Top Ute]

This has nothing to do with bowl games. The issue is purely a rivalry one, and the BYU/Utah rivalry has nothing to do with being in the same conference.

Saying that it's less important because there's no more conference championship implications, is like saying that your favorite ice cream sundae is no longer good because it only has one cherry on top instead of two.

At least that's how I've always viewed it. Maybe to other fans it's not that big of a deal when no trophies or bowl games are on the line.

Utah-BYU is less important played in September for reasons I've already listed here. Utah-Colorado in its place at the end of November is less important for the reasons you're listing.

I don't envision the emotions for Utah-CU ever being equal to what they are for Utah-BYU. But with nine games to play for Utah and BYU after facing off against each other, that lingering sentiment of joy or disgust that was a part of the spoils of winning (or consequences for losing) the rivalry game is gone.

[shoganai]

I don't envision the emotions for Utah-CU ever being equal to what they are for Utah-BYU. But with nine games to play for Utah and BYU after facing off against each other, that lingering sentiment of joy or disgust that was a part of the spoils of winning (or consequences for losing) the rivalry game is gone.

And that is a big shame, IMO.

[Paperback Writer]

in 78 Alabama split that title with SC, so that game would not count under Top Ute's definition, since more than one game yielded a national championship.

It was still #1 and undefeated Penn St. vs #2 Alabama. But that was by the AP poll. The writers poll probably had USC at #2. However, your point is well made. Many, perhaps most years, it took a combination of bowl games unless one of the top two teams happened to be independent and was not bound to a particular bowl game. If the top two teams came from different conferences with bowl tie-ins, they couldn't face each other unless it was in the Rose Bowl and that was a rarity (if it ever occurred at all).

But 1978 was a great season and it takes me back to a time when some of the top teams would play in the out-of-conference schedule. Alabama beats Nebraska in the opener for both teams. USC then beats Alabama. The best team that year was probably Oklahoma who lost to Nebraska late in the season. Nebraska stumbled the following week against Missouri putting Penn St. in the Sugar Bowl against Alabama while Oklahoma and Nebraksa played again in the Orange Bowl. USC played a strong Michigan team in the Rose Bowl.

Here's a look at Bama's and USC's OOC schedule that year:
#1/#2 Alabama (11-1): #8 Nebraska 9-3, #15 Missouri 8-4, #2/#1 USC 12-1, Washington 7-4, Virginia Tech 4-7

#2/#1 USC (12-1): Texas Tech 7-4, #1/#2 Alabama 11-1, #12 Michigan St. 8-3, #7 Notre Dame 9-3, Hawaii 6-5

Probably, the fairest thing was to split the National Championship between Alabama and USC especially since USC defeated Alabama.

Sorry to highjack this thread. Got me reminiscing and all nostalgic

[Top Ute]

And that is a big shame, IMO.

It is and it isn't. Maybe it will tone down the vitriol that has escalated in this game over the past few years.

[Surfah]

It is and it isn't. Maybe it will tone down the vitriol that has escalated in this game over the past few years.

What vitriol? I don't understand this at all. I hear this come from both sides and I don't get it. What are you talking about? Max Hall? Austin Collie? The "throat slash"? People that make this claim don't even know what vitriol is when it comes to rivalries. I have seen HS rivalries with more vitriol than BYU and Utah.

[pellegrino]

What vitriol? I don't understand this at all. I hear this come from both sides and I don't get it. What are you talking about? Max Hall? Austin Collie? The "throat slash"? People that make this claim don't even know what vitriol is when it comes to rivalries. I have seen HS rivalries with more vitriol than BYU and Utah.

we're talking about the Mormon definition of vitriol here.

[LA Ute]

Port was a little off. What you want is this: