Week 6: The Reckoning

[Joe Public]

Alabama more so than FSU. By my count, teams that have gone undefeated and untied over the past 50 years. Bold years indicate #1 final ranking in either AP or UPI/Coaches Poll. An * indicates the team did not play in a Bowl game because of probation.

Team	Nbr	Years
Penn St.	5	1968, 1969, 1973, 1986, 1994
Alabama	4	1966, 1979, 1992, 2009
Nebraska	4	1971, 1994, 1995, 1997
Miami	3	1987, 1991, 2001
Ohio St.	3	1968, 2002, 2012*
Auburn	3	1993*, 2004, 2010
Florida St.	2	1999, 2013
USC	2	1972, 2004
Texas	2	1969, 2013
Oklahoma	2	1974*, 2000
Notre Dame	2	1973, 1988
Boise St.	2	2006, 2009
Utah	2	2004, 2008
Arizona St.	2	1970, 1975
Tennessee	1	1998
Michigan	1	1997
Washington	1	1991
BYU	1	1984
Clemson	1	1981
Georgia	1	1980
Pittsburgh	1	1976
Arkansas	1	1964
TCU	1	2010
Marshall	1	1999
Tulane	1	1998

I'm pretty sure Texas lost at least one game in 2013.

[Pelado]

Alabama more so than FSU. By my count, teams that have gone undefeated and untied over the past 50 years. Bold years indicate #1 final ranking in either AP or UPI/Coaches Poll. An * indicates the team did not play in a Bowl game because of probation.

Team	Nbr	Years
Penn St.	5	1968, 1969, 1973, 1986, 1994
Alabama	4	1966, 1979, 1992, 2009
Nebraska	4	1971, 1994, 1995, 1997
Miami	3	1987, 1991, 2001
Ohio St.	3	1968, 2002, 2012*
Auburn	3	1993*, 2004, 2010
Florida St.	2	1999, 2013
USC	2	1972, 2004
Texas	2	1969, 2013
Oklahoma	2	1974*, 2000
Notre Dame	2	1973, 1988
Boise St.	2	2006, 2009
Utah	2	2004, 2008
Arizona St.	2	1970, 1975
Tennessee	1	1998
Michigan	1	1997
Washington	1	1991
BYU	1	1984
Clemson	1	1981
Georgia	1	1980
Pittsburgh	1	1976
Arkansas	1	1964
TCU	1	2010
Marshall	1	1999
Tulane	1	1998

So assuming your calculation are correct (aside from the wrong year for at least one team) - it's been an average of about one undefeated team per year.

Edit: Also, since the start of the Bowl Coalition (followed by the Bowl Alliance, the BCS, and now the playoff) in the 1992 season, looks like 26 undefeated seasons - or about 1.2 undefeated teams per year. That, of course, is a higher average than the preceeding 28 years - before standard 12 game seasons and matching up 1 vs. 2 in the Alliance/Coalition/BCS.

[Paperback Writer]

I'm pretty sure Texas lost at least one game in 2013.

Good catch. UT went undefeated in 2005 not 2013.

So assuming your calculation are correct (aside from the wrong year for at least one team) - it's been an average of about one undefeated team per year.

I think in the future it will be even more rare with the playoffs. It's very difficult for a team to go undefeated and I believe more rare than most people think. Even for teams at the top of college football at the moment: Alabama and FSU. Alabama last went undefeated five years ago and FSU has only managed it twice. I doubt either team goes undefeated this year. So I think it unfair to criticize Oregon for not accomplishing such a feat when teams every year with better talent can't go undefeated. If BYU manages it this year, it will be a great achievement; especially, considering the Cougars will play a very good team in a major bowl or a couple of excellent teams in the playoffs.

[TheBYUGuy]

And we might be seeing that the PAC is not that good this year. We can still hold out hope that Utah becomes bowl eligible, leading to a BYU/Utah bowl game.

Is Utah also moving to the American Conference mid-season?

[Paperback Writer]

Is Utah also moving to the American Conference mid-season?

Or Utah winning the PAC-12 and BYU going undefeated and both making the play-offs. A few more dominoes would have to fall though.

[TheBYUGuy]

Or Utah winning the PAC-12 and BYU going undefeated and both making the play-offs. A few more dominoes would have to fall though.

I think Utah moving conferences mid-season is more likely.

[Commando]

Or Utah winning the PAC-12 and BYU going undefeated and both making the play-offs. A few more dominoes would have to fall though.

Are you thinking what I'm thinking?!? A BATTLE ROYALE FOR THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP!!

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

Good catch. UT went undefeated in 2005 not 2013.

I thought his knee was down. FWIW.

[Jeff Lebowski]

I thought his knee was down. FWIW.

[Flystripper]

I thought his knee was down. FWIW.

It was

[Jeff Lebowski]

It was

[LiveCoug]

This Lousville Syracuse game is a snoozefest.

[Blueintheface]

Both teams rack disciprine.

[myboynoah]

How hard it must be to recruit athletes to play football at Syracuse. What can possibly be the appeal?

And these uniforms are hurting my eyes. My rods and cones are all screwed up.

[myboynoah]

Nice shoestring tackle there, otherwise I think that guy was gone.