Talk:College football national championships in NCAA Division I FBS/Archive 2014

Playoff incorporation revamp
What sort of timetable should we be looking at to incorporate all the changes for next season that will come with the playoff system? I think it's likely that anonymous editors will be trying to add playoff information sooner rather than later, so perhaps we should get our thoughts together on how we would like it to be organized? Dolenath (talk) 15:20, 9 January 2014 (UTC)

Georgia's Claims
Georgia's media guide (link below) technically lists all 5 championships (page 192), but it has a special shaded section for "The Consensus National Champions". I don't think it's really claiming 1927, 1946, and 1968 as much as it is reporting what the NCAA Records Book says. Check it out and see what you think:

http://issuu.com/georgiadogs/docs/uga_football_web-final4

Dolenath (talk) 03:11, 10 January 2012 (UTC)


 * For anyone else looking, the claims are listed in to places on pages 158-163 and again on 190.  From the media guide, "However, most don't realized that over the more than 100-year history of Georgia football, five Bulldog teams have actually been declared national champions at season's end by at least one of the national polls recognized by the National College Football Hall of Fame and included in the official NCAA Football Record Book.  Two of those, 1980 and 1942, were consensus selections being chosen by at least half of the recognized polls. Three other Georgia teams - 1927, 1946, and 1968, were recognized by polls such as the Williamson, based on a power ratings system, and the Litkenhous, a difference-by-score formula."


 * Since the NCAA and the National College Football Hall of Fame recognize the claims, I think that it is Georgia's claim. I see no reason why this would be an issue. But....that's just my opinion. -- Тимофей ЛееСуда .  14:19, 10 January 2012 (UTC)


 * Does anyone know if there are any banners in their stadium/school claiming championships? Dolenath (talk) 23:07, 10 January 2012 (UTC)


 * Consensus National Championships, which have a very specific definition in the NCAA Records Book to be applicable only to a specific period of time (namely the dual poll era 1950-present), have nothing to do with what a school claims as national championships for itself, particularly for years proceeding 1950. The wording "...five Bulldog teams have actually been declared national champions at season's end" suggests that Georgia does at least recognize them, if not precisely stating a "claim" that would best clarify the issue for the purposes of this article. Conversely, there is little indication that Georgia does not claim them, only that it more strongly highlights its Consensus Champions. In fact Georgia seems to make a point to specifically label them as "The Consensus National Champions" and not simply "National Champions", suggesting perhaps other national championships apart from the Consensus ones, and I think that is an important distinction, along with the fact that the five champions are listed in multiple places in the media guide. I think it is safest to list a claim of 5. The footnote is provided to provide further explanation in this case, and allows the reader to make the judgement. CrazyPaco (talk) 23:14, 10 January 2012 (UTC)


 * The wording "...five Bulldog teams have actually been declared national champions at season's end" is not entirely true, as regards the major selectors. Of those listed for 1927, the only non-retroactive ones appear to be Dickinson and Houlgate, and they did not select the Bulldogs. So it seems that in 1927 Georgia was not declared national champion "at season's end by at least one of the national polls recognized by the National College Football Hall of Fame."  FWIW
 * Jeff in CA (talk) 00:14, 18 February 2014 (UTC)


 * Georgia has only 2 national championships in school history (1942, 1980).
 * 725edwards {talk} 4:07, 29 September 2014 (CST)

Does CFDW explain what goes into its prodigious research on "recognized" champions?
It was stated in an earlier discussion that CFDW backs up their "recognized" selections with prodigious research. Could someone please provide a link to CFDW's explanation of the research methods it uses to arrive at its list of "recognized national champions?" I am curious about its inclusion/exclusion policy.

One would think that CFDW has an objective way to determine, e.g., that two of Princeton's 28 national championships should not be recognized, while 9 of Yale's 27 national championships should not be recognized. After cursory and unsatisfactory inspection of the article's data, I did not ascertain a rule-of-thumb that may apply. Also, what are CFDW's criteria to recognize additional titles for seven schools that appear not to claim them, as well as to concur with Penn's 1907 title claim that appears to be supported erroneously in the Penn Football Media Guide by attribution to Billingsley. (The NCAA Record Book and the Billingsley website both show the selection of Harvard by BR in 1907. Does CFDW say why it has recognized the admittedly deserving 1907 Quaker team?) I know it may seem as though I am complaining, but I am not. I am simply intrigued by what I have observed and would like to learn more.

Jeff in CA (talk) 23:03, 13 February 2014 (UTC)


 * CFDW champions and criteria. UW Dawgs (talk) 23:16, 13 February 2014 (UTC)


 * Further - as much as I admire Jeff in CA's thoroughness and expertise, he is raising issues that do not pertain directly to this article except in one possible way. He is asking questions here that must be directed to and can be answered only by the proprietors of CFBDW. No editor who works on this article (unless s/he is a contributor to CFBDW) can answer in any way why that site recognizes some claims and not others. The net result to this article of Jeff in CA's research might be a proposal from him or a like-minded editor to disallow reference here to CFBDW and hence to remove that section from the article as unworthy of inclusion on the basis of its lack of consistency and reliability. The section in this article now simply reports and lists the findings of CFBDW and offers minimal background on the site, including the caveat that "Please note that the CFBDW list of Recognized Champions does not confer any additional legitimacy to the titles." But I am at a loss to understand why an editor at Wikipedia could answer questions posed here by Jeff in CA about why CFBDW has made the decisions that it has. regards, Sensei48 (talk) 06:44, 16 February 2014 (UTC)


 * Yeah, Jeff in CA, I think it would be better to ask "Why are you including CFDW when they're so inconsistent (see examples below)?" instead of asking why they are inconsistent, which none of us will have an answer to. Do we need to start a vote on whether or not to include CJDW? Dolenath (talk) 22:15, 26 February 2014 (UTC)

TCU's "recognized" titles by CFDW
The edit that I made to include the second of TCU's two titles (1935, 1938) in the table was reverted. A helpful note was provided: "This section's source links to http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/nchamps_year.php, TCU only 1938. This part represents CFDW consensus."

However, when I view that website, I see the following:

It does seem as though TCU should be listed as having two titles.

Jeff in CA (talk) 23:54, 13 February 2014 (UTC)


 * Hi Jeff in CA - My error. Apologies - I followed your link and got to TCU's individual page but followed the primary link to the "Years" page. I misread the entry and reverted - I checked again, found that you were right, and reverted back to your correct edit. regards, Sensei48 (talk) 00:14, 14 February 2014 (UTC)

1907 Penn
In the CFDW list of recognized national champions, why is Penn included for 1907? There were no major selectors who chose Penn. Penn erroneously claims Billingsley for 1907 in its media guide, but Billingsley went with Harvard in 1907. Wilson, Howell and Nutshell are the only 1907 Penn selectors shown by CFDW (http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/yearly_results.php?year=1907). This is at odds with CFDW’s stated recognition criteria at http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/national_champs_assessment.php.

Jeff in CA (talk) 23:19, 15 February 2014 (UTC)

1916 Army
The 1916 selection of Army is included in the CFDW list of recognized national champions. This is at odds with CFDW’s stated recognition criteria (http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/national_champs_assessment.php), as neither HAF nor NCF selected Army for 1916. Inspection of the information at http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/yearly_results.php?year=1916 shows that CFRA selected Army in 1916. In order for CFDW to recognize Army’s 1916 title, it would seem that CFDW should re-state its recognition criteria to start with CFRA in 1916, rather than 1919.

Jeff in CA (talk) 23:19, 15 February 2014 (UTC)

Overriding early contemporaneously known national champions
For two seasons (1877 and 1890), the CFDW “recognized” list overrides the team that was commonly understood to be the undisputed national champion in a contemporary list published circa 1894 (Princeton and Yale, respectively; CFDW elevates 1877 Yale to co-champion). (See reproduction of list at http://www.secsportsfan.com/support-files/special_edition.pdf, IFRA, The College Football Historian, Special Edition, November 2008, p. 14.)  Walter Camp, Amos Alonzo Stagg, the history-making teams, sports editors and “foot-ball” aficionados of that time, if they were alive today, would be startled that over a century later we have imposed the judgments of a present few to obliterate the truth that they all knew and to nullify the honors that they bestowed on teams they all recognized as the national champions in their own time, and instead to transfer those honors, not to any more deserving recipients that might have been blindly overlooked, but rather, to frequent opponents that the champions of their own time faced on the field of play and, at least in those two seasons, had been determined to be the better of!

Jeff in CA (talk) 23:19, 15 February 2014 (UTC)

Why also use CFRA from 1919 – 1935?
Not to question it, but rather to understand, what is the philosophy for the inclusion, in CFDW’s criteria for recognition, of the CFRA’s selections for 1919 – 1935 only? The CFRA criterion has the effect of bestowing recognition on four teams that otherwise would not be recognized based on HAF and NCF selections. They are 1919 Illinois, 1921 California, 1927 Yale and 1930 Alabama (and if the criterion is relaxed slightly, 1916 Army also, as noted above). Does the philosophy for inclusion render the effect acceptable? Does the effect justify the philosophy for inclusion? Is there anything in particular about those four (or five) teams (that gained recognition by virtue of the CFRA’s selections) that has resulted in the correction of noticeable inequities had they not been included?

Jeff in CA (talk) 23:19, 15 February 2014 (UTC)

1935 TCU, SMU and Princeton
In the CFDW list of recognized national champions, why are TCU, SMU and Princeton included for 1935? The only major selectors of these teams in 1935 appear to be for TCU, Williamson; for Princeton, Dunkel; and for SMU, Dickinson, Houlgate and Sagarin (http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/yearly_results.php?year=1935), which does not reach the CDFW criteria for recognition. The only selector of LSU in 1935 also was Williamson, yet LSU is not in the CDFW recognized list.

Jeff in CA (talk) 23:19, 15 February 2014 (UTC)

Did Yale ever limit basis of title claims to HAF only?
Why, in the list of “What Teams Claim” at http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/national_champs_assessment.php, is Yale shown as claiming only those 11 years in which HAF selected Yale, and none of the other 16 years for which Yale in fact claims titles, according to its own athletics website? Was it ever in fact true that Yale at one time claimed that only those 11 teams receiving Helms recognition were national champions? Note that by adding in the years in which NCF and CFRA also selected Yale does one arrive at the 18 titles that CFDW recognizes for Yale.

Jeff in CA (talk) 23:19, 15 February 2014 (UTC)

1934 Pittsburgh
Why does Pittsburgh claim a national championship in 1934 (http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/national_champs_assessment.php)? CFDW shows there to be no selectors at all who chose Pitt that year (http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/yearly_results.php?year=1934). Pitt does claim that Parke Davis selected Pitt in 1934. However, Parke Davis died before the 1934 season, and the NCAA record book has no Parke Davis selections after his death.

Jeff in CA (talk) 23:19, 15 February 2014 (UTC)


 * Legitimacy of university claims have no bearing on their inclusion because it is only a reflection of the school's self evaluation and not open to editor interpretation based on principals of WP:OR (for instance BC 1940). In this case, Pitt originally stated it championship claims on a 1970 study published by Sports Illustrated. Pitt's claims predate CFDW or the NCAA's Records Book and have been consistently maintain even while eschewing 1910, which has since become a more universally recognized championship year according to other third party evaluators of championship selections, but while adding the "consensus" title of 1976 to its list. While Parke Davis passed away prior to this date, his byline was apparently continued to be used for several years to publish championship selections in the Spaulding Annual football guides, which SI apparently counted. Part of that study was published in SI's magazine and can be viewed |here.


 * Whoever makes a claim needs to show his audience the research. If it exists, that should be easy to do.  If it is apparent that Parke Davis’ name was used posthumously to lend an air of authenticity to someone’s selection of Pittsburgh in 1934 as national champion, show us where that was published.  If it is apparent that SI relied on the mention of a 1934 selection of Pittsburgh in the Spalding Official Football Guide, one should be able to confirm that by looking it up.  If this knowledge exists, please show us.


 * It is my belief that there is no 1970 study published by Sports Illustrated. Or rather, that the 1967 article in SI is the study that has been cited as being from 1970. If there is a different study from 1970, why can’t it or an accurate citation to it be found on the web?   If it can be found and the 1934 statement is borne out, then everyone will be happy.


 * There has to some basis for a claim. I can’t find one for 1934. Parke Davis died before the start of the 1934 season.  And CFDW lists 41 selectors who chose Alabama and Minnesota (who defeated Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh that season) for 1934, including numerous "major" selectors (i.e., those that were "national in scope") and zero selectors that chose Pittsburgh.


 * The 1967 SI article contained a "complete list of college football's mythical champions as selected by every recognized authority since 1924." Anyone could have done that by looking up the information in the previous 43 years of almanacs and football guides.  Good on SI for doing it.  It seems, however, that they made an error in their list at 1934.


 * Jeff in CA (talk) 01:30, 19 April 2014 (UTC)

Other "recognized" teams not meeting CFDW stated recognition criteria
In the CFDW list of recognized national champions, why are the following teams included for the years shown? None of them meets the stated criteria for inclusion in the CFDW list, as none was selected by the requisite major selectors used in the CDFW criteria. (http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/national_champs_assessment.php)

Jeff in CA (talk) 03:06, 16 February 2014 (UTC)

1962 Mississippi
 * http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/yearly_results.php?year=1962:


 * Billingsley Report, David Wilson, Edward Litkenhous, Jeff Self, Nutshell Sports Football Ratings, Sagarin Ratings, The State's National Champions


 * Jeff in CA (talk) 03:06, 16 February 2014 (UTC)

1952 Georgia Tech
 * http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/yearly_results.php?year=1952


 * 1st-N-Goal, Angelo Louisa, Billingsley Report, Cliff Morgan, Clyde Berryman, David Wilson, International News Service, James Howell, Jeff Self, Jim Koger, Massy Ratings, Mel Smith, Nutshell Sports Football Ratings, Poling System, Soren Sorensen, The State's National Champions


 * Jeff in CA (talk) 03:06, 16 February 2014 (UTC)

1951 Michigan State
 * http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/yearly_results.php?year=1951


 * Billingsley Report, Helms Athletic Foundation, James Whalen, Poling System


 * Jeff in CA (talk) 03:06, 16 February 2014 (UTC)

1950 Tennessee
 * http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/yearly_results.php?year=1950


 * Angelo Louisa, Bernie McCarty, Billingsley Report, Century Football Index, College Football Researchers Association, Dunkel System, Earl Jessen, Harry DeVold, Harry Frye, James Howell, James Whalen, Jeff Self, Massy Ratings, National Championship Foundation, Patrick Premo, Soren Sorensen, The Fleming System, The State's National Champions


 * Jeff in CA (talk) 03:06, 16 February 2014 (UTC)

1947 Michigan
 * http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/yearly_results.php?year=1947


 * 1st-N-Goal, Angelo Louisa, Bernie McCarty, Bill Libby, Billingsley Report, Boand System, Bob Kirlin, Century Football Index, Cliff Morgan, Clyde Berryman, College Football Researchers Association, College Football USA, David Wilson, Dunkel System, Earl Jessen, Edward Litkenhous, Harry DeVold, Harry Frye, Helms Athletic Foundation, Houlgate System , Illustrated Football Annual, Loren Maxwell, Mel Smith, National Championship Foundation, Patrick Premo, Poling System, Ray Bryne, Sagarin Ratings, The State's National Champions


 * Jeff in CA (talk) 03:06, 16 February 2014 (UTC)

1946 Army
 * http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/yearly_results.php?year=1946


 * 1st-N-Goal, Angelo Louisa, Bernie McCarty, Billingsley Report, Boand System, College Football Researchers Association, College Football USA, Earl Jessen, George Trevor, Harry Frye, Helms Athletic Foundation, Houlgate System, James Howell, Jim Koger, Montgomery Full Season Championship, Nutshell Sports Football Ratings, Poling System


 * Jeff in CA (talk) 03:06, 16 February 2014 (UTC)

1942 Georgia
 * http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/yearly_results.php?year=1942


 * 1st-N-Goal, Bill Libby, Billingsley Report, Century Football Index, Cliff Morgan, Clyde Berryman, Edward Litkenhous, Harry DeVold, Houlgate System, James Howell, Loren Maxwell, Mel Smith, Montgomery Full Season Championship, Nutshell Sports Football Ratings, Poling System, Sagarin Ratings, The State's National Champions, Williamson System


 * Jeff in CA (talk) 03:06, 16 February 2014 (UTC)

1940 Boston College
 * http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/yearly_results.php?year=1940


 * Cliff Morgan, Ray Bryne


 * Jeff in CA (talk) 03:06, 16 February 2014 (UTC)

1938 Tennessee 
 * http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/yearly_results.php?year=1938


 * 1st-N-Goal, Angelo Louisa, Bernie McCarty, Bill Libby, Billingsley Report, Boand System, Bob Royce, Century Football Index, Cliff Morgan, College Football Researchers Association, Dunkel System, Earl Jessen, Edward Litkenhous, Harry Frye, Houlgate System, James Howell, Jim Koger, Loren Maxwell, Massy Ratings, Mel Smith, Nutshell Sports Football Ratings, Poling System, Ray Bryne, Sagarin Ratings, The State's National Champions


 * This team does meet the pre-1936 criteria.


 * Jeff in CA (talk) 03:06, 16 February 2014 (UTC)

1937 California
 * http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/yearly_results.php?year=1937


 * Cliff Morgan, Dunkel System, Helms Athletic Foundation, Montgomery Full Season Championship, Soren Sorensen, The State's National Champions


 * This team does meet the pre-1936 criteria.


 * Jeff in CA (talk) 03:06, 16 February 2014 (UTC)

1936 Pittsburgh 
 * http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/yearly_results.php?year=1936


 * 1st-N-Goal, Angelo Louisa, Boand System, Bob Kirlin, College Football Researchers Association, Earl Jessen, Esso Gas, Houlgate System, Jim Koger, Patrick Premo


 * This team does meet the pre-1936 criteria.


 * Jeff in CA (talk) 03:06, 16 February 2014 (UTC)

1934 Alabama
 * http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/yearly_results.php?year=1934


 * 1st-N-Goal, Bill Libby, Century Football Index, Cliff Morgan, Dunkel System, Houlgate System, James Howell, Mel Smith, Poling System, Ray Bryne, Williamson System


 * Jeff in CA (talk) 03:06, 16 February 2014 (UTC)

1933 Princeton
 * http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/yearly_results.php?year=1933


 * Angelo Louisa, Bill Libby, Cliff Morgan, College Football USA, David Wilson, George Trevor, James Whalen, Mel Smith, Nutshell Sports Football Ratings, Parke Davis, The State's National Champions


 * Jeff in CA (talk) 03:06, 16 February 2014 (UTC)

1932 Michigan
 * http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/yearly_results.php?year=1932


 * Dickinson System, James Whalen, Jim Koger, Parke Davis


 * Jeff in CA (talk) 03:06, 16 February 2014 (UTC)

1931 Pittsburgh
 * http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/yearly_results.php?year=1931


 * 1st-N-Goal, Bob Kirlin, Parke Davis


 * Jeff in CA (talk) 03:06, 16 February 2014 (UTC)

1929 Pittsburgh
 * http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/yearly_results.php?year=1929


 * Parke Davis


 * Jeff in CA (talk) 03:06, 16 February 2014 (UTC)

1928 USC
 * http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/yearly_results.php?year=1928


 * Bob Kirlin, Dickinson System, Jim Koger, Loren Maxwell, Sagarin Ratings, Soren Sorensen


 * Jeff in CA (talk) 03:06, 16 February 2014 (UTC)

1926 Lafayette
 * http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/yearly_results.php?year=1926


 * Loren Maxwell, Parke Davis


 * Jeff in CA (talk) 03:06, 16 February 2014 (UTC)

1925 Dartmouth
 * http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/yearly_results.php?year=1925


 * 1st-N-Goal, Alexander Weyand, Bob Royce, College Football USA, Dickinson System, Esso Gas, George Trevor, James Whalen, Jim Koger, Loren Maxwell, Mel Smith, Parke Davis


 * Jeff in CA (talk) 03:06, 16 February 2014 (UTC)

1921 Lafayette
 * http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/yearly_results.php?year=1921


 * Boand System, Cliff Morgan, Jim Koger, Loren Maxwell, Parke Davis


 * Jeff in CA (talk) 03:06, 16 February 2014 (UTC)

1920 Princeton
 * http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/yearly_results.php?year=1920


 * Alexander Weyand, Boand System, Bob Royce, Earl Jessen, Parke Davis


 * Jeff in CA (talk) 03:06, 16 February 2014 (UTC)

1915 Pittsburgh
 * http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/yearly_results.php?year=1915


 * Bill Libby, Jim Koger, Mel Smith, Parke Davis


 * Jeff in CA (talk) 03:06, 16 February 2014 (UTC)

1914 Illinois
 * http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/yearly_results.php?year=1914


 * Bill Libby, Bob Kirlin, Century Football Index, David Wilson, Jim Koger, Loren Maxwell, Mel Smith, Nutshell Sports Football Ratings, Parke Davis, Patrick Premo


 * Jeff in CA (talk) 03:06, 16 February 2014 (UTC)

1913 Auburn
 * http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/yearly_results.php?year=1913


 * 1st-N-Goal, Billingsley Report, James Howell


 * Jeff in CA (talk) 03:06, 16 February 2014 (UTC)

1899 Princeton
 * http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/yearly_results.php?year=1899


 * Alexander Weyand, Billingsley Report, Bob Royce, Casper Whitney, College Football USA, David Wilson, Fuqua Rating System, George Trevor, James Howell, James Whalen, Nutshell Sports Football Ratings, Parke Davis, Soren Sorensen, Walter Camp


 * Jeff in CA (talk) 03:06, 16 February 2014 (UTC)

1898 Princeton
 * http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/yearly_results.php?year=1898


 * Fuqua Rating System, Parke Davis


 * Jeff in CA (talk) 03:06, 16 February 2014 (UTC)

1894 Penn
 * http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/yearly_results.php?year=1894


 * David Wilson, Mel Smith, Parke Davis, Soren Sorensen


 * Jeff in CA (talk) 03:06, 16 February 2014 (UTC)

1886 Princeton
 * http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/yearly_results.php?year=1886


 * Bob Royce, Billingsley Report, David Wilson, Harry Frye, Nutshell Sports Football Ratings, Parke Davis


 * This is despite the fact that contemporary sources regarded this team as co-national champion with Yale.


 * Jeff in CA (talk) 03:06, 16 February 2014 (UTC)

1884 Princeton
 * http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/yearly_results.php?year=1884


 * Bob Royce, Billingsley Report, Cliff Morgan, David Wilson, Harry Frye, James Howell, Nutshell Sports Football Ratings, Parke Davis


 * This is despite the fact that contemporary sources regarded this team as co-national champion with Yale.


 * Jeff in CA (talk) 03:06, 16 February 2014 (UTC)

1881 Princeton
 * http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/yearly_results.php?year=1881


 * Billingsley Report, Cliff Morgan, Earl Jessen, Harry Frye, Parke Davis


 * Jeff in CA (talk) 03:06, 16 February 2014 (UTC)

1877 Princeton
 * http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/yearly_results.php?year=1877


 * Alexander Weyand, Billingsley Report, Bob Royce, College Football USA, David Wilson, Fuqua Rating System, George Trevor, James Howell, Nutshell Sports Football Ratings, Parke Davis, Soren Sorensen


 * This is despite the fact that contemporary sources regarded this team as the sole national champion.


 * Jeff in CA (talk) 03:06, 16 February 2014 (UTC)

1875 Princeton
 * http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/yearly_results.php?year=1875


 * 1st-N-Goal, Billingsley Report, Bob Royce, David Wilson, Earl Jessen, Fuqua Rating System, Harry Frye, Mel Smith, Parke Davis, Patrick Premo, Mel Smith


 * Jeff in CA (talk) 03:06, 16 February 2014 (UTC)

1874 Princeton
 * http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/yearly_results.php?year=1874


 * Billingsley Report, Bob Royce, Nutshell Sports Football Ratings, Parke Davis


 * Jeff in CA (talk) 03:06, 16 February 2014 (UTC)


 * The criteria you cite is intended for CFDW's point system in use for its "all-time" ranking system, which was changed a few years back from a purely researched list by CFBDW to one more inclusive of schools' self-interpretations. CFBDW's criterion now clearly states on that page: "In general will use what the schools claim prior to 1936 and will use most of what the schools claim from 1936 and on" with the caveat that due to "inconsistencies in the criterion used between the schools",  "seasons hi-lited in red will not be recognized as National Champions by this site" which obviously reserves the right for CFDW's own researched conclusions. Your cited inconsistencies are therefore not applicable. CFBDW's own recognized lists simply reflects a third-party, published interpretation of championships for any one season, not unlike the interpretations of major selectors listed in the NCAA Official Records Book.  Like the NCAA Records Book, it contains one of the most thorough compilations of championship selections (probably the most thorough as it lists selections not listed in the NCAA Records Book's list of major ones), cites a thorough bibliography of early football source material, and includes contributions from recognized college football historians (Tex Noel in particular). CrazyPaco (talk) 19:17, 17 April 2014 (UTC)


 * My primary concern is to confirm statements by comparing them with the actual research. Although I'm not from Missouri, I like its apt state nickname -- "Show me.”  The objective listing of champions as chosen by selectors is straightforward.  In addition, the setting of objective criteria by CFDW in order to determine who, among the annual selections, to recognize as annual champions is straightforward.  For the purpose of the section of this Wikipedia article that relies on CFDW, such an objective listing makes sense.  Research is readily available to confirm it (which led to the list of inconsistencies that I entered above).


 * Where it starts to get messy, in my opinion, is when the person who runs the CFDW site decided to add in the titles claimed by individual schools. First, the author should list the source web pages for every annual claim that he lists there, rather than stopping at saying simply that he retrieved the data from school websites.  The reader should be provided with all the information needed to confirm the sources.


 * Second, he is mixing apples and oranges. The precision and reliability of the data in the objective listing based on selectors are compromised by combining with other data that has a corrupting influence by introducing subjectivity.  There is nothing wrong with having a list of oranges and a list of apples, which this Wikipedia article does well.  Unfortunately, those aren't just apples.


 * So the CFDW site says, “seasons hi-lited in red will not be recognized as National Champions by this site." OK, fine.  CFDW, show us the research.  Tell us what the "inconsistencies in the criterion used between the schools" actually are.  Tell us why those particular years are hi-lited in red.


 * I get back to my main point: if the actual research exists, post it or cite it and show us. We aren’t just going to take someone’s word for it.  I very much respect Tex Noel.  If the information can be found among his body of work, wonderful.  Show me.


 * Jeff in CA (talk) 00:48, 19 April 2014 (UTC)

Reverted Edits June 2014
Unfortunately, my edit summaries for reversions to changes made today to the "Yearly national championship selections from major selectors" do not for some reason appear in the article history. The substance of my summaries was this: the previous editor had removed six or more school names from different years with the edit summary that the NCAA list did not include either the schools in the given years or the selectors. However, editors who have worked long and hard on this article have included a variety of NC selectors that are not listed by the NCAA, and those selectors are clearly indicated and explained in the two subsections on "Math" and "Polls" immediately preceding the list. The NCAA is notoriously inconsistent in both its listing of selectors and its use of them, recognizing some selectors in some years and not in others. That body can do as it pleases because it goes to great pains to clarify that it neither sponsors nor recognizes a champion in its FBS division; its list is simply a wildly inconsistent historical note. Selectors such as FACT, Colley, Billingsley, Berryman, and others are listed as selectors in some years but not in others, without rhyme, reason, or explanation. The Wikipedia list is more comprehensive and less arbitrary than the NCAA's, and its development here occurred in part to compensate for the erratic nature of the NCAA list. There may remain questions about whether a particular selector did in fact select a specific school in a given year, but the basis for reversion must be a consultation with the selector's list as a primary source for accuracy, not reference to the NCAA list. And as always - major changes to any Wikipedia article should be made on the basis of familiarity with the article and its methodologies and with a discussion of or explanaton for the changes here on Talk. Sensei48 (talk) 03:09, 24 June 2014 (UTC)


 * To reiterate and reinforce following my re-reversion: The NCAA list does not govern the charts on this page. Selectors used in formulating this list are presented and explained in the article.


 * Further, major changes to a long-term stable article, as this has been, deserve explanation and justification on Talk as a matter of courtesy at least to the editors who have worked on the list. I might add that that does not include me, though I have made other edits to the article's text.Sensei48 (talk) 06:49, 24 June 2014 (UTC)


 * I agree completely. If the other editor wishes to debate the inclusion of RFACT, Colley, etc, he/she is more than welcome to do so, but the Talk page is the place for that discussion, not repeatedly reverting changes on the main page. Dolenath (talk) 14:59, 29 August 2014 (UTC)

Georgia Bulldogs football national championships
Doesn't Georgia really have 2 national championships (1942, 1980) because the other 3 don't really count. The school only has claimed those 2 titles I've mentioned. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 725edwards (talk • contribs) 16:38, 16 September 2014 (UTC)


 * I'm going to guess that you're referring to the section "Total championship selections from major selectors by school" in which Georgia is credited with 5. The rationale for that section is spelled out in the article; the number is a sum of all selections from the table immediately above, "Yearly national championship selections from major selectors." This is separate from a school's claims. Alabama claims 15 NCs, for instance, but has been named by one or more major selectors 19 times. The more conservative Notre Dame claims 11 but has been named by one or more major selectors 22 times. This article and these sections have been assembled independent of schools' claims or the rather erratic NCAA record book, which offers no clear rationale for its major selectors (and why NCAA uses some selectors in some years and not in others). Sensei48 (talk) 18:16, 16 September 2014 (UTC)

Parke Davis
My recently reverted edit to the paragraph on the Parke Davis selections was meant only to indicate why 1933 was its last year (Davis died before the 1934 season), not to provide biographical information. FWIW. Jeff in CA (talk) 00:45, 1 October 2014 (UTC)
 * I think the text about all the pre-1933 selections being retroactive because he did the research in 1933 is enough. However, if you feel strongly, feel free to add it back. It was just kind of choppy and non-sequitur before - maybe make it transition a little better into the death date. Dolenath (talk) 02:36, 1 October 2014 (UTC)

Stanford's Claims
Similar to the "Georgia's claims" section above, Stanford's media guide mentions that someone selected its 1940 team, but really only does so with a footnote as a passing reference. See page 140: http://www.gostanford.com/fls/30600/old_site/pdf/m-footbl/09FB-history.pdf?DB_OEM_ID=30600

I think the wording here is less strong than Georgia's media guide and as such shouldn't count as a "claim". In short, I think Stanford should just have 1 "claimed" national championship. Dolenath (talk) 22:00, 30 September 2014 (UTC)
 * Correction, see page 141 for the wording. Also note, this .pdf is the 2009 Media Guide. UW Dawgs (talk) 22:21, 30 September 2014 (UTC)
 * oof, nevermind, they fully claim it in the 2014 version: http://www.gostanford.com/pdf9/2762696.pdf Dolenath (talk) 02:38, 1 October 2014 (UTC)
 * Comment I read the 2014 Media Guide .pdf, pg 172 as neutral on Stanford's 1926 and 1940 claims. The relevant section is a factual blurb that various selectors awarded their championships to Stanford in 1926 and 1940.  That's common in media guides, particularly Pac-12 media guides vs SEC (full page tributes which clearly "claim" the award).
 * However, this (undated) page on Stanford's athletics site unambiguously lists a single football championship ("National Titles Won by Football (1) - 1926 National Champions"). http://www.gostanford.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=30600&ATCLID=208444276
 * So I think the question of 1926 vs 1926 and 1940 is open, but I'm leaning towards Stanford claiming only 1926, barring new discovery. UW Dawgs (talk) 18:04, 1 October 2014 (UTC)
 * I dunno, seems pretty cut and dry to me in the 2014 version. They have a box titled "National Championships" and they list both 1926 & 1940 there. They do have a note on the 1940 one, but it's listed in the same fashion as 1926.
 * Also, there's this page: http://www.gostanford.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=209605452&DB_OEM_ID=30600
 * which also lists 1940 along with 1926.Dolenath (talk) 18:22, 1 October 2014 (UTC)