Unfortunately, Paterno declined the opportunity to play Texas in the Cotton, which would have settled that argument.
This was discussing arguments for NCs.
NCs were awarded pre-bowl for the years mentioned except for 73 which was split.
Paterno did not "decline to play" Texas in 1969. The bowl matchups were set up a couple weeks before the end of the season. At the time PSU accepted the trip to Miami, Ohio State was ranked #1 and they were defending national champs. No one predicted that they would lose to a rebuilding Michigan team. So, figuring PSU would be locked out of a national championship, he figured the Orange Bowl in sunny Miami was a better destination than a trip to cold, dreary Dallas. Yeah, ultimately it came back to bite him in the a** but he wasn't "ducking" anyone. If anything, the team he played in the Orange Bowl was arguably just as good or better than Texas.
Your stats are wrong. In 1969, Oklahoma did not finish #8. They may have been #8 when the game was played but that does not mean jack. In reality, OK went 6-4 in 1969 and didn't even go to a bowl game so they aren't a great example of the so called tougher schedule that Texas played that season.
2006, I thought that 2009 team wasn't very strong. We really played one great team and that was the rose bowl and got out butts handed to us.
crm114 seems to be one of these presumed PSU fans that has never met an argument that he can't spin in the light LEAST favorable to PSU. There are a few board regulars who are like that. Him being so new to the board, the possibility of him being a troll can't be discounted.
Another thing about Texas in 1969. I don't know why they got so much credit for beating Arkansas. Sure, Ark was undefeated going into the game but Ark did not beat 1 team with a wining record that season- not one. The, after losing to Texas, they promptly lost to a 3 loss Ole Miss team in the bowl game. Yeah, they really deserved to be ranked #2 going into the game with Texas.
I loathe USC, but have to say that the Toejams have historically had a tougher schedule than most of the other teams on that list. Their OOC schedule has never been the collection of cupcakes that many other blueblood teams play.
I'm not going to argue that PSU should be above any of the teams in the top 8....maybe tied with a few, but not necessarily above......nevertheless, there is no way in hell that LSU is above PSU in any way, shape or form.
Let's not ever forget 1994 when the inbred Midwestern B1G sportswriters voted for a Big 12 team instead of PSU. The biggest robbery in the history of college football.
Alabama is the bluest of blue and only have Heisman winners in the last seven years.
Do they define "blue blood" somewhere?
To me, the most important variable in determining "blue blood" is the sheer level of interest in said program. That is why Miami often isn't considered a blue blood despite their success. So, even though we've had some down years over the past decade and a half, we still have the second largest stadium in the land, seventh highest attendance last year with only one big-time home game (and will most certainly increase this year with a good season), and have one of the most positive impacts on our opponent's TV ratings.
The fact that our popularity is still so high even during this "down" time cements us more more than anyone as a "blue blood" (note that is not the same as saying we're the "most blue blood").
To me, the most important variable in determining "blue blood" is the sheer level of interest in said program. That is why Miami often isn't considered a blue blood despite their success. So, even though we've had some down years over the past decade and a half, we still have the second largest stadium in the land, seventh highest attendance last year with only one big-time home game (and will most certainly increase this year with a good season), and have one of the most positive impacts on our opponent's TV ratings.
The fact that our popularity is still so high even during this "down" time cements us more more than anyone as a "blue blood" (note that is not the same as saying we're the "most blue blood").
