Arkansas Communications
THE SLOPHOUSE: Meaningless Bowl Games; Were Hogs Champs in ’64?
Slop House: Episode 1
Arkansas and Central Florida have something in common with football history.
Both schools claim a national championship and the trophy sits in Tuscaloosa, Ala., but the Hogs have a legitimate gripe.
The Razorbacks would have been national champions after the 1964 season following a 10-7 win over Nebraska in the Cotton Bowl ... except the championships had already been awarded.
And the Crimson Tide claimed nearly all of them. Then Longhorns linebacker Tommy Nobis kept Alabama quarterback Joe Namath out of the end zone late in the Orange Bowl and the arguing started.
It was the first time Texas coach frustrated Bear Bryant. The Alabama coach never beat his good friend, who even gave him the keys to the Wishbone in 1971.
The Hogs finished second until legendary Arkansas Gazette sports editor Orville Henry got the executive committee of the College Football Writers to re-vote on Jan. 2 and got them a title.
But that wasn't even unanimous.
One member of the CFW committee voted Texas national champs. The Longhorns' only loss that year was to the Hogs in October by a single point, 14-13.
In the only two polls that matter, Arkansas was No. 2.
But don't say that anywhere around Hog fans ... it can start a fight pretty quickly.
Alabama just claims it as one of the 18 they boast.
And they have the trophy.
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