Name some championship caliber teams in razorback history

[Sweet Feet]

Name some teams that Arkansas has fielded that you felt could have won a national title if given the chance or if it wasn't for unfortunate mistakes/losses

[Bacons Rebellion]

1962, 1965, 1966, 1969, 1977, 1978, 1982, 1988, 1989, 2010

There were other teams each year that could have said the same thing. The secret is to be close many years, so you have the opportunities for things to break your way once in a while. It's no mathematical coincidence that we won our championship in a decade where we were close four other times.

[hawginbigd1]

1962, 1965, 1966, 1969, 1977, 1978, 1982, 1988, 1989, 2010

There were other teams each year that could have said the same thing. The secret is to be close many years, so you have the opportunities for things to break your way once in a while. It's no mathematical coincidence that we won our championship in a decade where we were close four other times.

I would add 1998 and 2011 for sure. 98 if not for the Stoernover, we finish the season playing for the title Tennessee won.

[oldbooniehog]

None.

A mark of a championship-caliber team is not making such mistakes, and winning when it counts.

[LRRandy]

None.

A mark of a championship-caliber team is not making such mistakes, and winning when it counts.

exactly right. Champions do the things necessary to win championships. Period.

[LRRandy]

I would add 1998 and 2011 for sure. 98 if not for the Stoernover, we finish the season playing for the title Tennessee won.

those pesky losses to MS St and Xichigan probably would have kept them from a national championship.

[King Kong]

those pesky losses to MS St and Xichigan probably would have kept them from a national championship.

Wouldn't have played Michigan in that situation.

Had that 2006 team beat LSU and Fl they would have killed OSU in the NC game

[LRRandy]

Wouldn't have played Michigan in that situation.

Had that 2006 team beat LSU and Fl they would have killed OSU in the NC game

I love it. You are stretching a three loss season into a national championship. Sheesh.
That's also what you probably said before the sugar bowl. Didn't quite work out did it.

[ADavisTheGOAT]

2010 was the closest we've been in my lifetime. If we beat Awbarn or Bama we make the SECT game. We likely beat USCe in a rematch and head to the national title.

[LZH]

I love it. You are stretching a three loss season into a national championship. Sheesh.

Dammit man, we're trying to make ourselves feel better by playing 'what if'....stop pissing on our woulda-coulda-shoulda-been MNC's! 

[AirWarren]

None.

A mark of a championship-caliber team is not making such mistakes, and winning when it counts.

This.

[LRRandy]

Dammit man, we're trying to make ourselves feel better by playing 'what if'....stop pissing on our woulda-coulda-shoulda-been MNC's! 

my bad

[MuskogeeHogFan]

Dammit man, we're trying to make ourselves feel better by playing 'what if'....stop pissing on our woulda-coulda-shoulda-been MNC's! 

While I agree that the premise of the thread is flawed, please don't encourage the Ohio State Troll.

[LRRandy]

While I agree that the premise of the thread is flawed, please don't encourage the Ohio State Troll.

I don't know what you mean

[Sweet Feet]

None.

A mark of a championship-caliber team is not making such mistakes, and winning when it counts.

So with 2 losses, was LSU still a championship caliber team in 2007 after losing to Arkansas at home? Lol I think you guys have a different meaning in mind. When I say championship caliber, I mean teams that have the potential and quality team to make a legit run for a national title. I mean I'm sure any one would have said Alabama had a championship caliber team in 2013, 2014, and this past season.

[jkstock04]

I don't know what you mean

Read the OP. "Could have won a national title"

This is the off-season and this is purely hypothetical.

[rlamb]

Also maybe Hugo Bezdek's 09' or 08' Razorback team that went 9-0? Probably Yale or
Princeton won the National Title that year as selected that year by a cereal company?

I've noticed some Hog posters claim the 09 and 65 and 77  teams as National titlists.
That's because we won 2 obscure National Titles in 77' and 1 in 65'.

[holeinthewall]

Also maybe Hugo Bezdek's 09' or 08' Razorback team that went 9-0? Probably Yale or
Princeton won the National Title that year as selected that year by a cereal company?

I've noticed some Hog posters claim the 09 and 65 and 77  teams as National titlists.
That's because we won 2 obscure National Titles in 77' and 1 in 65'.

Exactly.  There are all kinds of NC announced. Only 2 matter and only 2 have ever mattered.

[hawginbigd1]

those pesky losses to MS St and Xichigan probably would have kept them from a national championship.

Michigan doesn't happen if not for Tennessee result, most likely they don't play flat against MSU, but even if they did it doesn't matter, we still go to the title game.

[King Kong]

I love it. You are stretching a three loss season into a national championship. Sheesh.
That's also what you probably said before the sugar bowl. Didn't quite work out did it.

Stretching? That team didn't lose to anyone that finished outside the top 5 in the Nation. Please actually know what you are talking about.

Without the  Reggie Fish play we beat FL

[redleg]

1909 (7-0) - outscored opponents 186-18.
1962 (9-2) - lost at Texas 7-3. If they had beaten the Horns, would have been undefeated going into the Cotton Bowl vs LSU.
1964 (11-0) - national champs!
1965 (10-1) - should have beaten LSU in Cotton Bowl to continue winning streak.
1968 (10-1) - only loss was at Texas.
1969 (9-2) - Game of the Century loss...still hurts. 
1977 (11-1) - should have beaten Texas.
1979 (10-2) - should have beaten Houston in Fayetteville, would have beaten Nebraska in the Cotton Bowl and shared the national championship.
1985 - (10-2) - lost to Texas and Texas A&M by a total of 6 points.
1988 (10-2) - if the Hogs had beaten Miami they would have been undefeated going into the Cotton Bowl, and probably would have played Lou Holtz and Notre Dame for the national title.
1989 (10-2) - should have beaten Texas, would have had a national championship on the line in the Cotton Bowl.
1998 (9-3) - should have beaten Tennessee and Miss St.

In my estimation, Arkansas should have at least 7 national championships (1909, 1964, 1965, 1969, 1977, 1979, 1989) instead of only 1. But it just wasn't to be.
:razorback:

[Dwight_K_Shrute]

'06 team had the talent just not the right coach

2010 team was right there,  BP didn't discover that KD was better than the Sloth til after the Alabama game.

[LRRandy]

Stretching? That team didn't lose to anyone that finished outside the top 5 in the Nation. Please actually know what you are talking about.

Without the  Reggie Fish play we beat FL

well, I know that wether a team is top 5 or bottom five, if you lose to them it is still a loss.
I know that three losses will always keep you out of the conversation of winning a national championship.
I know that having a conversation about a three loss team being in position of winning a national championship is dream talk by fans and stretching what actually happened.
I know fielding a punt is part of every game.
I know luck plays a part in all championships. Good and bad.
I know champions make the plays necessary to win championships. Teams that don't make the plays talk about being in position to win, but don't actually win.
I know playing what if makes you feel better.
That's some of what I know.

[smb]

None.

A mark of a championship-caliber team is not making such mistakes, and winning when it counts.

I like this answer.

[King Kong]

well, I know that wether a team is top 5 or bottom five, if you lose to them it is still a loss.
I know that three losses will always keep you out of the conversation of winning a national championship.
I know that having a conversation about a three loss team being in position of winning a national championship is dream talk by fans and stretching what actually happened.
I know fielding a punt is part of every game.
I know luck plays a part in all championships. Good and bad.
I know champions make the plays necessary to win championships. Teams that don't make the plays talk about being in position to win, but don't actually win.
I know playing what if makes you feel better.
That's some of what I know.

You can keep writing more, but it just exposes your limited mental capacity. The 2006 team meets the requirements of the OP.

[bphi11ips]

None.

A mark of a championship-caliber team is not making such mistakes, and winning when it counts.

What more could the 1964 team have done?

[rhames]

well, I know that wether a team is top 5 or bottom five, if you lose to them it is still a loss.
I know that three losses will always keep you out of the conversation of winning a national championship.
I know that having a conversation about a three loss team being in position of winning a national championship is dream talk by fans and stretching what actually happened.
I know fielding a punt is part of every game.
I know luck plays a part in all championships. Good and bad.
I know champions make the plays necessary to win championships. Teams that don't make the plays talk about being in position to win, but don't actually win.
I know playing what if makes you feel better.
That's some of what I know.

I get what you're saying but the 2006 team fits the bill about what the OP is asking. Going into the LSU game, last week of the regular season, our fate  was in our own hands. USC had lost 2 and Michigan had lost to Ohio State.


We didn't get it done but that was a team that had all the right pieces.

That's the closest we have been in a long long time. Yes I know about 2010 and 2011.



2006 was a fun season all drama aside.

[LRRandy]

You can keep writing more, but it just exposes your limited mental capacity. The 2006 team meets the requirements of the OP.

see. I knew it made you feel better.

[Tejano Jawg]

This is always a tough game.

You can say if Atwater hangs on to the interception vs #3 Miami, putting us at 11-0, we might have had a shot. We would have drawn a higher matchup in the Cotton Bowl than Aikman's UCLA. But what would we have done then? And still, depending on the other bowls, would we still have been voted #1 even in a win? Several things would have to fall our way, starting with us being 12-0.

In 1998, there were more games to play following Tennessee.

In 2010, there were too many variables and what-ifs. If Mallett doesn't throw 3 picks vs Alabama, we win. If the refs don't blow several calls vs Auburn, who knows on that one?

I still think the best team in my lifetime (in my consciousness, too young to remember the '64 team) was the 1977/1978 Orange Bowl team. In the Texas loss, how important was the no-call face mask on Calcagni? Had we won, then kept winning, how would we have done vs Notre Dame? We sure had an explosive offense and one of the top couple defenses ever at Arkansas.

[Bubba's Bruisers]

I can't recall a team I thought was good enough to win a NC.

[uams1989]

1909 (7-0) - outscored opponents 186-18.
1962 (9-2) - lost at Texas 7-3. If they had beaten the Horns, would have been undefeated going into the Cotton Bowl vs LSU.
1964 (11-0) - national champs!
1965 (10-1) - should have beaten LSU in Cotton Bowl to continue winning streak.
1968 (10-1) - only loss was at Texas.
1969 (9-2) - Game of the Century loss...still hurts. 
1977 (11-1) - should have beaten Texas.
1979 (10-2) - should have beaten Houston in Fayetteville, would have beaten Nebraska in the Cotton Bowl and shared the national championship.
1985 - (10-2) - lost to Texas and Texas A&M by a total of 6 points.
1988 (10-2) - if the Hogs had beaten Miami they would have been undefeated going into the Cotton Bowl, and probably would have played Lou Holtz and Notre Dame for the national title.
1989 (10-2) - should have beaten Texas, would have had a national championship on the line in the Cotton Bowl.
1998 (9-3) - should have beaten Tennessee and Miss St.

In my estimation, Arkansas should have at least 7 national championships (1909, 1964, 1965, 1969, 1977, 1979, 1989) instead of only 1. But it just wasn't to be.
:razorback:

1979?

Bama went undefeated and beat the Hogs in the Sugar Bowl. How would Arkansas shared a championship from the Cotton Bowl?  Bama was already number 1.

[oldbooniehog]

What more could the 1964 team have done?

Um, I think you'll find that the 1964 team was actually awarded a form of the National Championship.

I thought all Hog fans knew this?

The athletic department never shuts up about it.

[redleg]

1979?

Bama went undefeated and beat the Hogs in the Sugar Bowl. How would Arkansas shared a championship from the Cotton Bowl?  Bama was already number 1.

If Arkansas had beaten Houston, the Hogs would have been undefeated and would have gone to the Cotton Bowl as SWC champs, instead of playing Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. I firmly believe that Arkansas would have beaten Nebraska in the Cotton Bowl (Houston actually beat the Huskers) and potentially forced a split with Bama for the "79 national title.
What actually happened was, Houston beat Arkansas, forcing a two-way tie for the SWC championship between the Hogs and Cougars, sending UH to the Cotton and Arkansas to the Sugar.
:razorback:

[TNRazorbacker]

None.

A mark of a championship-caliber team is not making such mistakes, and winning when it counts.

Exactly my thoughts.  Your championship caliber when you make it to the dance. Not before.

[1highhog]

1962, 1965, 1966, 1969, 1977, 1978, 1982, 1988, 1989, 2010

There were other teams each year that could have said the same thing. The secret is to be close many years, so you have the opportunities for things to break your way once in a while. It's no mathematical coincidence that we won our championship in a decade where we were close four other times.

Yes to all except 2010.

[Hogwild]

What more could the 1964 team have done?

Before the season could have had them change the rules on when the national championship is awarded. Not after the season, which then cost us a 2nd national title in '65.

[TNRazorbacker]

1909 (7-0) - outscored opponents 186-18.
1962 (9-2) - lost at Texas 7-3. If they had beaten the Horns, would have been undefeated going into the Cotton Bowl vs LSU.
1964 (11-0) - national champs!
1965 (10-1) - should have beaten LSU in Cotton Bowl to continue winning streak.
1968 (10-1) - only loss was at Texas.
1969 (9-2) - Game of the Century loss...still hurts. 
1977 (11-1) - should have beaten Texas.
1979 (10-2) - should have beaten Houston in Fayetteville, would have beaten Nebraska in the Cotton Bowl and shared the national championship.
1985 - (10-2) - lost to Texas and Texas A&M by a total of 6 points.
1988 (10-2) - if the Hogs had beaten Miami they would have been undefeated going into the Cotton Bowl, and probably would have played Lou Holtz and Notre Dame for the national title.
1989 (10-2) - should have beaten Texas, would have had a national championship on the line in the Cotton Bowl.
1998 (9-3) - should have beaten Tennessee and Miss St.

In my estimation, Arkansas should have at least 7 national championships (1909, 1964, 1965, 1969, 1977, 1979, 1989) instead of only 1. But it just wasn't to be.
:razorback:

LOL- in refuting this one need only to point to the number of "should's" 😄

[Pork Twain]

None.

A mark of a championship-caliber team is not making such mistakes, and winning when it counts.

Agreed and in all honesty, it is hard for me to call a team with two or more losses a championship caliber team.  I think the closest in my lifetime to a team that could have actually won it all are 1988 and 1989.  People wish that 1998, 2010 and 2011 were better than they were.

1978 - Lost to #6 Houston and #2 Bama
1982 - Lost to UR Baylor and #12 Texass and tied #2 SMU
1988 - Lost to #3 Miami and #9 UCLA
1989 - Lost to UR Texas and #8 Tennessee
1998 - Lost to #1 Tennessee, UR Miss St and #15 Michigan
2010 - Lost to #1 Alabama, #7 Auburn, and #6 Ohio St
2011 - Lost to #3 Alabama and #1 LSU