How did the NCAA determine who was the national before the BCS was made?

Question

i believe the first year of the BCS was 1998

Answer 1

The old system believe it or not was even more ridiculous than the BCS formula. After the bowl games were finished even if number 1 and number 2 didn't play against each other, "which happened alot" The AP and Coaches poll would determine the national champion most of the time it was unanimous, there were however some split national championships. take 1997

I do remember in 1997 #2 Nebraska played against #3 Tenessee and beat them 42 - 17

Then #1 Michigan ended their season hanging on to beat a
#8 Washington State squad in the Rose Bowl, 21-16. Washington State got the ball back at their own seven yard line with 29 seconds left. They drove to the nine yard line with two seconds left when officials ruled that time had run off the clock, thus ending the game.

The reason #1 MU and #2 NU didn't play was because at that time the winner of the big 10 always had to play in the rosebowl against the pac10 winner.

Both teams ended up number 1 in one poll and number 2 in the other poll so they had to split. Michigan fans accuse Nebraska fans that the only reason they received the split was due to the fact that Tom Osborne had announced his retirement before the end of the season. And they also site the game that nebraska played against missouri in which nebraska won in overtime when matt herian caught a pass that was "illegaly kicked" in the air after being dropped. whatever MU fan.

LOL whatever - It was fair. one of the best games I have ever seen by the way. Anyhow So MU fans decided that voters gave a gift to osborne his final year.

Then Husker fans were shocked to learn that Michigan was even considered being the champion after it's close battle with #8 and the 2 seconds left on clock while the refs ran off of the field controversy. saying the game was over.

Both fan bases have sort of held a grudge against each other until they played against each other 2-3 years ago in the alamo bowl and Nebraska proved it superiority by beating Michigan

Answer 2

To be perfectly precise, the NCAA did not and does not determine a football champion at the 1-A level. Prior to the BCS, there were two polls that determined a champion, but even that was technically unofficial. The Associated Press poll (voted on by sportswriters) was more prestigious than the United Press International poll (coaches), and sometimes they disagreed.

When the BCS came around, they used various computer rankings, a few other factors, as well as the two polls (the coaches poll survived the end of the UPI). The coaches poll is required to crown the winner of the BCS game. The AP Poll was not, which is how we had a split championship in 2003 season. Since then, the AP Poll has dropped out of the BCS, so we could find ourselves with a split champion again.

The BCS improved on the old system by trying to make sure that the #1 and #2 team would meet in a bowl game. Back in the day, conference champs were tied to certain bowls, so #1 wouldn't face #2 in a bowl unless at least one was an independent or unless one was Big-10 and one was Pac-10 and they'd meet in the Rose Bowl. It isn't perfect...as we've seen, it can't really deal with three teams that are basically tied (2003, 2004, 2006), but it's an improvement.

Answer 3

The NCAA has never officially crowned a National Football Champion and still doesn't. Before the BCS, it was an honor decided by the AP (Associated Press) and the UPI (United Press something). That's why they always say The AP National Champ or the BCS National Champs. It's because there is no official NCAA Championship game or tournament for football. I think it is the only NCAA sport that does not crown a "National" champion.

Answer 4

The BCS does not determine national champion - they determine the BCS champion. The NCAA does not determine a national champion in Division 1 college football. Polls (AP, ESPN, coaches, etc.) have named national champions prior to the fiasco that is the BCS.

Until the NCAA institutes a playoff - as they have in other divisions - Div 1 does not have a national champion.

Answer 5

You had the UPI poll and the AP poll. Some years they agreed and some years they didn't. That's when you had an AP Champion and then a UPI Champion
Most years they agreed and you had 1 National Champion.

Answer 6

If I remember right I think the AP poll was the poll that was used as the official ranking they followed before they went to the BCS.

Answer 7

Voters from different sections of the country. The system wasnt much better then than it is now. Until they have a playoff system the Boise States of the world will continue to be shortchanged

Answer 8

The BCS sucks and is good. They screw Texas over too much!

Answer 9

There was two polls the AP and the coaches poll. Hence you often had split championships.

Answer 10

They went by the AP poll which is sportswriters, and the UPI poll which was coaches.