IWokeUpLikeThis
Hall of Famer
Posts: 13,886
Joined: Jul 2014
Reputation: 1484
I Root For: NIU, Chicago St
Location:
|
RE: Bowls between schools in the same conference
(08-12-2019 07:17 AM)ken d Wrote: That 1944 Rose Bowl was an odd duck. Sportswriters could have just written it up as an upset by Southern Cal (6-2) over previously unbeaten Washington. But the whole story is much different.
The game wasn't a rematch of conference mates because Washington didn't play any conference games that year due to the war. Their unbeaten season consisted entirely of wins over Whitman College, Spokane Air Command, Marsh Field Flyers and Spokane Air Command for a second time. That was it - their whole season. Why they were considered two touchdown favorites in the Rose Bowl is anybody's guess.
And, between the end of the "regular" season and the bowl, 12 of their players left to join the armed forces, leaving them with only 28 players, including fill-ins from nearby military bases. It's a wonder the game was played at all, and that 68,000 people attended it.
That season shouldn’t even count. That’s not college football. That’s the equivalent of making up fictional teams in EA videogames.
|
|
08-16-2019 12:53 AM |
|
quo vadis
Legend
Posts: 50,224
Joined: Aug 2008
Reputation: 2440
I Root For: USF/Georgetown
Location: New Orleans
|
RE: Bowls between schools in the same conference
(08-16-2019 12:53 AM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote: (08-12-2019 07:17 AM)ken d Wrote: That 1944 Rose Bowl was an odd duck. Sportswriters could have just written it up as an upset by Southern Cal (6-2) over previously unbeaten Washington. But the whole story is much different.
The game wasn't a rematch of conference mates because Washington didn't play any conference games that year due to the war. Their unbeaten season consisted entirely of wins over Whitman College, Spokane Air Command, Marsh Field Flyers and Spokane Air Command for a second time. That was it - their whole season. Why they were considered two touchdown favorites in the Rose Bowl is anybody's guess.
And, between the end of the "regular" season and the bowl, 12 of their players left to join the armed forces, leaving them with only 28 players, including fill-ins from nearby military bases. It's a wonder the game was played at all, and that 68,000 people attended it.
That season shouldn’t even count. That’s not college football. That’s the equivalent of making up fictional teams in EA videogames.
It was World War II for crissakes. Everyone was doing the best they could.
|
|
08-16-2019 07:01 AM |
|
Nerdlinger
Realignment Enthusiast
Posts: 4,920
Joined: May 2017
Reputation: 423
I Root For: Realignment!
Location: Schmlocation
|
RE: Bowls between schools in the same conference
(08-16-2019 07:01 AM)quo vadis Wrote: (08-16-2019 12:53 AM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote: (08-12-2019 07:17 AM)ken d Wrote: That 1944 Rose Bowl was an odd duck. Sportswriters could have just written it up as an upset by Southern Cal (6-2) over previously unbeaten Washington. But the whole story is much different.
The game wasn't a rematch of conference mates because Washington didn't play any conference games that year due to the war. Their unbeaten season consisted entirely of wins over Whitman College, Spokane Air Command, Marsh Field Flyers and Spokane Air Command for a second time. That was it - their whole season. Why they were considered two touchdown favorites in the Rose Bowl is anybody's guess.
And, between the end of the "regular" season and the bowl, 12 of their players left to join the armed forces, leaving them with only 28 players, including fill-ins from nearby military bases. It's a wonder the game was played at all, and that 68,000 people attended it.
That season shouldn’t even count. That’s not college football. That’s the equivalent of making up fictional teams in EA videogames.
It was World War II for crissakes. Everyone was doing the best they could.
Also, some of the military teams that formed during that period were quite good. Check out the rankings for that season: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1944_NCAA_...l_rankings
(This post was last modified: 08-16-2019 07:13 AM by Nerdlinger.)
|
|
08-16-2019 07:12 AM |
|