Oklahoma Gets Title, but Switzer’s Vote Goes to Fresno State

The University of Oklahoma was named national football champion in near-unanimous votes by both wire services Thursday.

The Sooners (11-1) missed a unanimous vote from United Press International’s board of coaches when Oklahoma Coach Barry Switzer voted for Fresno State (11-0-1).

“They are the only unbeaten team in the country,” said Switzer, whose Sooners used a 25-10 Orange Bowl victory over No. 1 Penn State to lay claim to their fifth national title.

Fresno State routed previously unbeaten Bowling Green, 51-7, in the California Bowl in a game that kicked off the bowl season Dec. 14. The Bulldogs are 16th in the UPI poll but finished 21st and unranked in the Associated Press poll of sportswriters and sportscasters.

The Sooners received 55 of 57 first-place votes and 1,138 of a possible 1,140 points in winning its sixth AP national championship. Only Notre Dame, with seven, has won more AP titles than the Sooners.

Oklahoma took 40 of 41 first-place votes and 614 points in the UPI poll. It marked the fifth time since the UPI ratings were started in 1950 that Oklahoma has been crowned that wire service’s national champion. The Sooners previously won in 1950, 1955, 1956 and 1975. Only USC, which also has five UPI national titles, has won as many as the Sooners.

Penn State (11-1), undefeated and ranked No. 1 before losing to Oklahoma, fell to No. 3 in both polls. Michigan (10-1-1), which knocked off Nebraska, 27-23, in the Fiesta Bowl, wound up No. 2 and picked up a first-place vote in the AP poll.

Tennessee (9-1-2), a 35-7 victor over Miami in the Sugar Bowl, finished fourth in both polls and gained the final No. 1 vote in the AP poll.

Air Force (12-1) was No. 5 in the UPI poll and No. 8 in the AP poll after a 24-16 victory over Texas in the Bluebonnet Bowl, while Florida (9-1-1) finished No. 5 in the AP poll. The Gators are on NCAA probation and were barred from receiving votes in the UPI poll or going to a bowl game.

UCLA (9-2-1) finished sixth in the UPI poll and seventh in the AP rankings after its 45-28 trouncing of Iowa in the Rose Bowl. Texas A&M; was sixth in the AP ratings and seventh on the UPI list following its 36-16 win over Auburn in the Cotton Bowl.

Miami (10-2) fell to No. 8 in the UPI poll and No. 9 in the AP poll; Iowa (10-2) slipped to No. 9 (UPI) and No. 10 (AP), and Nebraska was ranked No. 10 by UPI and No. 11 by AP.

THE FINAL POLLS

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Team (1st Place Votes) Record Pts Pvs* 1.Oklahoma (55) 11-1-0 1,138 3 2.Michigan (1) 10-1-1 1,032 5 3.Penn State 11-1-0 990 1 4.Tennessee (1) 9-1-2 957 8 5.Florida 9-1-1 929 6 6.Texas A&M; 10-2-0 792 11 7.UCLA 9-2-1 767 13 8.Air Force 12-1-0 755 10 9.Miami, Fla. 10-2-0 699 2 10.Iowa 10-2-0 621 4 11.Nebraska 9-3-0 500 7 12.Arkansas 10-2-0 495 14 13.Alabama 9-2-1 484 15 14.Ohio State 9-3-0 409 17 15.Florida State 9-3-0 359 18 16.BYU 11-3-0 228 9 17.Baylor 9-3-0 184 NR 18.Maryland 9-3-0 158 20 19.Georgia Tech 9-2-1 128 NR 20.LSU 9-2-1 126 12

UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL

Team (1st Place Votes) Record Pts Pvs* 1.Oklahoma (40) 11-1-0 614 2 2.Michigan 10-1-1 559 5 3.Penn State 11-1-0 517 1 4.Tennessee 9-1-2 454 8 5.Air Force 12-1-0 397 7 6.UCLA 9-2-1 392 13 7.Texas A&M; 10-2-0 336 11 8.Miami, Fla. 10-2-0 291 4 9.Iowa 10-2-0 259 3 10.Nebraska 9-3-0 217 6 11.Ohio State 9-3-0 166 17 12.Arkansas 10-2-0 163 12 13.Florida State 9-3-0 138 16 14.Alabama 9-2-1 106 14 15.Baylor 9-3-0 77 NR 16.Fresno State (1) 11-0-1 47 18 17.BYU 11-3-0 44 9 18.Georgia Tech 9-2-1 35 NR 19.Maryland 9-3-0 33 NR 20.LSU 9-2-1 17 10

* ranking in previous poll.