Rich Clarkson/NCAA Photos via Getty Images
Quarterback Gary Beban #16 of the UCLA Bruins runs the ball against Missouri Tigers at Faurot Field on October 16, 1965 in Columbia, Missouri. Missouri and UCLA tied 14-14
The US Senate has apparently decided college football did not have enough arguments about championships from before color television. On Thursday, the chamber unanimously passed a resolution recognizing the Missouri Tigers as having a claim to the 1960 national title, giving an already crowded season a fifth team that can point at history and say, “Actually, that one is ours too.”
The Missouri Tigers had never previously claimed the 1960 championship themselves. That did not stop Sen. Eric Schmitt of Missouri from taking the matter to Washington, where the Senate officially expressed its support for the Tigers’ case 66 years after the games were played.
The Senate Just Made 1960 College Football Even Messier
Schmitt’s resolution passed without objection on Aug. 6 and praised coach Dan Devine’s team for finishing 11-0, winning the Big Eight and beating Navy 21-14 in the Orange Bowl.
There is one important catch. A Senate resolution is symbolic. It does not rewrite NCAA records, seize Minnesota’s trophy or force every college football history book to add a fifth line under 1960.
It does, however, give Missouri fans an incredible new piece of ammunition.
This is also what happens when a sport spends decades crowning champions through polls, formulas and selectors instead of an actual tournament. Before the BCS and College Football Playoff, there was no single championship game capable of settling everything on the field. Apparently the cleanup crew now includes 100 United States senators.
The Tigers’ only loss on the field came against rival Kansas, which won 23-7 in the regular-season finale. The Big Eight later ruled Kansas halfback Bert Coan ineligible because of recruiting violations and ordered the Jayhawks to forfeit, leaving Missouri with an official 11-0 record.
That alone makes the season weird.
Then you get to the championship.
Minnesota finished No. 1 in the AP and UPI polls, which were both conducted before bowl games. The Gophers then lost 17-7 to Washington in the Rose Bowl.
Ole Miss finished 10-0-1, beat Rice in the Sugar Bowl and was named champion by the Football Writers Association of America. Washington received the title from the Helms Athletic Foundation after beating Minnesota. Iowa, which went 8-1, was selected by the Litkenhous Ratings.
Four champions. One season. Completely normal sport.
Missouri Now Has A Government-Issued Argument
Missouri’s case was never invented out of thin air. The Tigers were ranked No. 1 during the season, beat Nebraska, Penn State and Oklahoma, defeated Heisman Trophy winner Joe Bellino and Navy in the Orange Bowl, and were later selected as national champion by the Poling System.
The university still does not officially list the team as a claimed national champion. A Missouri spokesman told the Associated Press the school was aware of the Senate resolution but offered no additional comment.
That restraint is almost disappointing.
College football programs have claimed championships based on polls, computer formulas, retroactive selectors and logic that would get laughed out of a fantasy football group chat. Missouri now has something none of the other 1960 contenders can match: congressional support.
Whether the school actually puts “1960 National Champions” inside Memorial Stadium is another question.
But the Senate has done its part.
Minnesota has the AP. Ole Miss has the FWAA. Washington has Helms. Iowa has math.
Missouri has the United States government.