‘Not to slam the others,’ but Colorado insists it was consensus champ over Tech in ‘90
One week after playing in a loud, lively, cowbell-clanging stadium in Starkville, Miss., Georgia expects to find another charged environment in Boulder, Colo.
In conjunction with the Georgia-Colorado game at Folsom Field on Saturday, the Buffaloes will celebrate the 20th anniversary of, as Colorado puts it, “the 1990 consensus national championship team.”
After the 1990 season, Colorado finished No. 1 in the Associated Press poll and Georgia Tech No. 1 in the United Press International poll. Both schools can rightfully claim national championships for that year.
But Colorado insists it was the “consensus” champion, explaining its position at length in a media release previewing this week’s game against, ironically, Tech’s arch-rival:
Now apparently, our use of the word “consensus” upsets a few folks around the country. It’s not to slam the others, but rather to strengthen CU’s case for that season since many point to the Fifth Down game or the clip on Raghib Ismail’s punt return in the Orange Bowl and say our title is tainted. But fact is fact; at the time nine (*) basic postseason polls were recognized as determining a unanimous or consensus national champion; Colorado topped six of those: *Associated Press, *FWAA (Football Writers Association of America), *National Football Foundation/College Football Hall of Fame (MacArthur Trophy), *USA Today-CNN, *Sporting News and *Football News; Georgia Tech won the *United Press International poll (by 1 point) and Miami, Fla., the *Sagarin and *New York Times computer ratings. In the NCAA Record book listing for 1990, it shows 19 different groups that declared a national champion; 11 voted outright for Colorado and three each for Georgia Tech and Miami; one (National Championship Foundation) split it between CU and Tech, and another (FACT, a computer ranking) voted for four, including Washington.
Got all that?
Anyway, Colorado expects to have at least 73 players from its 1990 team in attendance for two days of 20th-anniversary festivities Friday and Saturday. Bill McCartney, the Buffaloes’ head coach in ‘90, and five of his assistants will be on hand. The ‘90 team will be honored at halftime of Saturday’s game, which is expected to draw a sellout crowd.
“It looks like they’re going to be revved up,” Georgia coach Mark Richt said. “Plus they had an open date [last week] to get all fired up about it, too.”
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222 comments Add your comment
Vulture
September 30th, 2010
9:40 am
D Gator
“Miami would have whipped both of them. CU played a tougher schedule, while GT played a Boise State schedule that year.”
Yeah, Yeah and FL fans wear jorts. Hopefully McGarity has converting to a home and home with FL in his plans.
Wreckmaniac
September 30th, 2010
9:41 am
Tech was the only undefeated team in 90 and Colorado was given an extra down ( I think against Missouri). When you think about it how did they end up #1 in any poll ?
At the end of that season Ga Tech was playing at a level above any team in the nation. Ask Nebraska.
PMC
September 30th, 2010
9:42 am
How can you be “consensus” champs when you don’t get the UPI poll?
Getting a bunch of fat hairy smelly sportswriters to like you simply means you have a good spread in the press box.
juvenal
September 30th, 2010
9:43 am
didn’t byu get 1 for being the only undefeated team, beating a horrible umich team? the only story here is how stupid the b(c)s is…& the same folks who love the ap have how many lovers of how the media handles the rest of the news?
Wreckmaniac
September 30th, 2010
9:44 am
Tech won the coaches poll which is always more respected that the writer’s poll.
Chuck Sheen
September 30th, 2010
9:45 am
Dawgs, please go out there and lay 80 on those fools
PMC
September 30th, 2010
9:46 am
For the record. I’m certain some poll gave the title to Alabama that year.
19 polls.. Seriously?
There were 2 relevant polls that people paied attention to. AP and UPI.
You can’t have concensus when you lose one of those polls.
calvin
September 30th, 2010
9:47 am
Colorado failed to mention the fact that Colorado lost
a game that season. Tech didn’t, though tied North Carolina.
Tech also beat the #1 ranked team in a November game on the
road (Virginia). The Coach’s poll got it right.
Smell the Coffee
September 30th, 2010
9:48 am
I honestly won’t know which team to pull for on Saturday. The whiney, cry baby Buffalos or lowly 1 – 3 Bull Whimps. The Tech-Wake Forest game will be a toilet bowl too. Now then, Florida-Alabama does hold some promise, at least for a half.
Wreckmaniac
September 30th, 2010
9:49 am
Why didn’t the Colorado revisionists bring this up when they visited Athens two years ago ?
Larvell Blanks
September 30th, 2010
9:51 am
Congrats to Tech and all, and they were a pretty good team, but let’s not go overboard. Waltzing your way through the pre-FSU 1990 ACC schedule was not exactly the toughest thing in the world. Except for Clemson (2 losses), every other ACC team had at least 4 losses that year, and the 4-7 Dogs weren’t exactly gangbusters either. And I suppose the word “undefeated” technically applies even though you have a tie (against powerhouse 6-4-1 UNC), but only in a legalistic sense. That said, I suppose somebody has to win the national championship, and it sure wasn’t Colorado. Instead of bitching about having to share their championship, Tech fans should go out for a beer with BYU fans and laugh their asses off about how timing is everything.
Wreckmaniac
September 30th, 2010
9:53 am
1990 was prior to the BCS fiasco. The greatest victim of these football polls was Auburn who was undefeated , untied a couple of years later and ended up # 2. If we want to discuss a poll that was wrong thats the one to talk about. Yet do we hear Auburn blabbing about it ? No.
gtu lies & cheats
September 30th, 2010
9:53 am
btgt69
September 30th, 2010
9:11 am
We may have split the national championship , but more importantly, we were GA state champs !
Don’t let CPJ know this, he wants to have a fish fry. LOL!!!
THWGT!!!!!
Paul in RDU
September 30th, 2010
9:54 am
Interesting comments about the UGA punter having a career ending injury in the 1990 UGA-GT game. Page 146 of the 2010 UGA Football Media Guide lists Scott Armstrong as the starting punter in all 11 games in 1990. He was injured so badly he only started 11 (out of 12) games in 1991, 11 out of 12 games in 1992 and 11 out of 11 in 1993
Buffalo Bob
September 30th, 2010
9:55 am
Wah, Wah, Wah. We should have been champions by ourself that year. Wah, Wah, Wha, It’s just not fair.
Who Cares
September 30th, 2010
9:58 am
Why would Colorado even bring this stuff up at the time they are playing UGA? Do they need that kind of incentive to play this week or what? Makes no sense.
Paul in RDU
September 30th, 2010
10:03 am
Who Cares – The reason this is coming up is because Colorado is honoring their 1990 championship team this year – 20th anniversary and all that. GT is honoring their 1990 team at the Miami game. I think both championship teams will see their alma maters lose.
BEANO COOK
September 30th, 2010
10:04 am
In 1990, Colorado tied 9-2-2 Tennessee, lost to 6-5-1 Illinois,
and 5th downed a bogus win over 4-7 Missouri (yes, 4-7).
There is really nothing for the 1990 Colorado team to celebrate.
The ignorant AP (Associated Press) poll voters were incompetent during the 1990 season.
Nothing is consensus about this 10-2-1 team.
Who Cares
September 30th, 2010
10:05 am
I can understand the 20th anniversary, it just seems strange to celebrate the week they are playing UGA. Makes no sense. It would be like the Braves celebrating a momentus occasion that involved the Phillies while the Pirates were in town. Well, they are from the same state…lol
juvenal
September 30th, 2010
10:12 am
ap so important they are too good now to be part of b(c)s…
Who Cares
September 30th, 2010
10:16 am
Paul – I think you are right about both teams losing on the day they celebrate their 1990 champioship. Miami will go through Tech’s pourous defense at will and let’s hope UGA’s offense finally has some fire to it.
Loran, whatdayagot? . . . . . .2-3 we hope
September 30th, 2010
10:17 am
Georgia can not afford to start the season 1-4,
the Dawgs must win this game at Colorado.
PTC DAWG
September 30th, 2010
10:18 am
Obviously, they were not the consensus National Champs in 1990. Saying something over and over does not make it true. I’m not a GT fan, but it is what it is.
Fair and Balanced
September 30th, 2010
10:19 am
Touting the Writer’s Poll is a joke. Just look at the state of our news media in general, which would have to include the sports departments too.
GTJeff
September 30th, 2010
10:32 am
Easy schedule? Tech knocked off then #1 Virginia at Virginia & beat Clemson. Virginia lost to the SEC champ Tenn. by one point in the Sugar Bowl WITHOUT their starting QB. Tech played 4 opponents who were ranked at the end of the 1990 season (Virginia, Clemson, Nebraska & Virginia Tech).
And for the record. The CONSENSUS champions are those winning the Coaches and/or AP.
rcgator
September 30th, 2010
10:35 am
How much is Colorado paying Georgia to play this weekend?
1990 Tainted Title
September 30th, 2010
10:37 am
Bill McCartney is another “Tired Act”.
—————–
Go Dawgs !
—————–
UGA=Yawn
September 30th, 2010
10:41 am
Colorado had 1 loss and also one win where they got 5 downs!!! GT had no losses!!! They can talk all they want. Had there been a BCS that year – GT would have beeten them easily. We beat Nebraska by 20 or so in our bowl game – I mean, pleaseeeeeee spare me Colorado!!!
gdawginkalamazoo
September 30th, 2010
10:41 am
rcgator, LMAO! I hope a lot. I think they moved up the homecoming game too! Just a big a$$ celebration all weekend.
N
September 30th, 2010
10:43 am
Doesn’t anyone remember the way things used to be in college football? Virginia accepted a bid to play in the Sugar bowl that season with about 3-4 games left on the schedule. They were ranked #1 and the Sugar bowl wanted to lock them down. Then Tech upset them, they stumbled a few times at the end of the season, and the Sugar bowl was stuck with a three loss team. As much as people complain about the BCS, it is so much better than what we used to get. Also, Lance is an idiot.
uuugh.
September 30th, 2010
10:49 am
Tech fans ruin every UGA blog with their nonsense. Most never have anything to offer the exchange and only try and bother UGA fans.
In same way, I completely support Colorado’s claim to their consensus NC in 1990. I don’t believe that GT has any more claim to the title than UGA that year.
Is it because I believe Colorado earned it? No.
Is it because my sharing will bother Tech fans? Absolutely.
Go dawgs!
juvenal
September 30th, 2010
10:53 am
Tech IS in the title of this blog-don’t bother me i was born in CO, don’t just wear my CU hat this week only to bug folks, know Solder’s mom, good people…
uuugh.
September 30th, 2010
10:58 am
It comes up for me when I go to the UGA page at AJC.com. Maybe they have links posted in MORE than one place juvenal! With that kind of genius strategy, you’d think the AJC was after page views or something!
William
September 30th, 2010
10:59 am
Looks like coaches voted for Tech and reporters voted for CU. That’s consensus only if you’re on a Rocky Mountain High…..
GO TECH
September 30th, 2010
11:01 am
SCREW THE BUFFS. GO EFF EM UP DAWGS! AND YES, I AM A TECH FAN.
Gatorhater
September 30th, 2010
11:03 am
I guess if that is as close as you will ever get to a National Championship you have to try to claim it, even though any rational person can see it for what it is. When you lose a game, tie a game and , well, we all know about the “five” downs, do you really think anyone believes you won it outright? Two questions emerge from this fiasco: what were the voters in the other polls smoking and why do we still not have a playoff?
woundeddawg
September 30th, 2010
11:04 am
lets be honest here, not trying to boost Colorado’s confidence, but if their 1990 squad played GT that year, Colorado would have crushed them. They were a solid squad in the 90’s.
woundeddawg
September 30th, 2010
11:05 am
I don’t think us as Dawg fans can talk much about national championships since we haven’t sniffed one in 30 years.
Larvell Blanks
September 30th, 2010
11:08 am
“Tech knocked off then #1 Virginia at Virginia …”
Operative word being “then.” Virginia proceeded to lose 4 of its last 5 games, including a home loss to 6-5-1 Maryland and a 38-13 trouncing by 6-5 Virginia Tech. South Carolina often looks like it’s a pretty good football team, until it starts playing tougher teams at the end of the season.
Yes, Tech did edge out #9 Clemson at home, which is nice, but if that’s their signature win, it merely proves the point that they didn’t play any of the really top teams. Virginia and Nebraska squeaked into the final top 25 in the AP, and Virginia Tech ended up 25 in the UPI. Nobody’s saying GT wasn’t a good team, just that it is perhaps the luckiest national champion ever, with the exception of BYU (and maybe LSU) – it didn’t have to play anyone really good in the regular season, and didn’t have to play anyone really good in the bowl game.
Burdell
September 30th, 2010
11:09 am
Ahhh wounded, but you don’t win a MNC for having a good decade…this is only 1990 we are talking about. Tech would have beaten them handily…just ask Tom Osbourne.
Tech Fan Here
September 30th, 2010
11:15 am
I hate to say it but I hope UGA beats the Sh@t out of these pansies on Saturday. They got 5 downs to beat Missouri at the end of the game. They must be high to consider themselves NC’s.
5th down game link below
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_Down_Game_%281990%29
MR
September 30th, 2010
11:18 am
I guess this makes the leg humpers feel better about themselves and the 1980 MNC. What a stupid article. Typical UGA a banter, sorry team so we have to push back the years. No trophy in the last 30 years is hard to swallow. Fla, Ala, and LSU (throw Tenn. in there also) have been the cream of the SEC crop for years..and the dawgies have not even sniffed a chance to play for the NC…
You Can't Argue Facts
September 30th, 2010
11:30 am
Colorado is absolutely correct. GT is despised nationally for numerous reasons, but their pathetic attempt to latch onto other program’s titles clearly tops the list. Most Tech fans cite the fact that the Coaches Poll (the same Coaches Poll that we have learned over the years where the actual coaches don’t even fill it out themselves) as their reason for claiming it. However, in 1952 neither the AP nor the Coaches Poll proclaimed the bugs National Champion, yet they claim it anyway.
Colorado played 13 games in 1990 compared to Tech’s 12. UC barely lost early in the season to Illinois on the road, while Tech tied a horrible UNC team in the middle of the season. UC’s opponents’ total record for that season was 88-58-4. Tech’s 11 opponents’ (not going to include Tenn-Chatt) was 69-55-2. This alone proves Colorado’s more difficult schedule. Nevermind the fact that CU faced 4 eventual conference champions from that year. Washington, Texas, Illinois and Tennessee. While Tech played ZERO conference champs. UC faced 7 teams with 8 or more victories. While the bugs faced only 4. CU played in a real bowl game against a real opponent. Tech played in a bowl that no longer exist against UC’s leftovers from early in the season. UC had 7 opponents finish in the top 25. 4 of which finished in the top 12. While Tech only had 3 opponents finish in the top 25.
To recap:
Conf. champs faced: UC – 4, Tech – 0
Opponents with 8+ wins: UC – 7, Tech – 4
Opponents finishing in top 25: UC – 7, Tech – 3
No contest. Colorado is the REAL champion from 1990. While Tech, as usual, are the leaches.
kevin
September 30th, 2010
11:30 am
I am UGA fan, but GT were the Nat’l Champions in 1990. Without 5 downs, CU loses. And, their press release, despite being tasteless, is thoroughly desperate and defensive.
Xenophon
September 30th, 2010
11:37 am
Hope they’re ready to play at altitude, because so far, this team hasn’t been on much of a “high”. Lose here and you know how next year will end.
Les Miles Clock Management Team
September 30th, 2010
11:41 am
1990 was a bit of a cluster %$#@ but you have to admit that Colorado team would have been tough for Tech to beat and did play a much tougher schedule.
Eric
September 30th, 2010
11:42 am
Hey Lance,
He didn’t even get in on 5th down
http://www.youtube.com/user/54Snickers#p/u/24/vLfR0o_zhIg
Les Miles Clock Management Team
September 30th, 2010
11:43 am
Also, Colorado’s claim is no more tenuous than about 3/4 quarters of the national championships claimed by Alabama.
whatever
September 30th, 2010
11:57 am
Yea, right – CU had that 5th down against Nebraska – in which they scored (on the 5th do 5th down) with no time left on the clock.
And please DO NOT TELL ME that CMR is complaining that CU had a week-off. They have and have had a week off before off before the GT game, Had not been for that – UGA may not have beaten Tech. So – CMR is laying the ground work for incase they loss – he can say “well, they had a week off” – and “we have to travel so far” and “Boulder is a mile-high town”. Cry me a river – CMR
KM
September 30th, 2010
11:59 am
Tom Osborne, whom they both played, voted for Tech. End of story.