Home / Sports / Nearly 70 years later, Tigers claim 1960 football title
Nearly 70 years later, Tigers claim 1960 football title
30 Aug
Summary
- Missouri officially recognized as 1960 national champions.
- Congressional resolution and Poling System rankings backed claim.
- Other teams like Iowa and Minnesota also had championship cases.
The 1960 Missouri Tigers football team has been retroactively awarded a national championship, almost seventy years after their remarkable season. Initially unranked, the Tigers finished 8-0, defeated Oklahoma, and later beat Navy in the Orange Bowl in front of President-Elect John F. Kennedy. A subsequent forfeit by Kansas further bolstered their record.
This belated championship recognition is supported by a Congressional resolution introduced by Senator Eric Schmitt. Crucially, it is also validated by the Poling System, a mathematical ranking system recognized by the NCAA for selecting national champions between 1924 and 1984. Richard Poling's calculations identified Missouri as the top team for the 1960 season.
While the Golden Gophers of Minnesota are often cited as the 1960 champions by selectors like the AP and UPI, they lost their bowl game. Other contenders included Iowa, which had a challenging schedule and a single loss, and Ole Miss, which had an undefeated record but a tie. Despite these strong arguments, Missouri's claim, bolstered by new analysis and official recognition, has now been solidified.
