Just remember, in large part Nixon screwed undefeated Penn State by "declaring" UT NCAA Champs that year. This is one of many similar contested "Championship" years before the current playoff system that cannot and will not ever be settled. Sorry, UT fans but you really cannot claim sole championship status for this year.
shareDidn't Penn State have to vacate that season for covering up rape?
shareBefore the BCS and CFP, most college fans agreed on the AP national champion. AP used to name its champ before the bowl games, but at some point in the late 60s or early 70s, they decided to wait until after the bowl games. For 1969, AP named UT the national champion, and Penn State fans cannot rewrite that history.
shareThe thing is Penn State knew the winner Texas - Arkansas game would be undefeated and that the Cotton Bowl would most likely have a team with a perfect record. They were the Cotton Bowl's first choice but they decided to go have fun in the sun and play in the Orange Bowl. I think Texas would have beat them but too bad Penn State decided not to settle it on the field. We will never know for sure.
sharePenn St. could have settled it, at least with the AP (The UPI's final vote was before the bowl games then), if they had accepted the invitation to the Cotton Bowl. I've read their excuse for opting for the Orange Bowl instead was because the Orange had a bigger payout. Whether it was that, or because their players (and fans) wanted sunny south Florida over Dallas, where around New Year's Day it could be sunny in the 70's or icy in the 20's, they made a decision that cost them a shot.* Really, I think many thought that Texas doublecrossed their prognostications twice... they expected Arkansas to beat Texas since they played in Fayettville-- and, of course, Arkansas very nearly did-- and they also figured that Notre Dame, with it's bigger lines, could beat either of them in the Bowl. And even if it had been Arkansas in the Cotton and they beat ND, Penn St. would still be voted #1, since one poll had Penn St. ahead of Ark. anyway. But that's like hoping an underdog knocks off the big champ before you have to fight him. If you want to really be champion, then beat him yourself.
* I have also read the racial issues of the time may have entered Penn St.'s decision to not want to go to Dallas or to play Texas, still all-white (though they did have 1 or 2 black players on their freshman team).
At that time the race issue wasn't even thought of until later. Young people were upset about the Vietnam. ABC tv network had it figured out. The top teams were Ohio State, Texas, and Penn State. They talked Texas and Arkansas into playing their game in December until earlier as scheduled because Ohio State had a perfect record the year before and it is hard to maintain win streaks and they were sure they would be beat which happened when they lost to Michigan. They were sure that when Texas and Arkansas played both would have perfect records. Then it was expected that Penn State would play the winner of Texas-Arkansas for the National Championship. Everything went according to plan until Penn State decided to go to the Orange Bowl for fun in the sun and more money. Penn State ruined it for themselves on that choice which is a shame.
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