It's a big day for Oklahoma State football, for today is the day the Cowboys have won the 1945 national title. Pop open some old, flat bottles of champagne, Cowboys fans.
As for how a team can be awarded a national title 71 years after the fact, the decision was made by the American Football Coaches Association. The AFCA put together a committee of coaches to retroactively select schools who deserve the Coaches Trophy between the seasons of 1922 and 1949. Schools who felt they had a legitimate bid for the title submitted their reasons why, and the committee would then hear their case and decide.
The first coaches poll came out in 1950, but the AFCA was founded in 1922. The organization said it was asked by a number of schools to take a look at the years prior to 1950.
Oklahoma State's case for its 1945 season was convincing enough.
"After gathering all the pertinent information and doing our due diligence, it is the pleasure of our Blue Ribbon Commission of coaches to officially recognize Oklahoma State's 1945 championship season with the AFCA Coaches' Trophy," said AFCA executive director Todd Berry in a release announcing the decision.
The Cowboys went 9-0 in 1945, finishing the season with a 33-13 win over St. Mary's in the Sugar Bowl. Unfortunately for Oklahoma State, it was one of a few teams to go undefeated in 1945. Army finished the season ranked No. 1 at 9-0, with 10-0 Alabama checking in at No. 2, a 7-1-1 Navy at No. 3 and 9-0-1 Indiana at No. 4. The Cowboys had to settle for No. 5.
As if all this isn't enough, Oklahoma State is now the first school to win a national title in both football and basketball in the same season, as the school's basketball team won its second consecutive basketball title in 1945. Sorry, 2006 Florida. You're the second to do it now.
