| 1974 NCAA Division I football season | ||
|---|---|---|
 | ||
| Preseason AP No. 1 | Oklahoma[1] | |
| Regular season | September 7 – November 30, 1974 | |
| Number of bowls | 11 | |
| Bowl games | December 16, 1974 – January 1, 1975 | |
| Champion(s) | Oklahoma (AP) USC (Coaches, FWAA, NFF) | |
| Heisman | Archie Griffin (running back, Ohio State) | |
| ||
The 1974 NCAA Division I football season finished with two national champions. The Associated Press (AP) writers' poll ranked the University of Oklahoma, which was on probation and barred by the NCAA from postseason play, No. 1 at season's end. The United Press International (UPI) coaches' poll did not rank teams on probation, by unanimous agreement of the 25 member coaches' board.[2] The UPI trophy went to USC.
During the 20th century, the NCAA had no playoff for the major college football teams, later known as "Division I-A". The NCAA Football Guide, however, did note an "unofficial national champion" based on the top ranked teams in the "wire service" (AP and UPI) polls. The "writers' poll" by Associated Press (AP) was the most popular, followed by the "coaches' poll" by United Press International) (UPI). Starting in 1974, the UPI joined AP in issuing its final poll after the bowl games were completed. Both polls operated under a point system of 20 points for first place, 19 for second, etc., whereby the overall ranking was determined. The AP poll consisted of the votes of 60 writers, though not all voted in each poll, and the UPI poll was taken of a 25-member board.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on October 2, 2011. Retrieved December 30, 2008.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "UPI Coaches Omitting Oklahoma," Mansfield (O.) News Journal, Sep. 24, 1974, p19