Here is an example of how ridiculous Vol fans are when it comes to counting national championships. The Vols claim the 1967 national championship. The Vols went 9-2 in 1967, with a loss at UCLA and a loss to Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl. The real 1967 national champion as recognized by the NCAA is USC, which went 10-1 that year with a loss at Oregon State and a win against Indiana in the Rose Bowl. So, the Vols claim the national championship even though they lost their bowl game.
Let's take a closer look....
There are actually 4 teams that were recognized as being 1967 national champions by at least one selector.
Notre Dame 8–2: Dunkel System
Oklahoma 10–1: Poling System
Tennessee 9–2: Litkenhous
USC 10–1: Associated Press (AP), Berryman (QPRS), Billingsley Report, College Football Researchers Association, DeVold System, Football News, Football Writers Association of America, Helms Athletic Foundation, Matthews Grid Ratings, National Championship Foundation, National Football Foundation, Sagarin Ratings, United Press International (UPI)
Notice that USC was recognized as national champions by 13 different selectors, including all of the ones that anyone takes seriously, which are the Associated Press (AP), Football Writers Association of America, National Football Foundation, and United Press International (UPI). Notre Dame, Oklahoma and Tennessee were each recognized as 1967 national champions by a single selector that most people never heard of. The only one of those selectors that still exists today is the Dunkel System, which selected Notre Dame. The Poling System, which selected Oklahoma, and Litkenhous, which selected Tenneessee, both no longer exist.
So, this begs some interesting questions...
Does Notre Dame count the 1967 national championship as one of the own? No, they do not.
Does Oklahoma, which beat Tennessee in the Orange Bowl, count the 1967 national championship as one of their own? No, they do not.
Does Tennessee, which lost to Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl, count the 1967 national championship as one of the own? Yes, they do.
Does USC, which was selected as the 1967 national champion by 13 different selectors including all the major ones, count the 1967 national championship as one of their own? Of course they do, and so does the NCAA for obvious reasons.
So, best case, Tennessee is the 1967 Litkenhouse national champion with a bowl game loss to Oklahoma. Basically, one step above a participation trophy. :rotf: