College
SMU, Penn State is a clash 42 years in the making
Joe Paterno's Penn State was named national champions in 1982 in the AP and Coaches Poll over undefeated SMU and the Pony Express. The Mustangs can take revenge in the upcoming College Football Playoff game.
The 2024 season wasn’t the first time the SMU football program was at the mercy of a college ranking system built to benefit the big brands. Luckily for the Mustangs, the College Football Playoff Committee did them better than the pollsters 42 years ago.
The politics of college football in 1982 were on full display when a one-loss Penn State team led by quarterback Todd Blackledge claimed the national championship in the AP and Coaches Poll over an undefeated SMU squad that was perfect outside the 17-all tie with Arkansas in the last game of the regular season.
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