Four teams had claims to the 1960 national championship in college football, but that number has now grown to five. The U.S. Senate is adding Missouri to the list of potential champions, with a resolution recognizing the Tigers for their claim to the national title.
The measure was introduced by Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., during a meeting Thursday and passed with no objections. Resolutions don't have the force of law, but they reflect the Senate's "sentiments," according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Missouri's claim to the title is based on their 10-1 record in the 1960 season, which included a victory over Navy and Heisman Trophy winner Joe Bellino in the Orange Bowl. The lone loss had come to Kansas in a game to decide the then-Big Eight Conference title, although the Jayhawks were later forced to forfeit due to recruiting violations.
The Senate's recognition of Missouri's claim adds another layer to the complex history of college football's 1960 national championship. The sport was decided by polls and rankings decades ago, before the arrival of the Bowl Championship Series or today's College Football Playoff.
The AP and United Press International polls had previously crowned Minnesota as the champion, but this was before the Gophers lost to Washington in the Rose Bowl. The Football Writers Association of America, on the other hand, voted Mississippi as its post-bowl champion.
The Helms Athletic Foundation, which was created in 1936 to promote amateur athletics, recognized Washington as its champion. Meanwhile, the Litkenhous Rating system chose Iowa with its mathematical formula utilizing scoring margins and opponent strength, according to The Athletic.
Missouri's claim to the title has been championed by author Brendon Steenbergen, who wrote a book detailing the 1960 season. In a past interview with the Post-Dispatch, Steenbergen said: “I've been beating the drum to try to get the university to recognize it because I think they have as much a right as anyone in the country to be national champions in 1960.”
The university's response to the Senate's resolution is not yet clear, with team spokesman Dave Matter not immediately responding to an email from The Associated Press for comment on Friday afternoon. However, the move is likely to spark further debate about the 1960 national championship and the teams that could have been crowned as the best in the country.
Source: Yahoo Sports