10-1, Big Ten champion but barred from a bowl by the conference's no-repeat rule; finished No. 1 in the pre-bowl UPI coaches' poll, won the NFF's MacArthur Bowl, and shared the FWAA's Grantland Rice Trophy.
Michigan State’s 1965 schedule1965: 2 Champions, Zero Agreement
SPLITMULTIPLEAlabama beats Nebraska in the Orange Bowl to take the first post-bowl AP poll, Michigan State keeps the pre-bowl UPI and NFF titles, and the FWAA splits its Grantland Rice Trophy between the two, a genuine co-championship.
The case for each side
9-1-1; beat Nebraska 39-28 in the Orange Bowl to finish No. 1 in the first post-bowl-era AP poll. FWAA co-champion (shared Grantland Rice Trophy).
Alabama’s 1965 scheduleNo national title game was played after the 1965 season: before 1998 there was no mechanism to play one, which is why so many of these seasons were settled by vote instead.