Won the Rose Bowl over Ohio State; named national champion by UPI, FWAA, and NFF.
USC’s 1974 schedule1974: 2 Champions, Zero Agreement
SPLITMULTIPLEOklahoma finished 11-0 and was voted No. 1 by AP despite being barred from television, bowls, and the coaches' poll for NCAA probation, while USC took the UPI, FWAA, and NFF titles.
The case for each side
11-0, on NCAA probation for recruiting violations and ineligible for the UPI coaches' poll by unanimous board agreement, TV, and bowl play; still finished No. 1 in the final AP writers' poll. Not vacated; still claimed by the school.
Oklahoma’s 1974 scheduleNo national title game was played after the 1974 season: before 1998 there was no mechanism to play one, which is why so many of these seasons were settled by vote instead.