Factoid 388 - Dave Allerdice’s undefeated 1914 team; why does Texas not claim this as a National Championship?

In 1914 Dave Allerdice coached the Texas Longhorns to an 8-0 undefeated season. That year two other teams were awarded the National Championship through one poll or another. The Billingsley Report awarded Texas the National Championship. Texas does not recognize this championship.

Dave Allerdice coached the Texas Longhorns from 1911 to 1915. His overall coaching record was 36–11–1 and 33-7 at Texas. He was 25 when he was hired as coach for the Longhorns; the youngest football coach Texas has ever hired. His 1914 went undefeated with dominant victories throughout the season, including a 57-0 win over Baylor. Their closest game that season was 23-7 win over Haskell. (Haskell, http://www.haskell.edu, is located in Lawrence, Kansas and is the premier tribal university in the United States.)

Two other teams were also awarded the National Championship that year: Army 9-0 and Illinois 7-0. Both teams were dominant throughout the season. Army does not claim its National Championship but Illinois does. We are glad one of the three schools does claim a National Championship. However, there really is no good reason why the other two could not. There is no reason Texas should not claim the 1914 team as National Champions.