(09-08-2019 11:56 AM)Nerdlinger Wrote:  So as I was going down one of several rabbit holes when chasing this hypothetical CFB Belt from its start in 1869, I discovered that the St. Mary's Gaels possessed it at the time of their 10-0 loss at home to the San Francisco Olympic Club on November 7, 1931. My question to those of you who might care is: Should a game against an institution that's not actually a college or university be considered an exhibition? I'm inclined to say yes, and therefore that St. Mary's retained the Belt until their next game, a 12-0 loss at UCLA on November 11, 1931. Any thoughts?

This also makes me wonder if, generally speaking, games should be treated as exhibitions if they involve athletic clubs, non-academy military teams (including temporary wartime ones), alumni teams, and schools that aren't colleges or universities (or aren't NCAA members). Not sure how everyone thinks about that, though.

Yeah. It'd get really dicey during WW2 if you didn't.

Just thought I'd share my spreadsheet tracking the belt from the start: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1WlWZk9...xTNcC-Ja04

Any questions, let me know! :)

(09-14-2019 09:00 AM)Nerdlinger Wrote:  Just thought I'd share my spreadsheet tracking the belt from the start: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1WlWZk9...xTNcC-Ja04

Any questions, let me know! :)

Impressive!

So Ohio State is the true lineal heavyweight champ!

We will see if Indiana can take it away today

(09-14-2019 09:47 AM)EvilVodka Wrote:  

(09-14-2019 09:00 AM)Nerdlinger Wrote:  Just thought I'd share my spreadsheet tracking the belt from the start: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1WlWZk9...xTNcC-Ja04

Any questions, let me know! :)

Impressive!

So Ohio State is the true lineal heavyweight champ!

We will see if Indiana can take it away today

Nope, not even close.

With Indiana's loss, OSU retains the Belt for another game, the 8th in their current run. Next challenger is the Miami RedHawks on 9/21, at OSU.

Ohio State still undefeated, still holds the belt, looking like they may be trying to reunite the belt with the crystal football...

Just FYI, jhasting has been tracking the belt here: https://csnbbs.com/thread-856673.html :)

I actually prefer two threads. In case one makes an error, the other can hunt down the true location of the belt.

(10-14-2019 10:17 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  I actually prefer two threads. In case one makes an error, the other can hunt down the true location of the belt.

The trick isn't tracking it today -- that's easy. What's challenging is tracing it from its origin. I spent several hours digging through online archives of contemporary local newspapers to track it as it passed between obscure schools in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Kansas in the first half of the 20th century. But what helps, in a way, is that the various possible paths the belt can take tend to merge over time. Bowl games are a common merge point, as they typically bring together schools who don't normally play during the season.

(10-14-2019 10:30 PM)Nerdlinger Wrote:  

(10-14-2019 10:17 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  I actually prefer two threads. In case one makes an error, the other can hunt down the true location of the belt.

The trick isn't tracking it today -- that's easy. What's challenging is tracing it from its origin. I spent several hours digging through online archives of contemporary local newspapers to track it as it passed between obscure schools in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Kansas in the first half of the 20th century. But what helps, in a way, is that the various possible paths the belt can take tend to merge over time. Bowl games are a common merge point, as they typically bring together schools who don't normally play during the season.

I've tried it from several different origin points. The first bowl game (Cincinnati-LSU in January 1898), the first Rose Bowl. Other people have used the undefeated 972 Nebraska team and the first CFB game ever (Rutgers-Princeton in 1869). They all merge with each other pretty quickly, often within a few years.