Sports Americana

Before the games started, Nebraska was No. 1. Nobody knew what was coming.

September 10, 1976.

College football was about to begin, and the Associated Press had already made its preseason predictions.

There was no playoff. No BCS. No transfer portal. No 12-team bracket.

There was the AP Poll — and 20 teams hoping to be the one left standing at the end.

Here’s what the college football world looked like on this date 50 years ago:

1. Nebraska
2. Michigan
3. Arizona State
4. Ohio State
5. Oklahoma
6. Alabama
7. Texas
8. USC
9. Pittsburgh
10. Penn State
11. Notre Dame
12. Maryland
13. Arkansas
14. Texas A&M
15. California
16. Georgia
17. UCLA
18. Florida
19. Kansas
20. Miami (Ohio)

Nebraska was the clear preseason favorite, receiving 25 first-place votes. Michigan received 10, while Arizona State received seven.

And just look at that Top 20.

Nebraska. Oklahoma. Texas. Alabama. USC. Michigan. Ohio State. Penn State. Notre Dame.

Those were the usual suspects.

But there was something hiding at No. 9.

Pittsburgh.

The Panthers weren’t the favorite. They weren’t even in the Top Five.

They were simply a very good team with a junior running back named Tony Dorsett.

And then the season started.

Nebraska opened with a 6-6 tie against LSU.

Arizona State lost to UCLA.

Alabama, Texas and USC all lost.

Pittsburgh, meanwhile, went into South Bend and beat No. 11 Notre Dame 31-10.

Suddenly, the team sitting at No. 9 didn’t look quite so ordinary anymore.

Pitt would go on to finish 12-0, win the national championship and see Dorsett win the Heisman Trophy. Nebraska, the preseason No. 1, finished 9-3-1.

On September 10, 1976, these were just 20 teams on a list.

Nebraska looked like the favorite.

Pitt looked like a contender.

Bo and Woody were neck deep in their 10-year war.

And nobody knew that by December, Tony Dorsett and the Panthers would be No. 1.

That’s college football before the playoff.

And that’s the way Sports Americana remembers it.