Quote:
Originally Posted by Dryden
I'm going to say that this game is not as big as the classics in the 60s and 70s.
During the 10 Year War the Rose Bowl wasn't a consolation prize. Lose the game: You don't go to a bowl. Period. Turn in your uniforms tomorrow, we'll see you next Spring.
The games meant a LOT more back then than they do today.
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The 'Win or no Bowl' thing was only true for both teams for the '72, '73, and '74 games of the 10 Year War. Of those, only in 1973 were both teams undefeated.
In 1969, if tOSU had won, they wouldn't have gone to a bowl anyway due to the no-repeat rule (but there would have been an NC).
In 1970, TSUN had no chance at a bowl, but both teams had a chance at the NC, although they were ranked #4 (TSUN) and #5 before The Game, and tOSU's win got them up to #2 and sent them to face #12 Stanford in the Rose Bowl.
In 1971, TSUN already had the Rose Bowl clinched.
In 1972, TSUN had a perfect record, and tOSU had a loss, so The Game wasn't quite as big. The loss was crushing to TSUN, though, since the no-repeat rule had been lifted, and #3 TSUN would have had a shot at a great #1 USC team in the Rose Bowl had they won.
1973 was for all the marbles; the winner got the Rose Bowl, the loser got nothing. This game can make the best claim for being as big as this year. But it was a #1 tOSU vs. #4 TSUN matchup, so TSUN would not have been guaranteed a shot at the NC by winning. The 10-10 tie ruined the NC chances of both teams.
1974 was for the Rose Bowl, but tOSU already had a loss, so The Game wasn't as big as this year (trust me, I was there).
From 1975 to 1978, the last 4 years of the Woody vs. Bo era, each team was allowed to go to a bowl.
In conclusion, only 1970 and 1973 can make a case for being as big as this year's game, but for me, #1 vs. #2 trumps those 1-4 and 4-5 matchups.