If SMU goes undefeated, and they might...

[MdWIldcat55]

...How will that be viewed? Toughest remaining games are Gonzaga and UConn, teams that don't scare anyone. SMU is banned from the NCAA tournament, and I think the conference tourney.

The Mustangs would be 30-0. Obviously, it wouldn't be the huge deal it would have been had Kentucky pulled it off last year. But would it, at a minimum, end the talk that always surfaces about 1976 Indiana being the last team to go undefeated? Or would it basically be ignored -- mentioned only grudgingly as a meaningless flaw in the college record book? Would some revisionist history grow up around the team as one that could, just maybe, have gone all the way?

I don't think they'll go undefeated. UConn will get them at home, or they will stumble against some beatable team like Cincinnati. But there are people who say SMU is a legit team, and LArry Brown will have them playing with a chip on their shoulder.

 

[JStaff2187]

I think it would basically be ignored or treated as a footnote in CBB history. Our own Wildcats went 25-0 in 1954 (I think) and I don't hear many fans bring that up. I am sure the length of time has something to do with that as well.

The fact is they won't be in the tourney so they can't win it, and if they can't win it, someone will always say "It was SMU... they weren't going to win it all."

 

[LineSkiCat14]

It'd make me laugh that Larry Brown continue his shady dealings, and this time he really shot himself in the foot at what would be a likely deep tourney run. I mean, it's such a down year, if there's anytime for a Mid-major to waltz through easy competition, and catch fire in the tournament for 40-0... this is the year.

 

[UKrazycat2]

If it happens someone will make a movie out of it.

 

[OHIO COLONEL]

Who would play Larry?

 

[JasonS.]

Happened a few years ago in football ...

 

[Aike]

It would have an asterisk. Maybe 2 of them.

They should hold a Felon Four this March. Let SMU, Missouri, UL, and UNC duke it out for top outlaw.

It would be great. Sneak 6 players on the floor. Start flopping during pre-game warmups. Publicly auction off the refs to the highest bidder. Anything goes.

 

[Aike]

The difference is that it was still being done occasionally back then. It happened a few times in the 50s, 60s and 70s... then nothing. If it happens now, ironically, it'll be on the 40th anniversary of the last time it happened -- that's quite a stretch.

Someone has gone undefeated during the regular season each of the past two years.

Winning out in the regular season isn't close to the same thing as going undefeated through the regular and postseason.

 

[Aike]

That's right. BUT...No one has wrapped up a season without a loss -- whatever the circumstances -- since 1976. Would that be essentially ignored? Maybe. But I have a feeling as it got closer, especially once it registered that, hey, they ain't playing any tournament, so they may hang up their sneakers in March without a loss, there would be a great scramble to put it in perspective by the sports media.

They probably won't do it, but my perspective is that were it to happen, it would be a nice accomplishment with a large asterisk. I would not count it.

 

[Teachable Moe]

That's right. BUT...No one has wrapped up a season without a loss -- whatever the circumstances -- since 1976. Would that be essentially ignored? Maybe. But I have a feeling as it got closer, especially once it registered that, hey, they ain't playing any tournament, so they may hang up their sneakers in March without a loss, there would be a great scramble to put it in perspective by the sports media.

I don't think there's any "maybe" about it. In 1977, the UK football team didn't go to a bowl game and they were the best team in the country at the end of the year. No1curr.

 

[KWilt43atbuzz]

They would win the Frank Haith Award for most shady Ws.

 

[UKWildcats#8]

I don't think there's any "maybe" about it. In 1977, the UK football team didn't go to a bowl game and they were the best team in the country at the end of the year. No1curr.

Best team? Not according to the polls in 77. You had Alabama ahead of them, Penn St, Texas, Ark, etc.

 

[BigRedMachineBigBlueNation]

UConn scares me... but only because they seem to have UK's number.

 

[UK90]

I don't think there's any "maybe" about it. In 1977, the UK football team didn't go to a bowl game and they were the best team in the country at the end of the year. No1curr.

I don't know where you heard this, but NO. That was a helluva team, but it was NEVER ranked No. 1. In fact, appears they were never even in the Top 5 (see link). Looks like the highest they got was No. 6.

 

[GOING FOR #9]

SMU isn't as good as the Wichita st team that went undefeated until we beat them in 2014 imo and no one talks about that team so no they will be a foot note but they will lose before then

 

[JStaff2187]

The difference is that it was still being done occasionally back then. It happened a few times in the 50s, 60s and 70s... then nothing. If it happens now, ironically, it'll be on the 40th anniversary of the last time it happened -- that's quite a stretch.

Yeah I see your point. I just think without winning the title no one would overly care. I think the main thing that everyone would remember if they did go undefeated is, "SMU was undefeated... but they got caught cheating and missed the tournament."

 

[Teachable Moe]

I don't know where you heard this, but NO. That was a helluva team, but it was NEVER ranked No. 1. In fact, appears they were never even in the Top 5 (see link). Looks like the highest they got was No. 6.

I didn't say they were ranked #1. I said they were the best. That was the team with Art Still, Warren Bryant, and Derrick Ramsey and they were unstoppable on offense and crushing on defense. They lost an early season game on the road where the on-field temps were well over 100 degrees. And that was it. They also stuffed the #1 (IIRC) Penn State team.

 

[Teachable Moe]

Best team? Not according to the polls in 77. You had Alabama ahead of them, Penn St, Texas, Ark, etc.

See my post above. They were disrespected in the polls because they were on probation.

And they beat the Penn St. team ranked ahead of them.

 

[JohnnyGentle]

i think it's a disgrace to even talk about those cheaters and take the focus off of good clean programs like ul and unc

 

[ukfan79]

NOT gonna happen. They'll at least 3 or 4 games before all is said and done.

 

[ZenCatFan73]

The pretenders will start getting exposed now.

 

[Lob2Davis]

That's right. BUT...No one has wrapped up a season without a loss -- whatever the circumstances -- since 1976. Would that be essentially ignored? Maybe. But I have a feeling as it got closer, especially once it registered that, hey, they ain't playing any tournament, so they may hang up their sneakers in March without a loss, there would be a great scramble to put it in perspective by the sports media.

I think they'd just change the narrative to "last team to win a championship undefeated." They won't stop hyping Knight's IU squad(and as much as it burns they probably shouldn't) but I don't think they'd give SMU any real credit when there's no way they would have advanced past the Elite 8 in the tournament.

 

[Poetax]

That's right. BUT...No one has wrapped up a season without a loss -- whatever the circumstances -- since 1976. Would that be essentially ignored? Maybe. But I have a feeling as it got closer, especially once it registered that, hey, they ain't playing any tournament, so they may hang up their sneakers in March without a loss, there would be a great scramble to put it in perspective by the sports media.

As it was back in the day when Kentucky went 25-0 and had no where to go, SMU will go by the wayside too. But they ain't going undefeated.

 

[musrat59]

One plus that they have going for them is there is no pressure on them.

 

[BoulderCat]

I doubt they will, but if so it'd be a big accomplishment. It won't get the attention we and Wichita St got, but undefeated is still undefeated. I kind of admire the team. It'd be easy for those guys to have no motivation this year, but they seem to be trying to make the best of it.

 

[docholiday51]

It would have an asterisk. Maybe 2 of them.

They should hold a Felon Four this March. Let SMU, Missouri, UL, and UNC duke it out for top outlaw.

It would be great. Sneak 6 players on the floor. Start flopping during pre-game warmups. Publicly auction off the refs to the highest bidder. Anything goes.

If you add a pole dance show at halftime count me in