If you walk into a sports bar in Fayetteville and suggest that Alabama was the rightful 1964 national champion, you’re going to have a very long, very loud afternoon. It doesn't matter that it's 2026. Time hasn't dulled the edge of that debate.
The 1964 Arkansas Razorbacks football season is essentially the "Holy Grail" of Hog history. It’s the year Frank Broyles didn't just win; he dominated. But the history books are messy. Depending on which trophy case you look at, you’ll see different names etched in gold.
The weirdest part? The team was led by guys who would eventually run the NFL. We’re talking Jerry Jones and Jimmy Johnson. Imagine that. The future architect of the Dallas Cowboys dynasty was playing guard while Jimmy Johnson, a future Hall of Fame coach, was on the defensive line. They weren't just teammates; they were roommates.
The Controversy That Changed the Rules
To understand why the 1964 Arkansas Razorbacks football team still matters, you have to look at how the polls used to work. Back then, the Associated Press (AP) and the United Press International (UPI) crowned their national champion before the bowl games.
It was a flawed system. Honestly, it was ridiculous.
Alabama was ranked No. 1 at the end of the regular season. Arkansas was No. 2. Both were undefeated. The AP handed the trophy to Joe Namath and the Crimson Tide, and everyone headed to the bowl games thinking the matter was settled.
Then everything changed.
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Texas—the same Texas team that Arkansas had beaten 14-13 in Austin earlier that season—went out and beat Alabama in the Orange Bowl. Meanwhile, Arkansas ground out a 10-7 win over Nebraska in the Cotton Bowl.
Arkansas was 11-0. Alabama had a loss.
The Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) looked at the situation and did the only logical thing: they waited until after the bowls and named Arkansas the national champion. This embarrassment actually forced the AP to change its rules a year later to wait until after the bowl games to name a winner.
A Defense That Refused to Break
Frank Broyles had a specific philosophy that season. He basically decided that if the other team couldn't score, they couldn't win. Simple. Brutal.
The Razorback defense was a brick wall. Led by All-American linebacker Ronnie Caveness, they pulled off something that sounds like a typo today. They finished the regular season with five consecutive shutouts.
They blanked Wichita State, Texas A&M, Rice, SMU, and Texas Tech.
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Total points allowed over those five games? Zero.
Across the entire 11-game schedule, the defense only gave up 5.7 points per game. That is the kind of defensive efficiency that makes modern coordinators weep. Jimmy Johnson was a huge part of that front, playing with a relentless motor that would later become his coaching trademark.
Key Players Who Defined an Era
While the defense was the backbone, the offense had just enough "clutch" in it to survive the Southwest Conference (SWC) gauntlet. Fred Marshall was the quarterback, a guy who didn't put up massive stats but knew how to lead an 80-yard drive when the game was on the line.
The Roster of Legends
- Ken Hatfield: He led the nation in punt returns. His 81-yard return against Texas remains one of the most iconic plays in school history.
- Bobby Burnett: The workhorse back. He was the guy who punched in the winning touchdown in the Cotton Bowl against Nebraska.
- Jim Lindsey: A versatile threat who later spent years with the Minnesota Vikings.
- Loyd Phillips: A defensive tackle who was so good he won the Outland Trophy a few years later.
It wasn't a team of flashy superstars. It was a team of disciplined, tough-as-nails players who bought into Broyles’ system. They weren't the biggest, but they were almost certainly the most conditioned.
The 1965 Cotton Bowl: Grinding Out Greatness
The game against Nebraska wasn't pretty. If you like high-scoring shootouts, this wasn't for you. It was a 10-7 slugfest in front of 75,504 people in Dallas.
Nebraska led 7-3 late in the fourth quarter. The Razorbacks were staring at a "what if" season. But Marshall didn't panic. He orchestrated an 80-yard march that felt like it took an eternity.
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When Bobby Burnett crossed the goal line with 4:41 left, the Arkansas sideline erupted. The defense, as they had done all year, slammed the door shut on Nebraska’s final drive.
Arkansas became the only undefeated and untied team in major college football that year.
Looking Back on the Legacy
What most people get wrong about the 1964 Arkansas Razorbacks football team is the idea that they "split" the title. While Alabama technically has the AP trophy, the FWAA’s Grantland Rice Trophy is the one that accounts for the full season.
In the eyes of most objective historians, Arkansas is the true 1964 champion.
If you want to truly appreciate this team, you should look into the documentary 22 Straight, which chronicles the winning streak that started in 1964 and carried into 1965. It's the definitive look at the Broyles era.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Visit the UA Sports Hall of Honor: If you’re ever in Fayetteville, the North End Zone of Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium houses the memorabilia from the '64 season, including the Grantland Rice Trophy.
- Research the "Shootout" of 1969: To see how the Arkansas-Texas rivalry evolved from the 1964 upset, look into the 1969 "Game of the Century."
- Check the AP Poll History: Take a look at the 1965 season to see how the AP immediately moved their final poll to "post-bowl" because of the 1964 Arkansas/Alabama situation.