LSU football’s 1958 season is arguably the one that started the program’s ascent into one of college football’s powerhouses.
Before then, the Tigers had just one major bowl win in their history (the 1943 Orange Bowl) and had gone 0-4 in their home state Sugar Bowl.
By the end of that year, LSU claimed its first national championship after the Associated Press placed it atop its final ranking. The Tigers finished as the nation’s only undefeated team and finally overcome their Sugar Bowl woes to defeat Clemson, who they’ll play again in just two weeks’ time.
But now another SEC rival is claiming that year’s national title. On Tuesday, AuburnSports confirmed that Auburn is claiming four new national titles, including the 1958 trophy.
Auburn finished 9-0-1 in 1958, with one tie to Georgia Tech. Auburn and LSU did not play each other.
Auburn previously only claimed national championships for seasons in which the Associated Press awarded the program that title. Now, it’s broadened its criteria to include years in which any poll named it the national champion.
In 1958, Auburn reportedly cited the Montgomery Full Season Championship poll as its claim to the national championship.
Auburn Athletic Director John Cohen told AuburnSports that the program is no longer taking a “humble approach to our storied history.”
“Our visible National Championship recognitions now align with the well-established standard used by the NCAA’s official record book and our peers across the nation,” Cohen said.
Auburn has also claimed the 1910, 1914 and 2004 championships, AuburnSports said. New signs and banners will now be hung in Jordan-Hare Stadium.
