Although the modern national championship process is great in many respects, the messiness, uncertainty, and ongoing arguments about who deserved various national championships had its magic. An example season in which multiple teams staked claim to the championship game came in 1946, which was among the most talent-laden in college football history as returning servicemen filled rosters nationwide. The regular season ended with Army and Notre Dame ranked #1 and #2 after playing a scoreless November game when each team had a pair of Heisman Trophy winners on their rosters. Neither Army nor Notre Dame went to bowl games back then, so the 1947 Sugar Bowl with #3 Georgia, winners of the SEC, and #9 North Carolina, the Southern Conference champs playing in their first bowl game, provided New Year's Day's top matchup.

Charley Trippi led Georgia's team.
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