u/Kenneth_Jones_Media

Long shot searching here, but I'm wondering if any college football fans around at the time could help me out.

SMU currently claims 1981 & 1982 as national championship teams. But how were they viewed at the time?

I know the 1983 Cotton Bowl flashed "National Champions?" on the board after the game. I also know notable players interviewed lamented that the 1982 ring was stolen by Penn State.

Did the players, coaches or schools celebrate the NCF or Helms selections as national champions right after? Or were they retroactive? And if so, when did the school start recognizing them?

Any additional information not asked would also be appreciated. It's for a research project I'd like to do.