Not to mention that we didn't even finish first in the SEC that year (4 teams had better records). The reason, however, was that this was our ranking by Houlgate which was, at the time, the predominate ranking service (the AP had only been in existence for 5 years) The "NCAA Football Records Book" lists Alabama as the recipient of the national title under the Houlgate System in 1941. Houlgate's system was the very first systematic approach to determining a national champion in college football history. It predated the next oldest system, devised by Dick Dunkel, by two years, and predated the AP poll by a decade. It was carried by The Football Thesaurus and Football Illustrated from coast to coast for thirty-two years. It is currently recognized not only by the NCAA, but also by most prestigious college football historians, publications and databases, including Sports Illustrated and the Internet-based College Football Data Warehouse and WAJL10. Moreover, the Houlgate system's national championships are recognized by many of the top programs in college football, including Notre Dame, Southern Cal, Tennessee and Georgia. Apart from Houlgate's validity it is very possible that Alabama was the best team in the country in 1941 whether Houlgate had recognized it or not. Alabama in 1941 played, and BEAT, more of the teams in the final AP poll than any other team.