Try as it might, the Slippery Rock University football team has never won a national championship.

Not officially, anyway.

The Rock has been to the Division II national playoffs a few times in recent years, even reached the semifinal round in 1998, and has been ranked as high as No. 2 on the national polls.

But no title — unless you want to have some fun with 1936.

That was the first year The Associated Press conducted a college football poll to declare a mythical national champion. Minnesota received that distinction.

The Golden Gophers did lose a game that year — 6-0 to Northwestern — while LSU and Alabama put together undefeated seasons while tying each other.

The poll awarded the crown to Minnesota regardless, touching off much debate as to who the best team in college football really was that year. Some columnists listed once-beaten Pittsburgh (7-1-1) as the real champion.

One writer actually handed the honor to Slippery Rock in poking fun at the system.

While Northwestern beat Minnesota, Notre Dame knocked off Northwestern. And Pitt upended the Fighting Irish.

Duquesne upset Pitt that season and the Dukes were beaten themselves by West Virginia Wesleyan. Westminster defeated West Virginia Wesleyan during that 1936 campaign.

And ... you guessed it ... Slippery Rock knocked off Westminster.

Thus, Slippery Rock is your mythical national champion.

And many believe it was that year that began the tradition in place at a few big-time college football stadiums of announcing the Slippery Rock score over the public address system. It’s hard to say for sure what exactly did start such a tradition.

Of course, one could take the process even further. The Rock finished 6-3 in 1936 — losing to West Chester, Geneva and Waynesburg. Geneva and Waynesburg shut out Slippery Rock, in fact.

Maybe one of them should have been national champion.

Anyway ... The national playoff system in place today is far from perfect, but at least college football supremacy is decided on the field these days.

Super Bowl pick

The NFL championship will be decided Sunday in a nightmarish matchup for Steeler fans.

The hated New England Patriots against the Eagles from despised Philadelphia.

Someone’s gotta win, folks.

The guess here is the Patriots prevail again, this time by a 27-16 score.

New England’s defense is classic bend, but don’t break. It holds teams to field goals. Tom Brady puts his team in the end zone more often than not.

Philadelphia’s defense will keep its team in the game. Ultimately, the Pats will score three touchdowns. Brady is the obvious MVP choice, but I’m going with Rob Gronkowski.

Gronk will score a pair of touchdowns and take home the hardware.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle