| 1938 NCAA football rankings | |
|---|---|
| Season | 1938 |
| Bowl season | 1938–39 bowl games |
| End of season champions | TCU |
One human poll comprised the 1938 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) football rankings. Unlike most sports, college football's governing body, the NCAA, does not bestow a national championship, instead that title is bestowed by one or more different polling agencies. There are two main weekly polls that begin in the preseason—the AP Poll and the Coaches' Poll. The Coaches' Poll began operation in 1950; in addition, the AP Poll did not begin conducting preseason polls until that same year.
| Increase in ranking | ||
| Decrease in ranking | ||
| Not ranked previous week | ||
| National champion | ||
(#–#) | Win–loss record | |
(Italics) | Number of first place votes | |
т | Tied with team above or below also with this symbol |
The scheduled final AP Poll was released on November 29, with Notre Dame No. 1, prior to their season-end game against Southern California. [1]
The poll was extended for one week due to the "select quality of last Saturday's games, three of which had a direct bearing on the ranking". [2]
The revised final AP Poll was released on December 6, [2] at the end of the regular season, still weeks before the major bowls. The AP would not release a post-bowl season final poll regularly until 1968.
| Week 1 Oct 17 [3] | Week 2 Oct 24 [4] | Week 3 Oct 31 [5] | Week 4 Nov 7 [6] | Week 5 Nov 14 [7] | Week 6 Nov 21 [8] | Week 7 (Scheduled final) Nov 28 [9] | Week 8 (Extended final) Dec 6 [2] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Pittsburgh (4–0) (83) | Pittsburgh (5–0) (90) | Pittsburgh (6–0) (105) | TCU (7–0) (48) | Notre Dame (7–0) (60) | Notre Dame (7–0) (48) | Notre Dame (8–0) (48) | TCU (10–0) (55) | 1. |
| 2. | Minnesota (4–0) (6) | Minnesota (4–0) (1) | TCU (6–0) (8) | Notre Dame (6–0) (41) | TCU (8–0) (19) | TCU (9–0) (28) | TCU (10–0) (23) | Tennessee (10–0) (16) | 2. |
| 3. | California (5–0) (1) | California (6–0) (3) | California (7–0) | Pittsburgh (6–1) (14) | Tennessee (8–0) (5) | Duke (8–0) (3) | Duke (9–0) (15) | Duke (9–0) (11) | 3. |
| 4. | Dartmouth (4–0) (1) | TCU (5–0) (3) | Notre Dame (5–0) | Tennessee (7–0) (6) | Duke (7–0) (5) | Pittsburgh (8–1) (2) т | Tennessee (9–0) (4) | Oklahoma (10–0) | 4. |
| 5. | Notre Dame (3–0) | Santa Clara (4–0) (1) | Dartmouth (6–0) | Dartmouth (7–0) | Pittsburgh (7–1) (2) | Tennessee (8–0) (3) т | Oklahoma (9–0) | Notre Dame (8–1) (4) | 5. |
| 6. | Santa Clara (3–0) | Dartmouth (5–0) | Tennessee (6–0) (1) | Carnegie Tech (5–1) | Carnegie Tech (6–1) | Oklahoma (8–0) | Carnegie Tech (7–1) | Carnegie Tech (7–1) | 6. |
| 7. | TCU (4–0) (3) | Notre Dame (4–0) (1) | Northwestern (4–0–1) | Duke (6–0) | Oklahoma (7–0) (1) | Carnegie Tech (6–1) | Pittsburgh (8–2) | USC (8–2) (1) | 7. |
| 8. | Tennessee (4–0) | Tennessee (5–0) | Santa Clara (5–0) | Santa Clara (6–0) (1) | Cornell (5–1) | Minnesota (6–2) | USC (7–2) | Pittsburgh (8–2) | 8. |
| 9. | Duke (4–0) | Fordham (3–0–1) (1) | Duke (6–0) | USC (6–1) (2) | California (8–1) | California (9–1) | Holy Cross (8–1) | Holy Cross (8–1) | 9. |
| 10. | Syracuse (3–0) | Oklahoma (4–0) | Fordham (3–1–1) | Oklahoma (6–0) (1) | Holy Cross (7–1) | Cornell (5–1) | Minnesota (6–2) | Minnesota (6–2) | 10. |
| 11. | Fordham (2–0–1) | Duke (5–0) | Oklahoma (5–0) | Holy Cross (6–1) | Santa Clara (6–1) | Holy Cross (7–1) | Cornell (5–1–1) | Texas Tech (10–0) | 11. |
| 12. | Michigan (2–1) | Northwestern (3–0–1) | Minnesota (4–1) | Minnesota (5–1) | Wisconsin (5–2) | Michigan (6–1–1) | California (9–1) | Cornell (5–1–1) | 12. |
| 13. | Carnegie Tech (3–0) | Michigan (3–1) | Holy Cross (5–1) т | Fordham (4–1–1) | USC (6–2) | Dartmouth (7–1) | Fordham (6–1–2) | Alabama (7–1–1) | 13. |
| 14. | Oklahoma (3–0) | Holy Cross (4–1) | USC (5–1) т | California (7–1) | Dartmouth (7–1) | USC (6–2) | Texas Tech (10–0) | California (10–1) | 14. |
| 15. | Alabama (3–1) | Villanova (4–0) | Alabama (5–1) | Wisconsin (4–2) | Villanova (6–0–1) | Northwestern (4–2–2) | Villanova (8–0–1) | Fordham (6–1–2) | 15. |
| 16. | Vanderbilt (4–0) | Carnegie Tech (3–1) | Cornell (4–1) т | Alabama (6–1) | Northwestern (4–1–2) | Villanova (7–0–1) | Michigan (6–1–1) | Michigan (6–1–1) | 16. |
| 17. | Baylor (4–0) | Cornell (3–1) | Michigan (4–1) т | Northwestern (4–1–1) | Michigan (5–1–1) | Texas Tech (9–0) | Alabama (7–1–1) | Northwestern (4–2–2) | 17. |
| 18. | Northwestern (2–0–1) | Alabama (4–1) | Iowa State (6–0) | Michigan (5–1) (1) | Fordham (4–1–2) | Fordham (5–1–2) | Tulane (7–2–1) | Villanova (8–0–1) | 18. |
| 19. | North Carolina (3–1) | USC (4–1) | Carnegie Tech (4–1) т | Villanova (5–0–1) | Texas Tech (8–0) | Santa Clara (6–1) | Northwestern (4–2–2) | Tulane (7–2–1) | 19. |
| 20. | Villanova (3–0) | Ohio State (2–1–1) | Texas A&M (3–2–1) т | Cornell (4–1) | Alabama (6–1–1) | Georgetown (8–0) | Dartmouth (7–2) | Dartmouth (7–2) | 20. |
| Week 1 Oct 17 [10] | Week 2 Oct 24 [11] | Week 3 Oct 31 [12] | Week 4 Nov 7 [13] | Week 5 Nov 14 [14] | Week 6 Nov 21 [15] | Week 7 (Scheduled final) Nov 28 [16] | Week 8 (Extended final) Dec 6 [2] | ||
Dropped:
| Dropped:
| Dropped:
| Dropped:
| Dropped:
| Dropped:
| None |
The top teams in the Litkenhous Ratings for 1938 were as follows:
1. Tennessee
2. TCU
3. USC
4. Notre Dame
5. Holy Cross
6. Pittsburgh
7. Cornell
8. Fordham
9. Minnesota
10. Michigan
11. Northwestern
12. California
1. Tennessee
2. Notre Dame
3. TCU
4. USC
5. California
6. Oklahoma
7. Duke
8. Pittsburgh
9. Holy Cross
10. Minnesota
11. Villanova
12. Michigan
1. Tennessee
2. TCU
3. USC
4. Notre Dame
5. California
6. Oklahoma
7. Duke
8. Holy Cross
9. Pittsburgh
10. Minnesota
11. Alabama
12. Carnegie Tech
1-2. Tennessee
1-2. TCU
3. Notre Dame
4. Carnegie Tech
5. Holy Cross
6. Alabama
7. USC
8. Duke
9. Oklahoma
10. Pittsburgh
11. Minnesota
12. Villanova
The 1947 college football season finished with Notre Dame, Michigan, and Penn State all unbeaten and untied, but the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame were the first place choice for 107 of the 142 voters in the final AP Poll in early December, and repeated as national champions. Michigan was selected for the top spot by six contemporary math systems.
The 1938 college football season ended with the Horned Frogs of Texas Christian University (TCU) being named the nation's No. 1 team by 55 of the 77 voters in the final Associated Press writers' poll in early December. Tennessee was also chosen by six contemporary math system selectors as a national champion; both teams won every game. Notre Dame was chosen by the Dickinson System and won the Knute Rockne Memorial Trophy.
The 1939 college football season concluded with the Aggies of The Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas being named as the national champions by the voters in the Associated Press writers' poll. Led by consensus All-American fullback John Kimbrough, the Aggies went undefeated at 11–0 and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 212 to 31, with the defense allowing just 54 first downs and 763 yards all season, or 1.71 yards per play. On New Year's Day, Texas A&M defeated Tulane, 14–13 in the Sugar Bowl.
The 1945 college football season was the 77th season of intercollegiate football in the United States. Competition included schools from the Big Ten Conference, the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC), the Southeastern Conference (SEC), the Big Six Conference, the Southern Conference, the Southwestern Conference, and numerous smaller conferences and independent programs. The season followed the end of World War II in August 1945, though many college players remained in military service.
The college football rankings for the 1936 college football season included the first AP Poll, the Toledo Cup rankings based on input from a judge's committee of 250 sports editors, and the Litkenhous Ratings. The 1936 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team was ranked as the national champion in all three rankings.
The following polls and rankings composed the 1937 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) football rankings. Unlike most sports, college football's governing body, the NCAA, does not bestow a national championship, instead that title is bestowed by one or more different selectors.
One human poll comprised the 1939 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) football rankings. Unlike most sports, college football's governing body, the NCAA, does not bestow a national championship, instead that title is bestowed by one or more different polling agencies. There are two main weekly polls that begin in the preseason—the AP Poll and the Coaches' Poll. The Coaches' Poll began operation in 1950; in addition, the AP Poll did not begin conducting preseason polls until that same year.
One human poll comprised the 1940 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) football rankings. Unlike most sports, college football's governing body, the NCAA, does not bestow a national championship, instead that title is bestowed by one or more different polling agencies. There are two main weekly polls that begin in the preseason—the AP Poll and the Coaches' Poll. The Coaches' Poll began operation in 1950; in addition, the AP Poll did not begin conducting preseason polls until that same year.
One human poll comprised the 1941 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) football rankings. Unlike most sports, college football's governing body, the NCAA, does not bestow a national championship, instead that title is bestowed by one or more different polling agencies. There are two main weekly polls that begin in the preseason—the AP Poll and the Coaches' Poll. The Coaches' Poll began operation in 1950; in addition, the AP Poll did not begin conducting preseason polls until that same year.
One human poll comprised the 1943 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) football rankings. Unlike most sports, college football's governing body, the NCAA, does not bestow a national championship, instead that title is bestowed by one or more different polling agencies. There are two main weekly polls that begin in the preseason—the AP Poll and the Coaches' Poll. The Coaches' Poll began operation in 1950; in addition, the AP Poll did not begin conducting preseason polls until that same year.
One human poll comprised the 1944 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) football rankings. Unlike most sports, college football's governing body, the NCAA, does not bestow a national championship, instead that title is bestowed by one or more different polling agencies. There are two main weekly polls that begin in the preseason—the AP Poll and the Coaches' Poll. The Coaches' Poll began operation in 1950; in addition, the AP Poll did not begin conducting preseason polls until that same year.
One human poll comprised the 1945 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) football rankings. Unlike most sports, college football's governing body, the NCAA, does not bestow a national championship, instead that title is bestowed by one or more different polling agencies. There are two main weekly polls that begin in the preseason—the AP Poll and the Coaches' Poll. The Coaches' Poll began operation in 1950; in addition, the AP Poll did not begin conducting preseason polls until that same year.
One human poll comprised the 1947 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) football rankings. Unlike most sports, college football's governing body, the NCAA, does not bestow a national championship, instead that title is bestowed by one or more different polling agencies.
Two human polls comprised the 1950 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) football rankings. Unlike most sports, college football's governing body, the NCAA, does not bestow a national championship, instead that title is bestowed by one or more different polling agencies. There are two main weekly polls that begin in the preseason—the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll.
Two human polls comprised the 1951 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) football rankings. Unlike most sports, college football's governing body, the NCAA, does not bestow a national championship, instead that title is bestowed by one or more different polling agencies. There are two main weekly polls that begin in the preseason—the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll.
Two human polls comprised the 1953 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) football rankings. Unlike most sports, college football's governing body, the NCAA, does not bestow a national championship, instead that title is bestowed by one or more different polling agencies. There are two main weekly polls that begin in the preseason—the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll.
Two human polls comprised the 1954 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) football rankings. Unlike most sports, college football's governing body, the NCAA, does not bestow a national championship, instead that title is bestowed by one or more different polling agencies. There are two main weekly polls that begin in the preseason—the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll.
Two human polls comprised the 1955 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) football rankings. Unlike most sports, college football's governing body, the NCAA, does not bestow a national championship, instead that title is bestowed by one or more different polling agencies. There are two main weekly polls that begin in the preseason—the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll.
Two human polls comprised the 1956 NCAA University Division football rankings. Unlike most sports, college football's governing body, the NCAA, does not bestow a national championship, instead that title is bestowed by one or more different polling agencies. There are two main weekly polls that begin in the preseason—the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll.
Two human polls comprised the 1957 NCAA University Division football rankings. Unlike most sports, college football's governing body, the NCAA, does not bestow a national championship, instead that title is bestowed by one or more different polling agencies. There are two main weekly polls that begin in the preseason—the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll.
In the final Associated Press football ranking poll of the year, ninety sports writers and editors chose Notre Dame as the nation's No. 1 team with Duke in third place. Texas Christian, which hoped for a Rose bowl bid, came in between them.
The poll was extended for another week because of the select quality of last Saturday's games, three of which had a direct bearing on the ranking.
1. Tennessee; 2. Notre Dame; 3. Texas Christian;