| 1936 NCAA football rankings | |
|---|---|
| Season | 1936 |
| Bowl season | 1936–37 bowl games |
| End of season champions | Minnesota |
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.
| 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 final AP Poll was released on November 30, at the end of the 1936 regular season, weeks before the major bowls. The AP would not release a post-bowl season final poll regularly until 1968.
| Week 1 Oct 19 [1] | Week 2 Oct 26 [2] | Week 3 Nov 2 [3] | Week 4 Nov 9 [4] | Week 5 Nov 16 [5] | Week 6 Nov 23 [6] | Week 7 (Final) Nov 30 [7] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Minnesota (3–0) (32) | Minnesota (4–0) (44) | Northwestern (5–0) (31) | Northwestern (6–0) (31) | Northwestern (7–0) (17) | Minnesota (7–1) (30) | Minnesota (7–1) (25) | 1. |
| 2. | Duke (5–0) (1) | Pittsburgh (4–1) | Minnesota (4–1) (10) | Minnesota (5–1) (12) | Minnesota (6–1) (12) | LSU (8–0–1) (10) | LSU (9–0–1) (9) | 2. |
| 3. | Army (3–0) (1) | Northwestern (4–0) | Fordham (4–0–1) (2) | Fordham (5–0–1) (3) | Fordham (5–0–1) (4) | Alabama (7–0–1) | Pittsburgh (7–1–1) | 3. |
| 4. | Northwestern (3–0) | Washington (4–1) | Marquette (5–0) | Alabama (6–0–1) (1) | Pittsburgh (6–1–1) | Pittsburgh (6–1–1) | Alabama (8–0–1) | 4. |
| 5. | Purdue (3–0) | Fordham (4–0) | Pittsburgh (4–1–1) | Pittsburgh (5–1–1) | LSU (7–0–1) (2) | Santa Clara (7–0) (1) | Washington (7–1–1) | 5. |
| 6. | USC (3–0–1) (1) | Army (4–0) | Washington (5–1) | Nebraska (5–1) | Washington (6–1–1) (2) | Washington (6–1–1) | Santa Clara (7–0) (1) | 6. |
| 7. | Notre Dame (3–0) | USC (4–0–1) | LSU (5–0–1) | LSU (6–0–1) | Marquette (7–0) | Northwestern (7–1) | Northwestern (7–1) | 7. |
| 8. | Washington (3–1) | LSU (4–0–1) | Nebraska (4–1) | Marquette (6–0) | Alabama (7–0–1) | Fordham (5–0–2) | Notre Dame (6–2) | 8. |
| 9. | Pittsburgh (3–1) | Tulane (4–0–1) | Santa Clara (5–0) | Santa Clara (5–0) | Santa Clara (6–0) | Notre Dame (6–2) (1) | Nebraska (7–2) | 9. |
| 10. | Yale (3–0) | Marquette (4–0) | Tulane (5–0–1) | Washington (5–1–1) | Penn (6–1) | Nebraska (6–2) | Penn (7–1) | 10. |
| 11. | Duquesne (4–0) | Nebraska (3–1) | USC (4–0–1) | Penn (5–1) | Notre Dame (5–2) | Duke (8–1) | Duke (9–1) | 11. |
| 12. | St. Mary's (3–0–1) | Yale (4–0) | SMU (4–1) | Dartmouth (6–1) | Dartmouth (7–1) | Duquesne (7–2) | Yale (7–1) | 12. |
| 13. | LSU (3–0–1) | Duke (5–1) т | Notre Dame (4–1) | Duke (7–1) | Nebraska (5–2) | Penn (6–1) | Dartmouth (7–1–1) | 13. |
| 14. | Texas A&M (4–0) | Holy Cross (5–0) т | Alabama (5–0–1) | Washington State (5–1–1) | Texas A&M (7–1–1) | Dartmouth (7–1–1) | Duquesne (7–2) | 14. |
| 15. | Nebraska (2–1) | SMU (3–1) | Duke (6–1) т | Texas A&M (6–1–1) т | Washington State (6–1–1) | Marquette (7–1) | Fordham (5–1–2) | 15. |
| 16. | Fordham (3–0) | Auburn (4–0–1) | Penn (4–1) т | USC (4–1–1) т | Duke (8–1) | Yale (7–1) | TCU (7–2–2) | 16. |
| 17. | Holy Cross (4–0) | Princeton (3–1) т | Washington State (5–0–1) | Holy Cross (6–1) | Holy Cross (7–1) | Tennessee (5–2–1) | Tennessee (6–2–1) | 17. |
| 18. | Tulane (3–0–1) | Purdue (3–1) т | Dartmouth (5–1) т | TCU (5–2–1) | Ohio State (4–3) | TCU (7–2–1) | Arkansas (6–3) т | 18. |
| 19. | SMU (3–1) | Santa Clara (4–0) | Tennessee (3–2–1) т | SMU (4–2) т | Tennessee (5–2–1) | Tulane (6–2–1) | Navy (6–3) т | 19. |
| 20. | Marquette (3–0) |
| Auburn (4–1–1) | Temple (5–1–1) т |
| Washington State (6–1–1) | Marquette (7–1) | 20. |
| Week 1 Oct 19 [8] | Week 2 Oct 26 [9] | Week 3 Nov 2 [10] | Week 4 Nov 9 [11] | Week 5 Nov 16 [12] | Week 6 Nov 23 [13] | Week 7 (Final) Nov 30 [14] | ||
Dropped:
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| Dropped:
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For the third consecutive year, Minnesota won the Toledo Cup as college football's national champion. The Toledo Cup award was based on input from a judge's committee of 250 sports editors of leading newspapers. By winning the cup for the third consecutive years, Minnesota received permanent possession of the cup. [15] The results of preliminary balloting were as follows:
1. Minnesota - 582 points
2. Northwestern - 525 points
3. Fordham - 135 points
4. LSU - 95 points
5. Pittsburgh - 94 points
6. Alabama - 61 points
7. Santa Clara - 60 points
8. Marquette - 38 points
9. Washington - 29 points
10. (tie) Dartmouth - 5 points
10. (tie) Duke - 5 points
12. Penn - 3 points
13. Nebraska - 2 points
The vote tally in the final round was as follows:
1. Minnesota - 230 votes
2. LSU - 7 votes
3. Northwestern - 6 votes
4. Fordham - 2 votes
[15]
The final Litkenhous Ratings for 1936 ranked 618 college football teams. The top 125 teams were as follows:
1. Minnesota
2. Pittsburgh
3. LSU
4. Ohio State
5. Duke
6. Notre Dame
7. Alabama
8. Nebraska
9. Washington
10. Duquesne
11. Mississippi State
12. Army
13. Northwestern
14. Georgia Tech
15. Auburn
16. Tennessee
17. Arkansas
18. Baldwin–Wallace
19. Santa Clara
20. Marquette
21. Dartmouth
22. Purdue
23. Indiana
24. Penn
25. TCU
26. Michigan State
27. Detroit
28. USC
29. Colgate
30. North Carolina
31. Harvard
32. Holy Cross
33. Princeton
34. Hardin–Simmons
35. Temple
36. Yale
37. Ole Miss
38. Carnegie Tech
39. Tulane
40. Villanova
41. Texas A&M
42. Kentucky
43. SMU
44. Navy
45. George Washington
46. California
47. Vanderbilt
48. Manhattan
49. Tulsa
50. Western Reserve
51. Rice
52. Iowa
53. Georgetown
54. Clemson
55. Michigan
56. Illinois
57. UCLA
58. Baylor
59. Georgia
60. West Virginia
61. Washington State
62. Stanford
63. NYU
64. Boston College
65. Missouri
66. Penn State
67. Canisius
68. Wake Forest
69. Kansas State
70. Oregon State
71. Wisconsin
72. Catholic University
73. DePaul
74. Kearney State
75. Texas
76. Saint Anselm
77. Oklahoma
78. Arkansas Tech
79. West Virginia Wesleyan
80. Davidson
81. NC State
82. Arizona
83. Louisiana Tech
84. Connecticut State
85. Saint Mary's
86. Waynesburg
87. Butler
88. Creighton
89. Marshall
90. Miami (FL)
91. Washington University
92. Cornell
| 93. Humboldt State
94. Maryland
95. Bucknell
96. Centenary
97. Albright
98. Drake
99. Florida
100. La Salle
101. Loyola (Los Angeles)
102. Colorado
103. Syracuse
104. Chattanooga
105. St. Benedict
106. Utah State
107. Franklin & Marshall
108. North Dakota
109. Saint Louis
110. St. Bonaventure
111. Western Maryland
112. South Carolina
113. Texas Tech
114. Utah
115. Gonzaga
116. St. Thomas (PA)
117. Boston University
118. Howard
119. Denver
120. Augustana (SD)
121. Connecticut State
122. Furman
123. Iowa State
124. Hobart
125. Oregon
The 1936 college football season was the first in which the Associated Press writers' poll selected a national champion. The first AP poll, taken of 35 writers, was released on October 20, 1936. Each writer listed his choice for the top ten teams, and points were tallied based on 10 for first place, 9 for second, etc., and the AP then ranked the twenty teams with the highest number of points. In the first poll, Minnesota received 32 first place votes, and 3 votes for an additional 25 points, for a total of 345 altogether. Of the seven contemporary math system selectors, two chose Pittsburgh as the top team.
The 1937 college football season ended with the Panthers of the University of Pittsburgh being named the nation's No. 1 team by 30 of the 33 voters in the Associated Press writers' poll. The AP poll was in its second year, and seven votes were taken during the final weeks of the 1937 season, starting with October 18. Each writer listed his choice for the top ten teams, and points were tallied based on 10 for first place, 9 for second, etc., and the AP then ranked the twenty teams with the highest number of points. With 33 writers polled, Pitt received 30 first place votes and 3 second-place, for a total of 327 points.
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 1942 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 1946 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 1949 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.
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 1952 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 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 1958 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 1959 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.
The 1937 Big Ten Conference football season was the 42nd season of college football played by the member schools of the Big Ten Conference and was a part of the 1937 college football season.
The 1935 college football season rankings included (1) a United Press (UP) poll of sports writers, (2) a poll of sports editors conducted by the committee responsible for awarding the Toledo Cup to the nation's top college football team, and the (3) Boand, (4) Dickinson, and (5) Houlgate Systems. The Minnesota Golden Gophers (8–0), led by head coach Bernie Bierman, were selected as national champions in the UP poll, the Toledo Cup voting, and the Boand System. The SMU Mustangs, led by consensus All-Americans Bob Wilson and J. C. Wetsel, were selected as national champions by Dickinson and Houlgate.