| 1939 NCAA football rankings | |
|---|---|
| Season | 1939 |
| Bowl season | 1939–40 bowl games |
| End of season champions | Texas A&M |
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.
| 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 December 11, at the end of the 1939 regular season, weeks before the major bowls. The AP would not release a post-bowl season final poll regularly until 1968.
| Week 1 Oct 16 [1] | Week 2 Oct 23 [2] | Week 3 Oct 30 [3] | Week 4 Nov 6 [4] | Week 5 Nov 13 [5] | Week 6 Nov 20 [6] | Week 7 Nov 27 [7] | Week 8 Dec 4 [8] | Week 9 (Final) Dec 11 [9] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Pittsburgh (3–0) (25) | Tennessee (4–0) (83) | Tennessee (5–0) (67) | Tennessee (6–0) (81) | Tennessee (7–0) (66) | Texas A&M (9–0) (38) | Texas A&M (9–0) (27) т | Tennessee (9–0) (19) | Texas A&M (10–0) (55) | 1. |
| 2. | Notre Dame (3–0) (16) | Notre Dame (4–0) (12) | Michigan (4–0) (20) | Texas A&M (7–0) (6) | Texas A&M (8–0) | Tennessee (8–0) (33) | USC (6–0–1) (25) т | Texas A&M (10–0) (28) | Tennessee (10–0) (26) | 2. |
| 3. | Oklahoma (2–0–1) (10) | Michigan (3–0) (8) | Cornell (4–0) (18) | Notre Dame (6–0) (11) | USC (5–0–1) (10) | Cornell (7–0) (20) | Cornell (8–0) (34) | USC (7–0–1) (18) | USC (7–0–2) (9) | 3. |
| 4. | Tulane (3–0) (14) | Ohio State (3–0) (5) | Notre Dame (5–0) (12) | USC (4–0–1) (5) | Cornell (6–0) (3) | USC (5–0–1) (11) | Tennessee (8–0) (18) | Cornell (8–0) (15) | Cornell (8–0) (16) | 4. |
| 5. | Tennessee (3–0) (26.5) | Texas A&M (5–0) (6) | Texas A&M (6–0) (6) | Cornell (5–0) (1) | Oklahoma (6–0–1) (2) | Tulane (6–0–1) (3) | Tulane (7–0–1) (4) | Tulane (8–0–1) (5) | Tulane (8–0–1) | 5. |
| 6. | Michigan (2–0) (10) | Oklahoma (3–0–1) (2) | Oklahoma (4–0–1) (2) | Oklahoma (5–0–1) (3) | Tulane (5–0–1) (2) | Ohio State (6–1) (1) | Duquesne (8–0) | Duke (8–1) (1) | Missouri (8–1) | 6. |
| 7. | USC (2–0–1) | Cornell (3–0) (1) | USC (3–0–1) (1) | Tulane (4–0–1) | North Carolina (7–0–1) (1) | Notre Dame (7–1) | Duke (8–1) (2) | Missouri (8–1) | UCLA (6–0–4) | 7. |
| 8. | Alabama (3–0) (2.5) | USC (2–0–1) | Tulane (4–0–1) (1) | North Carolina (6–0–1) (1) | Ohio State (5–1) | Duke (7–1) (2) | Missouri (8–1) | Iowa (6–1–1) | Duke (8–1) (2) | 8. |
| 9. | Texas A&M (4–0) (5) | Tulane (3–0–1) (1) | North Carolina (5–0–1) (1) | Ohio State (4–1) | Notre Dame (6–1) | Iowa (6–1) (1) | Iowa (6–1–1) | UCLA (6–0–3) | Iowa (6–1–1) | 9. |
| 10. | Ohio State (2–0) (11) | Nebraska (3–0–1) | Nebraska (4–0–1) | Michigan (4–1) | Duquesne (7–0) | Missouri (7–1) | Holy Cross (7–1) | Duquesne (8–0–1) | Duquesne (8–0–1) | 10. |
| 11. | Oregon (2–0–1) (2) | Duquesne (4–0) | Oregon State (5–0) | UCLA (5–0–1) | UCLA (5–0–1) | Holy Cross (7–1) | Notre Dame (7–2) | Notre Dame (7–2) | Boston College (9–1) | 11. |
| 12. | Cornell (2–0) (1) | Duke (3–1) | Duke (4–1) | Duquesne (6–0) | Missouri (6–1) | Duquesne (7–0) | Ohio State (6–2) | Ohio State (6–2) | Clemson (8–1) | 12. |
| 13. | Duke (2–1) | North Carolina (4–0–1) | Duquesne (5–0) | SMU (3–1–1) | Duke (6–1) | UCLA (5–0–2) | UCLA (5–0–3) | Georgia Tech (7–2) | Notre Dame (7–2) | 13. |
| 14. | North Carolina (4–0) | Ole Miss (4–0) | Ohio State (3–1) | Dartmouth (5–0–1) | Santa Clara (4–1–2) | Oklahoma (6–1–1) | Clemson (8–1) (1) | Boston College (9–1) | Santa Clara (5–1–3) | 14. |
| 15. | Carnegie Tech (3–0) | Oregon State (4–0) | Kentucky (5–0) | Duke (5–1) | Iowa (5–1) | Clemson (7–1) (1) | Michigan (6–2) | Clemson (8–1) (1) | Ohio State (6–2) | 15. |
| 16. | Nebraska (2–0–1) | Penn (3–0) | SMU (2–1–1) | Santa Clara (3–1–2) | Clemson (6–1) (1) | Georgetown (7–0–1) | North Carolina (7–1–1) | Santa Clara (5–1–3) | Georgia Tech (8–2) | 16. |
| 17. | Ole Miss (3–0) | SMU (2–1–1) | NYU (4–1) | NYU (5–1) | SMU (3–2–1) | North Carolina (7–1–1) т | Georgetown (7–0–1) | Nebraska (7–1–1) | Fordham (6–2) | 17. |
| 18. | SMU (1–1–1) | Pittsburgh (3–1) | LSU (4–1) | Kentucky (5–0–1) | Holy Cross (6–1) | Santa Clara (4–1–3) т | Nebraska (7–1–1) | Fordham (6–2) т | Nebraska (7–1–1) | 18. |
| 19. | Baylor (3–0) | NYU (3–1) | Alabama (4–1) т | Ole Miss (5–1) | Oregon State (6–1) | Georgia Tech (5–2) т | San Jose State (12–0) | San Jose State (13–0) т | Oklahoma (6–2–1) | 19. |
| 20. | St. Mary's (2–0) | Alabama (3–1) | UCLA (4–0–1) т | Alabama (4–1–1) |
| Princeton (6–1) т | Santa Clara (5–1–3) | Georgetown (7–0–1) | Michigan (6–2) | 20. |
| Week 1 Oct 16 [10] | Week 2 Oct 23 [11] | Week 3 Oct 30 [12] | Week 4 Nov 6 [13] | Week 5 Nov 13 [14] | Week 6 Nov 20 [15] | Week 7 Nov 27 [16] | Week 8 Dec 4 [17] | Week 9 (Final) Dec 11 [18] | ||
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The Boand System rankings (also known as "Azzi Ratem") were the only ratings released after the bowl games. Released in early January 1940, Boand's final rankings were as follows: [19]
1. Texas A&M
2. Cornell
3. USC
4. Tulane
5. Duke
6. Tennessee
7. Georgia Tech
8. Clemson
9. Notre Dame
10. UCLA
The Dickinson System rankings released in December 1939 were as follows: [20] [21]
The final Litkenhous Ratings released in December 1939 provided numerical rankings to more than 600 college football programs. The top 100 ranked teams were: [22]
1. Cornell
2. Tennessee
3. Texas A&M
4. Tulane
5. Ohio State
6.Duke
7. North Carolina
8. Oklahoma
9. Minnesota
10. USC
11. Holy Cross
12. SMU
13. Fordham
14. Georgia Tech
15. Missouri
16. Michigan
17. Ole Miss
18. Boston College
19. Mississippi State
20. Clemson
21.
22. Alabama
23. Nebraska
24. Princeton
25. Santa Clara
26. Iowa
27. Kentucky
28. Wake Forest
29. Dartmouth
30. Northwestern
31. Duquesne
32. Villanova
33. Purdue
34. UCLA
35. Pittsburgh
36. Baylor
37. San Jose State
38. LSU
39. Auburn
40. Utah
41. Columbia
42. Georgetown
43. Texas
44. Detroit
45.
46. Arkansas
47. TCU
48. Penn
49. NYU
50. Oregon
51. Penn State
52. North Texas
53. Oregon State
54. Catholic Univ.
55. Carnegie Tech
56. Navy
57. Harvard
58. Colgate
59. Fresno State
60. Butler
61. Kansas State
62. Brown
63. Illinois
64. Marshall
65. Arizona State
66. Marquette
67. Saint Mary's (CA)
68. VMI
69. Georgia
70. Rice
71. Temple
72. Scranton
73. Yale
74. Michigan State
75. Syracuse
76. Richmond
77. Virginia
78. Wisconsin
79. George Washington
80. Gonzaga
81. Washington Univ.
82. Washington
83. Manhattan
84. Vanderbilt
85. Hardin–Simmons
86. Canisius
87. La Salle
88. Miami (FL)
89. Furman
90. Texas Tech
91. Army
92. San Francisco
93. Colorado Mines
94. Bucknell
95. Florida
96. San Diego Marines
97. Lafayette
98. Rollins
99. Oklahoma A&M
100. Tulsa
The Williamson System rankings released in December 1939 were as follows: [23]
1. Texas A&M
2. Tulane
3. Cornell
4. Tennessee
5. USC
6. Clemson
7. Duke
8. Missouri
9. Nebraska
10. Iowa
11. Boston College
12. Notre Dame
13. Georgia Tech
14. Princeton
15. UCLA
16. Oregon State
17. Alabama
18. Duquesne
19. Fordham
20. Penn
21. Oklahoma
22. SMU
23. Ohio State
24. Pittsburgh
25. Santa Clara
26. North Carolina
27. Purdue
28. Kentucky
29. Northwestern
30. Auburn
31. Mississippi State
32. Minnesota
33. Baylor
34. Villanova
35. Ole Miss
36. Michigan
37. St. Anselm
38. LSU
39. Catholic Univ.
40. Georgetown
41. Detroit
42. Holy Cross
43. San Jose State
44. Washington Univ.
45. Manhattan
46. Arkansas
47. Wake Forest
48. Texas
49. Oregon
50. Indiana
The 1984 NCAA Division I-A football season was topsy-turvy from start to finish. It ended with the BYU Cougars being bestowed their first and only national championship by beating Michigan in the Holiday Bowl. While the Cougars finished with a perfect 13–0 record and were the consensus National Champions, some commentators maintain this title was undeserved citing their weak schedule and argue that the championship should have gone to the 11–1 Washington Huskies. Despite this the Cougars were voted No. 1 in the final AP and UPI polls. The Huskies declined an invitation to play BYU in the Holiday Bowl; they decided instead to play Oklahoma in the more prestigious 1985 Orange Bowl. All subsequent national champions have come from what are now known as the Power Five conferences + Notre Dame.
The 1962 NCAA University Division football season was played by American football teams representing 140 colleges and universities recognized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as major programs. The remaining 370 colleges and universities that were NCAA members and fielded football teams competed in the 1962 NCAA College Division football season.
The 1971 NCAA University Division football season saw Coach Bob Devaney's Nebraska Cornhuskers repeat as national champions. Ranked a close second behind Notre Dame in the preseason poll, Nebraska moved up to first place the following week, remained there for the rest of 1971, and convincingly won the Orange Bowl 38–6 in a No. 1 vs. No. 2 game against Alabama.
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The 1955 college football season saw the Oklahoma Sooners win the national championship after going 10–0–0. Although the final poll was taken before the postseason bowl games, Oklahoma played against the nation's other unbeaten and untied (10–0–0) team, the Maryland Terrapins, at the Orange Bowl in Miami, and won 20–6.
The 1954 college football season saw three teams finish unbeaten and untied, with Ohio State Buckeyes and the UCLA Bruins sharing the national championship as the No. 1 picks of the AP Poll and the UPI Poll, respectively. Although the winners of the Big Ten and the Pacific conferences normally met in the Rose Bowl, a "no repeat" prevented the two champions from meeting. UCLA, which had been in the Rose Bowl earlier in the year, was replaced by conference runner-up USC.
The 1953 college football season finished with the Maryland Terrapins capturing the AP, INS, and UPI national championship after Notre Dame held the top spot for the first nine weeks. The No. 4 Oklahoma Sooners defeated Maryland in the Orange Bowl, but there was no further polling after the November 30 results were released. However, Notre Dame was selected as the National Champions by 10 other polls and the Oklahoma Sooners received first in two polls. However, despite the team receiving National Championship rings, the University of Notre Dame does not recognize this title due to their policy of only recognizing AP or coaches' poll titles during the polling era (1936–present). Maryland was also the first champion of the Atlantic Coast Conference, which had been formed earlier in 1953 by seven colleges formerly with the Southern Conference. The year 1953 also saw the Michigan State Spartans, previously an independent, join the Big Nine Conference, which then became the Big Ten; MSU won the conference title in that first year and was the conference representative to the Rose Bowl, which it won 28–20 over UCLA.
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The 1950 college football season finished with the unbeaten and untied Oklahoma Sooners (9–0) being the consensus choice for national champion. On New Year's Day, however, the Sooners were upset by the Kentucky Wildcats in the Sugar Bowl. The Army Cadets, ranked No. 2 in the AP Poll, had been defeated in their final regular season game by 2–6 Navy, 14–2. However, the final poll had been issued on November 27, and the bowl games had no effect on Oklahoma's status as the No. 1 team.
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 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 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 1962 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 1968 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 1969 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 1970 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 1986 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I-A 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.
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