| 1952 NCAA football rankings | |
|---|---|
| Season | 1952 |
| Bowl season | 1952–53 bowl games |
| Preseason No. 1 | |
| End of season champions | Michigan State |
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.
| 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 1, at the end of the 1952 regular season, weeks before the major bowls. The AP would not release a post-bowl season final poll regularly until 1968.
| Preseason Aug [1] | Week 1 Sep 29 [2] | Week 2 Oct 6 [3] | Week 3 Oct 13 [4] | Week 4 Oct 20 [5] | Week 5 Oct 27 [6] | Week 6 Nov 3 [7] | Week 7 Nov 10 [8] | Week 8 Nov 17 [9] | Week 9 Nov 24 [10] | Week 10 (Final) Dec 1 [11] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Michigan State (77) | Michigan State (1–0) (52) | Wisconsin (2–0) (27) | Michigan State (3–0) (39) | Michigan State (4–0) (49) | Michigan State (5–0) (38) | Michigan State (6–0) (33) | Michigan State (7–0) (57) | Michigan State (8–0) (80) | Michigan State (9–0) (88) | Michigan State (9–0) (207) | 1. |
| 2. | Maryland (79) | Illinois (1–0) (4) | Michigan State (2–0) (24) | Maryland (4–0) (31) | Maryland (5–0) (36) | Maryland (6–0) (32) | Maryland (7–0) (35) | Georgia Tech (8–0) (32) | Georgia Tech (9–0) (14) | USC (9–0) (24) | Georgia Tech (11–0) (36) | 2. |
| 3. | Georgia Tech (15) | Maryland (2–0) (7) | California (3–0) (23) | California (4–0) (21) | Oklahoma (3–0–1) (23) | Oklahoma (4–0–1) (20) | Georgia Tech (7–0) (27) | Maryland (7–0) (24) | UCLA (8–0) (9) | Georgia Tech (10–0) (20) | Notre Dame (7–2–1) (4) | 3. |
| 4. | Oklahoma (16) | California (2–0) | Maryland (3–0) (22) | Georgia Tech (4–0) (4) | California (5–0) (9) | Georgia Tech (6–0) (7) | Oklahoma (5–0–1) (27) | UCLA (8–0) (15) | USC (8–0) (11) | Oklahoma (7–1–1) (3) | Oklahoma (8–1–1) (14) | 4. |
| 5. | Illinois (7) | Texas (2–0) (5) | Georgia Tech (3–0) (12) | Duke (4–0) (9) | Georgia Tech (5–0) (5) | USC (6–0) (7) | UCLA (7–0) (11) | USC (7–0) (7) | Oklahoma (6–1–1) (1) | UCLA (8–1) | USC (9–1) (2) | 5. |
| 6. | Tennessee (5) | Georgia Tech (2–0) | Duke (3–0) (12) | Oklahoma (2–0–1) (5) | Duke (5–0) (5) | Duke (6–0) (10) | USC (6–0) (3) | Notre Dame (5–1–1) (3) | Ole Miss (7–0–2) (4) | Ole Miss (7–0–2) (5) | UCLA (8–1) (1) | 6. |
| 7. | Wisconsin (4) | USC (2–0) (5) | USC (3–0) (6) | USC (4–0) (2) | USC (5–0) (1) | UCLA (6–0) (6) | Kansas (6–1) | Tennessee (6–1) | Tennessee (7–1) (4) | Notre Dame (6–2–1) | Ole Miss (8–0–2) (3) | 7. |
| 8. | California (2) | Wisconsin (1–0) (1) | Notre Dame (1–0–1) (3) | Kansas (4–0) (1) | UCLA (5–0) (3) | Purdue (3–1–1) (1) | Tennessee (5–1) | Oklahoma (5–1–1) | Maryland (7–1) | Alabama (8–2) (1) | Tennessee (8–1–1) | 8. |
| 9. | TCU (1) | Kansas (2–0) | Kansas (3–0) (1) | Purdue (2–0–1) | Virginia (4–0) (5) | Kansas (5–1) | Purdue (3–2–1) | Texas (6–2) | Notre Dame (5–2–1) | Tennessee (7–1–1) | Alabama (9–2) | 9. |
| 10. | Notre Dame | Duke (2–0) | Princeton (2–0) (3) | UCLA (4–0) | Wisconsin (3–1) | Villanova (6–0) | Notre Dame (4–1–1) | Purdue (3–2–2) | Texas (7–2) | Texas (7–2) | Texas (8–2) | 10. |
| 11. | Texas | Tennessee (1–0) (2) | UCLA (3–0) | Virginia (3–0) (7) | Penn (3–0–1) | California (5–1) | Villanova (6–0–1) | Ole Miss (6–0–2) | Tulsa (6–1–1) (3) | Tulsa (7–1–1) (8) | Wisconsin (6–2–1) | 11. |
| 12. | Penn | Villanova (2–0) (2) | Oklahoma (1–0–1) (1) | Wisconsin (2–0) | Villanova (5–0) | Tennessee (4–1) | Duke (6–1) | Alabama (7–1) | Michigan (5–3) | Wisconsin (6–2–1) | Tulsa (8–1–1) (3) | 12. |
| 13. | Stanford | Princeton (1–0) (1) | Illinois (1–1) | Stanford (4–0) | Tennessee (3–1) | Notre Dame (3–1–1) | Texas (5–2) | Syracuse (5–2) | Wisconsin (6–2) | Duke (8–2) | Maryland (7–2) | 13. |
| 14. | Princeton | UCLA (2–0) | Villanova (3–0) | Penn (2–0–1) | Ohio State (3–1) | Texas (4–2) | Ole Miss (5–0–2) | Pittsburgh (5–2) (1) | Alabama (7–2) | Purdue (4–3–2) | Syracuse (7–2) | 14. |
| 15. | Washington State | Ohio State (1–0) | Virginia (2–0) (3) | Villanova (4–0) | Kansas (4–1) | Michigan (3–2) | Penn State (5–1–1) | Wisconsin (5–2) | Syracuse (6–2) | Maryland (7–2) | Florida (6–3) | 15. |
| 16. | USC (1) | Virginia (1–0) (2) | Purdue (1–0–1) | Ohio State (2–1) | Notre Dame (2–1–1) | Virginia (4–1) | Alabama (6–1) | Princeton (6–1) | Pittsburgh (6–2) (1) | Syracuse (7–2) | Duke (8–2) | 16. |
| 17. | Kansas (1) | Rice (1–0) | Navy (2–0) | Illinois (2–1) | Penn State (4–0–1) (2) | Penn (3–0–2) | Florida (4–2) | Washington (6–2) | Princeton (7–1) | Florida (6–3) | Ohio State (6–3) | 17. |
| 18. | UCLA | Ole Miss (1–0–1) | Alabama (3–0) | Alabama (4–0) | Pittsburgh (3–1) | Wisconsin (3–2) | Wisconsin (4–2) | Florida (5–2) | Kansas (7–2) | Princeton (8–1) | Purdue (4–3–2) | 18. |
| 19. | Duke | Notre Dame (0–0–1) | Georgia (3–0) | Penn State (3–0–1) | Michigan (2–2) | Alabama (5–1) | Princeton (5–1) | Kansas (6–2) | Houston (6–2) | Kentucky (5–3–2) | Princeton (8–1) | 19. |
| 20. | Ohio State | Oklahoma (0–0–1) | Penn State (2–0–1) (1) | Navy (3–0) | Texas (3–2) | Florida (3–2) | Holy Cross (5–1) | Michigan (4–3) | Duke (7–2) | Virginia (7–2) | Kentucky (5–3–2) | 20. |
| Preseason Aug [12] | Week 1 Sep 29 [13] | Week 2 Oct 6 [14] | Week 3 Oct 13 [15] | Week 4 Oct 20 [16] | Week 5 Oct 27 [17] | Week 6 Nov 3 [18] | Week 7 Nov 10 [19] | Week 8 Nov 17 [20] | Week 9 Nov 24 [21] | Week 10 (Final) Dec 1 [22] | ||
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The final UP Coaches Poll was released prior to the bowl games, on December 2. [23] [24]
Michigan State received 32 of the 35 first-place votes; one each went to Georgia Tech, Notre Dame, and Oklahoma. [23] [24]
| Ranking | Team | Conference | Bowl |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michigan State | Independent | none |
| 2 | Georgia Tech | SEC | Won Sugar, 24–7 |
| 3 | Notre Dame | Independent | none |
| 4 | Oklahoma | Big Seven | |
| USC | Pacific Coast | Won Rose, 7–0 | |
| 6 | UCLA | Pacific Coast | none |
| 7 | Ole Miss | SEC | Lost Sugar, 7–24 |
| 8 | Tennessee | SEC | Lost Cotton, 0–16 |
| 9 | Alabama | SEC | Won Orange, 61–6 |
| 10 | Wisconsin | Big Ten | Lost Rose, 0–7 |
| 11 | Texas | Southwest | Won Cotton, 16–0 |
| 12 | Purdue | Big Ten | none |
| 13 | Maryland | Southern | |
| 14 | Princeton | Independent | |
| 15 | Ohio State | Big Ten | |
| Pittsburgh | Independent | ||
| 17 | Navy | Independent | |
| 18 | Duke | Southern | |
| 19 | Houston | MVC | |
| Kentucky | SEC |
The Litkenhous Ratings released in mid-December 1952 provided numerical rankings to over 600 college football programs. The top 150 ranked teams were: [25]
1. Michigan State (9–0) - 115.1
2. Georgia Tech (12–0) - 111.9
3. USC (10–1) - 111.3
4. Oklahoma (8–1–1) - 111.1
5. UCLA (8–1) - 111.0
6. Tennessee (8–2–1) - 109.6
7. Notre Dame (7–2–1) - 105.0
8. Florida (8–3) - 103.4
9. Ole Miss (8–1–2) - 103.1
10. Alabama (10–2) - 102.9
11. California (7–3) - 102.2
12. Maryland (7–2) - 102.2
13. Texas (9–2) - 101.8
14. Wisconsin (6–3–1) - 101.2
15. Ohio State (6–3) - 100.9
16. Duke (8–2) - 100.5
17. Michigan (5–4) - 99.7
18. Purdue (4–3–2) - 99.7
19. Kansas (7–3) - 99.2
20. Mississippi State (5–4) - 96.9
21. Houston (8–2) - 96.1
22. Tulsa (8–2–1) 95.9
23. Washington (7–3) - 95.4
24. Illinois (4–5) - 94.9
25. Colorado (6–2–2) - 94.5
26. Navy (6–2–1) - 93.9
27. Cincinnati (8–1–1) - 93.5
28. TCU (4–4–2) - 93.4
29. Arizona State (6–3) - 92.7
30. Kentucky (5–4–2) - 92.3
31. Georgia (7–4) - 92.0
32. Pittsburgh (6–3) - 92.0
33. SMU (4–5–1) - 92.0
34. Virginia (8–2) - 91.8
35. LSU (3–7) - 91.7
36. Rice (5–5) - 91.6
37. Tulane (5–5) - 91.6
38. Villanova (7–1–1) - 91.3
39. Miami (OH) (7–3) - 90.8
40. Missouri (5–5) - 90.8
41. Minnesota (4–3–2) - 90.2
42. Princeton (8–1) - 90.0
43. East Texas (11–0) - 89.8
44. Texas A&M (3–6–1) - 89.7
45. Nebraska (5–4–1) - 89.2
46. Baylor (4–4–2) - 88.6
47. Stanford (5–5) - 88.0
48. Chattanooga (7–3) - 87.8
49. Pacific (7–3–1) - 87.7
50. Vanderbilt (3–5–2) - 87.5
51. Penn State (7–2–1)
52. Mississippi Southern (10–2)
53. Army (4–4–1)
54. Auburn (2–8)
55. Penn (4–3–2)
56. Arizona (6–4)
57. Oklahoma A&M (3–7)
58. Northwestern (2-6-1)
59. Holy Cross (8–2)
60. Washington State (4–6)
61. Indiana (2–7)
62. Marquette (3–5–1)
63. Syracuse (7–3)
64. Iowa (2–7)
65. Arkansas (2–8)
66. West Virginia (7–2)
67. North Carolina (2–6)
68. San Jose State (6–3)
69. Wake Forest (5–4–1)
70. Yale (7–2)
71. North Texas (7–3)
72. Utah (6–3–1)
73. Fordham (2–5–1)
74. Miami (FL) (4–7)
75. Texas Tech (3–7–1)
76. South Carolina (5–5)
77. William & Mary (4–5)
78. Oregon State (2–7)
79. Clemson (2–6–1)
80. Iowa State (3–6)
81. Hardin–Simmons (5–3–2)
82. Detroit (3–6)
83. Arkansas State (8–3)
84. Santa Clara (2–6–1)
85. Dayton
86. Idaho (4–4–1)
87. Xavier (4–6)
88. Oregon (2–7–1)
89. Bowling Green
90. Colorado A&M (6–4)
91. Compton
92. New Mexico (7–2)
93. Kansas State (1–9)
94. Wyoming (5–4)
95. Lenoir Rhyne
96. Tyler JC
97. Columbia (2–6–1)
98. Abilene Christian (6–3–1)
99. Pasadena JC
100. Boston University (5–4–1)
101. John Carroll
102. West Chester (7–0)
103. Cornell (2–7)
104. Colgate (6–3)
105. Dartmouth (2–7)
106. Ohio (6–2–1)
107. Boston College (4–4–1)
108. Boise JC (8-1)
109. Western Kentucky (9–1)
110. George Washington (6–2–1)
111. BYU (4–6)
112. Texas Western (5–5–1)
113. McNeese (7–3)
114. Wichita (3–6–1)
115. Central Michigan (7–2)
116. Harvard (5–4)
117. Del Mar
118. Tennessee Tech (9–2)
119. Trinity (TX)
120. Heidelberg
121. Furman (6–3–1)
122. Sam Houston (6–4)
123. Louisiana Tech (6–1–2)
124. Southeastern Louisiana
125. Gustavus Adolphus
126. Idaho State (8–0)
127. Bucknell (6–3)
128. Rutgers (4–4–1)
129. Virginia Tech (5–6)
130. Southwestern Louisiana (5–2–2)
131. Southwest Texas (7–2)
132. American International
133. Temple (2–7–1)
134. El Camino
135. Shippensburg
136. Toledo (4–5)
137. Colorado College
138. Western Reserve (5–4)
139. Rhode Island (7–1)
140. East Los Angeles
141. El Dorado
142. Baldwin Wallace
143. Bradley
144. Connecticut (5–3)
145. VMI (3–6–1)
146. The Citadel (3–5–1)
147. Tampa (8–3–1)
148. Utah State (3–7–1)
149. Louisville (3–5)
150. Western Michigan (4–4)
The 1957 NCAA University Division football season saw two different national champions. Auburn was ranked first in the AP writers' poll taken at season's end, while Ohio State was first in the UPI coaches' poll. Auburn was ineligible for a bowl game, however, having been placed on probation indefinitely by the Southeastern Conference, after having paid two high school players $500 apiece.
The 1952 college football season ended with the unbeaten Michigan State Spartans (9–0) and Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (12–0) each claiming a national championship from different polls. Michigan State finished first according to two of the "wire service" polls, which both placed Georgia Tech second. Georgia Tech was first in the International News Service poll. UP and INS merged in 1958 to form UPI.
The 1951 college football season finished with seven unbeaten major college teams, of which five were unbeaten and untied. Ultimately, the Tennessee Volunteers were voted the best team by the Associated Press, followed by the Michigan State Spartans, with the Vols having a plurality of first place votes. Tennessee lost in the Sugar Bowl to the equally undefeated and untied No. 3 Maryland Terrapins, but the postseason games were not taken into account by the major polls. Tennessee, Michigan State, and Illinois all claim national championships for 1951.
The 1942 college football season was the 74th 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 was the first after the entry of the United States into World War II.
One human poll comprised the 1936 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. 1936 was the first year of operation for the AP Poll.
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 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.
One human poll comprised the 1948 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 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.
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.