College football rankings: Every poll explained and how they work (2024)

There are many polls to keep track of during the college football season, from the AP Poll and College Football Playoff rankings in theFBS to the FCS and Division II polls. Here's what you need to know about the major polls — and how college football rankings work.

Some of these polls go back decades. Others, like the College Football Playoff rankings, are much newer.

College football rankings: Every pollexplained and how they work

Guide to the College Football Playoff rankings system

Unlike other polls, the College Football Playoff rankings come out only until well into the season. And unlike other polls, it's the only one that really matters, as it's for the 12-team playoff. For a decade, the CFP was only a four-team playoff. Starting with the 2024 season, it moved up to 12 teams. The CFP Selection Committee ranks its own top 25, using factors like strength of schedule, results, championships won, common opponents and more.

The 12-team field will be made up of the five conference champions ranked highest by the committee, plus the next seven highest-ranked teams. The four highest-ranked conference champs receive a first-round bye and are seeded one through four. The fifth conference champion ranked the highest will be seeded were it was ranked or at No. 12 if it landed outside the top 12 of the rankings. Any non-conference champion team will be seeded starting at No. 5. Teams seeded 5-12 will play in the first round on campus sites (No. 5 vs. No. 12, No. 6 vs. No. 11, No. 7 vs. No. 10 and No. 8 vs. No. 9). Winners of these games will then play the top four seeds — No. 1 vs. No. 8/9, No. 2 vs. No. 7/10, No. 3 vs. No. 6/11, No. 4 vs. No. 5/12. There will be no re-seeding.

The CFP, which started with the 2014 season, has its committee members meet in person to rank teams.

There is no new CFP rankings after the bowl games or the championship game.

Here is a list of the first No. 1 teams in the College Football Playoff rankings, the final CFP No. 1 teamand the eventual national champion for each season of the College Football Playoff rankings:

YearFirst CFP No. 1Final CFP No. 1National Champion
2014Mississippi StateAlabamaOhio State
2015ClemsonClemsonAlabama
2016AlabamaAlabamaClemson
2017GeorgiaClemsonAlabama
2018AlabamaAlabamaClemson
2019Ohio StateLSULSU
2020AlabamaAlabamaAlabama
2021GeorgiaAlabamaGeorgia
2022TennesseeGeorgiaGeorgia
2023Ohio StateMichiganMichigan

Here are the College Football Playoff Selection Committee members:

  • Chris Ault(former head coach and athletics directoratNevada)
  • Chet Gladchuk(athletics director, U.S. Naval Academy)
  • Jim Grobe(former head coach, Ohio University, Wake Forest and Baylor)
  • Warde Manuel(chair) (athletics director forMichigan)
  • Randall McDaniel(College and Pro Football Hall of Fame member and former All-American offensive lineman with Arizona State University)
  • Gary Pinkel(former head coach,Toledo andMissouri)
  • Mack Rhoades(athletics director forBaylor)
  • Mike Riley(former college head coach, Oregon State and Nebraska, as well as head coach in the NFL, CFL, WLAF, AAF and USFL)
  • David Sayler(athletics director, Miami(Ohio)
  • Will Shields(College and Pro Football Hall of Fame member and former All-American offensive lineman withNebraska)
  • Kelly Whiteside(professor in Sports Media and Journalism, Montclair State; longtime sportswriter, USA Today, Sports Illustrated and Newsday)
  • Carla Williams(athletics director for Virginia)
  • Hunter Yurachek(Arkansas athletics director)

Guide to the AP Poll Top 25

Starting with the preseason poll, the Associated PressPoll will rank the top 25 teams each week during the season and after the bowl games and the College Football Playoff.

The 62 sportswriters and broadcasters from throughout the country vote individually. Teams are given points ona scale: No. 1 gets you 25, No. 2 gets you 24, etc. These ballots, which are made public each week, are then combined for one AP Top 25 poll.

Once the season starts, the poll is released eachSunday afternoon (except for after Week 1 due to games throughout Labor Day weekend.

The AP Poll voters are not obligated to rank the CFP winner No. 1. In the 2017 season, undefeated UCF, which beat Auburn in the Peach Bowl, received four No. 1 votes. The last time the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll had different No. 1 teams at the end of the season was in 2003, during the BCS era. That year, LSU beat Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl to win the BCS National Championship and thus the ESPN/Coaches Poll No. 1 ranking. The AP, however, ranked Southern California No. 1 after the Trojans defeated Michigan in the Rose Bowl.

Alabama has the most season-ending No. 1 rankings in AP Poll history with 12. The Crimson Tide finished No. 1 in 1961, 1964, 1965, 1978, 1979, 1992, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017 and 2020. Notre Dame is second with eight, winning most recently in 1988.

Minnesota won the first AP title, ranking No. 1 in 1936. The final AP Poll finallycame out after the bowl games for good starting with the 1968 season.

Final AP No. 1 teams since the 2000 season:

  • 2000: Oklahoma
  • 2001: Miami (FL)
  • 2002: Ohio State
  • 2003: Southern California
  • 2004: Southern California
  • 2005: Texas
  • 2006: Florida
  • 2007: LSU
  • 2008: Florida
  • 2009: Alabama
  • 2010: Auburn
  • 2011: Alabama
  • 2012: Alabama
  • 2013: Florida State
  • 2014: Ohio State
  • 2015: Alabama
  • 2016: Clemson
  • 2017: Alabama
  • 2018: Clemson
  • 2019: LSU
  • 2020: Alabama
  • 2021: Georgia
  • 2022: Georgia
  • 2023: Michigan

All FBS teams can earn rankings in the poll, as can FCS programs. In 2007, Appalachian State upset then-No. 5 Michigan, 34-32, prompting the AP Poll to allow voters to rank FCS teams ("Appalachian State Rule)".In 2016, North Dakota State upset then-No. 11 Iowa and received 74 votes in the AP Poll.

Guide to the college football Coaches Poll

Like the AP Poll, the Coaches Poll starts with a preseason top 25 and continues weekly on Sundays during the season and after the bowl games. There are 55 coaches voting in the poll, which gives teams points on a scale from 1 to 25 (25 for ranking a team No. 1, 24 for No. 2, etc.).

Like the AP Poll, the Coaches Poll isn't obligated to vote the College Football Playoff winner as the national champion, though it's been awarded to the same team each year.

The Coaches' Trophy is awarded to the national champion. Before the CFP, this went to the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) winner. The College Football Playoffhas its own trophy.

Through the 1973 season, the final Coaches Poll came out at the end of the regular season but before the bowl games.

College Football: Split national titles

Though the College Football Playoff has eliminated (almost) all worries about avoiding a split national champion, there are instances where there are multiple national champions in a single season. Some of that had to do with different national champions for the AP and Coaches Poll.

Here are the years with split national champions, per this list of champions on NCAA.com, since 1970.

YearSchools (Polls)
2003LSU (Coaches), Southern California (AP)
1997Michigan (AP), Nebraska (Coaches)
1991Miami (FL) (AP), Washington (Coaches)
1990Colorado (AP), Georgia Tech (Coaches)
1978Alabama (AP), Southern California (Coaches)
1974Oklahoma (AP), Southern California (Coaches)
1973Alabama (Coaches), Notre Dame (AP)
1970Nebraska (AP, FWAA), Texas (Coaches, NFF), Ohio State (NFF)

How the FCS rankings work

Like in FBS, there is more than one poll for the Football Championship Subdivision. The weekly STATS poll is voted on by the media, while the CoachesPoll is voted on by FCS coaches. Both of these polls release a preseason top 25 and continue to vote weekly through the end of the regular season and again after the conclusion of the 24-team playoff.

How the DII football rankings work

Before 1973, champions for the then "NCAA College Division" were decided by polls at the end of the regular season. Starting with 1973, there has been the DII Football Championship.

There are also regional rankings, which play a major role in deciding the playoff participants. The 28-team playoff is made up of seven teams from each of these four regions. Participants in each region are determined by regional rankings. A conference's highest-ranked team qualifiesautomatically if it ranksin the top nine. Other participants are determined by the region rankings.

FBS: Championship History

National Champions

SEASONCHAMPIONSELECTING ORGANIZATION
2023MichiganCFP
2022GeorgiaCFP
2021GeorgiaCFP
2020AlabamaCFP
2019LSUCFP
2018ClemsonCFP
2017AlabamaCFP
2016ClemsonCFP
2015AlabamaCFP
2014Ohio StateCFP
2013Florida StateBCS
2012AlabamaBCS
2011AlabamaBCS
2010AuburnBCS
2009AlabamaBCS
2008FloridaBCS
2007Louisiana StateBCS
2006FloridaBCS
2005TexasBCS
2004Southern California*BCS
2003Louisiana State, Southern CaliforniaBCS, AP, FWAA
2002Ohio StateBCS
2001Miami (Fla.)BCS
2000OklahomaBCS
1999Florida StateBCS
1998TennesseeBCS
1997Michigan, NebraskaAP, FWAA, NFF, USA/ESPN
1996FloridaAP, FWAA, NFF,USA/CNN
1995NebraskaAP, FWAA, NFF, USA/CNN, UPI
1994NebraskaAP, FWAA, NFF, USA/CNN, UPI
1993Florida St.AP, FWAA,NFF, USA/CNN, UPI
1992AlabamaAP, FWAA, NFF, USA/CNN, UPI
1991Washington, Miami (Fla.)FWAA, NFF, USA/CNN, UPI,AP
1990Colorado, Georgia TechFWAA, NFF, USA/CNN, AP, UPI
1989Miami (Fla.)AP, FWAA, NFF, USA/CNN, UPI
1988Notre DameAP, FWAA, NFF, USA/CNN, UPI
1987Miami (Fla.)AP, FWAA, NFF, USA/CNN, UPI
1986Penn St.AP, FWAA, NFF, USA/CNN, UPI
1985OklahomaAP, FWAA, NFF, USA/CNN, UPI
1984Brigham YoungAP, FWAA, NFF, USA/CNN, UPI
1983Miami (Fla.)AP, FWAA, NFF, USA/CNN, UPI
1982Penn St.AP, FWAA, NFF, USA/CNN, UPI
1981ClemsonAP, FWAA, NFF, UPI
1980GeorgiaAP, FWAA, NFF, UPI
1979AlabamaAP, FWAA, NFF, UPI
1978Alabama, Southern CaliforniaAP, FWAA, NFF, UPI
1977Notre DameAP, FWAA, NFF, UPI
1976PittsburghAP, FWAA, NFF, UPI
1975OklahomaAP, FWAA, NFF, UPI
1974Southern California, OklahomaFWAA, NFF, UPI, AP
1973Notre Dame, AlabamaAP, FWAA, NFF, UPI
1972Southern CaliforniaAP, FWAA, NFF, UPI
1971NebraskaAP, FWAA, NFF, UPI
1970Nebraska, Texas, Ohio St.AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI, NFF
1969TexasAP, FWAA, NFF, UPI
1968Ohio St.AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI
1967Southern CaliforniaAP, FWAA, NFF, UPI
1966Notre Dame, Michigan St.AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI, NFF
1965Michigan St., AlabamaFWAA, NFF, UPI, AP
1964Alabama, Arkansas, Notre DameAP, UPI, FWAA, NFF
1963TexasAP, FWAA, NFF, UPI
1962Southern CaliforniaAP, FWAA, NFF, UPI
1961Alabama, Ohio St.AP, NFF, UPI, FWAA
1960Minnesota, MississippiAP, NFF, UPI, FWAA
1959SyracuseAP, FWAA, NFF, UPI
1958LSU, IowaAP, UPI, FWAA
1957Ohio St., AuburnFWAA, UPI, AP
1956OklahomaAP, FWAA, UPI
1955OklahomaAP, FWAA, UPI
1954UCLA, Ohio St.FWAA, UPI, AP
1953MarylandAP, UPI
1952Michigan St.AP, UPI
1951TennesseeAP, UPI
1950OklahomaAP, UPI
1949Notre DameAP
1948MichiganAP
1947Notre DameAP
1946Notre DameAP
1945ArmyAP
1944ArmyAP
1943Notre DameAP
1942Ohio St.AP
1941MinnesotaAP
1940MinnesotaAP
1939Texas A&MAP
1938Texas ChristianAP
1937PittsburghAP
1936MinnesotaAP
1935MinnesotaCFRA, HAF, NCF
1934MinnesotaCFRA, HAF, NCF
1933MichiganCFRA, HAF, NCF
1932Southern CaliforniaCFRA, HAF, NCF
1931Southern CaliforniaCFRA, HAF, NCF
1930Alabama, Notre DameCFRA, HAF, NCF
1929Notre DameCFRA, HAF, NCF
1928Georgia Tech.CFRA, HAF, NCF
1927Illinois, YaleHAF, NCF, CFRA
1926Alabama, StanfordCFRA, HAF, NCF, HAF
1925AlabamaCFRA, HAF, NCF
1924Notre DameCFRA, HAF, NCF
1923Illinois, MichiganCFRA, HAF, NCF, NCF
1922California, Cornell, PrincetonNCF, HAF, CFRA, NCF
1921California, CornellCFRA, NCF, HAF
1920CaliforniaCFRA, HAF, NCF
1919Harvard, Illinois, Notre Dame, Texas A&MCFRA, HAF, NCF, CFRA, NCF, NCF
1918Michigan, PittsburghNCF, HAF, NCF
1917Georgia Tech.HAF, NCF
1916PittsburghHAF, NCF
1915CornellHAF, NCF
1914ArmyHAF, NCF
1913HarvardHAF, NCF
1912Harvard, Penn St.HAF, NCF, NCF
1911Penn St., PrincetonNCF, HAF, NCF
1910Harvard, PittsburghHAF, NCF, NCF
1909YaleHAF, NCF
1908LSU, PennsylvaniaNCF, HAF, NCF
1907YaleHAF, NCF
1906PrincetonHAF, NCF
1905ChicagoHAF, NCF
1904Michigan, PennsylvaniaNCF, HAF, NCF
1903Michigan, PrincetonNCF, HAF, NCF
1902MichiganHAF, NCF
1901MichiganHAF, NCF
1900YaleHAF, NCF
1899HarvardHAF, NCF
1898HarvardHAF, NCF
1897PennsylvaniaHAF, NCF
1896Lafayette, PrincetonNCF, HAF, NCF
1895PennsylvaniaHAF, NCF
1894YaleHAF, NCF
1893PrincetonHAF, NCF
1892YaleHAF, NCF
1891YaleHAF, NCF
1890HarvardHAF, NCF
1889PrincetonHAF, NCF
1888YaleHAF, NCF
1887YaleHAF, NCF
1886YaleHAF, NCF
1885PrincetonHAF, NCF
1884YaleHAF, NCF
1883YaleHAF, NCF
1882YaleNCF
1881YaleNCF
1880Princeton, YaleNCF, NCF
1879PrincetonNCF
1878PrincetonNCF
1877YaleNCF
1876YaleNCF
1875HarvardNCF
1874YaleNCF
1873PrincetonNCF
1872PrincetonNCF
1871None selectedNCF
1870PrincetonNCF
1869Princeton, RutgersNCF

* Southern California’s participation in the 2004 championship was vacated by the NCAA Committee on Infractions.

FCS: Championship history

YEARCHAMPIONCOACHSCORERUNNER-UPSITE
2023South Dakota StateJimmy Rogers23-3MontanaFrisco, Texas
2022South Dakota StateJohn Stiegelmeier45-21North Dakota StateFrisco, Texas
2021North Dakota StateMatt Entz38-10Montana StateFrisco, Texas
2020Sam HoustonK.C. Keeler23-21South Dakota StateFrisco, Texas
2019North Dakota StateMatt Entz28-20James MadisonFrisco, Texas
2018North Dakota StateChris Klieman38-24Eastern WashingtonFrisco, Texas
2017North Dakota StateChris Klieman17-13James MadisonFrisco, Texas
2016James MadisonMike Houston28-14Youngstown StateFrisco, Texas
2015North Dakota StateChris Klieman37-10Jacksonville StateFrisco, Texas
2014North Dakota StateChris Klieman29-27Illinois StateFrisco, Texas
2013North Dakota StateCraig Bohl35-7TowsonFrisco, Texas
2012North Dakota StateCraig Bohl39-13Sam Houston StateFrisco, Texas
2011North Dakota StateCraig Bohl17-6Sam Houston StateFrisco, Texas
2010Eastern WashingtonBeau Baldwin20-19DelawareFrisco, Texas
2009VillanovaAndy Talley23-21MontanaChattanooga, Tenn.
2008RichmondMike London24-7MontanaChattanooga, Tenn.
2007Appalachian StateJerry Moore49-21DelawareChattanooga, Tenn.
2006Appalachian StateJerry Moore28-17MassachusettsChattanooga, Tenn.
2005Appalachian StateJerry Moore21-16UNIChattanooga, Tenn.
2004James MadisonMickey Matthews31-21MontanaChattanooga, Tenn.
2003DelawareK.C. Keeler40-0ColgateChattanooga, Tenn.
2002Western KentuckyJack Harbaugh34-14McNeese StateChattanooga, Tenn.
2001MontanaJoe Glenn13-6FurmanChattanooga, Tenn.
2000Georgia SouthernPaul Johnson27-25MontanaChattanooga, Tenn.
1999Georgia SouthernPaul Johnson59-24Youngstown StateChattanooga, Tenn.
1998MassachusettsMark Whipple55-43Georgia SouthernChattanooga, Tenn.
1997Youngstown StateJim Tressel10-9McNeese StateChattanooga, Tenn.
1996MarshallBob Pruett49-29MontanaHuntington, W.Va.
1995MontanaDon Read22-20MarshallHuntington, W.Va.
1994Youngstown StateJim Tressel28-14Boise StateHuntington, W.Va.
1993Youngstown StateJim Tressel17-5MarshallHuntington, W.Va.
1992MarshallJim Donnan31-28Youngstown StateHuntington, W.Va.
1991Youngstown StateJim Tressel25-17MarshallStatesboro, Ga.
1990Georgia SouthernTim Stowers36-13NevadaStatesboro, Ga.
1989Georgia SouthernErk Russell37-34Stephen F. Austin *Statesboro, Ga.
1988FurmanJimmy Satterfield17-12Georgia SouthernPocatello, Idaho
1987Louisiana-MonroePat Collins43-42MarshallPocatello, Idaho
1986Georgia SouthernErk Russell48-21Arkansas StateTacoma, Wash.
1985Georgia SouthernErk Russell44-42FurmanTacoma, Wash.
1984Montana StateDave Arnold19-6Louisiana TechCharleston, S.C.
1983Southern IllinoisRey Dempsey43-7Western CarolinaCharleston, S.C.
1982Eastern KentuckyRoy Kidd17-14DelawareWichita Falls, Texas
1981Idaho StateDave Kragthorpe34-23Eastern KentuckyWichita Falls, Texas
1980Boise StateJim Criner31-29Eastern KentuckySacramento, Calif.
1979Eastern KentuckyRoy Kidd30-7LehighOrlando, Fla.
1978Florida A&MRuby Hubbard35-28MassachusettsWichita Falls, Texas

* -- Stephen F. Austin's participation in 1989 championship vacated.

College football rankings: Every poll explained and how they work (2024)
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