AP Poll All-Time Preseason Top 25 College Football Rankings
According to the AP Poll top 25 rankings, how did all the preseason rankings stack up since the poll came out before the 1950 season?
How have the narratives for the college football seasons been shaped for over 70 years? The preseason polls and rankings.
The AP poll began ranking teams throughout the season and declared a national champion starting in 1936, but it didn’t crank up the preseason version until 1950 – the same year the UPI Coaches Poll was created.
It’s still a bizarre concept to this day – much like our grandchildren won’t believe there was a time when a playoff system was based on the whims of a small panel of judges – but the polls and rankings used to mean everything in determining a national champion.
The preseason rankings all but cemented things in stone. If you started out in the top two, you were going to be in the mix for the national title as long as you didn’t lose. If you were outside of the top two to start the season – and, sometimes, if you weren’t No. 1 – you needed help.
The preseason polls still set the expectations at the start of every season, and the AP version remains the one that gets the most publicity.
Since 1950, how did the AP media members perceive the top teams before the seasons? Which schools got the most respect in the AP preseason college football polls?
AP Poll, All-Time Rankings: Final
AP Top Programs of All-Time | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s
1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s
Coaches Poll All-Time Final Rankings | Preseason Rankings
AP Preseason Poll All-Time Rankings
1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s
AP: Preseason College Football Top 25 Rankings 1950 to 2022
CFN devised a scoring system giving every AP-ranked preseason No. 1 team from 1950 to 2022 25 points, the No. 2 team 24, No. 3 23, and so on down to the bottom of the top 20 in the early years, and then it became the top 25 later on. Previous ranking in parentheses.
1 Oklahoma 1244 (1)
2 Ohio State 1219 (2)
3 Alabama 1055 (3)
4 Notre Dame 996 (5)
5 USC 991 (4)
6 Michigan 932 (7)
7 Texas 931 (6)
8 Nebraska 816 (8)
9 Penn State 713 (9)
10 Florida State 685 (10)
11 LSU 633 (11)
12 Florida 625 (12)
13 Tennessee 592 (13)
14 Georgia 590 (15)
15 Auburn 581 (14)
16 Miami 555 (16)
17 UCLA 511 (17)
18 Michigan State 475 (18)
19 Texas A&M 460 (20)
20 Clemson 458 (21)
21 Washington 450 (19)
22 Wisconsin 370 (22)
23 Arkansas 363 (23)
24 Ole Miss 299 (24)
25 Iowa 293 (25)
Related
College Football Rankings: 2022 CFN Preseason Ranking Of All 131 Teams
Also Receiving Votes or Points: Pitt 282; Stanford 259; Oregon 251; Colorado 246; Maryland 225; Georgia Tech 210; Virginia Tech 210; Arizona State 210; North Carolina 208; TCU 197; Syracuse 191; Purdue 188; Illinois 176; West Virginia 172; Cal 160; Houston 129; Kansas State 125; SMU 118; Oklahoma State 118; South Carolina 114; Army 109; Baylor 109; Arizona 105; Missouri 100; Navy 97; Duke 96; BYU 91; Louisville 87; Boise State 82; Northwestern 76; Oregon State 65; Mississippi State 59; NC State 56; Minnesota 56; Kentucky 56; Virginia 54; Texas Tech 51; Utah 50; Kansas 49; Rice 39; Indiana 34; Iowa State 33; Washington State 31; Princeton 27; Cincinnati 27; Cornell 23; Penn 21; Boston College 20; UCF 19; Colorado State 16; USF 14; Air Force 11; Rutgers 10; Indiana 9; Southern Miss 8; Marshall 7; Yale 7; Wake Forest 7; Miami University 6; Coastal Carolina 4; Louisiana 3; Hawaii 3; Fresno State 2
AP Preseason Polls
1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s
AP Poll Preseason College Football Rankings: 2020 to 2022 Top 25: NEXT
AP Poll Preseason College Football Rankings: 2020 to 2022 Top 25
Take all the AP Poll preseason rankings and use our CFN scoring system – the AP Poll preseason No. 1 gets 25 points, the No. 2 team 24, No. 3 23, and so on down to the bottom. Number in parentheses is previous year’s ranking.
1 Alabama 73 (T1)
T2 Clemson 70 (T1)
T2 Ohio State 70 (3)
4 Georgia 66 (5)
5 Oklahoma 62 (4)
6 Notre Dame 54 (T6)
7 Texas A&M 53 (T6)
8 Oregon 47 (8)
9 Wisconsin 36 (11)
10 USC 32 (16)
11 Florida 31 (9)
12 LSU 30 (10)
13 Michigan 28 (T21)
14 Penn State 26 (12)
15 Oklahoma State 25 (20)
16 North Carolina 24 (T13)
17 Miami 22 (19)
T18 Cincinnati 21 (T13)
T18 Utah 21 (T25)
20 Iowa State 19 (15)
21 Texas 17 (17)
22 Baylor 16 (NR)
23 Auburn 15 (18)
24 NC State 13 (NR)
25 Michigan State 11 (NR)
Also Receiving Votes/Points: Iowa 10; Arkansas 7; Minnesota 7; Kentucky 6; Ole Miss 5; UCF 5; Wake Forest 4; Houston 2; Arizona State 1; BYU 1
AP Preseason Polls
1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s
AP Poll Preseason College Football Rankings: 2010 to 2019 Top 25: NEXT
AP Poll Preseason College Football Rankings: 2010 to 2019 Top 25
Take all the AP Poll preseason rankings and use our CFN scoring system – the AP Poll preseason No. 1 gets 25 points, the No. 2 team 24, No. 3 23, and so on down to the bottom.
1 Alabama 244
2 Ohio State 196
3 Oklahoma 188
4 Florida State 153
5 Clemson 148
6 Georgia 147
7 LSU 144
8 Oregon 143
9 USF 115
T10 Stanford 110
T11 Wisconsin 110
12 Michigan State 98
13 Notre Dame 93
14 Michigan 92
15 TCU 91
16 Auburn 88
17 Florida 73
18 South Carolina 68
19 Texas 65
20 Washington 64
21 Boise State 60
22 Oklahoma State 58
23 Nebraska 57
24 Texas A&M 56
25 Louisville 55
Also Receiving Votes/Points: Penn State 54; Virginia Tech 50; UCLA 47; Arkansas 44; Baylor 41; Miami 39; Iowa 32; Ole Miss 32; West Virginia 31; Georgia Tech 20; Tennessee 19; Arizona State 18; Kansas State 16; North Carolina 15; Mississippi State 14; UCF 14; Utah 12; Houston 11; Pitt 11; Missouri 9; Iowa State 5; Washington State 5; Arizona 4; Northwestern 4; Syracuse 4; Oregon State 3
AP Preseason Polls
1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2020s
AP Poll Preseason College Football Rankings: 2000 to 2009 Top 25: NEXT
AP Poll Preseason College Football Rankings: 2000 to 2009 Top 25
Take all the AP Poll preseason rankings and use our CFN scoring system – the AP Poll preseason No. 1 gets 25 points, the No. 2 team 24, No. 3 23, and so on down to the bottom.
1 Texas 210
2 Oklahoma 201
3 Florida 178
4 USC 175
5 Ohio State 171
6 LSU 155
7 Georgia 147
8 Miami 144
9 Michigan 143
10 Florida State 142
11 Virginia Tech 131
12 Tennessee 124
13 Auburn 85
14 West Virginia 78
15 Nebraska 77
16 Kansas State 72
17 Cal 66
18 Wisconsin 56
19 Oregon 53
T20 Clemson 52
T20 Louisville 52
22 Washington 50
23 Alabama 47
24 Penn State 42
25 Notre Dame 41
Also Receiving Votes/Points: Iowa 36; Purdue 32; Georgia Tech 27; Boise State 26; Ole Miss 26; TCU 24; Arizona State 23; Colorado 21; UCLA 21; Maryland 20; Pitt 20; Texas Tech 20; Oklahoma State 19; Virginia 19; NC State 18; BYU 16; Oregon State 15; Washington State 15; Kansas 13; Texas A&M 13; Utah 13; Illinois 11; Northwestern 10; Rutgers 10; Michigan State 9; South Carolina 9; Marshall 7; USF 7; Mississippi State 6; Arkansas 5; Colorado State 5; North Carolina 5; Hawaii 3; Southern Miss 3; Wake Forest 3; Fresno State 2; Minnesota 1
AP Preseason Polls
1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2010s | 2020s
AP Poll Preseason College Football Rankings: 1990 to 1999 Top 25: NEXT
AP Poll Preseason College Football Rankings: 1990 to 1999 Top 25
Take all the AP Poll preseason rankings and use our CFN scoring system – the AP Poll preseason No. 1 gets 25 points, the No. 2 team 24, No. 3 23, and so on down to the bottom.
1 Florida State 236
T2 Florida 196
T2 Nebraska 196
4 Michigan 183
5 Notre Dame 174
T6 Miami 170
T6 Tennessee 170
8 Penn State 167
9 Colorado 144
10 Texas A&M 137
11 Ohio State 124
12 Alabama 117
13 Washington 101
14 Syracuse 99
15 USC 93
16 Auburn 87
17 Texas 70
18 UCLA 68
19 Arizona 62
20 Clemson 57
21 Oklahoma 56
22 North Carolina 52
23 Wisconsin 45
24 Georgia 44
25 LSU 40
Also Receiving Votes/Points: Georgia Tech 36; Virginia 35; Kansas State 34; BYU 33; Virginia Tech 29; Iowa 27; Arizona State 25; West Virginia 21; Illinois 20; Arkansas 16; Houston 16; Michigan State 13; Colorado State 11; Boston College 9; Northwestern 8; Pitt 8; Cal 6; Mississippi State 6; Southern Miss 5; Purdue 3; Kansas 2; NC State 1
AP Preseason Polls
1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s
AP Poll Preseason College Football Rankings: 1980 to 1989 Top 25: NEXT
AP Poll Preseason College Football Rankings: 1980 to 1989 Top 25
Take all the AP Poll preseason rankings and use our CFN scoring system – the AP Poll preseason No. 1 gets 25 points, the No. 2 team 24, No. 3 23, and so on down to the bottom.
1 Nebraska 216
2 Oklahoma 205
3 Michigan 175
4 Auburn 147
T5 Ohio State 146
T5 Penn State 146
7 USC 145
8 Alabama 142
9 Notre Dame 141
10 UCLA 135
11 Florida State 130
12 Miami 106
13 Pitt 95
14 Washington 94
15 Clemson 90
16 Georgia 86
T17 LSU 85
T17 Texas 85
19 Arkansas 81
20 Iowa 76
21 Florida 68
22 SMU 67
23 North Carolina 62
24 Texas A&M 46
25 BYU 41
Also Receiving Votes/Points: Arizona State 38; Tennessee 34; Maryland 28; Houston 23; Arizona 20; Illinois 19; Stanford 19; West Virginia 19; Michigan State 17; Purdue 17; South Carolina 16; Baylor 14; Syracuse 13; Colorado 12; Mississippi State 12; Oklahoma State 10; Missouri 9; Boston College 7; NC State 2
AP Preseason Polls
1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s
AP Poll Preseason College Football Rankings: 1970 to 1979 Top 25: NEXT
AP Poll Preseason College Football Rankings: 1970 to 1979 Top 25
Take all the AP Poll preseason rankings and use our CFN scoring system – the AP Poll preseason No. 1 gets 25 points, the No. 2 team 24, No. 3 23, and so on down to the bottom.
1 USC 211
2 Michigan 207
3 Oklahoma 198
4 Nebraska 196
5 Ohio State 195
6 Alabama 194
7 Notre Dame 191
8 Penn State 184
9 Texas 172
10 Arkansas 120
11 UCLA 99
12 Arizona State 96
13 LSU 86
14 Texas A&M 74
15 Pitt 70
16 Tennessee 64
17 Houston 58
18 Auburn 57
19 Colorado 53
20 Maryland 51
T21 Florida 49
T21 Georgia 49
23 Stanford 48
24 Washington 43
25 Ole Miss 31
Also Receiving Votes/Points: Michigan State 30; NC State 30; Missouri 29; Purdue 28; Texas Tech 24; Florida State 23; Arizona 19; North Carolina 14; Syracuse 13; Kansas State 12; Cal 11; Kentucky 11; Mississippi State 10; Georgia Tech 9; South Carolina 9; Clemson 8; Kansas 7; Iowa State 6; Miami University 6; Northwestern 6; Oklahoma State 6; West Virginia 6
AP Preseason Polls
1950s | 1960s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s
Coaches Poll Preseason College Football Rankings: 1960 to 1969 Top 25: NEXT
AP Poll Preseason College Football Rankings: 1960 to 1969 Top 25
Take all the AP Poll preseason rankings and use our CFN scoring system – the AP Poll preseason No. 1 gets 25 points, the No. 2 team 24, No. 3 23, and so on down to the bottom.
1 Texas 200
2 Alabama 188
3 Ohio State 152
4 USC 145
5 Ole Miss 127
6 Michigan State 121
7 Notre Dame 115
8 Oklahoma 104
9 Arkansas 90
10 Purdue 87
T11 Penn State 84
T11 Syracuse 84
13 Washington 74
14 Tennessee 69
15 LSU 68
16 Nebraska 60
17 UCLA 59
18 Georgia 51
19 Illinois 44
20 Auburn 38
21 Iowa 36
22 Navy 33
23 Northwestern 32
24 Miami 27
25 Indiana 25
Also Receiving Votes/Points: Michigan 22; Oregon State 20; Florida 19; Houston 19; Pitt 19; Wisconsin 19; Duke 18; Kansas 18; Minnesota 18; Clemson 17; Colorado 16; Missouri 16; TCU 15; Texas A&M 14; Stanford 10; Arizona State 9
AP Preseason Polls
1950s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s
AP Poll Preseason College Football Rankings: 1950 to 1959 Top 25: NEXT
AP Poll Preseason College Football Rankings: 1950 to 1959 Top 25
Take all the AP Poll preseason rankings and use our CFN scoring system – the AP Poll preseason No. 1 gets 25 points, the No. 2 team 24, No. 3 23, and so on down to the bottom.
1 Oklahoma 230
2 Notre Dame 187
3 Michigan State 176
4 Ohio State 165
5 Maryland 126
6 Georgia Tech 118
7 Texas 112
8 Tennessee 111
9 Army 109
10 Michigan 93
11 Wisconsin 91
T12 Illinois 82
T12 UCLA 82
T12 USC 82
T15 Duke 78
T15 Ole Miss 78
17 Cal 77
18 Iowa 76
T19 TCU 67
T19 Texas A&M 67
21 Auburn 64
22 Navy 64
23 SMU 57
T24 Alabama 50
T24 Pitt 50
Also Receiving Votes/Points: Miami 47; Stanford 44; Kentucky 39; Rice 39; Baylor 38; North Carolina 36; Minnesota 30; Oregon State 27; Princeton 27; LSU 25; Cornell 23; Pennsylvania 21; Purdue 21; Washington 18; West Virginia 17; Clemson 16; Northwestern 16; Nebraska 14; South Carolina 12; Air Force 11; Florida 11; Mississippi State 11; Washington State 11; Penn State 10; Kansas 9; Missouri 9; Oregon 8; Texas Tech 7; Yale 7; Syracuse 6
AP Preseason Polls
1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s
USA TODAY Coaches Poll, All-Time Final Rankings
Greatest Programs of All-Time | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s
1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | AP Top Programs of All-Time
USA TODAY Preseason Coaches Polls
1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s
