1972 NCAA University Division football rankings

1972 NCAA University Division football rankings
Season1972
Bowl season1972–73 bowl games
Preseason No. 1
Nebraska
End of season championsUSC
NCAA University Division football rankings
← 1971
1973 →

Two human polls comprised the 1972 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.

Legend

  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

AP Poll

Preseason
Aug[1]		Week 1
Sep 11[2]		Week 2
Sep 18[3]		Week 3
Sep 25[4]		Week 4
Oct 2[5]		Week 5
Oct 9[6]		Week 6
Oct 16[7]		Week 7
Oct 23[8]		Week 8
Oct 30[9]		Week 9
Nov 6[10]		Week 10
Nov 13[11]		Week 11
Nov 20[12]		Week 12
Nov 27[13]		Week 13
Dec 4[14]		Week 14 (Final)
Jan[15]
1.Nebraska (28)USC (1–0) (13)USC (2–0) (28)USC (3–0) (28)USC (4–0) (36)USC (5–0) (34)USC (6–0) (28)USC (7–0) (44)USC (8–0) (41)USC (9–0) (40)USC (9–0) (42)USC (10–0) (44)USC (10–0) (46)USC (11–0) (50)USC (12–0) (50)1.
2.Colorado (13)Colorado (1–0) (12)Oklahoma (1–0) (11)Oklahoma (2–0) (14)Oklahoma (3–0) (13)Oklahoma (3–0) (15)Oklahoma (4–0) (20)Alabama (6–0) (2)Alabama (7–0) (3)Alabama (8–0) (3)Alabama (9–0) (5)Alabama (10–0) (5)Alabama (10–0) (4)Oklahoma (10–1)Oklahoma (11–1)2.
3.Ohio State (4)Ohio State (0–0) (5)Colorado (2–0) (7)Colorado (3–0) (5)Ohio State (2–0)Alabama (4–0)Alabama (5–0)Nebraska (5–1) (2)Nebraska (6–1) (4)Nebraska (7–1) (5)Michigan (9–0) (3)Michigan (10–0) (1)Oklahoma (9–1)Ohio State (9–1)Texas (10–1)3.
4.Arkansas (2)Oklahoma (0–0) (12)Ohio State (1–0) (2)Tennessee (3–0) (1)Alabama (3–0)Ohio State (3–0) (1)Ohio State (4–0) (1)Ohio State (5–0) (1)Michigan (7–0) (1)Michigan (8–0) (1)Oklahoma (7–1)Oklahoma (8–1)Ohio State (9–1)Alabama (10–1)Nebraska (9–2–1)4.
5.Penn StateAlabama (1–0)Tennessee (2–0) (2)Ohio State (1–0) (1)Michigan (3–0) (1)Michigan (4–0)Nebraska (4–1)Michigan (6–0) (1)Ohio State (6–0) (1)Ohio State (7–0) (1)Nebraska (7–1–1)Nebraska (8–1–1)Penn State (10–1)Penn State (10–1)Auburn (10–1)5.
6.Oklahoma (2)Penn State (0–0) (1)UCLA (2–0)Alabama (2–0)Nebraska (3–1)Nebraska (3–1)Michigan (5–0) (1)LSU (6–0)LSU (6–0)LSU (7–0)Penn State (8–1)Penn State (9–1)Texas (9–1)Auburn (9–1)Michigan (10–1)6.
7.AlabamaTennessee (1–0) (1)Alabama (1–0)Nebraska (2–1)Notre Dame (2–0)Notre Dame (3–0)LSU (5–0)Colorado (6–1)Oklahoma (5–1)Oklahoma (6–1)Texas (7–1)Texas (8–1)Michigan (10–1)Texas (9–1)Alabama (10–2)7.
8.USCUCLA (1–0)LSU (1–0)Michigan (2–0) (1)LSU (3–0)LSU (4–0)Notre Dame (4–0)Oklahoma (4–1)UCLA (7–1)UCLA (8–1)LSU (7–1)LSU (8–1)Nebraska (8–2–1)Michigan (10–1)Tennessee (10–2)8.
9.Washington (1)LSU (0–0)Nebraska (1–1)LSU (2–0)Texas (2–0)Auburn (4–0)Colorado (5–1)UCLA (6–1)Texas (5–1)Texas (6–1)Ohio State (7–1)Ohio State (8–1)Auburn (8–1)Nebraska (8–2–1)Ohio State (9–2)9.
10.MichiganNebraska (0–1) (1)Arizona State (2–0)Notre Dame (1–0)Tennessee (3–1)Texas (3–0)Tennessee (4–1)Texas (4–1)Penn State (6–1)Penn State (7–1)Notre Dame (7–1)Auburn (8–1)Notre Dame (8–1)LSU (9–1–1)Penn State (10–2)10.
11.LSUMichigan (0–0)Penn State (0–1)Arizona State (3–0)Washington (4–0)Tennessee (4–1)UCLA (5–1)Penn State (5–1)Auburn (6–1)Auburn (7–1)Auburn (7–1)Notre Dame (8–1)LSU (8–1–1)Tennessee (9–2)LSU (9–2–1)11.
12.Arizona StateWashington (1–0) (1)Michigan (1–0)Texas (1–0)Colorado (3–1)Washington (5–0)Penn State (4–1)Auburn (5–1)Notre Dame (5–1)Notre Dame (6–1)Iowa State (5–2–1)Tennessee (7–2)Tennessee (8–2)Notre Dame (8–2)North Carolina (11–1)12.
13.Notre DameArizona State (1–0)Notre Dame (0–0)Penn State (1–1)Florida State (4–0)Colorado (4–1)Stanford (4–1)Notre Dame (4–1)Tennessee (4–2)Tennessee (5–2)Tennessee (6–2)Colorado (8–3)Colorado (8–3)Colorado (8–3)Arizona State (10–2)13.
14.TexasNotre Dame (0–0)Texas (0–0)Washington (3–0)UCLA (3–1)UCLA (4–1)Auburn (4–1) тTennessee (4–2)Iowa State (5–1)Missouri (5–3)UCLA (8–2)UCLA (8–3)North Carolina (9–1)UCLA (8–3)Notre Dame (8–3)14.
15.TennesseeTexas (0–0)Washington (2–0)UCLA (2–1)Stanford (3–0)Penn State (3–1)Texas (3–1) тIowa State (4–1)Colorado (6–2)Texas Tech (7–1)Colorado (7–3)North Carolina (8–1)UCLA (8–3)Arizona State (9–2)UCLA (8–3)15.
16.Ole MissGeorgia (0–0)Georgia (1–0)Florida State (3–0)Penn State (2–1)Air Force (4–0)Air Force (5–0)Arizona State (5–1)Missouri (4–3)Colorado (6–3)North Carolina (7–1)Missouri (6–4)Arizona State (9–2)North Carolina (9–1)Colorado (8–4)16.
17.GeorgiaArkansas (0–1)Florida State (2–0)Ole Miss (2–0)Auburn (3–0)Stanford (3–1)Arkansas (4–1)Florida State (6–1)Louisville (6–0)Iowa State (5–2)Washington (8–2)Iowa State (5–3–1)Louisville (9–1)Louisville (9–1)NC State (8–3–1)17.
18.PurduePurdue (0–0)Michigan State (1–0)Tulane (2–0)Ole Miss (3–0)Iowa State (3–0)Washington (5–1)Arkansas (4–2) тTexas Tech (6–1)North Carolina (6–1)Arizona State (7–2)Arizona State (8–2)West Virginia (8–3)West Virginia (8–3)Louisville (9–1)18.
19.Florida StateOle Miss (0–0)Stanford (1–0)Stanford (2–0)Air Force (3–0)Oklahoma State (3–1)Arizona State (4–1)SMU (4–1) тAir Force (6–1)Arizona State (6–2)Missouri (5–4)Washington State (7–4)Washington State (7–4)Washington State (7–4)Washington State (7–4)19.
20.StanfordFlorida State (1–0)Ole Miss (1–0)West Virginia (3–0)Iowa State (3–0)Arkansas (3–1)Iowa State (3–1)West Virginia (5–2) тArkansas (5–2)
  • Stanford (5–3) т
  • Yale (5–1) т
Washington State (6–4)Texas Tech (8–2)Oklahoma State (6–4)Purdue (6–5)Georgia Tech (7–4–1)20.
Preseason
Aug[1]		Week 1
Sep 11[2]		Week 2
Sep 18[3]		Week 3
Sep 25[4]		Week 4
Oct 2[5]		Week 5
Oct 9[6]		Week 6
Oct 16[7]		Week 7
Oct 23[8]		Week 8
Oct 30[9]		Week 9
Nov 6[10]		Week 10
Nov 13[11]		Week 11
Nov 20[12]		Week 12
Nov 27[13]		Week 13
Dec 4[14]		Week 14 (Final)
Jan[15]
Dropped:
  • Stanford
Dropped:
  • Arkansas
  • Purdue
Dropped:
  • Georgia
  • Michigan State
Dropped:
  • Arizona State
  • Tulane
  • West Virginia
Dropped:
  • Florida State
  • Ole Miss
Dropped:
  • Oklahoma State
Dropped:
  • Air Force
  • Stanford
  • Washington
Dropped:
  • Arizona State
  • Florida State
  • SMU
  • West Virginia
Dropped:
  • Air Force
  • Arkansas
  • Louisville
Dropped:
  • Stanford
  • Texas Tech
  • Yale
Dropped:
  • Washington
Dropped:
  • Iowa State
  • Missouri
  • Texas Tech
Dropped:
  • Oklahoma State
Dropped:
  • Purdue
  • West Virginia

UPI Coaches Poll

Preseason
Sep 6[16]		Week 1
Sep 12[17]		Week 2
Sep 19[18]		Week 3
Sep 26[19]		Week 4
Oct 3[20]		Week 5
Oct 10[21]		Week 6
Oct 17[22][N 1]		Week 7
Oct 24[23][N 1]		Week 8
Oct 31[24][N 1]		Week 9
Nov 7[25][N 1]		Week 10
Nov 14[26][N 1]		Week 11
Nov 21[27][N 1]		Week 12
Nov 28[28][N 1]		Week 13 (Final)
Dec 5[29]
1.Nebraska (26)Oklahoma (0–0) (11)USC (2–0) (14)USC (3–0) (20)USC (4–0) (22)USC (5–0) (21)USC (6–0) (22)USC (7–0) (32)USC (8–0) (31)USC (9–0) (27)USC (9–0) (31)USC (10–0) (31)USC (10–0) (31)USC (11–0) (35)1.
2.Colorado (4)USC (1–0) (11)Oklahoma (1–0) (13)Oklahoma (2–0) (12)Oklahoma (3–0) (11)Oklahoma (3–0) (13)Oklahoma (4–0) (12)Alabama (5–0) (2)Alabama (7–0) (2)Nebraska (7–1) (6)Alabama (9–0) (3)Alabama (10–0) (3)Alabama (10–0) (3)Oklahoma (10–1)2.
3.Oklahoma (2)Colorado (1–0) (6)Colorado (2–0) (4)Colorado (3–0) (1)Alabama (4–0) (1)Alabama (5–0) (1)Alabama (5–0) (1)Ohio State (5–0)Nebraska (6–1) (2)Alabama (8–0) (2)Michigan (9–0)Michigan (10–0)Oklahoma (9–1)Ohio State (9–1)3.
4.Ohio State (2)Ohio State (0–0) (4)Tennessee (2–0)Tennessee (3–0)Ohio State (2–0) (1)Ohio State (3–0)Nebraska (4–1)Nebraska (5–1) (1)Ohio State (6–0)Ohio State (7–0)Oklahoma (7–1)Oklahoma (8–1)Ohio State (9–1)Alabama (10–1)4.
5.Arkansas (1)Alabama (1–0) (2)Ohio State (1–0) (2)Alabama (2–0) (1)Nebraska (3–1)Nebraska (3–1)Ohio State (4–0)Michigan (6–0)Michigan (7–0)Michigan (8–0)Nebraska (7–1–1) (1)Nebraska (8–1–1) (1)Texas (9–1)Texas (9–1)5.
6.Penn StateTennessee (1–0)Alabama (1–0) (1)Ohio State (1–0) (1)Michigan (3–0)Michigan (4–0)Michigan (5–0)LSU (6–0)Oklahoma (5–1)LSU (7–0)Texas (6–1)Texas (7–1)Michigan (10–1)Michigan (10–1)6.
7.AlabamaPenn State (0–0)UCLA (2–0) (1)Nebraska (2–1)LSU (3–0)Notre Dame (3–0)LSU (5–0)Colorado (6–1)LSU (6–0)Oklahoma (6–1)LSU (7–1)Penn State (9–1)Penn State (10–1)Auburn (9–1)7.
8.USCLSU (0–0)Nebraska (1–1)Michigan (2–0)Notre Dame (2–0)LSU (4–0)Notre Dame (4–0)Oklahoma (4–1)UCLA (7–1)UCLA (8–1)Penn State (8–1)Ohio State (8–1)Nebraska (8–2–1)Penn State (10–1)8.
9.WashingtonNebraska (0–1)LSU (1–0)LSU (2–0)Washington (4–0)Auburn (4–0)UCLA (5–1)UCLA (6–1)Texas (5–1)Texas (6–1)Ohio State (7–1)LSU (8–1)Auburn (8–1)Nebraska (8–2–1)9.
10.MichiganMichigan (0–0)Arizona State (1–0)Notre Dame (1–0)Texas (2–0)Washington (5–0)Colorado (5–1)Penn State (5–1)Auburn (6–1)Auburn (7–1)Auburn (7–1)Auburn (8–1)Notre Dame (8–1)LSU (9–1–1)10.
11.LSUUCLA (1–0)Michigan (1–0)Arizona State (2–0)Florida State (4–0)Texas (3–0)Tennessee (4–1)Texas (4–1)Penn State (6–1)Penn State (7–1)Notre Dame (7–1)Notre Dame (8–1)Tennessee (8–2)Tennessee (9–2)11.
12.Arizona StateArizona State (0–0)Michigan State (1–0)Washington (3–0)Tennessee (3–1)Tennessee (4–1)Stanford (4–1)Auburn (5–1)Notre Dame (5–1)Notre Dame (6–1)Iowa State (5–2–1)Tennessee (6–2)LSU (8–2–1)Notre Dame (8–2)12.
13.Notre DameTexas (0–0)Notre Dame (0–0) тFlorida State (3–0)UCLA (3–1)UCLA (4–1)Penn State (4–1)Arizona State (5–1)Iowa State (5–1)Tennessee (5–2)Tennessee (5–2)Colorado (8–3)Colorado (8–3)Arizona State (9–2)13.
14.TennesseeNotre Dame (0–0)Penn State (0–1) тTexas (1–0)Auburn (3–0)Iowa State (3–0)Air Force (5–0)Iowa State (4–1)Colorado (6–2)Iowa State (5–2)UCLA (8–2)Arizona State (8–2)Arizona State (9–2)Colorado (8–3) т14.
15.TexasWashington (1–0)Texas (0–0)Iowa State (2–0)Air Force (3–0)Air Force (4–0)Auburn (4–1)Notre Dame (4–1)Air Force (6–1)Texas Tech (7–1)Colorado (7–3)Utah State (7–3)Utah State (8–3) тNorth Carolina (9–1) т15.
16.PurdueFlorida State (1–0)Florida State (2–0)Penn State (1–1)Colorado (3–1)Colorado (4–1)Arizona State (4–1)Tennessee (4–2)Tennessee (4–2) тNorth Carolina (6–1) тWashington (8–2)North Carolina (8–1) тWashington State (7–4) тLouisville (9–1)16.
17.GeorgiaIowa State (0–0) тWashington (2–0)Air Force (2–0) тIowa State (3–0)Penn State (3–1)SMU (4–1)Texas Tech (6–1) тColorado (6–3) тNorth Carolina (7–1)Missouri (6–4) тUCLA (8–3) тUCLA (8–3) т17.
18.Michigan StateGeorgia (0–0) тIowa State (1–0)West Virginia (3–0) тStanford (3–0)Arizona State (3–1)Florida State (6–1)Stanford (5–2)Arizona State (7–2) тIowa State (5–3–1)North Carolina (9–1) тWashington State (7–4) т18.
19.Iowa StatePurdue (0–0)Georgia (1–0)UCLA (2–1)Penn State (2–1)Oklahoma State (3–1)Utah State (6–3) тMissouri (6–4)Utah State (8–3) т19.
20.
Auburn (0–0)Arkansas (0–1)Mississippi (2–0)Arizona State (2–1)Stanford (3–1)San Diego State (10-1)20.
Preseason
Sep 6[16]		Week 1
Sep 12[17]		Week 2
Sep 19[18]		Week 3
Sep 26[19]		Week 4
Oct 3[20]		Week 5
Oct 10[21]		Week 6
Oct 17[22][N 1]		Week 7
Oct 24[23][N 1]		Week 8
Oct 31[24][N 1]		Week 9
Nov 7[25][N 1]		Week 10
Nov 14[26][N 1]		Week 11
Nov 21[27][N 1]		Week 12
Nov 28[28][N 1]		Week 13 (Final)
Dec 5[29]
Dropped:
  • Arkansas
  • Michigan State
  • Illinois
  • West Virginia
Dropped:
  • Auburn
  • Purdue
Dropped:
  • Arkansas
  • Georgia
  • Michigan State
Dropped:
  • Mississippi
  • West Virginia
Dropped:
  • Florida State
Dropped:
  • Iowa State
  • Oklahoma State
  • Texas
  • Washington
Dropped:
  • Air Force
  • Stanford
Dropped:
  • Arizona State
  • Florida State
  • SMU
Dropped:
  • Air Force
  • Stanford
Dropped:
  • Texas Tech
Dropped:
  • UCLA
  • Washington
Dropped:
  • Iowa State
Dropped:
  • Missouri

The final UPI Coaches Poll was released prior to the bowl games, in early December.[30]
USC was a unanimous selection, with all 35 first-place votes.[31]

Ranking Team Conference Bowl
1 USC Pac-8 Won Rose, 42–17
2 Oklahoma Big Eight Won Sugar, 14–0
3 Ohio State Big Ten Lost Rose, 17–42
4 Alabama SEC Lost Cotton, 13–17
5 Texas Southwest Won Cotton, 17–13
6 Michigan Big Ten none
7 Auburn SEC Won Gator, 24–3
8 Penn State Independent Lost Sugar, 0–14
9 Nebraska Big Eight Won Orange, 40–6
10 LSU SEC Lost Bluebonnet, 17–24
11 Tennessee SEC Won Bluebonnet, 24–17
12 Notre Dame Independent Lost Orange, 6–40
13 Arizona State WAC Won Fiesta, 49–35
14 Colorado Big Eight Lost Gator, 3–24
North Carolina ACC Won Sun, 32–28
16 Louisville MVC none
17 UCLA Pac-8
Washington State Pac-8
Utah State Independent
20 San Diego State PCAA

[30][31]

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Less than 20 teams received votes in this poll.

References

  1. ^ "1972 Preseason AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
  2. ^ "September 11, 1972 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
  3. ^ "September 18, 1972 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
  4. ^ "September 25, 1972 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
  5. ^ "October 2, 1972 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
  6. ^ "October 9, 1972 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
  7. ^ "October 16, 1972 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
  8. ^ "October 23, 1972 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
  9. ^ "October 30, 1972 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
  10. ^ "November 6, 1972 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
  11. ^ "November 13, 1972 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
  12. ^ "November 20, 1972 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
  13. ^ "November 27, 1972 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
  14. ^ "December 4, 1972 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
  15. ^ "1972 Final AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
  16. ^ "Nebraska favorite to repeat as champ". Santa Fe New Mexican. September 6, 1972. p. B2. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  17. ^ "NU Drops in Football Polls". Lincoln Journal. September 12, 1972. p. 19. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  18. ^ "Nebraska Advances in AP-UPI Polls". Lincoln Journal. September 19, 1972. p. 21. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  19. ^ "FSU Jumps To 13th In UPI Poll". Orlando Sentinel. September 26, 1972. p. 2C. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  20. ^ "Seminoles Climb in Football Polls". Tallahassee Democrat. October 3, 1972. p. 18. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  21. ^ "USC Leads UPI, Too". The Times. October 10, 1972. p. 1C. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  22. ^ "Trojans Remain No. 1 in Ratings". Tallahassee Democrat. October 17, 1972. p. 7. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  23. ^ "FSU Slips Back Into Top Twenty". Tallahassee Democrat. October 24, 1972. p. 6. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  24. ^ "USC Keeps Hold On No. 1 Place In Both Polls". Tallahassee Democrat. October 31, 1972. p. 16. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  25. ^ "Huskers Climb in UPI Ratings". Tallahassee Democrat. November 7, 1972. p. 16. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  26. ^ "Huskers rop to Fifth". Lincoln Journal. November 14, 1972. p. 21. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  27. ^ "Trojans Retain Runaway Lead". Tallahassee Democrat. November 21, 1972. p. 8. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  28. ^ "USC, 'Bama Still Top Polls". Tallahassee Democrat. November 28, 1972. p. 18. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  29. ^ "UPI Football Poll". Hartford Courant. December 5, 1972. p. 55. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  30. ^ a b "UPI board unanimous on Trojans". Reading Eagle. (Pennsylvania). UPI. December 5, 1972. p. 23.
  31. ^ a b "USC claims 3rd national title in 10 years". Bend Bulletin. (Oregon). UPI. December 5, 1972. p. 12.