1979 NCAA Division I-A football rankings

1979 NCAA Division I-A football rankings
Season1979
Bowl season1979–80 bowl games
Preseason No. 1
USC
End of season championsAlabama
NCAA Division I-A football rankings
← 1978
1980 →

Two human polls comprised the 1979 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.

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
Preseason[1][2]		Week 1
Sep 10[1]		Week 2
Sep 17[1]		Week 3
Sep 24[1]		Week 4
Oct 1[1]		Week 5
Oct 8[1]		Week 6
Oct 15[1]		Week 7
Oct 22[1]		Week 8
Oct 29[1]		Week 9
Nov 5[1]		Week 10
Nov 12[1]		Week 11
Nov 19[1]		Week 12
Nov 26[1]		Week 13
Dec 3[1]		Week 14 (Final)
Final[1][3]
1.USC (47)USC (1–0)USC (2–0)USC (3–0)USC (4–0)USC (5–0)Alabama (5–0)Alabama (6–0)Alabama (7–0)Alabama (8–0)Alabama (9–0)Alabama (10–0)Alabama (10–0)Ohio State (11–0)Alabama (12–0) (46)1.
2.Alabama (11)Alabama (1–0)Alabama (1–0)Alabama (2–0)Alabama (3–0)Alabama (4–0)Texas (4–0)Nebraska (6–0)Nebraska (7–0)Nebraska (8–0)Ohio State (10–0)Ohio State (11–0)USC (10–0–1)Alabama (11–0)USC (11–0–1) (21)2.
3.Oklahoma (4)Oklahoma (0–0)Oklahoma (1–0)Oklahoma (2–0)Oklahoma (3–0)Oklahoma (4–0)Nebraska (5–0)USC (6–0–1)USC (7–0–1)Ohio State (9–0)Nebraska (9–0)Nebraska (10–0)Ohio State (11–0)USC (10–0–1)Oklahoma (11–1)3.
4.Texas (1)Texas (0–0)Texas (0–0)Texas (1–0)Texas (2–0)Texas (3–0)USC (5–0–1)Arkansas (6–0) тHouston (7–0)USC (8–0–1)USC (9–0–1)USC (9–0–1)Florida State (11–0)Florida State (11–0)Ohio State (11–1)4.
5.Penn StatePurdue (1–0)Notre Dame (1–0)Missouri (3–0)Nebraska (3–0)Nebraska (4–0)Houston (5–0)Ohio State (7–0) тOhio State (8–0)Houston (8–0)Florida State (9–0)Florida State (10–0)Oklahoma (10–1)Oklahoma (10–1)Houston (11–1)5.
6.PurdueMichigan (1–0)Penn State (1–0)Nebraska (2–0)Houston (3–0)Washington (5–0)Ohio State (6–0)Houston (6–0)Florida State (7–0)Oklahoma (7–1)Texas (7–1)Texas (8–1)Texas (9–1)Arkansas (10–1)Florida State (11–1)6.
7.MichiganPenn State (0–0)Nebraska (1–0)Michigan State (3–0)Washington (4–0)Houston (4–0)Florida State (6–0)Oklahoma (5–1)Oklahoma (6–1)Florida State (8–0)Oklahoma (8–1)Arkansas (9–1)Nebraska (10–1)Nebraska (10–1)Pittsburgh (11–1)7.
8.NebraskaNebraska (0–0)Michigan State (2–0)Houston (2–0)Ohio State (4–0)Ohio State (5–0)Oklahoma (4–1)Florida State (6–0)Texas (5–1)Texas (6–1)Arkansas (8–1)Oklahoma (9–1)Arkansas (10–1)Houston (10–1)Arkansas (10–2)8.
9.Notre DameNotre Dame (0–0)Missouri (2–0)Washington (3–0)Florida State (4–0)Florida State (5–0)Notre Dame (4–1)Texas (4–1)Arkansas (6–1)Arkansas (7–1)Houston (8–1)Houston (8–1)BYU (11–0)BYU (11–0)Nebraska (10–2)9.
10.Michigan StateMichigan State (1–0)Houston (2–0)Purdue (2–1)Notre Dame (2–1)Notre Dame (3–1)Arkansas (5–0)Michigan (6–1)Michigan (7–1)Michigan (8–1)BYU (9–0)BYU (10–0)Houston (9–1)Pittsburgh (10–1)Purdue (10–2)10.
11.GeorgiaMissouri (1–0)Michigan (1–1)Michigan (2–1)Michigan (3–1)Michigan (4–1)Michigan (5–1)BYU (6–0)BYU (7–0)BYU (8–0)Pittsburgh (8–1)Pittsburgh (9–1)Pittsburgh (10–1)Texas (9–2)Washington (9–3)11.
12.MissouriGeorgia (0–0)Washington (2–0)Florida State (3–0)Purdue (3–1)Arkansas (4–0)Washington (5–1)Pittsburgh (5–1)Pittsburgh (6–1)Pittsburgh (7–1)Purdue (8–2)Purdue (9–2)Purdue (9–2)Purdue (9–2)Texas (9–3)12.
13.StanfordHouston (1–0)Pittsburgh (1–0)Arkansas (2–0)Arkansas (3–0)LSU (3–1)BYU (5–0)Auburn (5–1)Notre Dame (5–2)Notre Dame (6–2)Michigan (8–2)Clemson (8–2)Washington (8–3)Washington (8–3)BYU (11–1)13.
14.Texas A&MWashington (1–0)Florida State (2–0)Ohio State (3–0)NC State (4–0)North Carolina (4–0)Auburn (4–1)Notre Dame (4–2)Wake Forest (7–1)Purdue (7–2)Clemson (7–2)Auburn (8–2)тAuburn (8–2)Michigan (8–3)Baylor (8–4)14.
15.WashingtonOhio State (1–0)Arkansas (1–0)Notre Dame (1–1)Missouri (3–1)Missouri (3–1)NC State (5–1)North Carolina (5–1)Purdue (6–2)Washington (7–2)Auburn (7–2)Washington (8–3)тMichigan (8–3)Tulane (9–2)North Carolina (8–3–1)15.
16.HoustonPittsburgh (0–0)Ohio State (2–0)NC State (3–0)Michigan State (3–1)BYU (4–0)Purdue (4–2)Purdue (5–2)Washington (6–2)Auburn (6–2)Washington (7–3)Michigan (8–3)Tulane (9–2)South Carolina (8–3)Auburn (8–3)16.
17.PittsburghArkansas (0–0)Purdue (1–1)UCLA (2–1)LSU (2–1)NC State (4–1)Pittsburgh (4–1)Navy (6–0)Tennessee (4–2)Baylor (6–2)Wake Forest (8–2)Baylor (7–3)South Carolina (8–3)Auburn (8–3)Temple (10–2)17.
18.Arizona StateFlorida State (1–0)SMU (2–0)Penn State (1–1)North Carolina (3–0)Auburn (3–1)Tennessee (4–1)Wake Forest (6–1)North Carolina (5–1–1)Clemson (6–2)Temple (8–1)Tulane (8–2)Clemson (8–3)Clemson (8–3)Michigan (8–4)18.
19.Florida StateNC State (1–0)NC State (2–0)SMU (3–0)Tennessee (3–0)Michigan State (3–2)North Carolina (4–1)Tennessee (4–2)Penn State (5–2)South Carolina (6–2)Tennessee (5–3)South Carolina (7–3)Penn State (7–4)Baylor (7–4)Indiana (8–4)19.
20.ArkansasSMU (1–0)UCLA (1–1)LSU (2–0)BYU (3–0)Purdue (3–2)Navy (5–0)Washington (5–2)Auburn (5–2)Wake Forest (7–2)
  • Baylor (6–3) т
  • Tulane (8–2) т
Penn State (7–3)Baylor (7–4)Temple (9–2)Penn State (8–4)20.
Preseason
Preseason[1][2]		Week 1
Sep 10[1]		Week 2
Sep 17[1]		Week 3
Sep 24[1]		Week 4
Oct 1[1]		Week 5
Oct 8[1]		Week 6
Oct 15[1]		Week 7
Oct 22[1]		Week 8
Oct 29[1]		Week 9
Nov 5[1]		Week 10
Nov 12[1]		Week 11
Nov 19[1]		Week 12
Nov 26[1]		Week 13
Dec 3[1]		Week 14 (Final)
Final[1][3]
Dropped:
  • Stanford
  • Texas A&M
  • Houston
  • Arizona State
Dropped:
  • Georgia
Dropped:
  • Pittsburgh
Dropped:
  • UCLA
  • Penn State
  • SMU
Dropped:
  • Tennessee
Dropped:
  • LSU
  • Missouri
  • Michigan State
Dropped:
  • NC State
Dropped:
  • Navy
Dropped:
  • Tennessee
  • North Carolina
  • Penn State
Dropped:
  • Notre Dame
  • South Carolina
Dropped:
  • Wake Forest
  • Temple
  • Tennessee
NoneDropped:
  • Penn State
Dropped:
  • Tulane
  • South Carolina
  • Clemson

Coaches Poll

Preseason
[4]		Week 1
Sep 8[5]		Week 2
Sep 15[6]		Week 3
Sep 22[7]		Week 4
Sep 29[8]		Week 5
Oct 6[9]		Week 6
Oct 13[10]		Week 7
Oct 20[11]		Week 8
Oct 27[12]		Week 9
Nov 3[13]		Week 10
Nov 10[14]		Week 11
Nov 17[15]		Week 12
Nov 24[16]		Week 13
Dec 1[17]		Week 14 (Final)
Jan 3[18]
1.USC (22)USC (1–0) (24)USC (2–0) (33)USC (3–0) (32)USC (4–0) (27)USC (5–0) (25)Alabama (5–0) (28)Alabama (6–0) (36)Alabama (7–0) (33)Alabama (8–0) (33)Alabama (9–0) (29)Alabama (10–0) (32)Alabama (10–0) (25)Alabama (11–0) (22)Alabama (12–0) (28)1.
2.Oklahoma (2)Alabama (1–0) (9)Alabama (1–0) (5)Alabama (2–0) (4)Alabama (3–0) (11)Alabama (4–0) (8)Texas (5–0) (9)Nebraska (6–0) (4)Nebraska (7–0) (6)Nebraska (8–0) (5)Nebraska (9–0) (3)Nebraska (10–0) (2)USC (10–0–1) (4)USC (10–0–1) (4)USC (11–0–1) (9)2.
3.Alabama (4)Oklahoma (0–0) (3)Oklahoma (1–0)Oklahoma (2–0)Oklahoma (3–0)Oklahoma (4–0)Nebraska (5–0) (4)USC (6–0–1) (2)Ohio State (8–0)USC (8–0–1) (3)Ohio State (10–0) (5)Ohio State (11–0) (5)Ohio State (11–0) (3)Ohio State (11–0) (3)Oklahoma (11–1) (1)3.
4.Texas (4)Texas (0–0) (1)Texas (0–0) (1)Texas (1–0) (2)Texas (2–0) (2)Nebraska (4–0) (1)USC (5–0–1)Houston (6–0)Houston (7–0) (1)Houston (8–0) (1)USC (9–0–1) (4)USC (9–0–1) (3)Oklahoma (10–1)Florida State (11–0)Ohio State (11–1)4.
5.Penn State (1)Michigan (1–0)Notre Dame (1–0)Nebraska (2–0)Nebraska (3–0) (1)Texas (3–0) (1)Houston (5–0)Arkansas (6–0)USC (7–0–1)Ohio State (9–0)Florida State (9–0) (1)Florida State (10–0)Florida State (11–0)Oklahoma (10–1)Houston (11–1)5.
6.MichiganPenn State (0–0)Penn State (1–0)Michigan State (3–0)Houston (3–0)Houston (4–0)Ohio State (6–0)Ohio State (7–0)Florida State (7–0)Florida State (8–0)Texas (7–1)Texas (8–1)Texas (9–1)Houston (10–1)Pittsburgh (11–1)6.
7.NebraskaPurdue (1–0) (1)Nebraska (1–0)Missouri (3–0)Washington (4–0)Washington (5–0)Florida State (6–0)Florida State (6–0)Oklahoma (6–1)Oklahoma (8–1)Oklahoma (8–1)Oklahoma (9–1)Arkansas (10–1)Arkansas (10–1)Nebraska (10–2)7.
8.Purdue (1)Nebraska (0–0)Michigan State (2–0)Houston (2–0)Ohio State (4–0)Ohio State (5–0)Oklahoma (4–1)Texas (4–1)Texas (5–1)Texas (6–1)Houston (8–1)Arkansas (9–1)Nebraska (10–1)Nebraska (10–1)Florida State (11–1)8.
9.Notre DameHouston (1–0)Houston (2–0)Washington (3–0)Notre Dame (2–1)Notre Dame (3–1)Notre Dame (4–1)Oklahoma (5–1)Arkansas (6–1)Arkansas (7–1)Arkansas (8–1)Houston (8–1)Houston (9–1)BYU (11–0)Arkansas (10–2)9.
10.Michigan StateMichigan State (1–0)Washington (2–0)Florida State (3–0)Florida State (4–0)Florida State (5–0)Arkansas (5–0)Michigan (6–1)Michigan (7–1)Michigan (8–1)BYU (9–0)BYU (10–0)BYU (11–0) (1)Pittsburgh (10–1)Purdue (10–2)10.
11.HoustonNotre Dame (0–0)Missouri (2–0)Ohio State (3–0)Arkansas (3–0)Michigan (4–1)Michigan (5–1)BYU (6–0)BYU (7–0)BYU (8–0)Pittsburgh (8–1)Pittsburgh (9–1)Pittsburgh (9–1)Texas (9–2)Washington (10–2)11.
12.MissouriMissouri (1–0)Michigan (1–1)Purdue (2–1)Michigan (3–1)LSU (3–1)Washington (5–1)Pittsburgh (5–1)Pittsburgh (6–1)Pittsburgh (7–1)Purdue (8–2)Purdue (9–2)Purdue (9–2)Purdue (9–2)BYU (11–1)12.
13.WashingtonWashington (1–0)Pittsburgh (1–0)Michigan (2–1)Purdue (3–1)Arkansas (4–0)BYU (4–1)North Carolina (5–1)Notre Dame (5–2)Notre Dame (6–2)Michigan (8–2)Clemson (8–2)Washington (9–2)Washington (9–2)Texas (9–3)13.
14.GeorgiaGeorgia (0–0)Florida State (2–0)Arkansas (2–0)LSU (2–1)North Carolina (4–0)Pittsburgh (4–1)Navy (6–0)Wake Forest (7–1)Washington (7–2)Clemson (7–2)Washington (9–2)Michigan (8–3)Michigan (8–3)North Carolina (8–3–1)14.
15.Florida StatePittsburgh (0–0)Ohio State (2–0)LSU (2–0)NC State (4–0)Missouri (3–1)Purdue (4–2)Notre Dame (4–2)Washington (6–2)Purdue (7–2)Washington (7–3)Michigan (8–3)Tulane (9–2)Tulane (9–2)Baylor (8–4)15.
16.PittsburghOhio State (1–0)Arkansas (1–0)Notre Dame (1–1)North Carolina (3–0)BYU (4–0)Navy (5–0)Purdue (5–2)Purdue (6–2)Baylor (6–2)Temple (8–1)Baylor (7–3)South Carolina (8–3)South Carolina (8–3)Indiana (8–4)16.
17.ArkansasArkansas (0–0)LSU (1–0)UCLA (2–1)Missouri (3–1)Pittsburgh (3–1)NC State (5–1)LSU (4–2)North Carolina (5–1–1)Clemson (6–2)Wake Forest (8–2)Tulane (8–2)Clemson (8–3)Clemson (8–3)Temple (10–2)17.
18.Ohio StateFlorida State (1–0)UCLA (1–1)Penn State (1–1)Michigan State (3–1)Navy (4–0)North Carolina (4–1)Wake Forest (6–1)Baylor (6–2)Temple (7–1)Tennessee (5–3)LSU (6–4)Baylor (7–4)Temple (9–2)Penn State (8–4)18.
19.UCLANC State (1–0)BYU (2–0)NC State (3–0)Tennessee (3–0)NC State (4–1)Tennessee (4–1)Penn State (4–2)Penn State (5–2)Wake Forest (7–2)Indiana (7–3)Indiana (7–4)Temple (9–2)Baylor (7–4)Michigan (8–4)19.
20.Texas A&MBYU (1–0)NC State (2–0)North Carolina (2–0)BYU (3–0)Mississippi State (2–2)LSU (3–2)Baylor (5–2)LSU (4–3)LSU (5–3)Baylor (6–3)NC State (7–4)Penn State (7–3)Penn State (7–4)Missouri (7–5)20.
Preseason
[4]		Week 1
Sep 8[5]		Week 2
Sep 15[6]		Week 3
Sep 22[7]		Week 4
Sep 29[8]		Week 5
Oct 6[9]		Week 6
Oct 13[10]		Week 7
Oct 20[11]		Week 8
Oct 27[12]		Week 9
Nov 3[13]		Week 10
Nov 10[14]		Week 11
Nov 17[15]		Week 12
Nov 24[16]		Week 13
Dec 1[17]		Week 14 (Final)
Jan 3[18]
Dropped:
  • UCLA
  • Texas A&M
Dropped:
  • Purdue
  • Georgia
Dropped:
  • Pittsburgh
  • BYU
Dropped:
  • UCLA
  • Penn State
Dropped:
  • Purdue
  • Michigan State
  • Tennessee
Dropped:
  • Missouri
  • Mississippi State
Dropped:
  • Washington
  • NC State
  • Tennessee
Dropped:
  • Navy
Dropped:
  • North Carolina
  • Penn State
Dropped:
  • Notre Dame
  • LSU
Dropped:
  • Temple
  • Wake Forest
  • Tennessee
Dropped:
  • LSU
  • Indiana
  • NC State
NoneDropped:
  • Tulane
  • South Carolina
  • Clemson

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "1979 Polls". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved February 20, 2017.
  2. ^ "1979 Preseason AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved February 20, 2017.
  3. ^ "1979 Final AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved February 20, 2017.
  4. ^ "UPI Top 20". Tampa Bay Times. August 29, 1979. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
  5. ^ "UPI Top 20". Longview News-Journal. September 11, 1979. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
  6. ^ "The UPI Top 20". Tampa Bay Times. September 18, 1979. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
  7. ^ "UPI College Poll". Tampa Bay Times. September 26, 1979. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
  8. ^ "The UPI Top 20". Tampa Bay Times. October 2, 1979. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
  9. ^ "UPI Top 20". Tampa Bay Times. October 10, 1979. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
  10. ^ "UPI Top 20". Tampa Bay Times. October 16, 1979. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
  11. ^ "The UPI Top 20". Tampa Bay Times. October 24, 1979. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
  12. ^ "The UPI Top 20". Tampa Bay Times. October 30, 1979. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
  13. ^ "The UPI Top 20". Tampa Bay Times. November 7, 1979. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
  14. ^ "UPI Top 20". Tampa Bay Times. November 13, 1979. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
  15. ^ "UPI Top 20". Tampa Bay Times. November 21, 1979. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
  16. ^ "The UPI Top 20". Tampa Bay Times. November 27, 1979. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
  17. ^ "UPI Top 20". Tampa Bay Times. December 5, 1979. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
  18. ^ "The UPI Top 20". Tampa Bay Times. January 3, 1980. Retrieved August 18, 2018.