1956 NCAA University Division football rankings

Season| 1956
Bowl season| 1956–57 bowl games
Preseason No. 1|

Oklahoma

End of season champions| Oklahoma
NCAA University Division football rankings

<- 1955

1957 ->

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.

## Legend[edit]

|  | Increase in ranking

|
|

|  | Decrease in ranking
|  | Not ranked previous week
|  | National champion

(#–#)

|  | Win–loss record

(Italics)

|  | Number of first place votes

|  | Tied with team above or below also with this symbol

## AP Poll[edit]

The final AP Poll was released on December 3, at the end of the 1956 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 24[2]| Week 2
Oct 1[3]| Week 3
Oct 8[4]| Week 4
Oct 15[5]| Week 5
Oct 22[6]| Week 6
Oct 29[7]| Week 7
Nov 5[8]| Week 8
Nov 12[9]| Week 9
Nov 19[10]| Week 10
Nov 26[11]| Week 11 (Final)
Dec 3[12]|

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1.| Oklahoma (111)| Oklahoma (0–0) (91)| Oklahoma (1–0) (60)| Oklahoma (2–0) (76)| Oklahoma (3–0) (67)| Michigan State (4–0) (96)| Oklahoma (5–0) (143)| Oklahoma (6–0) (116)| Tennessee (7–0) (58)| Oklahoma (8–0) (111)| Oklahoma (9–0) (81)| Oklahoma (10–0) (104)| 1.
2.| Michigan State (20)| Georgia Tech (1–0) (12)| Michigan State (1–0) (17)| Michigan State (2–0) (32)| Michigan State (3–0) (45)| Oklahoma (4–0) (44)| Georgia Tech (5–0) (31)| Georgia Tech (6–0) (30)| Oklahoma (7–0) (92)| Tennessee (8–0) (69)| Tennessee (9–0) (49)| Tennessee (10–0) (48)| 2.
3.| Notre Dame (5)| Michigan State (0–0) (9)| Georgia Tech (1–0) (5)| Georgia Tech (2–0) (4)| Georgia Tech (3–0) (5)| Georgia Tech (4–0) (9)| Tennessee (5–0) (8)| Tennessee (6–0) (1)| Michigan State (6–1) (3)| Iowa (7–1) (6)| Iowa (8–1) (12)| Iowa (8–1) (15)| 3.
4.| Georgia Tech (3)| TCU (1–0) (4)| Ohio State (1–0)| TCU (2–0) (7)| TCU (3–0) (2)| Tennessee (4–0) (4)| Michigan State (4–1)| Michigan State (5–1) (7)| Georgia Tech (6–1)| Texas A&M (8–0–1)| Georgia Tech (8–1) (2)| Georgia Tech (9–1) (4)| 4.
5.| Ohio State| SMU (1–0) (10)| Michigan (1–0) (2)| Ohio State (2–0) (1)| Ohio State (3–0)| Michigan (3–1)| Texas A&M (5–0–1)| Texas A&M (6–0–1) (1)| Texas A&M (7–0–1) (1)| Georgia Tech (7–1) (1)| Texas A&M (8–0–1) (1)| Texas A&M (9–0–1) (2)| 5.
6.| Maryland| USC (1–0) (12)| Ole Miss (2–0) (5)| Tennessee (2–0) (5)| Ole Miss (4–0) (7)| USC (4–0) (2)| Ohio State (4–1) (1)| Minnesota (5–0–1)| Ohio State (6–1) (1)| Miami (FL) (6–0–1) (5)| Miami (FL) (7–0–1) (8)| Miami (FL) (8–0–1) (12)| 6.
7.| TCU (2)| Syracuse (1–0) (4)| Pittsburgh (2–0) (1)| Ole Miss (3–0) (2)| Tennessee (3–0) (3)| Texas A&M (4–0–1) (1)| Iowa (5–0)| Ohio State (5–1) (1)| Iowa (6–1)| Minnesota (6–1–1)| Michigan (7–2) (2)| Michigan (7–2) (1)| 7.
8.| Michigan (2)| Ohio State (0–0)| TCU (1–0) (1)| USC (3–0)| Michigan (2–1)| Baylor (4–0)| Minnesota (4–0–1)| Miami (FL) (5–0–1) (1)| Miami (FL) (5–0–1) (1)| Syracuse (7–1) (2)| Syracuse (7–1) (1)| Syracuse (7–1)| 8.
9.| Texas A&M| Ole Miss (1–0)| Tennessee (1–0) (3)| Texas A&M (3–0)| USC (3–0)| Ohio State (3–1)| Miami (FL) (4–0–1) (1)| Syracuse (5–1) (1)| Syracuse (6–1)| Michigan (6–2)| Michigan State (7–2)| Michigan State (7–2)| 9.
10.| Pittsburgh (2)| Pittsburgh (1–0) (2)| USC (2–0) (1)| Baylor (3–0)| Baylor (4–0)| Ole Miss (4–1) т| Stanford (4–2)| Michigan (4–2)| Michigan (5–2)| Michigan State (6–2)| Minnesota (6–1–2)| Oregon State (7–2–1) (3)| 10.
11.| Army| Texas A&M (1–0)| Texas A&M (2–0)| Miami (FL) (2–0) (1)| Miami (FL) (3–0) (1)| TCU (3–1) т| Pittsburgh (4–1)| Clemson (5–0–1)| Oregon State (6–2) (1)| Oregon State (7–2) (1)| Oregon State (7–2–1) (1)| Baylor (8–2) (1)| 11.
12.| Tennessee (2)| Stanford (1–0) (4)| SMU (1–1)| Michigan (1–1)| Iowa (3–0)| Iowa (4–0)| Penn State (4–1)| Navy (5–1) (3)| Florida (6–1–1) (2)| Ohio State (6–2)| Pittsburgh (6–2–1)| Minnesota (6–1–2)| 12.
13.| Ole Miss| Michigan (0–0)| Illinois (1–0) т| Vanderbilt (3–0)| Syracuse (2–1)| Pittsburgh (3–1)| Clemson (4–0–1)| Florida (5–1–1)| Clemson (5–0–2)| Florida (6–1–1) (2)| Navy (6–1–1)| Pittsburgh (6–2–1)| 13.
14.| Stanford| Notre Dame (0–1)| Miami (FL) (1–0) т| Navy (2–0)| Texas A&M (3–0–1)| Syracuse (3–1)| George Washington (5–0–1)| Oregon State (5–2)| USC (6–1)| Pittsburgh (6–2)| TCU (6–3)| TCU (7–3)| 14.
15.| USC (2)| Vanderbilt (1–0)| Army (1–0)| Army (2–0)| Clemson (3–0–1)| Tulane (4–1)| Baylor (4–1) т| Iowa (5–1)| Navy (5–1–1)| Navy (6–1–1) (1)| Baylor (7–2)| Ohio State (6–3)| 15.
16.| Duke| Army (0–0)| Baylor (2–0)| George Washington (3–0) (1)| Pittsburgh (2–1)| Virginia Tech (5–1)| Virginia Tech (6–1) т| USC (5–1)| Pittsburgh (5–2)| Baylor (6–2)| George Washington (7–1–1)| Navy (6–1–2)| 16.
17.| UCLA| South Carolina (2–0)| Notre Dame (0–1)| Minnesota (2–0)| Purdue (2–1)| George Washington (4–0–1)| Michigan (3–2) т| TCU (4–2)| Minnesota (5–1–1)| George Washington (7–1–1)| USC (7–2)| George Washington (7–1–1)| 17.
18.| Miami (FL)| Oregon (1–0)| Syracuse (1–0) т| Notre Dame (1–1)| Virginia Tech (4–1)| Penn State (3–1)| Oregon State (4–2) т| Colorado (5–2)| George Washington (6–1–1)| TCU (5–3)| Florida (6–2–1)| USC (8–2)| 18.
19.| Yale| Florida (1–0) (2)| Vanderbilt (2–0) т| SMU (2–1)| Tulane (3–1)| Miami (FL) (3–0–1)| Syracuse (4–1) т| UCLA (5–2) (1)| Ole Miss (6–2)| Wyoming (10–0)| Colorado (7–2–1)| Clemson (7–1–2)| 19.
20.| Illinois| NC State (1–0)| Iowa (1–0)|

* South Carolina (3–1) т
* West Virginia (2–1) т

| South Carolina (4–1)| Clemson (3–0–1)| USC (4–1)|

* Pittsburgh (4–2) т
* Stanford (4–3) т

| Princeton (7–0)| Colorado (6–2–1)| Ohio State (6–3)| Colorado (7–2–1)| 20.
| Preseason
Aug[1]| Week 1
Sep 24[2]| Week 2
Oct 1[3]| Week 3
Oct 8[4]| Week 4
Oct 15[5]| Week 5
Oct 22[6]| Week 6
Oct 29[7]| Week 7
Nov 5[8]| Week 8
Nov 12[9]| Week 9
Nov 19[10]| Week 10
Nov 26[11]| Week 11 (Final)
Dec 3[12]|
| Dropped:

* Duke
* Illinois
* Maryland
* Miami (FL)
* Tennessee
* UCLA
* Yale

| Dropped:

* Florida
* NC State
* Oregon
* South Carolina
* Stanford

| Dropped:

* Illinois
* Iowa
* Pittsburgh
* Syracuse

| Dropped:

* Army
* George Washington
* Minnesota
* Navy
* Notre Dame
* SMU
* Vanderbilt
* West Virginia

| Dropped:

* Purdue
* South Carolina

| Dropped:

* Ole Miss
* TCU
* Tulane

| Dropped:

* Baylor
* George Washington
* Penn State
* Virginia Tech

| Dropped:

* Colorado
* Stanford
* TCU
* UCLA

| Dropped:

* Clemson
* Ole Miss
* Princeton
* USC

| Dropped:

* Wyoming

| Dropped:

* Florida

## Final Coaches Poll[edit]

The final UP Coaches Poll was released prior to the bowl games, on December 4.[13]
Oklahoma received 26 of the 35 first-place votes; Tennessee received five, Iowa three, and Miami one.[14]

Ranking  | Team  | Conference  | Bowl

|
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1  | Oklahoma | Big Seven | none
2  | Tennessee | SEC | Lost Sugar, 7–13
3  | Iowa | Big Ten | Won Rose, 35–19
4  | Georgia Tech | SEC  | Won Gator, 21–14
5  | Texas A&M | Southwest | none
6  | Miami (FL) | Independent
7  | Michigan | Big Ten
8  | Syracuse | Independent  | Lost Cotton, 27–28
9  | Minnesota | Big Ten  | none
10  | Michigan State | Big Ten
11  | Baylor | Southwest  | Won Sugar, 13–7
12  | Pittsburgh | Independent  | Lost Gator, 14–21
13  | Oregon State | Pacific Coast | Lost Rose, 19–35
14  | TCU | Southwest  | Won Cotton, 28–27
15  | USC | Pacific Coast  | none
16  | Wyoming | Skyline
17  | Yale | Ivy
18  | Colorado | Big Seven  | Won Orange, 27–21
19  | Navy | Independent  | none
20  | Duke | ACC

[13][14]

* Prior to the 1975 season, the Big Ten and Pacific Coast (later AAWU / Pac-8) conferences allowed only one postseason participant each, for the Rose Bowl.
* The Ivy League has prohibited its members from participating in postseason football since the league was officially formed in 1954.

## Litkenhous Ratings[edit]

The final Litkenhous Ratings, released in December 1956, ranked over 600 teams. The top 100 teams as ranked by Litkenhous were:[15]

1\. Oklahoma
2\. Tennessee
3\. Georgia Tech
4\. Michigan State
5\. Michigan
6\. Iowa
7\. Texas A&M
8\. TCU
9\. Ohio State
10\. Minnesota
11\. Ole Miss
12\. Baylor
13\. Florida
14\. Miami (FL)
15\. Duke
16\. Texas Western
17\. Auburn
18\. USC
19\. Pittsburgh
20\. Oregon State
21\. Kentucky
22\. Syracuse
23\. Penn State
24\. Washington University
25\. Arizona State
26\. Houston
27\. Illinois
28\. Purdue
29\. UCLA
30\. Oregon
31\. Colorado
32\. Stanford
33\. Mississippi Southern
34\. Vanderbilt
35\. Tulane
36\. Northwestern
37\. Arkansas
38\. Rice
39\. Wisconsin
40\. California
41\. Navy
42\. Virginia Tech
43\. Clemson
44\. Florida State
45\. Army
46\. South Carolina
47\. Mississippi State
48\. LSU
49\. SMU
50\. Southeastern Louisiana
51\. Georgia
52\. Missouri
53\. West Texas
54\. Alabama
55\. Villanova
56\. Pacific
57\. Texas
58\. Wake Forest
59\. Maryland
60\. Tulsa
61\. North Carolina
62.
63.
64\. Kansas
65\. West Virginia
66\. Washington State
67\. Oklahoma A&M
68\. Yale
69\. Texas Tech
70\. Notre Dame
71\. Xavier
72\. NC State
73\. Wyoming
74\.
75\. Utah
76\.
77\.
78\. Virginia
79.
80\. Hardin Simmons
81\. Arizona
82\. George Washington
83\. Boston College
84\. Miami (OH)
85\. Nebraska
86\. Indiana
87\.
88\. Bowling Green
89\.
90\.
91\.
92\. Memphis State
93\. Holy Cross
94\. Cincinnati
95\.
96\. Princeton
97\. Chattanooga

## References[edit]

1. ^ "1956 Preseason AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
2. ^ "September 24, 1956 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
3. ^ "October 1, 1956 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
4. ^ "October 8, 1956 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
5. ^ "October 15, 1956 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
6. ^ "October 22, 1956 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
7. ^ "October 29, 1956 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
8. ^ "November 5, 1956 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
9. ^ "November 12, 1956 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
10. ^ "November 19, 1956 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
11. ^ "November 26, 1956 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
12. ^ "1956 Final AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
13. ^ a b "Final UP poll". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). United Press. December 4, 1956. p. 3B.
14. ^ a b Miller, Norman (December 4, 1956). "Oklahoma voted grid champion in final AP and UP polls". Reading Eagle. (Pennsylvania). United Press. p. 23.
15. ^ "UT Second In Final Litratings; Vanderbilt 34th". The Nashville Banner. December 13, 1956. p. 54 - via Newspapers.com.

* v
* t
* e

NCAA college football rankings

Pre-divisional|

* 1924
* 1925
* 1926
* 1927
* 1928
* 1929
* 1930
* 1931
* 1932
* 1933
* 1934
* 1935
* 1936
* 1937
* 1938
* 1939
* 1940
* 1941
* 1942
* 1943
* 1944
* 1945
* 1946
* 1947
* 1948
* 1949
* 1950
* 1951
* 1952
* 1953
* 1954
* 1955

NCAA University Division|

* 1956
* 1957
* 1958
* 1959
* 1960
* 1961
* 1962
* 1963
* 1964
* 1965
* 1966
* 1967
* 1968
* 1969
* 1970
* 1971
* 1972

NCAA Division I|

* 1973
* 1974
* 1975
* 1976
* 1977

NCAA Division I-A/FBS|

* 1978
* 1979
* 1980
* 1981
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1985
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1989
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1993
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999
* 2000
* 2001
* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023

NCAA Division I-AA/FCS|

* 1978
* 1979
* 1980
* 1981
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1985
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1989
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1993
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999
* 2000
* 2001
* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023

Small college|

* 1958
* 1959
* 1960
* 1961
* 1962
* 1963
* 1964
* 1965
* 1966
* 1967
* 1968
* 1969
* 1970
* 1971
* 1972
* 1973
* 1974

NCAA Division II|

* 1975
* 1976
* 1977
* 1978
* 1979
* 1980
* 1981
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1985
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1989
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1993
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999
* 2000
* 2001
* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023

NCAA Division III|

* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023

Polls|

* AP poll
* Coaches Poll

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