1974 NCAA Division I football rankings

Season| 1974
Bowl season| 1974–75 bowl games
Preseason No. 1|

Oklahoma

End of season champions| Oklahoma (AP)
USC (Coaches)
NCAA Division I football rankings

<- 1973

1975 ->

Two human polls comprised the 1974 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I 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

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|  | 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]

| Preseason
Aug[1]| Week 1
Sep 9[2]| Week 2
Sep 16[3]| Week 3
Sep 23[4]| Week 4
Sep 30[5]| Week 5
Oct 7[6]| Week 6
Oct 14[7]| Week 7
Oct 21[8]| Week 8
Oct 28[9]| Week 9
Nov 4[10]| Week 10
Nov 11[11]| Week 11
Nov 18[12]| Week 12
Nov 25[13]| Week 13
Dec 2[14]| Week 14 (Final)
Jan[15]|

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1.| Oklahoma (23)| Oklahoma (0–0) (22)| Notre Dame (1–0) (19)| Ohio State (2–0) (23)| Ohio State (3–0) (25 1⁄5)| Ohio State (4–0) (33)| Ohio State (5–0) (51)| Ohio State (6–0) (50)| Ohio State (7–0) (45)| Ohio State (8–0) (49)| Oklahoma (8–0) (48)| Oklahoma (9–0) (45)| Oklahoma (10–0) (49)| Oklahoma (11–0) (49)| Oklahoma (11–0) (51)| 1.
2.| Ohio State (14)| Notre Dame (1–0) (17)| Ohio State (1–0) (17)| Notre Dame (2–0) (26)| Oklahoma (2–0) (24 1⁄5)| Oklahoma (3–0) (24)| Oklahoma (4–0) (5)| Oklahoma (5–0) (8)| Oklahoma (6–0) (14)| Oklahoma (7–0) (10)| Alabama (9–0) (10)| Alabama (10–0) (9)| Alabama (10–0) (10)| Alabama (11–0) (12)| USC (10–1–1) (6)| 2.
3.| Notre Dame (13)| Alabama (0–0) (5)| Oklahoma (1–0) (18)| Oklahoma (1–0) (8)| Alabama (3–0) (3 1⁄5)| Alabama (4–0) (1)| Michigan (5–0) (1)| Michigan (6–0) (1)| Michigan (7–0) (2)| Alabama (8–0) (2)| Michigan (9–0) (4)| Michigan (10–0) (8)| Ohio State (10–1)| Ohio State (10–1)| Michigan (10–1) (2)| 3.
4.| Alabama (6)| Ohio State (0–0) (9)| Nebraska (1–0) (10)| Alabama (2–0) (4)| Michigan (3–0) (4 1⁄5)| Michigan (4–0) (2)| Alabama (5–0) (1)| Alabama (6–0) (1)| Alabama (7–0) (1)| Michigan (8–0) (1)| Ohio State (8–1)| Ohio State (9–1)| Michigan (10–1)| Michigan (10–1)| Ohio State (10–2)| 4.
5.| USC (1)| USC (0–0) (1)| Alabama (1–0) (4)| Michigan (2–0)| Texas A&M (3–0) (1 1⁄5)| Nebraska (3–1)| Auburn (5–0) (1)| Auburn (6–0) (1)| Auburn (7–0) (1)| Texas A&M (7–1)| Notre Dame (7–1)| Notre Dame (8–1)| Notre Dame (9–1)| USC (9–1–1)| Alabama (11–1)| 5.
6.| Michigan (1)| Michigan (0–0)| Michigan (1–0)| Texas (2–0)| Nebraska (2–1)| Notre Dame (3–1)| USC (3–1)| USC (4–1)| USC (5–1)| Florida (7–1)| Nebraska (7–2)| Nebraska (8–2)| USC (8–1–1)| Auburn (9–2)| Notre Dame (10–2)| 6.
7.| Nebraska| Nebraska (0–0)| LSU (1–0)| Arizona State (2–0)| Notre Dame (2–1)| USC (2–1)| Notre Dame (4–1)| Notre Dame (5–1)| Notre Dame (6–1)| Penn State (7–1)| Auburn (8–1)| Auburn (9–1)| Auburn (9–1)| Penn State (9–2)| Penn State (10–2)| 7.
8.| Penn State| Penn State (0–0)| Penn State (1–0)| Pittsburgh (2–0)| NC State (3–0)| Florida (4–0)| Texas A&M (4–1)| Texas A&M (5–1)| Texas A&M (6–1)| Notre Dame (7–1)| USC (6–1–1)| USC (7–1–1)| Texas A&M (8–2)| Nebraska (8–3)| Auburn (10–2) (1)| 8.
9.| LSU| LSU (0–0)| Texas (1–0)| Texas A&M (2–0)| USC (1–1)| Texas Tech (3–0–1)| Arizona (5–0)| Nebraska (4–2)| Nebraska (5–2)| Nebraska (6–2)| Florida (7–2)| Texas A&M (8–2)| Nebraska (8–3)| Notre Dame (9–2)| Nebraska (9–3)| 9.
10.| Texas| Texas (0–0)| Arkansas (1–0)| Nebraska (1–1)| Texas Tech (2–0–1)| Auburn (4–0) (1)| NC State (5–0)| Penn State (5–1)| Penn State (6–1)| Auburn (7–1)| Texas A&M (7–2)| Penn State (8–2)| Penn State (8–2)| Maryland (8–3)| Miami (OH) (10–0–1)| 10.
11.| Houston| Arizona State (1–0)| Arizona State (1–0)| Wisconsin (2–0)| Auburn (3–0)| NC State (4–0)| Penn State (4–1)| Texas Tech (4–1–1)| Florida (6–1)| USC (5–1–1)| Penn State (7–2)| Maryland (7–3)| Maryland (8–3)| Texas (8–3)| NC State (9–2–1)| 11.
12.| UCLA| UCLA (0–0–1)| UCLA (0–0–1)| Oklahoma State (2–0)| Arizona (3–0)| Arizona (4–0)| Nebraska (3–2)| Florida (5–1)| Texas (5–2)| Texas (6–2)| Miami (OH) (8–0–1)| Miami (OH) (9–0–1)| Miami (OH) (9–0–1)| Baylor (8–3)| Michigan State (7–3–1)| 12.
13.| Pittsburgh| Pittsburgh (0–0)| USC (0–1)| NC State (2–0)| Florida (3–0)| Wisconsin (3–1)| Kansas (4–1)| Texas (4–2)| Texas Tech (5–1–1)| Miami (OH) (7–0–1)| Maryland (6–3)| NC State (8–2)| NC State (9–2)| NC State (9–2)| Maryland (8–4)| 13.
14.| Maryland| Maryland (0–0)| Maryland (0–1)| Tennessee (1–0–1)| Illinois (3–0)| Arkansas (3–1)| Florida (4–1)| Arizona State (4–1)| Arizona State (5–1)| Maryland (5–3)| Houston (6–2)| Michigan State (6–3–1)| Michigan State (7–3–1)| Michigan State (7–3–1)| Baylor (8–4)| 14.
15.| Arizona State| Tennessee (0–0)| NC State (1–0) т| Arizona (2–0)| Penn State (2–1)| Penn State (3–1)| Arizona State (3–1)| Maryland (4–2)| Maryland (5–2)| Houston (6–2)| Michigan State (5–3–1)| Houston (7–2)| Houston (8–2)| Miami (OH) (9–0–1)| Florida (8–4)| 15.
16.| Tennessee| NC State (0–0)| Pittsburgh (1–0) т| Illinois (2–0)| Miami (FL) (2–0)| Texas A&M (3–1)| Texas (3–2)| Arizona (5–1)| Miami (OH) (6–0–1)| Arizona State (5–2)| NC State (7–2)| Baylor (6–3)| Baylor (7–3)| Texas A&M (8–3)| Texas A&M (8–3)| 16.
17.| Arizona| Arizona (0–0)| Arizona (1–0) т| LSU (1–1)| Pittsburgh (2–1)| Texas (3–1)| Texas Tech (3–1–1)| NC State (5–1)| Mississippi State (6–1)| Oklahoma State (4–3)| Pittsburgh (7–2)| Texas (7–3)| Texas (7–3)| BYU (7–3–1)| Mississippi State (9–3) т| 17.
18.| NC State| Missouri (0–0)| Tennessee (0–0–1) т| USC (0–1)| Arizona State (2–1)| Arizona State (3–1)| Maryland (3–2)| Tulane (5–0)| UCLA (4–1–2)| California (5–2–1)| Oklahoma State (5–3)| Pittsburgh (7–3)| Pittsburgh (7–3)| Florida (8–3)| Texas (8–4) т| 18.
19.| Arkansas| Houston (0–1)| Houston (1–1) т| Penn State (1–1)| Texas (2–1)| Kansas (3–1)| Miami (OH) (4–0–1)| Miami (OH) (5–0–1)| Temple (6–0)| Pittsburgh (6–2) т| California (6–2–1)| California (7–2–1)| Wisconsin (7–4)| Arizona (9–2)| Houston (8–3–1)| 19.
20.| Texas A&M|

* Arkansas (0–0) т
* Stanford (0–0) т

| Stanford (0–1) т| Miami (FL) (1–0)| Arkansas (2–1)| Miami (OH) (3–0–1)| Tulane (4–0)| California (5–1)|

* San Diego State (5–1) т
* Wisconsin (4–3) т

| Texas Tech (5–2–1) т| Texas Tech (6–2–1)| Florida (7–3)| BYU (7–3–1)|

* Pittsburgh (7–4) т
* Wisconsin (7–4) т

| Tennessee (7–3–2)| 20.
| Preseason
Aug[1]| Week 1
Sep 9[2]| Week 2
Sep 16[3]| Week 3
Sep 23[4]| Week 4
Sep 30[5]| Week 5
Oct 7[6]| Week 6
Oct 14[7]| Week 7
Oct 21[8]| Week 8
Oct 28[9]| Week 9
Nov 4[10]| Week 10
Nov 11[11]| Week 11
Nov 18[12]| Week 12
Nov 25[13]| Week 13
Dec 2[14]| Week 14 (Final)
Jan[15]|
| Dropped:

* Texas A&M

| Dropped:

* Missouri

| Dropped:

* Arkansas
* Houston
* Maryland
* Stanford
* UCLA

| Dropped:

* LSU
* Oklahoma State
* Tennessee
* Wisconsin

| Dropped:

* Illinois
* Miami (FL)
* Pittsburgh

| Dropped:

* Arkansas
* Wisconsin

| Dropped:

* Kansas

| Dropped:

* Arizona
* California
* NC State
* Tulane

| Dropped:

* Mississippi State
* San Diego State
* Temple
* UCLA
* Wisconsin

| Dropped:

* Arizona State
* Texas

| Dropped:

* Oklahoma State
* Texas Tech

| Dropped:

* California
* Florida

| Dropped:

* Houston

| Dropped:

* Arizona
* BYU
* Pittsburgh
* Wisconsin

## Final Coaches Poll

[edit]

For the first time, the final UPI Coaches Poll was released after the bowl games, on January 2, 1975.[16][17]
USC received 27 of the 34 first-place votes; Michigan received four and Alabama three.

Ranking  | Team  | Conference  | Bowl

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1  | USC | Pac-8 | Won Rose, 18–17
2  | Alabama | SEC | Lost Orange, 11–13
3  | Ohio State | Big Ten | Lost Rose, 17–18
4  | Notre Dame | Independent | Won Orange, 13–11
5  | Michigan | Big Ten  | none
6  | Auburn | SEC  | Won Gator, 27–3
7  | Penn State | Independent  | Won Cotton, 41–20
8  | Nebraska | Big Eight | Won Sugar, 13–10
9  | NC State | ACC | Tied Bluebonnet, 31–31
10  | Miami (OH) | Mid-American | Won Tangerine, 21–10
11  | Houston | Independent  | Tied Bluebonnet, 31–31
12  | Florida | SEC  | Lost Sugar, 10–13
13  | Maryland | ACC  | Lost Liberty, 3–7
14  | Baylor | Southwest | Lost Cotton, 21–40
15  | Texas A&M | Southwest  | none
Tennessee | SEC  | Won Liberty, 7–3
17  | Mississippi State | SEC  | Won Sun, 26–24
18  | Michigan State | Big Ten  | none
19  | Tulsa | MVC

* Only 19 teams received votes
* Teams on probation were ineligible for the Coaches' poll, most notably Oklahoma (11–0).
* Prior to the 1975 season, the Big Ten and Pac-8 conferences allowed only one postseason participant each, for the Rose Bowl.

[16][17]

In the preceding poll in early December, Alabama was first, followed by Ohio State, Michigan, USC, and Auburn; Notre Dame was eighth.[18][19]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "1974 Preseason AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
2. ^ "September 9, 1974 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
3. ^ "September 16, 1974 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
4. ^ "September 23, 1974 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
5. ^ "September 30, 1974 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
6. ^ "October 7, 1974 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
7. ^ "October 14, 1974 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
8. ^ "October 21, 1974 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
9. ^ "October 28, 1974 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
10. ^ "November 4, 1974 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
11. ^ "November 11, 1974 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
12. ^ "November 18, 1974 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
13. ^ "November 25, 1974 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
14. ^ "December 2, 1974 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
15. ^ "1974 Final AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
16. ^ a b "UPI picks USC". St. Petersburg Times. (Florida). January 3, 1975. p. 1-C.
17. ^ a b "UPI college football ratings". Reading Eagle. (Pennsylvania). UPI. January 3, 1975. p. 14.
18. ^ "UPI Top 20". St. Petersburg Times. (Florida). UPI. December 4, 1974. p. 2C.
19. ^ "Top-ranked Sooners await bowls". Schenectady Gazette. (New York). AP, UPI. December 4, 1974. p. 40.

* v
* t
* e

NCAA college football rankings

Pre-divisional|

* 1899
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NCAA University Division|

* 1962
* 1963
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* 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
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* 2014
* 2015
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* 2018
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* 2020
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* 2022
* 2023
* 2024

NCAA Division I-AA/FCS|

* 1978
* 1979
* 1980
* 1981
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1985
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1989
* 1990
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* 2020
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* 2022
* 2023
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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
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* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024

NCAA Division III|

* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024

Polls|

* AP poll
* Coaches Poll

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