1976 NCAA Division I football rankings
| 1976 NCAA Division I football rankings | |
|---|---|
| Season | 1976 |
| Bowl season | 1976–77 bowl games |
| Preseason No. 1 | |
| End of season champions | Pittsburgh |
Two human polls comprised the 1976 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
| Increase in ranking | ||
| Decrease in ranking | ||
| Not ranked previous week | ||
| National champion | ||
(#–#)
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Win–loss record | |
(Italics)
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Number of first place votes | |
т
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Tied with team above or below also with this symbol |
AP Poll
| Preseason Aug [1] | Week 1 Sep 14[2] | Week 2 Sep 21[3] | Week 3 Sep 28[4] | Week 4 Oct 5[5] | Week 5 Oct 12[6] | Week 6 Oct 19[7] | Week 7 Oct 26[8] | Week 8 Nov 2[9] | Week 9 Nov 9[10] | Week 10 Nov 16[11] | Week 11 Nov 23[12] | Week 12 Nov 30[13] | Week 13 (Final) Jan[14] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Nebraska (25) | Michigan (1–0) (28) | Michigan (2–0) (47) | Michigan (3–0) (56) | Michigan (4–0) (52) | Michigan (5–0) (57) | Michigan (6–0) (58) | Michigan (7–0) (53) | Michigan (8–0) (57) | Pittsburgh (9–0) (49) | Pittsburgh (10–0) (44) | Pittsburgh (10–0) (39) | Pittsburgh (11–0) (45) | Pittsburgh (12–0) (59) | 1. |
| 2. | Michigan (10) | Ohio State (1–0) (18) | Ohio State (2–0) (3) | Pittsburgh (3–0) (2) | Pittsburgh (4–0) (3) | Pittsburgh (5–0) (3) | Pittsburgh (6–0) (4) | Pittsburgh (7–0) (6) | Pittsburgh (8–0) (5) | UCLA (8–0–1) (7) | UCLA (9–0–1) (13) | Michigan (10–1) (13) | Michigan (10–1) (8) | USC (11–1) (3) | 2. |
| 3. | Arizona State (7) | Pittsburgh (1–0) (9) | Pittsburgh (2–0) (7) | Oklahoma (3–0) (2) | Oklahoma (4–0) (3) | Nebraska (4–0–1) | Nebraska (5–0–1) | UCLA (6–0–1) | UCLA (7–0–1) | USC (7–1) (2) | USC (8–1) (1) | USC (9–1) (7) | USC (10–1) (3) | Michigan (10–2) | 3. |
| 4. | Ohio State (3) | Oklahoma (1–0) (4) | Oklahoma (2–0) (3) | UCLA (3–0) | Georgia (4–0) (2) | UCLA (4–0–1) | UCLA (5–0–1) | USC (5–1) | USC (6–1) | Michigan (8–1) (2) | Michigan (9–1) (2) | Georgia (9–1) (1) | Maryland (11–0) (2) | Houston (10–2) | 4. |
| 5. | Oklahoma (6) | UCLA (1–0) (2) | UCLA (2–0) | Nebraska (2–0–1) | UCLA (3–0–1) | Maryland (5–0) | Oklahoma (5–0–1) | Maryland (7–0) | Texas Tech (6–0) | Texas Tech (7–0) (1) | Texas Tech (8–0) (1) | Maryland (11–0) (2) | Georgia (10–1) | Oklahoma (9–2–1) | 5. |
| 6. | Alabama (3) | Missouri (1–0) | Nebraska (1–0–1) | Georgia (3–0) | Nebraska (3–0–1) | Oklahoma (4–0–1) | Maryland (6–0) | Texas Tech (5–0) (1) | Maryland (8–0) | Maryland (9–0) (2) | Georgia (9–1) т | UCLA (9–1–1) | Houston (8–2) | Ohio State (9–2–1) | 6. |
| 7. | Texas (3) | Penn State (1–0) | Georgia (2–0) | Maryland (3–0) | Maryland (4–0) | Missouri (4–1) | USC (4–1) | Georgia (6–1) | Georgia (7–1) | Georgia (8–1) | Maryland (10–0) т | Houston (7–2) | UCLA (9–1–1) | Texas A&M (10–2) | 7. |
| 8. | USC (2) | Nebraska (0–0–1) | Maryland (2–0) | Ohio State (2–1) | Kansas (4–0) | USC (4–1) | Texas Tech (4–0) | Ohio State (5–1–1) | Ohio State (6–1–1) | Ohio State (7–1–1) | Ohio State (8–1–1) | Oklahoma (7–2–1) | Oklahoma (8–2–1) | Maryland (11–1) | 8. |
| 9. | Pittsburgh (1) | Georgia (1–0) | Texas A&M (2–0) | Kansas (3–0) | Missouri (3–1) | Ohio State (3–1–1) | Ohio State (4–1–1) | Nebraska (5–1–1) | Nebraska (6–1–1) | Nebraska (7–1–1) | Houston (6–2) | Texas Tech (8–1) | Texas Tech (9–1) | Nebraska (9–3–1) | 9. |
| 10. | Penn State | Maryland (1–0) | Kansas (3–0) | Alabama (2–1) | Ohio State (2–1–1) | Texas Tech (3–0) | Georgia (5–1) | Missouri (5–2) | Florida (6–1) | Alabama (7–2) | Oklahoma (7–2–1) | Nebraska (7–2–1) | Texas A&M (9–2) | Georgia (10–2) | 10. |
| 11. | Notre Dame | Texas A&M (1–0) | Penn State (1–1) | LSU (2–0–1) | USC (3–1) | Georgia (4–1) | Florida (4–1) | Notre Dame (5–1) | Notre Dame (6–1) | Missouri (6–3) | Texas A&M (7–2) (1) | Texas A&M (8–2) | Ohio State (8–2–1) | Alabama (9–3) | 11. |
| 12. | Maryland | Arkansas (1–0) | Arkansas (2–0) | Missouri (2–1) | Florida (3–1) | Florida (3–1) | Notre Dame (4–1) | Florida (5–1) | Arkansas (5–1) | Houston (6–2) | Nebraska (7–2–1) | Ohio State (8–2–1) | Colorado (8–3) | Notre Dame (9–3) | 12. |
| 13. | Arkansas | Kansas (2–0) | Alabama (1–1) | USC (2–1) | Boston College (3–0) | Texas (2–1–1) | Texas (2–1–1) | Oklahoma (5–1–1) | Oklahoma State (5–2) | Arkansas (5–1–1) | Notre Dame (7–2) | Notre Dame (8–2) | Nebraska (7–3–1) | Texas Tech (10–2) | 13. |
| 14. | Texas A&M | Alabama (0–1) | Illinois (2–0) | North Carolina (4–0) | Notre Dame (3–1) | Notre Dame (3–1) | Houston (4–1) | Arkansas (4–1) | Colorado (6–2) | Oklahoma (6–2–1) | Iowa State (8–2) | Colorado (8–3) т | Oklahoma State (8–3) | Oklahoma State (9–3) | 14. |
| 15. | California | Boston College (1–0) | LSU (1–0–1) | Boston College (2–0) | Texas Tech (2–0) | Kansas (4–1) | Arkansas (3–1) | Texas (3–1–1) | Alabama (6–2) | Florida (6–2) | Colorado (7–3) | Oklahoma State (7–3) т | Notre Dame (8–3) | UCLA (9–2–1) | 15. |
| 16. | Georgia | LSU (0–0–1) | North Carolina (3–0) | Ole Miss (3–1) | Texas (2–1) | LSU (3–1–1) т | Iowa State (5–1) | Oklahoma State (4–2) | Missouri (5–3) | Texas A&M (6–2) | Oklahoma State (6–3) | Penn State (7–3) | Alabama (8–3) | Colorado (8–4) | 16. |
| 17. | UCLA | North Carolina (2–0) | Ole Miss (2–1) | Texas Tech (2–0) | Texas A&M (3–1) | Ole Miss (4–2) т | Missouri (4–2) | Alabama (5–2) | Oklahoma (5–2–1) | Oklahoma State (5–3) | Penn State (7–3) | Rutgers (10–0) | Rutgers (11–0) | Rutgers (11–0) | 17. |
| 18. | Florida | Arizona State (0–1) | Boston College (1–0) | Notre Dame (2–1) | Arkansas (3–1) | Arkansas (3–1) | Alabama (4–2) | Mississippi State (6–1) | Texas A&M (6–2) | Notre Dame (6–2) | Alabama (7–3) | Alabama (7–3) | Baylor (7–2–1) | Kentucky (8–4) | 18. |
| 19. | Kansas | Texas (0–1) | USC (1–1) | Florida (2–1) | North Carolina (4–1) | Houston (3–1) | South Carolina (5–2) | Colorado (5–2) | Houston (5–2) | Colorado (6–3) | Missouri (6–4) т | Mississippi State (9–2) т | North Carolina (9–2) | Iowa State (8–3) | 19. |
| 20. | Miami (OH) | Ole Miss (1–1) | Texas Tech (2–0) | Penn State (1–2) | LSU (2–1–1) | Alabama (3–2) |
| Cincinnati (5–1) | Texas (3–2–1) | South Carolina (6–3) | Rutgers (10–0) т | North Carolina (9–2) т |
| Mississippi State (9–2) | 20. |
| Preseason Aug [1] | Week 1 Sep 14[2] | Week 2 Sep 21[3] | Week 3 Sep 28[4] | Week 4 Oct 5[5] | Week 5 Oct 12[6] | Week 6 Oct 19[7] | Week 7 Oct 26[8] | Week 8 Nov 2[9] | Week 9 Nov 9[10] | Week 10 Nov 16[11] | Week 11 Nov 23[12] | Week 12 Nov 30[13] | Week 13 (Final) Jan[14] | ||
Dropped:
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Coaches Poll
| Week 1 Sep 13 | Week 2 Sep 20 | Week 3 Sep 27 | Week 4 Oct 4 | Week 5 Oct 11 | Week 6 Oct 18 | Week 7 Oct 25 | Week 8 Nov 1 | Week 9 Nov 8 | Week 10 Nov 15 | Week 11 Nov 22 | Week 12 Nov 29 | Week 13 Jan 4 (Final) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Ohio State (1–0) | Michigan (2–0) | Pittsburgh (9–0) | Pittsburgh (10–0) | Pittsburgh (10–0) | Pittsburgh (11–0) | Pittsburgh (12–0) (39) | 1. | ||||||
| 2. | Michigan (1–0) | Ohio State (2–0) | Pittsburgh (4–0) | Pittsburgh (5–0) | Pittsburgh (6–0) | Pittsburgh (7–0) | Pittsburgh (8–0) | Michigan (10–1) | USC (11–1) (3) | 2. | ||||
| 3. | UCLA (1–0) | Pittsburgh (2–0) | Pittsburgh (3–0) | USC (10–1) | Michigan (10–2) | 3. | ||||||||
| 4. | Pittsburgh (1–0) | UCLA (2–0) | Georgia (10–1) | Houston (10–2) | 4. | |||||||||
| 5. | Oklahoma (1–0) | Oklahoma (2–0) | Maryland (11–0) | Ohio State (9–2–1) | 5. | |||||||||
| 6. | Missouri (1–0) | Nebraska (1–0–1) | Oklahoma (9–2–1) | 6. | ||||||||||
| 7. | Penn State (1–0) | Georgia (2–0) | Nebraska (8–3–1) | 7. | ||||||||||
| 8. | Nebraska (0–0–1) | Maryland (2–0) | Texas A&M (10–2) | 8. | ||||||||||
| 9. | Georgia (1-0) | Texas A&M (2–0) | Alabama (9–3) | 9. | ||||||||||
| 10. | Texas A&M (1–0) | Penn State (1–1) | Georgia (10–2) | 10. | ||||||||||
| 11. | Maryland (1–0) | Arkansas (2–0) | Maryland (11–1) | 11. | ||||||||||
| 12. | Arkansas (1–0) | Kansas (3–0) | Notre Dame (9–3) | 12. | ||||||||||
| 13. | Alabama (0–1) | Alabama (1–1) | Texas Tech (10–2) | 13. | ||||||||||
| 14. | LSU (0–0–1) | Illinois (2–0) | Oklahoma State (9–3) | 14. | ||||||||||
| 15. | Boston College (1–0) | LSU (1–0–1) т | UCLA (9–2–1) | 15. | ||||||||||
| 16. | Kansas (2–0) т | USC (1–1) т | Colorado (8–4) | 16. | ||||||||||
| 17. | North Carolina (2-0) т | Boston College (1–0) | Rutgers (11–0) | 17. | ||||||||||
| 18. | Texas Tech (1–0) т | North Carolina (3–0) | Iowa State (8–3) | 18. | ||||||||||
| 19. | USC (0–1) | Florida (1–1) т | Baylor (8–2–1) т | 19. | ||||||||||
| 20. | Oklahoma State (1–0) | Texas Tech (1–0) т | Kentucky (8–4) т | 20. | ||||||||||
| Week 1 Sep 13 | Week 2 Sep 20 | Week 3 Sep 27 | Week 4 Oct 4 | Week 5 Oct 11 | Week 6 Oct 18 | Week 7 Oct 25 | Week 8 Nov 1 | Week 9 Nov 8 | Week 10 Nov 15 | Week 11 Nov 22 | Week 12 Nov 29 | Week 13 Jan 4 (Final) | ||
Dropped:
| None | None | None | None | None | None | None | None | None | None | Dropped:
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References
- ^ "1976 Preseason AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
- ^ "September 14, 1976 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
- ^ "September 21, 1976 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
- ^ "September 28, 1976 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
- ^ "October 5, 1976 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
- ^ "October 12, 1976 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
- ^ "October 19, 1976 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
- ^ "October 26, 1976 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
- ^ "November 2, 1976 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
- ^ "November 9, 1976 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
- ^ "November 16, 1976 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
- ^ "November 23, 1976 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
- ^ "November 30, 1976 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
- ^ "1976 Final AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
- ^ MacCambridge, Michael (2005). ESPN College Football Encyclopedia. ESPN Books. pp. 1316–1317. ISBN 1-4013-3703-1.
- ^ "UPI poll". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). UPI. January 4, 1977. p. 3C.