1973 NCAA Division I football rankings

none August 2023 December 2025 1973 USC Notre Dame (AP)Alabama (Coaches) Two human polls comprised the 1973 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 (#–#)   Win–loss record (Italics)   Number of first place votes т Tied with team above or below also with this symbol AP Poll November 2025 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 (Final) Aug Sep 10 Sep 17 Sep 24 Oct 1 Oct 8 Oct 15 Oct 22 Oct 29 Nov 5 Nov 12 Nov 19 Nov 26 Dec 3 Jan USC (55) Ohio State (2) Texas (1) Nebraska (2) Michigan (2) Alabama Penn State (1) Notre Dame Tennessee UCLA Colorado т tw Oklahoma т Auburn Arizona State Florida LSU NC State Houston North Carolina Texas Tech USC (0–0) (49) Nebraska (1–0) (8) u Ohio State (0–0) (2) d Texas (0–0) d Michigan (0–0) (1) Alabama (0–0) Penn State (0–0) (1) Notre Dame (0–0) Tennessee (0–0) Colorado (0–0) u Oklahoma (0–0) Auburn (0–0) u Arizona State (0–0) u Florida (0–0) u LSU (0–0) u UCLA (0–1) d NC State (2–0) Houston (0–0) North Carolina (0–0) Texas Tech (0–0) USC (1–0) (38) Nebraska (1–0) (8) Ohio State (1–0) (11) Alabama (1–0) (2) u Michigan (1–0) Texas (0–0) d Penn State (1–0) (1) Notre Dame (0–0) Oklahoma (1–0) u Tennessee (1–0) d LSU (1–0) u Auburn (1–0) Arizona State (1–0) NC State (2–0) u Florida (1–0) d Houston (1–0) u Oklahoma State (1–0) npr UCLA (0–1) d Colorado (0–1) d Bowling Green (1–0) т Missouri (1–0) т npr North Carolina Texas Tech USC (2–0) (36) Nebraska (2–0) (12) Ohio State (1–0) (8) Michigan (2–0) (1) u Alabama (2–0) (1) d Penn State (2–0) (2) u Notre Dame (1–0) u Oklahoma (1–0) (1) u Tennessee (2–0) u LSU (2–0) u Auburn (2–0) u Oklahoma State (2–0) u Arizona State (2–0) Texas (0–1) u Houston (2–0) u Florida (2–0) d UCLA (1–1) u Miami (FL) (1–0) npr NC State (2–1) d Missouri (2–0) Bowling Green Colorado Ohio State (2–0) (35) u Nebraska (3–0) (10) Alabama (3–0) (6) u USC (2–0–1) (3.5) d Michigan (3–0) (2) d Oklahoma (1–0–1) (1.5) u Penn State (3–0) (3) d Notre Dame (2–0) d Tennessee (3–0) LSU (3–0) Oklahoma State (3–0) u Arizona State (3–0) u Texas (1–1) u Houston (3–0) u Missouri (3–0) u UCLA (2–1) u Miami (FL) (2–0) u Colorado (2–1) npr SMU (3–0) npr West Virginia (3–0) npr Auburn Florida NC State Ohio State (3–0) (41) Nebraska (4–0) (9) Alabama (4–0) (6) USC (3–0–1) (1) Michigan (4–0) (1) Oklahoma (2–0–1) Penn State (4–0) (3) Tennessee (4–0) u Notre Dame (3–0) d LSU (4–0) Arizona State (4–0) u Missouri (4–0) u Texas (2–1) Houston (4–0) UCLA (3–1) u Miami (FL) (2–1) u Colorado (3–1) u Tulane (3–0) npr Kansas (3–1) npr Miami (OH) (4–0) npr Oklahoma State SMU West Virginia Ohio State (4–0) (39) Alabama (5–0) (6) u Oklahoma (3–0–1) (8) u Michigan (5–0) (1) u Penn State (5–0) (4) u USC (4–0–1) d Missouri (5–0) (1) u Notre Dame (4–0) u LSU (5–0) u Tennessee (5–0) d Nebraska (4–1) d Arizona State (5–0) d UCLA (4–1) u Houston (5–0) Miami (FL) (3–1) u Colorado (4–1) u Tulane (4–0) u Kansas (4–1) u Arizona (5–0) npr Miami (OH) (5–0) Texas Ohio State (5–0) (35) Alabama (6–0) (12) Oklahoma (4–0–1) (8) Michigan (6–0) (1) Penn State (6–0) (4) USC (5–0–1) Missouri (6–0) (1) Notre Dame (5–0) LSU (6–0) Nebraska (5–1) u Arizona State (6–0) u Houston (6–0) u UCLA (5–1) Tennessee (5–1) d Tulane (5–0) u Miami (OH) (6–0) u Kansas (4–2) u Texas Tech (5–1) npr Texas (3–2) npr Richmond (6–0) npr Arizona Colorado Miami (FL) Ohio State (6–0) (36) Alabama (7–0) (12) Oklahoma (5–0–1) (9) Michigan (7–0) (1) Notre Dame (6–0) u Penn State (7–0) (4) d LSU (7–0) u Arizona State (7–0) u USC (5–1–1) d UCLA (6–1) u Tennessee (6–1) u Missouri (6–1) d Nebraska (5–1–1) d Tulane (6–0) u Texas Tech (6–1) u Miami (OH) (7–0) Colorado (5–2) npr Houston (6–1) d Auburn (5–2) т tnpr Texas (4–2) т Kansas Richmond Ohio State (7–0) (35) Alabama (8–0) (14) Oklahoma (6–0–1) (7) Michigan (8–0) (1) Notre Dame (7–0) (1) Penn State (8–0) (4) LSU (8–0) USC (6–1–1) u UCLA (7–1) u Missouri (7–1) u Nebraska (6–1–1) u Texas Tech (7–1) u Texas (5–2) u Arizona State (7–1) d Houston (7–1) u Tennessee (6–2) d Miami (OH) (8–0) d Kansas (5–2–1) npr Kent State (7–1) npr Pittsburgh (5–2–1) npr Auburn Colorado Tulane Ohio State (8–0) (35) Alabama (8–0) (13) Oklahoma (7–0–1) (10) Michigan (9–0) (1) Notre Dame (8–0) (1) Penn State (9–0) (1) LSU (8–0) UCLA (8–1) u USC (7–1–1) d Nebraska (7–1–1) u Texas (6–2) u Texas Tech (8–1) Arizona State (8–1) u Missouri (7–2) d Houston (8–1) Tennessee (6–2) Miami (OH) (9–0) Kansas (6–2–1) Arizona (8–1) npr NC State (6–3) npr Kent State Pittsburgh Ohio State (9–0) (34) Alabama (9–0) (16) Oklahoma (8–0–1) (9) Michigan (10–0) (1) Notre Dame (8–0) (1) Penn State (10–0) (1) LSU (9–0) UCLA (9–1) USC (8–1–1) Nebraska (8–1–1) Texas (7–2) Texas Tech (9–1) Arizona State (9–1) Houston (8–1) u Miami (OH) (10–0) u NC State (7–3) u Tulane (8–1) npr Oklahoma State (5–2–2) npr Missouri (7–3) d Kansas (6–3–1) т Pittsburgh (6–3–1) т background-color:#FFE6E6 npr Arizona Tennessee Alabama (10–0) (36) u Oklahoma (9–0–1) (20) u Ohio State (9–0–1) (2) d Michigan (10–0–1) (1) Notre Dame (9–0) (2) Penn State (11–0) (2) USC (9–1–1) u LSU (9–1) d Texas (8–2) u UCLA (9–2) d Arizona State (10–1) u Texas Tech (10–1) Nebraska (8–2–1) d Houston (9–1) Miami (OH) (10–0) NC State (8–3) Kansas (7–3–1) u Maryland (8–3) npr Tennessee (7–3) npr Missouri (7–4) d Oklahoma State Pittsburgh Tulane Alabama (11–0) (34) Oklahoma (10–0–1) (16) Notre Dame (10–0) (2) u Ohio State (9–0–1) (2) d Michigan (10–0–1) (1) d Penn State (11–0) (3) USC (9–1–1) Texas (8–2) u UCLA (9–2) u Arizona State (10–1) u Texas Tech (10–1) u Nebraska (8–2–1) u LSU (9–2) d Houston (10–1) Miami (OH) (10–0) NC State (8–3) Tulane (9–2) npr Maryland (8–3) Kansas (7–3–1) d Tennessee (8–3) d Missouri Notre Dame (11–0) (33) nc Ohio State (10–0–1) (11) u Oklahoma (10–0–1) (16) d Alabama (11–1) d Penn State (12–0) u Michigan (10–0–1) d Nebraska (9–2–1) u USC (9–2–1) d Arizona State (11–1) т tu Houston (11–1) т u Texas Tech (11–1) UCLA (9–2) d LSU (9–3) Texas (8–3) d Miami (OH) (11–0) NC State (9–3) Missouri (8–4) npr Kansas (7–4–1) u Tennessee (8–4) u Maryland (8–4) т Tulane (9–3) т d Final Coaches Poll This was the last season in which the final UPI Coaches Poll was released prior to the bowl games, in early December.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=WwUrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-pcFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3554%2C2505802 Reading Eagle Pennsylvania UPI/AP Tide tops both polls December 4, 1973 20 Alabama received 21 of the 34 first-place votes; Oklahoma received nine, Ohio State two, Notre Dame one, and Michigan one. Ranking Team Conference Bowl 1 Alabama SEC Lost Sugar, 23–24 2 Oklahoma Big Eight none 3 Ohio State Big Ten Won Rose, 42–21 4 Notre Dame Independent Won Sugar, 24–23 5 Penn State Independent Won Orange, 16–9 6 Michigan Big Ten none 7 USC Pac-8 Lost Rose, 21–42 8 Texas Southwest Lost Cotton, 3–19 9 UCLA Pac-8 none 10 Arizona State WAC Won Fiesta, 28–711 Nebraska Big Eight Won Cotton, 19–3 Texas Tech Southwest Won Gator, 28–19 13 Houston Independent Won Bluebonnet, 47–7 14 LSU SEC Lost Orange, 9–1615 Kansas Big Eight Lost Liberty, 18–31 Tulane Independent Lost Bluebonnet, 7–47 17 Miami (OH) Mid-American Won Tangerine, 16–7 18 Maryland ACC Lost Peach, 16–1719 San Diego State PCAA none Florida SEC Lost Tangerine, 7–16 Prior to the 1975 season, the Big Ten and Pac-8 conferences allowed only one postseason participant each, for the Rose Bowl. References * Category:College football rankings