1971 NCAA University Division football rankings

none August 2023 December 2025 1971 Notre Dame Nebraska Two human polls comprised the 1971 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   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 For the first time, the top two teams in the final poll were from the same conference; Nebraska (13–0) and Oklahoma (11–1) were joined by Colorado (10–2) in third for a sweep by the Big Eight Conference.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=2O9LAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Xe0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=7215%2C1325379 Spokesman-Review Spokane, Washington Associated Press Grid poll sweep for Big Eight; Huskers, Sooners, Buffs, 1, 2, 3 January 4, 1972 12 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 (Final) Aug Sep 13 Sep 20 Sep 27 Oct 4 Oct 11 Oct 18 Oct 25 Nov 1 Nov 8 Nov 15 Nov 22 Nov 29 Dec 6 Jan 3 Notre Dame (15) Nebraska (26) Texas (5) Michigan (1) USC (1) Auburn (1) Arkansas Tennessee LSU Oklahoma Ohio State Penn State Syracuse Arizona State UCLA Alabama Georgia Tech Georgia Stanford Northwestern (1) Nebraska (1–0) (31) u Notre Dame (0–0) (10) d Texas (0–0) (5) Michigan (1–0) (2) Ohio State (1–0) u Arkansas (1–0) u Auburn (0–0) (2) d Tennessee (0–0) Alabama (1–0) u Oklahoma (0–0) Georgia (1–0) u Colorado (1–0) npr Stanford (1–0) u Penn State (0–0) d Syracuse (0–0) d Arizona State (0–0) d USC (0–1) d Michigan State (1–0) npr South Carolina (1–0) npr Houston (1–0) npr Georgia Tech LSU Northwestern UCLA Nebraska (2–0) (32) Notre Dame (1–0) (18) Texas (1–0) (3) Michigan (2–0) Auburn (1–0) (2) u Ohio State (1–0) d Arkansas (2–0) d Alabama (2–0) u Tennessee (1–0) d Colorado (2–0) u Oklahoma (1–0) d Penn State (1–0) u Stanford (2–0) Georgia (2–0) d Arizona State (1–0) u USC (1–1) u Washington (2–0) npr LSU (1–1) npr Toledo (2–0) npr Duke (2–0) npr Houston Michigan State South Carolina Syracuse Nebraska (3–0) (44) Michigan (3–0) (3) u Texas (2–0) (3) Notre Dame (2–0) (1) d Auburn (2–0) (2) Colorado (3–0) (2) u Alabama (3–0) u Oklahoma (2–0) u Penn State (2–0) u Stanford (3–0) u Georgia (3–0) u Tennessee (1–1) d Arizona State (2–0) u Ohio State (1–1) d Washington (3–0) u LSU (2–1) u USC (2–1) d Arkansas (2–1) d Duke (3–0) u North Carolina (3–0) npr Toledo Nebraska (4–0) (43) Michigan (4–0) (5) Texas (3–0) (3) Auburn (3–0) (2) u Colorado (4–0) (2) u Alabama (4–0) u Notre Dame (3–0) d Oklahoma (3–0) Penn State (3–0) Georgia (4–0) u Washington (4–0) u Arizona State (3–0) u Tennessee (2–1) d Duke (4–0) u Ohio State (2–1) d LSU (3–1) Arkansas (3–1) u North Carolina (4–0) u Stanford (3–1) d Toledo (4–0) npr USC Nebraska (5–0) (40) Oklahoma (4–0) (8) u Michigan (5–0) (4) d Alabama (5–0) u Auburn (4–0) (2) d Colorado (5–0) (1) d Notre Dame (4–0) Georgia (5–0) u Penn State (4–0) Texas (3–1) d Arizona State (4–0) u LSU (4–1) u Ohio State (3–1) u Tennessee (3–1) d Stanford (4–1) u Arkansas (4–1) u Toledo (5–0) u Washington (4–1) d Florida State (5–0) npr Purdue (2–2) npr Duke North Carolina Nebraska (6–0) (35) Oklahoma (5–0) (18) Michigan (6–0) (1) Alabama (6–0) Auburn (5–0) (1) Notre Dame (5–0) u Penn State (5–0) u Georgia (6–0) Arkansas (5–1) u Stanford (5–1) u Colorado (5–1) d Ohio State (4–1) u LSU (5–1) d Arizona State (4–1) т td Toledo (6–0) т u Texas (3–2) d Purdue (3–2) u Tennessee (3–2) d Duke (5–1) npr Air Force (4–1) npr Florida State Washington Nebraska (7–0) (31) Oklahoma (6–0) (21) Michigan (7–0) (1) Alabama (7–0) (1) Auburn (6–0) (1) Penn State (6–0) u Georgia (7–0) u Arkansas (6–1) u Colorado (6–1) u Ohio State (5–1) u LSU (5–1) u Notre Dame (5–1) d Arizona State (5–1) u Texas (4–2) u Toledo (7–0) d Tennessee (4–2) u Stanford (5–2) d Air Force (5–1) u Florida State (6–1) npr USC (3–4) npr Duke Purdue Nebraska (8–0) (34) Oklahoma (7–0) (17) Michigan (8–0) (2) Alabama (8–0) Auburn (7–0) (1) Penn State (7–0) (1) Georgia (8–0) Notre Dame (6–1) u Ohio State (6–1) u Arizona State (6–1) u Tennessee (5–2) u Stanford (6–2) u Colorado (6–2) d Toledo (8–0) u Texas (5–2) d Arkansas (6–2) d USC (4–4) u LSU (5–2) d Houston (5–2) npr Washington (6–2) npr Air Force Florida State Nebraska (9–0) (41) Oklahoma (8–0) (6) Michigan (9–0) (6) Alabama (9–0) Penn State (8–0) (1) u Auburn (8–0) (1) d Georgia (9–0) Notre Dame (7–1) Arizona State (7–1) u Stanford (7–2) u Tennessee (6–2) Colorado (7–2) u Texas (6–2) u Toledo (9–0) USC (5–4) u Ohio State (6–2) d Arkansas (6–2–1) d Houston (6–2) u Washington (7–2) u LSU (5–3) d Nebraska (10–0) (40) Oklahoma (9–0) (8) Michigan (10–0) (4) Alabama (10–0) (1) Auburn (9–0) (1) u Penn State (9–0) (1) d Notre Dame (8–1) u Georgia (9–1) d Arizona State (8–1) Colorado (8–2) u Tennessee (6–2) Texas (7–2) u Toledo (10–0) u LSU (6–3) u USC (6–4) Houston (7–2) u Arkansas (7–2–1) Stanford (7–3) d Michigan State (6–4) npr Mississippi (8–2) npr Ohio State Washington Nebraska (10–0) (40) Oklahoma (9–0) (8) Alabama (10–0) (1) u Michigan (11–0) (3) d Auburn (9–0) (1) Penn State (10–0) (2) Georgia (9–1) u Colorado (9–2) u Arizona State (9–1) LSU (7–3) u Tennessee (7–2) Texas (7–2) Notre Dame (8–2) d Toledo (11–0) d Houston (8–2) u Stanford (8–3) u Arkansas (8–2–1) Mississippi (8–2) u North Carolina (9–2) npr Washington (8–3) npr Michigan State USC Nebraska (11–0) (48) Alabama (11–0) (4) u Oklahoma (9–1) d Michigan (11–0) (2) Penn State (10–0) (1) u Auburn (9–1) d Georgia (10–1) Colorado (9–2) Arizona State (10–1) LSU (8–3) Texas (8–2) u Tennessee (8–2) d Toledo (11–0) u Notre Dame (8–2) d Houston (9–2) Arkansas (8–2–1) т tu Stanford (8–3) т Mississippi (9–2) т tw North Carolina (9–2) т u Washington (8–3) Nebraska (12–0) (48) Alabama (11–0) (4) Oklahoma (10–1) Michigan (11–0) (3) Auburn (9–1) u Georgia (10–1) u Colorado (9–2) u Arizona State (10–1) u Tennessee (9–2) u Penn State (10–1) d LSU (8–3) d Texas (8–2) d Notre Dame (8–2) u Toledo (11–0) d Houston (9–2) Stanford (8–3) Mississippi (9–2) u Arkansas (8–2–1) d Northwestern (7–4) npr Washington (8–3) North Carolina Nebraska (13–0) (55) nc Oklahoma (11–1) u Colorado (10–2) u Alabama (11–1) d Penn State (11–1) u Michigan (11–1) d Georgia (11–1) d Arizona State (11–1) Tennessee (10–2) Stanford (9–3) u LSU (9–3) Auburn (9–2) d Notre Dame (8–2) Toledo (12–0) Mississippi (10–2) u Arkansas (8–3–1) u Houston (9–3) d Texas (8–3) d Washington (8–3) u USC (6–4–1) npr Northwestern Final Coaches Poll The final UPI Coaches Poll was released prior to the bowl games, in early December.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=SbleAAAAIBAJ&sjid=rWQNAAAAIBAJ&pg=2310%2C5534453 Reading Eagle Pennsylvania UPI Madden Bill Coaches agree December 7, 1971 32 Nebraska received 29 of the 31 first place votes; Alabama received the other two. Ranking Team Conference Bowl 1 Nebraska Big Eight Won Orange, 38–6 2 Alabama SEC Lost Orange, 6–38 3 Oklahoma Big Eight Won Sugar, 40–22 4 Michigan Big Ten Lost Rose, 12–13 5 Auburn SEC Lost Sugar, 22–40 6 Arizona State WAC Won Fiesta, 45–38 7 Colorado Big Eight Won Bluebonnet, 31–21 8 Georgia SEC Won Gator, 7–3 9 Tennessee SEC Won Liberty, 14–13 10 LSU SEC Won Sun, 33–15 11 Penn State Independent Won Cotton, 30–6 12 Texas Southwest Lost Cotton, 6–30 13 Toledo Mid-American Won Tangerine, 28–3 14 Houston Independent Lost Bluebonnet, 21–31 15 Notre Dame Independent none (declined) 16 Stanford Pac-8 Won Rose, 13–12 17 Iowa State Big Eight Lost Sun, 15–33 18 North Carolina ACC Lost Gator, 3–7 19 Florida State Independent Lost Fiesta, 38–4520 Arkansas Southwest Lost Liberty, 13–14 Mississippi SEC Won Peach, 13–12 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