1954 college football rankings

none August 2023 December 2025 1954 Notre Dame Ohio State (AP)UCLA (Coaches) Two human polls comprised the 1954 college 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 The final AP Poll was released on November 29, at the end of the 1954 regular season, weeks before the major bowls. The AP would not release a post-bowl season final poll regularly until 1968. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 (Final) Aug Sep 20 Sep 27 Oct 4 Oct 11 Oct 18 Oct 25 Nov 1 Nov 8 Nov 15 Nov 22 Nov 29 Notre Dame (52) Oklahoma (74) Maryland (13) Texas (10) Illinois (2) Michigan State (7) Georgia Tech (5) UCLA (1) Wisconsin (1) Ole Miss (2) Iowa (1) California Army Alabama Duke (2) Rice USC Oregon Texas Tech Ohio State (1) Oklahoma (1–0) (56) u Notre Dame (0–0) (11) d Maryland (0–0) (9) Texas (1–0) (3) Georgia Tech (1–0) (2) u Illinois (0–0) d Michigan State (0–0) d UCLA (1–0) (2) Ole Miss (1–0) (1) u Baylor (1–0) т tnpr Wisconsin (0–0) т d Iowa (0–0) d Rice (0–0) u Texas Tech (1–0) (1) u USC (1–0) u Oregon (1–0) u California (0–1) d Army (0–0) d Duke (0–0) d TCU (1–0) npr Alabama Ohio State Notre Dame (1–0) (94) u Oklahoma (2–0) (24) d Iowa (1–0) (11) u UCLA (2–0) (3) u Wisconsin (1–0) (7) u Maryland (1–0) (3) d Duke (1–0) (7) u Ole Miss (2–0) (3) u USC (2–0) u Penn State (1–0) npr Baylor (2–0) d Texas (1–1) d Michigan State (0–1) d Ohio State (1–0) (1) npr South Carolina (1–0) (1) npr Rice (1–0) d Texas Tech (2–0) d California (1–1) d Purdue (1–0) npr Florida (1–1) npr Army Georgia Tech Illinois Oregon TCU Oklahoma (2–0) (77) u UCLA (3–0) (20) u Wisconsin (2–0) (17) u Iowa (2–0) (15) d Purdue (2–0) (22) u Duke (2–0) (3) u Ole Miss (3–0) (12) u Notre Dame (1–1) d USC (3–0) Ohio State (2–0) (1) u Rice (2–0) u Penn State (2–0) d Maryland (1–1) d Florida (2–1) (1) u Texas (2–1) d West Virginia (1–0) (5) npr Stanford (3–0) npr Minnesota (2–0) npr Navy (2–0) т tnpr Virginia Tech (3–0) т npr Baylor California Michigan State South Carolina Texas Tech Oklahoma (3–0) (118) Wisconsin (4–0) (21) u UCLA (4–0) (10) d Ohio State (3–0) (14) u Purdue (2–0–1) (3) Duke (2–0–1) (7) Ole Miss (4–0) (11) Notre Dame (2–1) (2) Navy (3–0) (1) т tu Penn State (3–0) (3) т u Minnesota (3–0) (2) u Arkansas (3–0) (1) npr Iowa (2–1) d West Virginia (2–0) (6) u Rice (2–1) d Virginia Tech (3–0) u Colorado (4–0) (1) npr Army (2–1) npr Georgia Tech (3–1) npr Texas Tech (3–0–1) npr Florida Maryland Stanford Texas USC Oklahoma (4–0) (115) Wisconsin (4–0) (42) UCLA (5–0) (23) Ohio State (4–0) (8) Ole Miss (5–0) (9) u Notre Dame (3–1) u Arkansas (4–0) (4) u Minnesota (4–0) u Army (3–1) u West Virginia (3–0) (9) u Colorado (5–0) (2) u Alabama (4–1) npr Purdue (2–1–1) d Virginia Tech (4–0) u Georgia Tech (4–1) u Miami (FL) (4–0) npr USC (4–1) npr Florida (3–2) npr Duke (2–1–1) d TCU (3–2) npr Iowa Navy Penn State Rice Texas Tech Ohio State (5–0) (64) u Oklahoma (5–0) (74) d UCLA (6–0) (45) Arkansas (5–0) (16) u Army (4–1) (1) u Notre Dame (3–1) (1) West Virginia (4–0) (6) u Wisconsin (4–1) d Purdue (3–1–1) u Miami (FL) (5–0) (6) u Michigan (4–1) npr Ole Miss (5–1) d USC (5–1) u Virginia Tech (5–0) (1) Navy (4–1) npr Duke (3–1–1) u TCU (4–2) u SMU (3–1) npr Rice (3–2) npr Cincinnati (6–0) npr Alabama Colorado Florida Georgia Tech Minnesota UCLA (7–0) (72) u Ohio State (6–0) (69) d Oklahoma (6–0) (42) d Arkansas (6–0) (16) Notre Dame (4–1) (4) u Miami (FL) (6–0) (14) u Army (5–1) (1) d Purdue (4–1–1) u Ole Miss (6–1) (2) u USC (6–1) u Duke (4–1–1) u Iowa (4–2) npr Cincinnati (7–0) u Minnesota (5–1) npr Rice (4–2) u Wisconsin (4–2) d West Virginia (4–1) (1) d Virginia Tech (5–0–1) d Navy (4–2) d Baylor (5–2) т Nebraska (4–2) т Pittsburgh (3–3) т npr Michigan SMU TCU UCLA (8–0) (117) Ohio State (7–0) (80) Oklahoma (7–0) (44) Arkansas (7–0) (43) Notre Dame (5–1) (3) Army (6–1) (4) u Ole Miss (7–1) (5) u USC (7–1) u Iowa (5–2) u Navy (5–2) u Miami (FL) (6–1) d Cincinnati (8–0) u Minnesota (6–1) u Wisconsin (5–2) u Virginia Tech (6–0–1) u West Virginia (5–1) (2) u Maryland (4–2–1) npr Baylor (6–2) u SMU (4–1–1) npr Georgia (6–1–1) npr Duke Nebraska Pittsburgh Purdue Rice Ohio State (8–0) (87) u UCLA (8–0) (92) d Oklahoma (8–0) (28) Notre Dame (6–1) (2) u Army (7–1) u Ole Miss (8–1) (7) u Navy (6–2) т tu USC (8–1) т u Arkansas (7–1) (5) d Minnesota (7–1) u SMU (5–1–1) u Michigan (6–2) npr Maryland (5–2–1) u West Virginia (6–1) u Virginia Tech (6–0–1) Miami (FL) (6–1) d Wisconsin (6–2) d Auburn (7–1) npr Iowa (5–3) d Baylor (6–2) d Cincinnati Georgia Ohio State (9–0) (115) UCLA (9–0) (85) Oklahoma (9–0) (31) Notre Dame (7–1) (4) Army (7–1) Navy (6–2) (2) u Ole Miss (8–1) (6) d Wisconsin (7–2) u Baylor (7–2) u Maryland (6–2–1) u Miami (FL) (7–1) (2) u West Virginia (7–1) (3) u Arkansas (7–2) (2) d Michigan (6–3) d Auburn (7–2) u Virginia Tech (7–0–1) d USC (8–2) d Kentucky (7–3) npr Penn State (7–2) npr Duke (6–2–1) т Minnesota (7–2) т background-color:#FFFFE6 d Iowa SMU Ohio State (9–0) (204) nc UCLA (9–0) (133) Oklahoma (10–0) (35) Notre Dame (8–1) (9) Navy (7–2) (4) u Ole Miss (9–1) (6) u Army (7–2) d Maryland (7–2–1) (4) u Wisconsin (7–2) d Arkansas (8–2) (4) u Miami (FL) (8–1) (7) West Virginia (8–1) (2) Auburn (7–3) (1) u Duke (7–2–1) u Michigan (6–3) d Virginia Tech (8–0–1) USC (8–3) Baylor (7–3) d Rice (7–3) npr Penn State (7–2) d Kentucky Minnesota United Press Coaches Poll The final United Press (UP) Coaches Poll was released prior to the bowl games, on November 29.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=SEEqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=200EAAAAIBAJ&pg=2375%2C4727204 Pittsburgh Press United Press UCLA stays on top in voting of coaches November 30, 1954 29 UCLA received 21 of the 35 first-place votes; Ohio State received eleven, and one each to Oklahoma, Notre Dame, and Navy. Ranking Team Conference Bowl 1 UCLA Pacific Coast none 2 Ohio State Big Ten Won Rose, 20–7 3 Oklahoma Big Sevennone 4 Notre Dame Independent 5 Navy Independent Won Sugar, 21–0 6 Ole Miss SEC Lost Sugar, 0–21 7 Army Independent none 8 Arkansas Southwest Lost Cotton, 6–14 9 Miami (FL) Independent none 10 Wisconsin Big Ten 11 USC Pacific Coast Lost Rose, 7–20 12 Maryland ACC none 13 Georgia Tech SEC Won Cotton, 14–6 14 Duke ACC Won Orange, 34–715 Michigan Big Tennone Penn State Independent 17 SMU Southwest18 Denver Skyline Rice Southwest 20 Minnesota Big Ten U.P. Poll of Coaches Ranks UCLA No. 1 Over Buckeyes The Atlanta Constitution November 30, 1954 10Coaches' Ballots Pick Bruins No. 1 The Philadelphia Inquirer 30 November 30, 1954 https://www.newspapers.com/image/176377993/?terms=final%2Bpoll limited Newspapers.com The NCAA record book lists USC, Maryland, and Georgia Tech in a tie for 11th place,http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2018/FBS.pdf 2018 NCAA Division I FBS record book 148 NCAA while contemporary sources list them in 11th, 12th, and 13th respectively. 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. Litkenhous Ratings The Litkenhous Ratings released in mid-December 1954 provided numerical rankings to over 600 college football programs. The top 50 ranked teams were:Final Litkenhous Ratings The Journal and Courier December 14, 1954 23 https://www.newspapers.com/article/journal-and-courier-final-litkenhous-rat/124783700/ Newspapers.com 15em 1. UCLA (9-0) - 115.3 2. Ohio State (10-0) - 113.3 3. Oklahoma (10-0) - 111.8 4. Maryland (7-2-1) - 107.4 5. Notre Dame (9-1) - 107.4 6. Wisconsin (7-2) - 106.7 7. Iowa (5-4) - 104.9 8. Ole Miss (9-2) - 103.6 9. Purdue (5-3-1) - 102.5 10. Michigan (6-3) - 102.0 11. Miami (FL) (8-1) - 101.6 12. Navy (8-2) - 101.5 13. Arkansas (8-3) - 100.8 14. Baylor (7-4) - 100.4 15. Minnesota (7-2) - 99.6 16. Auburn (8-3) - 99.2 17. Army (7-2) - 98.9 18. Michigan State (3-6) - 98.9 19. Rice (7-3) - 98.7 20. USC (8-4) - 98.7 21. SMU (6-3-1) - 98.6 22. Colorado (7-2-1) - 97.8 23. Georgia Tech (8-3) - 97.0 24. Texas Tech (7-2-1) - 97.0 25. Texas (4-5-1) - 96.5 26. California (5-5) - 96.3 27. TCU (4-6) - 96.0 28. Indiana (3-6) - 93.1 29. Duke (8-2-1) - 93.0 30. Miami (OH) (8-1) - 92.8 31. Northwestern 32. Florida (5-5) - 89.8 33. Penn State 34. Pittsburgh 35. Nebraska 36. Kentucky (7-3) - 88.2 37. West Virginia 38. Southeastern Louisiana 39. Alabama (4-5-2) - 87.5 40. Arizona 41. Mississippi State (6-4) - 87.4 42. Wichita 43. Cincinnati 44. Missouri 45. LSU (5-6) - 86.9 46. Oregon 47. Illinois (1-8) - 86.4 48. Georgia (6-3-1) - 85.6 49. Texas A&M (1-9) - 85.0 50. Oklahoma A&M 51. Clemson 52. Trinity (TX) 53. Virginia Tech 54. South Carolina 55. Vanderbilt (2-7) - 82.2 56. Kansas State 57. Denver 58. Mississippi Southern 59. Boston University 60. Iowa State 61. Tennessee (4-6) - 79.0 62. Delaware 63. Boston College 64. Tulane (1-6-3) - 77.8 65. Texas Western 66. Houston 67. North Carolina 68. Wake Forest 69. Washington State 70. Stanford 71. Chattanooga 72. San Jose State 73. Florida State 74. North Texas 75. Washington 76. Wyoming 77. Kent State 78. Pacific 79. Brown 80. Howard Payne 81. Virginia 82. Abilene Christian 83. Cornell 84. Detroit 85. Princeton 86. Marquette 87. New Hampshire 88. Colgate 89. Syracuse 90. Richmond 91. McMurry 92. NC State 93. Yale 94. Bucknell 95. Omaha 96. Dayton 97. Eastern Kentucky 98. Utah 99. William & Mary 100. Kansas 101. Hardin-Simmons 102. George Washington 103. Mt. San Antonio 104. Louisiana Tech 105. Memphis State 106. East Texas 107. Sam Houston 108. Stephen F. Austin 109. Harvar 110. Youngstown 111. Bakersfield 112. Holy Cross 113. Utah State 114. Ohio 115. Rutgers 116. Arizona State 118. Xavier 119. Rhode Island 120. Idaho 121. Oregon State 122. South Dakota State 123. Toledo 124. Tulsa 125. West Texas 126. New Mexico 127. Maine 128. Tampa (8-2) - 62.4 129. Temple (3-5) - 61.1 130. VMI (4-6) - 61.1 131. Washington University (6-3) - 60.4 132. Furman (5-5) - 60.3 136. Delta State - 59.9 137. Penn (0-9) - 59.7 138. Dartmouth (3-6) - 59.6 144. Trinity (CT) (7-0) - 59.2 146. John Carroll - 59.1 147. Marshall (4-5) - 59.1 148. Western Michigan (4-5) - 59.1 151. Northeastern - 58.6 152. Montana (3-6) - 58.5 153. Villanova (1-9) - 58.4 154. Lafayette (7-2) - 58.2 155. Tennessee Tech - 58.2 157. Colorado A&M (3-7) - 58.1 160. Montana State (8-1) - 57.6 161. Missouri Valley - 57.6 162. West Chester - 57.6 163. Lehigh (2-5-2) - 56.9 166. Murray - 56.7 167. BYU (1-8) - 56.2 168. Peru State - 56.2 170. Florence - 56.1 177. Davidson (6-3) - 54.8 178. Muhlenberg - 54.7 179. St. John's - 54.0 183. Sul Ross - 53.8 184. Fordham (1-7-1) - 53.7 187. Valparaiso - 53.2 188. Western Kentucky (7-3) - 53.0 190. Vermont (5-1-1) - 53.0 193. San Francisco State (8-2) - 52.8 198. Wofford - 51.7 200. Amherst - 51.4 205. Hawaii (4-4) - 51.0 HBCU rankings The Pittsburgh Courier, a leading African American newspaper, ranked the top 1954 teams from historically black colleges and universities in an era when college football was largely segregated. The rankings were published on December 11:The National Parade The Pittsburgh Courier December 11, 1954 12 https://www.newspapers.com/article/new-pittsburgh-courier-1954-rankings/139175948/ Newspapers.com 1. Tennessee A&I (10–1) 2. Florida A&M (8–1) 3. Southern (10–1) 4. North Carolina College (7–1–1) 5. Virginia State (7–2) 6. Maryland State (6–1–1) 7. Prairie View A&M (10–1) 8. South Carolina State (8–2) 9. Morris Brown (5–3) 10. Alcorn State (5–2–2) 11. Lincoln (MO) (4–3–1) 12. Xavier (LA) (6–2) 13. Morgan State (6–3) 14. Texas Southern (4–3–2) 15. Grambling (4–2–2) The Associated Negro Press also published rankings on December 25:Luix Virgil Overbea December 25, 1954 Pigskin Huddle https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=oJwlAAAAIBAJ&pg=3028%2C3421943 Baltimore Afro-American (p. 16) 16em 1. Tennessee A&I (10–1) 2. Florida A&M (8–1) 3. Prairie View A&M (10–1) 4. Southern (10–1) 5. N.C. College (7–1–1) 6. Maryland State (6–1–1) 7. Xavier (LA) (6–2) 8. Virginia State (7–2) 9. South Carolina State (8–2) 10. Bluefield State (7–2) 11. Miles (8–0) 12. Virginia Union (5–3) 13. Texas Southern (5–4–2) 14. Allen (5–4) 15. Bethune-Cookman (7–3) 16. Lincoln (MO) (4–3–1) 17. Alcorn (6–2–2) 18. St. Augustine's (6–2) 19. Central State (4–4) 20. Kentucky State (5–3) 21. Morris Brown (5–3) 22. Grambling (4–3–2) 23. Morgan State (5–3) 24. North Carolina A&T (4–5) 25. Mississippi Vocational (6–2) 26. Delaware State (7–1) 27. Elizabeth City (5–1) 28. Fort Valley State (5–4) 29. Langston (4–4–1) 30. Claflin (6–3) 31. Knoxville (5–3–1) 32. Alabama State (4–3–1) 33. Hampton (4–5–1) 34. Dillard (4–4) 35. Tuskegee (3–5) 36. Texas College (4–5) 37. Morehouse (4–3) 38. West Virginia State (3–6) 39. Lincoln (PA) (4–3–1) 40. Wiley (5–5) 41. Fisk (4–4) 42. Arkansas A&M (2–7–2) 43. Mississippi Industrial (2–3) 44. Winston-Salem State (2–7) 45. Fayetteville State (3–6) 46. Paul Quinn (2–5–1) 47. Florida Normal (3–1–1) 48. Livingstone (4–1) 49. Clark (1–7) 50. Howard (2–6–1) 51. Jackson State (1–7–1) 52. Tougaloo (3–5) 53. Johnson C. Smith (1–5–2) 54. Saint Paul's (1–7) 55. Albany State (1–3–1) 56. Morris College (2–3) 57. Philander Smith (1–4) 58. Savannah State (1–6) 59. Alabama A&M (1–7) 60. Benedict (0–8) 61. Shaw (0–7–1) 62. Lane (1–4) 63. Bishop (1–7) 64. Paine (0–5) 65. Rust (0–5) 66. Morristown (0–4) See also 1954 College Football All-America Team References * Category:College football rankings