| 1965 NCAA University Division football rankings | |
|---|---|
| Season | 1965 |
| Bowl season | 1965–66 bowl games |
| PreseasonNo. 1 | |
| End of season champions | Alabama (AP) Michigan State (Coaches) |
| NCAA University Division football rankings | |
Two human polls comprised the1965 NCAA University Division football rankings. Unlike most sports, college football's governing body, the NCAA, does not bestow anational championship, instead that title is bestowed by one or more different polling agencies. There are two main weekly polls that begin in the preseason—theAP Poll and theCoaches Poll.
| 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 |
For the first time in its history, the finalAP Poll was released in January, after the bowl games.[1][2] This practice would not be repeated again for the next two seasons, but has been the standard since the1968 season.
The AP Poll ranked only the top ten teams from1962 through1967. Entering New Year's Day, the top three teams (Michigan State, Arkansas, Nebraska) were all 10–0,[3] but all three lost.[2]
| Preseason Aug[4] | Week 1 Sep 20[5] | Week 2 Sep 27[6] | Week 3 Oct 4[7] | Week 4 Oct 11[8] | Week 5 Oct 18[9] | Week 6 Oct 25[10] | Week 7 Nov 1[11] | Week 8 Nov 8[12] | Week 9 Nov 15[13] | Week 10 Nov 22[14] | Week 11 Nov 29[15] | Week 12 (Final) Jan 4[16] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Nebraska(11) | Notre Dame (1–0)(24) | Texas (2–0)(15) | Texas (3–0)(25) | Texas (4–0)(22) | Arkansas (5–0)(28) | Michigan State (6–0)(19) | Michigan State (7–0)(36) | Michigan State (8–0)(32) | Michigan State (9–0)(31) | Michigan State (10–0)(34) | Michigan State (10–0)(35) | Alabama (9–1–1)(37) | 1. |
| 2. | Texas(7) | Nebraska (1–0)(16) | Purdue (2–0)(14) | Nebraska (3–0)(10) | Nebraska (4–0)(16) | Michigan State (5–0)(14) | Arkansas (6–0)(23) | Arkansas (7–0)(11) | Arkansas (8–0)(14) | Arkansas (9–0)(15) | Arkansas (10–0)(9) | Arkansas (10–0)(10) | Michigan State (10–1)(18) | 2. |
| 3. | Notre Dame(7) | Texas (1–0)(7) | Nebraska (2–0)(13) | Arkansas (3–0)(1) | Arkansas (4–0)(4) | Nebraska (5–0)(8) | Nebraska (6–0)(9) | Nebraska (7–0)(3) | Nebraska (8–0)(4) | Nebraska (9–0)(2) | Nebraska (9–0) | Nebraska (10–0) | Arkansas (10–1)(1) | 3. |
| 4. | Michigan(5) | Michigan (1–0)(2) | Arkansas (2–0)(3) | Georgia (3–0)(3) | Michigan State (4–0)(3) | USC (4–0–1) | Notre Dame (4–1) | Notre Dame (5–1) | Notre Dame (6–1)(1) | Notre Dame (7–1) | UCLA (7–1–1) | Alabama (8–1–1)(1) | UCLA (8–2–1)(1) | 4. |
| 5. | Alabama(4) | Arkansas (1–0)(4) | LSU (2–0) | Michigan State (3–0) | Georgia (4–0)(2) | Texas (4–1) | LSU (5–1) | Alabama (5–1–1) | Alabama (6–1–1) | Alabama (7–1–1) | Alabama (7–1–1) | UCLA (7–1–1) | Nebraska (10–1) | 5. |
| 6. | Arkansas(6) | Purdue (1–0) | Kentucky (2–0)(1) | Purdue (2–0–1)(1) | USC (3–0–1) | Purdue (4–0–1) | Purdue (4–1–1) | USC (4–1–1) | USC (5–1–1) | USC (6–1–1) | Notre Dame (7–2) | Missouri (7–2–1) | Missouri (8–2–1) | 6. |
| 7. | USC(4) | LSU (1–0) | Michigan (2–0) | Notre Dame (2–1) | Purdue (3–0–1)(1) | Notre Dame (3–1) | Florida (4–1) | Georgia Tech (5–1–1) | UCLA (5–1–1) | UCLA (6–1–1) | Missouri (7–2–1) | Tennessee (6–1–2) | Tennessee (8–1–2) | 7. |
| 8. | LSU | Florida (1–0) | Notre Dame (1–1) | USC (2–0–1) | Notre Dame (3–1) | Florida (4–1) | USC (4–1–1) | UCLA (4–1–1) | Tennessee (4–0–2) | Missouri (6–2–1) | USC (6–2–1) | USC (7–2–1) | LSU (8–3) | 8. |
| 9. | Purdue(1) | Syracuse (1–0) | Michigan State (2–0) | Mississippi State (3–0) | Florida (3–1) | LSU (4–1) | Texas (4–2) | Missouri (4–2–1) | Missouri (5–2–1) | Texas Tech (8–1) | Tennessee (5–1–2) | Notre Dame (7–2–1) | Notre Dame (7–2–1) | 9. |
| 10. | Ohio State(1) | Kentucky (1–0) | Georgia (2–0) | Florida (2–1) | Mississippi State (4–0) | Georgia (4–1) | Alabama (4–1–1) | Kentucky (5–2) | Kentucky (6–2) | Florida (6–2) | Texas Tech (8–2) | Texas Tech (8–2) | USC (7–2–1) | 10. |
| Preseason Aug[4] | Week 1 Sep 20[5] | Week 2 Sep 27[6] | Week 3 Oct 4[7] | Week 4 Oct 11[8] | Week 5 Oct 18[9] | Week 6 Oct 25[10] | Week 7 Nov 1[11] | Week 8 Nov 8[12] | Week 9 Nov 15[13] | Week 10 Nov 22[14] | Week 11 Nov 29[15] | Week 12 (Final) Jan 4[16] | ||
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The finalUPICoaches Poll was released prior to the bowl games, in late November.[17]
Michigan State received 28 of the 35 first-place votes; Arkansas received five and Nebraska two.[18]
| Ranking | Team | Conference | Bowl |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michigan State | Big Ten | LostRose, 12–14 |
| 2 | Arkansas | Southwest | LostCotton, 7–14 |
| 3 | Nebraska | Big Eight | LostOrange, 28–39 |
| 4 | Alabama | SEC | WonOrange, 39–28 |
| 5 | UCLA | AAWU(Pac-8) | WonRose, 14–12 |
| 6 | Missouri | Big Eight | WonSugar, 20–18 |
| 7 | Tennessee | SEC | WonBluebonnet, 27–6 |
| 8 | Notre Dame | Independent | none |
| 9 | USC | AAWU(Pac-8) | |
| 10 | Texas Tech | Southwest | LostGator, 21–31 |
| 11 | Ohio State | Big Ten | none |
| 12 | Florida | SEC | LostSugar, 18–20 |
| 13 | Purdue | Big Ten | none |
| 14 | LSU | SEC | WonCotton, 14–7 |
| 15 | Georgia | SEC | none |
| 16 | Tulsa | MVC | LostBluebonnet, 6–27 |
| 17 | Mississippi | SEC | WonLiberty, 13–7 |
| 18 | Kentucky | SEC | none |
| 19 | Syracuse | Independent | |
| 20 | Colorado | Big Eight |
1. Michigan State - 114.0
2. Arkansas - 107.2
3. Nebraska - 104.8
4. Notre Dame
5. UCLA - 104.2
6. USC - 104.0
7. Alabama - 104.1
8. Purdue - 101.5
9. Tennessee - 101.1
10. Illinois - 100.1
11. Florida - 99.4
12. Missouri - 98.7
13. Ole Miss - 97.6
16. Ohio State
20. Michigan