| 1971 NCAA University Division football rankings | |
|---|---|
| Season | 1971 |
| Bowl season | 1971–72 bowl games |
| PreseasonNo. 1 | |
| End of season champions | Nebraska |
| NCAA University Division football rankings | |
Two human polls comprised the1971 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 |
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For the first time, the top two teams in the final poll were from the same conference;Nebraska (13–0) andOklahoma (11–1) were joined byColorado (10–2) in third for a sweep by theBig Eight Conference.[1]
| Preseason Aug | 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 Dec 6 | Week 14 (Final) Jan 3 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Notre Dame(15) | Nebraska (1–0)(31) | Nebraska (2–0)(32) | Nebraska (3–0)(44) | Nebraska (4–0)(43) | Nebraska (5–0)(40) | Nebraska (6–0)(35) | Nebraska (7–0)(31) | Nebraska (8–0)(34) | Nebraska (9–0)(41) | Nebraska (10–0)(40) | Nebraska (10–0)(40) | Nebraska (11–0)(48) | Nebraska (12–0)(48) | Nebraska (13–0)(55) | 1. |
| 2. | Nebraska(26) | Notre Dame (0–0)(10) | Notre Dame (1–0)(18) | Michigan (3–0)(3) | Michigan (4–0)(5) | Oklahoma (4–0)(8) | Oklahoma (5–0)(18) | Oklahoma (6–0)(21) | Oklahoma (7–0)(17) | Oklahoma (8–0)(6) | Oklahoma (9–0)(8) | Oklahoma (9–0)(8) | Alabama (11–0)(4) | Alabama (11–0)(4) | Oklahoma (11–1) | 2. |
| 3. | Texas(5) | Texas (0–0)(5) | Texas (1–0)(3) | Texas (2–0)(3) | Texas (3–0)(3) | Michigan (5–0)(4) | Michigan (6–0)(1) | Michigan (7–0)(1) | Michigan (8–0)(2) | Michigan (9–0)(6) | Michigan (10–0)(4) | Alabama (10–0)(1) | Oklahoma (9–1) | Oklahoma (10–1) | Colorado (10–2) | 3. |
| 4. | Michigan(1) | Michigan (1–0)(2) | Michigan (2–0) | Notre Dame (2–0)(1) | Auburn (3–0)(2) | Alabama (5–0) | Alabama (6–0) | Alabama (7–0)(1) | Alabama (8–0) | Alabama (9–0) | Alabama (10–0)(1) | Michigan (11–0)(3) | Michigan (11–0)(2) | Michigan (11–0)(3) | Alabama (11–1) | 4. |
| 5. | USC(1) | Ohio State (1–0) | Auburn (1–0)(2) | Auburn (2–0)(2) | Colorado (4–0)(2) | Auburn (4–0)(2) | Auburn (5–0)(1) | Auburn (6–0)(1) | Auburn (7–0)(1) | Penn State (8–0)(1) | Auburn (9–0)(1) | Auburn (9–0)(1) | Penn State (10–0)(1) | Auburn (9–1) | Penn State (11–1) | 5. |
| 6. | Auburn(1) | Arkansas (1–0) | Ohio State (1–0) | Colorado (3–0)(2) | Alabama (4–0) | Colorado (5–0)(1) | Notre Dame (5–0) | Penn State (6–0) | Penn State (7–0)(1) | Auburn (8–0)(1) | Penn State (9–0)(1) | Penn State (10–0)(2) | Auburn (9–1) | Georgia (10–1) | Michigan (11–1) | 6. |
| 7. | Arkansas | Auburn (0–0)(2) | Arkansas (2–0) | Alabama (3–0) | Notre Dame (3–0) | Notre Dame (4–0) | Penn State (5–0) | Georgia (7–0) | Georgia (8–0) | Georgia (9–0) | Notre Dame (8–1) | Georgia (9–1) | Georgia (10–1) | Colorado (9–2) | Georgia (11–1) | 7. |
| 8. | Tennessee | Tennessee (0–0) | Alabama (2–0) | Oklahoma (2–0) | Oklahoma (3–0) | Georgia (5–0) | Georgia (6–0) | Arkansas (6–1) | Notre Dame (6–1) | Notre Dame (7–1) | Georgia (9–1) | Colorado (9–2) | Colorado (9–2) | Arizona State (10–1) | Arizona State (11–1) | 8. |
| 9. | LSU | Alabama (1–0) | Tennessee (1–0) | Penn State (2–0) | Penn State (3–0) | Penn State (4–0) | Arkansas (5–1) | Colorado (6–1) | Ohio State (6–1) | Arizona State (7–1) | Arizona State (8–1) | Arizona State (9–1) | Arizona State (10–1) | Tennessee (9–2) | Tennessee (10–2) | 9. |
| 10. | Oklahoma | Oklahoma (0–0) | Colorado (2–0) | Stanford (3–0) | Georgia (4–0) | Texas (3–1) | Stanford (5–1) | Ohio State (5–1) | Arizona State (6–1) | Stanford (7–2) | Colorado (8–2) | LSU (7–3) | LSU (8–3) | Penn State (10–1) | Stanford (9–3) | 10. |
| 11. | Ohio State | Georgia (1–0) | Oklahoma (1–0) | Georgia (3–0) | Washington (4–0) | Arizona State (4–0) | Colorado (5–1) | LSU (5–1) | Tennessee (5–2) | Tennessee (6–2) | Tennessee (6–2) | Tennessee (7–2) | Texas (8–2) | LSU (8–3) | LSU (9–3) | 11. |
| 12. | Penn State | Colorado (1–0) | Penn State (1–0) | Tennessee (1–1) | Arizona State (3–0) | LSU (4–1) | Ohio State (4–1) | Notre Dame (5–1) | Stanford (6–2) | Colorado (7–2) | Texas (7–2) | Texas (7–2) | Tennessee (8–2) | Texas (8–2) | Auburn (9–2) | 12. |
| 13. | Syracuse | Stanford (1–0) | Stanford (2–0) | Arizona State (2–0) | Tennessee (2–1) | Ohio State (3–1) | LSU (5–1) | Arizona State (5–1) | Colorado (6–2) | Texas (6–2) | Toledo (10–0) | Notre Dame (8–2) | Toledo (11–0) | Notre Dame (8–2) | Notre Dame (8–2) | 13. |
| 14. | Arizona State | Penn State (0–0) | Georgia (2–0) | Ohio State (1–1) | Duke (4–0) | Tennessee (3–1) | Arizona State (4–1) т | Texas (4–2) | Toledo (8–0) | Toledo (9–0) | LSU (6–3) | Toledo (11–0) | Notre Dame (8–2) | Toledo (11–0) | Toledo (12–0) | 14. |
| 15. | UCLA | Syracuse (0–0) | Arizona State (1–0) | Washington (3–0) | Ohio State (2–1) | Stanford (4–1) | Toledo (6–0) т | Toledo (7–0) | Texas (5–2) | USC (5–4) | USC (6–4) | Houston (8–2) | Houston (9–2) | Houston (9–2) | Mississippi (10–2) | 15. |
| 16. | Alabama | Arizona State (0–0) | USC (1–1) | LSU (2–1) | LSU (3–1) | Arkansas (4–1) | Texas (3–2) | Tennessee (4–2) | Arkansas (6–2) | Ohio State (6–2) | Houston (7–2) | Stanford (8–3) | Arkansas (8–2–1) т | Stanford (8–3) | Arkansas (8–3–1) | 16. |
| 17. | Georgia Tech | USC (0–1) | Washington (2–0) | USC (2–1) | Arkansas (3–1) | Toledo (5–0) | Purdue (3–2) | Stanford (5–2) | USC (4–4) | Arkansas (6–2–1) | Arkansas (7–2–1) | Arkansas (8–2–1) | Stanford (8–3) т | Mississippi (9–2) | Houston (9–3) | 17. |
| 18. | Georgia | Michigan State (1–0) | LSU (1–1) | Arkansas (2–1) | North Carolina (4–0) | Washington (4–1) | Tennessee (3–2) | Air Force (5–1) | LSU (5–2) | Houston (6–2) | Stanford (7–3) | Mississippi (8–2) | Mississippi (9–2) т | Arkansas (8–2–1) | Texas (8–3) | 18. |
| 19. | Stanford | South Carolina (1–0) | Toledo (2–0) | Duke (3–0) | Stanford (3–1) | Florida State (5–0) | Duke (5–1) | Florida State (6–1) | Houston (5–2) | Washington (7–2) | Michigan State (6–4) | North Carolina (9–2) | North Carolina (9–2) т | Northwestern (7–4) | Washington (8–3) | 19. |
| 20. | Northwestern(1) | Houston (1–0) | Duke (2–0) | North Carolina (3–0) | Toledo (4–0) | Purdue (2–2) | Air Force (4–1) | USC (3–4) | Washington (6–2) | LSU (5–3) | Mississippi (8–2) | Washington (8–3) | Washington (8–3) | Washington (8–3) | USC (6–4–1) | 20. |
| Preseason Aug | 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 Dec 6 | Week 14 (Final) Jan 3 | ||
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The finalUPICoaches Poll was released prior to the bowl games, in early December.[2]
Nebraska received 29 of the 31 first place votes; Alabama received the other two.
| Ranking | Team | Conference | Bowl |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nebraska | Big Eight | WonOrange, 38–6 |
| 2 | Alabama | SEC | LostOrange, 6–38 |
| 3 | Oklahoma | Big Eight | WonSugar, 40–22 |
| 4 | Michigan | Big Ten | LostRose, 12–13 |
| 5 | Auburn | SEC | LostSugar, 22–40 |
| 6 | Arizona State | WAC | WonFiesta, 45–38 |
| 7 | Colorado | Big Eight | WonBluebonnet, 31–21 |
| 8 | Georgia | SEC | WonGator, 7–3 |
| 9 | Tennessee | SEC | WonLiberty, 14–13 |
| 10 | LSU | SEC | WonSun, 33–15 |
| 11 | Penn State | Independent | WonCotton, 30–6 |
| 12 | Texas | Southwest | LostCotton, 6–30 |
| 13 | Toledo | Mid-American | WonTangerine, 28–3 |
| 14 | Houston | Independent | LostBluebonnet, 21–31 |
| 15 | Notre Dame | Independent | none(declined) |
| 16 | Stanford | Pac-8 | WonRose, 13–12 |
| 17 | Iowa State | Big Eight | LostSun, 15–33 |
| 18 | North Carolina | ACC | LostGator, 3–7 |
| 19 | Florida State | Independent | LostFiesta, 38–45 |
| 20 | Arkansas | Southwest | LostLiberty, 13–14 |
| Mississippi | SEC | WonPeach, 13–12 |