🏈 The 1991 college football season
The champion and its path, the poll race week by week, the honours, the best games and every conference table.
Source: Citizen of Nowhere college football database · 11 conferences · 18 bowls
Jump to any season1869–2026
1860s
1991 national champion
Named by the selectors, with the road it took.
The path12-0
- Sep 7atStanfordW42-7
- Sep 21at#9NebraskaW36-21
- Sep 28vsKansas StateW56-3
- Oct 5vsArizonaW54-0
- Oct 12vsToledoW48-0
- Oct 19at#7CaliforniaW24-17
- Oct 26vsOregonW29-7
- Nov 2vsArizona StateW44-16
- Nov 9atUSCW14-3
- Nov 16atOregon StateW58-6
- Nov 23vsWashington StateW56-21
- Jan 1vs#4MichiganW34-14Rose Bowl
The 1991 major bowls
No title game this year. The big bowls of the season, by date.
- Citrus BowlJan 1#14California37#13Clemson13
- Cotton BowlJan 1#5Florida State10#9Texas A&M2
- Fiesta BowlJan 1#6Penn State42#10Tennessee17
- Orange BowlJan 1#1Miami (FL)22#11Nebraska0
- Rose BowlJan 1#2Washington34#4Michigan14
- Sugar BowlJan 1#18Notre Dame39#3Florida28
The 1991 poll race
Rank by poll week, 1 at the top, or Elo by week. A poll line breaks where a team was unranked.
How this is measured
The final top five and the champion are drawn in team colours; everyone else is muted until you tap a line or pick a team. The grid under a poll chart has the same ranks, team by week, so a rank can be read as a number as well as a height. Where the College Football Playoff or BCS ranking also ran, switch between it and the AP poll. The Elo view plots each team's rating on the poll dates for the teams that finished in the Elo top 15 or were ranked at any point, and its Show filter works the same way.
- Regular season ends
- Bowl season
Tap or drag on the chart to read a team's rank in any week.
AP rank, team by week
| Team | Aug20 | Sep2 | 9 | 16 | 23 | 30 | Oct7 | 14 | 21 | 28 | Nov4 | 11 | 18 | 25 | Dec2 | Jan3final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami (FL) | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Washington | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Penn State | 7 | 5 | 5 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 3 |
| Florida State | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 4 |
| Alabama | 22 | 20 | 16 | 22 | 20 | 19 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 5 | |
| Michigan | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 |
| Florida | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 14 | 13 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 7 |
| California | 24 | 20 | 18 | 13 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 14 | 14 | 8 | |||
| East Carolina | 23 | 20 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 9 | |||||||
| Iowa | 18 | 15 | 14 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 17 | 15 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 10 |
| Syracuse | 25 | 24 | 22 | 18 | 10 | 10 | 15 | 24 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 11 |
| Texas A&M | 21 | 21 | 20 | 15 | 23 | 21 | 19 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 12 | |
| Notre Dame | 6 | 7 | 7 | 11 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 12 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 13 |
| Tennessee | 11 | 11 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 14 |
| Nebraska | 15 | 14 | 13 | 9 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 15 |
| Oklahoma | 10 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 12 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 16 |
| Georgia | 25 | 22 | 17 | 24 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 24 | 17 | ||||||
| Clemson | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 18 | 21 | 19 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 18 |
| UCLA | 24 | 23 | 21 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 25 | 23 | 22 | 19 | ||||||
| Colorado | 13 | 12 | 12 | 19 | 17 | 25 | 25 | 22 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 20 |
| Tulsa | 23 | 22 | 23 | 21 | ||||||||||||
| Stanford | 22 | 21 | 17 | 17 | 22 | |||||||||||
| BYU | 19 | 25 | 23 | 23 | ||||||||||||
| North Carolina State | 16 | 11 | 12 | 19 | 18 | 24 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 24 | ||||||
| Air Force | 25 | |||||||||||||||
| Virginia | 24 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 19 | |||||||||||
| Ohio State | 23 | 22 | 19 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 11 | 18 | 14 | 13 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 24 | 25 | |
| Baylor | 23 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 8 | 16 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 20 | ||||||
| Illinois | 25 | 22 | 20 | 13 | 17 | 25 | ||||||||||
| Indiana | 25 | |||||||||||||||
| Arkansas | 25 | 24 | ||||||||||||||
| Fresno State | 25 | |||||||||||||||
| Pittsburgh | 24 | 20 | 18 | 17 | 12 | 20 | 23 | |||||||||
| Arizona State | 24 | 25 | ||||||||||||||
| Mississippi | 23 | |||||||||||||||
| Auburn | 17 | 18 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 16 | 24 | |||||||||
| North Carolina | 23 | 19 | ||||||||||||||
| Georgia Tech | 8 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 19 | 21 | ||||||||||
| Mississippi State | 25 | 23 | 21 | |||||||||||||
| Houston | 12 | 10 | 10 | 21 | ||||||||||||
| USC | 16 | 16 | 22 | |||||||||||||
| Michigan State | 20 | 19 | 18 | |||||||||||||
| Texas | 14 | 13 |
Tap a rank to read it and highlight that team on the chart above.
Movers
AP rank on Aug 20 against the final AP rank. NR is not ranked.
Risers
- CaliforniaNR → #8
- Alabama#22 → #5
- East CarolinaNR → #9
- Syracuse#25 → #11
- Texas A&M#21 → #12
Fallers
- Georgia Tech#8 → NR
- Houston#12 → NR
- Texas#14 → NR
- USC#16 → NR
- Clemson#9 → #18
1991 final polls
The last ranking of the season in each poll.
1991 final pollsAP, Coaches, Elo
AP and Coaches
Jan 3 final| AP | Team | C | Rec |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 12-0 | |
| 2 | 1 | 12-0 | |
| 3 | 3 | 11-2 | |
| 4 | 4 | 11-2 | |
| 5 | 5 | 11-1 | |
| 6 | 6 | 10-2 | |
| 7 | 8 | 10-2 | |
| 8 | 7 | 10-2 | |
| 9 | 9 | 11-1 | |
| 10 | 10 | 10-1-1 | |
| 11 | 11 | 10-2 | |
| 12 | 13 | 10-2 | |
| 13 | 12 | 10-3 | |
| 14 | 15 | 9-3 | |
| 15 | 16 | 9-2-1 | |
| 16 | 14 | 9-3 | |
| 17 | 19 | 9-3 | |
| 18 | 17 | 9-2-1 | |
| 19 | 18 | 9-3 | |
| 20 | 20 | 8-3-1 | |
| 21 | 21 | 10-2 | |
| 22 | 22 | 8-4 | |
| 23 | 23 | 8-3-2 | |
| 24 | 25 | 9-3 | |
| 25 | 24 | 10-3 |
Elo top 25
rating, zAPAP championCCoaches champion
The 1991 honours
The Heisman vote and the major awards side by side, then the All-Americans.
The 1991 honoursHeisman: Desmond Howard
Heisman Trophy voting
Major awards
Bill Lewis
AFCA Coach of the Year Award · Coach · East Carolina
Ty Detmer
Davey O'Brien Award · QB · BYU
Erick Anderson
Dick Butkus Award · LB · Michigan
Trevor Cobb
Doak Walker Award · RB · Rice
Terrell Buckley
Jim Thorpe Award · DB · Florida State
Show all 10 awards
Casey Weldon
Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award · QB · Florida State
Desmond Howard
Maxwell Award · WR · Michigan
Steve Emtman
Outland Trophy · DT · Washington
Steve Emtman
Vince Lombardi/Rotary Award · DT · Washington
Desmond Howard
Walter Camp Award · WR · Michigan
Consensus All-Americans
A star marks a unanimous selection.
QB
- Ty DetmerBYU
RB
- Russell WhiteCalifornia
- Vaughn Dunbar★ unanimousIndiana
- Trevor CobbRice
WR
- Desmond Howard★ unanimousMichigan
- Mario BaileyWashington
Show all 10 positions
TE
- Kelly BlackwellTCU
OL
DL
- Santana Dotson★ unanimousBaylor
- Brad CulpepperFlorida
- Leroy SmithIowa
- Steve Emtman★ unanimousWashington
LB
- Levon KirklandClemson
- Robert Jones★ unanimousEast Carolina
- Marvin JonesFlorida State
DB
- Terrell Buckley★ unanimousFlorida State
- Darryl WilliamsMiami (FL)
- Dale CarterTennessee
- Kevin SmithTexas A&M
P
- Mark Bounds★ unanimousTexas Tech
PK
- Carlos HuertaMiami (FL)
QB
- Ty DetmerBYU
RB
- Russell WhiteCalifornia
- Vaughn Dunbar★ unanimousIndiana
- Trevor CobbRice
WR
- Desmond Howard★ unanimousMichigan
- Mario BaileyWashington
TE
- Kelly BlackwellTCU
OL
DL
- Santana Dotson★ unanimousBaylor
- Brad CulpepperFlorida
- Leroy SmithIowa
- Steve Emtman★ unanimousWashington
LB
- Levon KirklandClemson
- Robert Jones★ unanimousEast Carolina
- Marvin JonesFlorida State
DB
- Terrell Buckley★ unanimousFlorida State
- Darryl WilliamsMiami (FL)
- Dale CarterTennessee
- Kevin SmithTexas A&M
P
- Mark Bounds★ unanimousTexas Tech
PK
- Carlos HuertaMiami (FL)
The best games of 1991
The ten best games of the season by Game Score. Switch to the Elo score for a second opinion.
How this is measured
Game score is the college football workbook's own rating of how good a game was; it weighs a lot more than the margin. The Elo score is a second view built from the ratings alone: the two teams' average pre-game Elo, plus stakes (150 for the national championship game, 90 for a playoff game or a major bowl, 40 for another bowl or a conference title game, 15 for a rivalry), plus up to 60 for a close finish and 15 for overtime. The Elo view takes its own top ten from every game between major teams. Sort by any column.
The best games of 199110 games
Rank by
8
#12East Carolina beat #21North Carolina State
37-34 · Peach Bowl · 1992-01-01 · Elo score 1784
0.73
game score
Upsets of 1991
The results the ratings gave the winner the least chance of, lowest first.
How this is measured
Win chance is the winner's pre-game probability from the site's college football Elo ratings, home field included, so 3% means the winner would be expected to win about one time in thirty. Games against lower-level opponents count and carry a tag for the level (FCS, Division II and so on). Where the AP poll had ranks, the rank line is shown as context. Elo gap is the loser's pre-game rating minus the winner's.
Upsets of 199110 upsets
1991 standings by conference
Every conference at once: conference and overall record, and the final AP rank. A star marks the conference champion.
1991 standings by conference11 groups
Atlantic Coast
8 teams| # | Team | Conf | All | AP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clemson★ conference champion | 6-0-1 | 9-2-1 | #18 |
| 2 | North Carolina State | 5-2 | 9-3 | #24 |
| 3 | Georgia Tech | 5-2 | 8-5 | |
| 4 | Virginia | 4-2-1 | 8-3-1 | |
| 5 | North Carolina | 3-4 | 7-4 | |
| 6 | Maryland | 2-5 | 2-9 | |
| 7 | Duke | 1-6 | 4-6-1 | |
| 8 | Wake Forest | 1-6 | 3-8 |
Big East
8 teams| # | Team | Conf | All | AP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miami (FL)★ conference champion | 2-0 | 12-0 | #1 |
| 2 | Syracuse | 5-0 | 10-2 | #11 |
| 3 | Virginia Tech | 1-0 | 5-6 | |
| 4 | Pittsburgh | 3-2 | 6-5 | |
| 5 | West Virginia | 3-4 | 6-5 | |
| 6 | Rutgers | 2-3 | 6-5 | |
| 7 | Boston College | 2-4 | 4-7 | |
| 8 | Temple | 0-5 | 2-9 |
Big Eight
8 teams| # | Team | Conf | All | AP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nebraska★ conference champion | 6-0-1 | 9-2-1 | #15 |
| 2 | Colorado★ conference champion | 6-0-1 | 8-3-1 | #20 |
| 3 | Oklahoma | 5-2 | 9-3 | #16 |
| 4 | Kansas State | 4-3 | 7-4 | |
| 5 | Kansas | 3-4 | 6-5 | |
| 6 | Iowa State | 1-5-1 | 3-7-1 | |
| 7 | Missouri | 1-6 | 3-7-1 | |
| 8 | Oklahoma State | 0-6-1 | 0-10-1 |
Big Ten
10 teams| # | Team | Conf | All | AP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michigan★ conference champion | 8-0 | 10-2 | #6 |
| 2 | Iowa | 7-1 | 10-1-1 | #10 |
| 3 | Ohio State | 5-3 | 8-4 | |
| 4 | Indiana | 5-3 | 7-4-1 | |
| 5 | Illinois | 4-4 | 6-6 | |
| 6 | Purdue | 3-5 | 4-7 | |
| 7 | Michigan State | 3-5 | 3-8 | |
| 8 | Wisconsin | 2-6 | 5-6 | |
| 9 | Northwestern | 2-6 | 3-8 | |
| 10 | Minnesota | 1-7 | 2-9 |
Big West
8 teams| # | Team | Conf | All | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fresno State★ conference champion | 6-1 | 10-2 | |
| 2 | San Jose State★ conference champion | 6-1 | 6-4-1 | |
| 3 | Utah State | 5-2 | 5-6 | |
| 4 | Pacific | 4-3 | 5-7 | |
| 5 | UNLV | 2-5 | 4-7 | |
| 6 | Long Beach State | 2-5 | 2-9 | |
| 7 | New Mexico State | 2-5 | 2-9 | |
| 8 | CSU-Fullerton | 1-6 | 2-9 |
Mid-American
9 teams| # | Team | Conf | All | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bowling Green★ conference champion | 8-0 | 11-1 | |
| 2 | Central Michigan | 3-1-4 | 6-1-4 | |
| 3 | Miami (OH) | 4-3-1 | 6-4-1 | |
| 4 | Toledo | 4-3-1 | 5-5-1 | |
| 5 | Ball State | 4-4 | 6-5 | |
| 6 | Western Michigan | 4-4 | 6-5 | |
| 7 | Eastern Michigan | 3-4-1 | 3-7-1 | |
| 8 | Ohio | 1-6-1 | 2-8-1 | |
| 9 | Kent State | 1-7 | 1-10 |
Pacific-10
10 teams| # | Team | Conf | All | AP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington★ conference champion | 8-0 | 12-0 | #2 |
| 2 | California | 6-2 | 10-2 | #8 |
| 3 | UCLA | 6-2 | 9-3 | #19 |
| 4 | Stanford | 6-2 | 8-4 | #22 |
| 5 | Arizona State | 4-4 | 6-5 | |
| 6 | Arizona | 3-5 | 4-7 | |
| 7 | Washington State | 3-5 | 4-7 | |
| 8 | USC | 2-6 | 3-8 | |
| 9 | Oregon | 1-7 | 3-8 | |
| 10 | Oregon State | 1-7 | 1-10 |
Southeastern
10 teams| # | Team | Conf | All | AP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Florida★ conference champion | 7-0 | 10-2 | #7 |
| 2 | Alabama | 6-1 | 11-1 | #5 |
| 3 | Tennessee | 5-2 | 9-3 | #14 |
| 4 | Georgia | 4-3 | 9-3 | #17 |
| 5 | Mississippi State | 4-3 | 7-5 | |
| 6 | LSU | 3-4 | 5-6 | |
| 7 | Vanderbilt | 3-4 | 5-6 | |
| 8 | Auburn | 2-5 | 5-6 | |
| 9 | Mississippi | 1-6 | 5-6 | |
| 10 | Kentucky | 0-7 | 3-8 |
Southwest
9 teams| # | Team | Conf | All | AP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas A&M★ conference champion | 8-0 | 10-2 | #12 |
| 2 | Baylor | 5-3 | 8-4 | |
| 3 | Texas Tech | 5-3 | 6-5 | |
| 4 | Arkansas | 5-3 | 6-6 | |
| 5 | TCU | 4-4 | 7-4 | |
| 6 | Texas | 4-4 | 5-6 | |
| 7 | Houston | 3-5 | 4-7 | |
| 8 | Rice | 2-6 | 4-7 | |
| 9 | SMU | 0-8 | 1-10 |
Western Athletic
9 teams| # | Team | Conf | All | AP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BYU★ conference champion | 7-0-1 | 8-3-2 | #23 |
| 2 | San Diego State | 6-1-1 | 8-4-1 | |
| 3 | Air Force | 6-2 | 10-3 | #25 |
| 4 | Utah | 4-4 | 7-5 | |
| 5 | Hawaii | 3-5 | 4-7-1 | |
| 6 | Wyoming | 2-5-1 | 4-6-1 | |
| 7 | UTEP | 2-5-1 | 4-7-1 | |
| 8 | Colorado State | 2-6 | 3-8 | |
| 9 | New Mexico | 2-6 | 3-9 |
Independent
18 teams| # | Team | Conf | All | AP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | East Carolina | - | 11-1 | #9 |
| 2 | Florida State | - | 11-2 | #4 |
| 3 | Penn State | - | 11-2 | #3 |
| 4 | Tulsa | - | 10-2 | #21 |
| 5 | Louisiana Tech | - | 8-1-2 | |
| 6 | Notre Dame | - | 10-3 | #13 |
| 7 | Akron | - | 5-6 | |
| 8 | Memphis State | - | 5-6 | |
| 9 | Army | - | 4-7 | |
| 10 | Cincinnati | - | 4-7 | |
| 11 | South Carolina | - | 3-6-2 | |
| 12 | Southern Mississippi | - | 4-7 | |
| 13 | SW Louisiana | - | 2-8-1 | |
| 14 | Louisville | - | 2-9 | |
| 15 | Northern Illinois | - | 2-9 | |
| 16 | Arkansas State | - | 1-10 | |
| 17 | Navy | - | 1-10 | |
| 18 | Tulane | - | 1-10 |
1991 bowls
One line per game, latest first. A tag marks the playoff and the other major bowls.
1991 bowls18 bowls
Show all 18 bowls
I-AA. Shown for context. These seasons do not count in this hub’s major-college records.
Champion
I-AA national champion.
I-AA champion
Youngstown State
Playoff
Round by round.
I-AA playoff
First Round · 8 games
Northern Iowa38✓
Weber State21
Northern Iowa
Quarterfinals · 4 games
Semifinals · 2 games
Championship · 1 game
1991 standings by conference
Overall and conference record.
1991 standings by conference11 groups
Big Sky
9 teams| # | Team | Conf | All | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | 8-0 | 12-1 | |
| 2 | Weber State | 6-2 | 8-4 | |
| 3 | Montana | 6-2 | 7-4 | |
| 4 | Boise State | 4-4 | 7-4 | |
| 5 | Idaho | 4-4 | 6-5 | |
| 6 | Eastern Washington | 4-4 | 5-6 | |
| 7 | Idaho State | 2-6 | 3-7-1 | |
| 8 | Northern Arizona | 1-7 | 3-8 | |
| 9 | Montana State | 1-7 | 2-9 |
Gateway
7 teams| # | Team | Conf | All | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northern Iowa | 5-1 | 11-2 | |
| 2 | Southern Illinois | 4-2 | 7-4 | |
| 3 | Western Illinois | 4-2 | 7-4-1 | |
| 4 | SW Missouri State | 3-3 | 6-4-1 | |
| 5 | Indiana State | 2-4 | 5-6 | |
| 6 | Eastern Illinois | 2-4 | 4-7 | |
| 7 | Illinois State | 1-5 | 5-6 |
Ivy
8 teams| # | Team | Conf | All | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dartmouth | 6-0 | 7-2-1 | |
| 2 | Princeton | 5-2 | 8-2 | |
| 3 | Harvard | 4-2 | 4-5-1 | |
| 4 | Yale | 4-3 | 6-4 | |
| 5 | Cornell | 4-3 | 5-5 | |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | 2-5 | 2-8 | |
| 7 | Brown | 1-6 | 1-9 | |
| 8 | Columbia | 1-6 | 1-9 |
Mid-Eastern
7 teams| # | Team | Conf | All | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delaware State | 5-1 | 9-2 | |
| 2 | North Carolina A&T | 5-1 | 9-3 | |
| 3 | South Carolina State | 3-3 | 7-4 | |
| 4 | Florida A&M | 3-3 | 6-5 | |
| 5 | Bethune-Cookman | 3-3 | 4-6 | |
| 6 | Howard | 1-5 | 2-9 | |
| 7 | Morgan State | 1-5 | 1-10 |
Ohio Valley
8 teams| # | Team | Conf | All | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eastern Kentucky | 7-0 | 12-2 | |
| 2 | Middle Tennessee State | 6-1 | 9-4 | |
| 3 | Austin Peay | 3-4 | 5-6 | |
| 4 | Morehead State | 3-4 | 4-7 | |
| 5 | SE Missouri State | 3-4 | 3-8 | |
| 6 | Tennessee State | 2-5 | 3-8 | |
| 7 | Tennessee Tech | 2-5 | 2-9 | |
| 8 | Murray State | 1-6 | 3-8 |
Patriot
6 teams| # | Team | Conf | All | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Holy Cross | 5-0 | 11-0 | |
| 2 | Lehigh | 3-2 | 9-2 | |
| 3 | Lafayette | 3-2 | 6-5 | |
| 4 | Colgate | 3-2 | 4-7 | |
| 5 | Bucknell | 1-4 | 1-9 | |
| 6 | Fordham | 0-5 | 2-8 |
Southern
8 teams| # | Team | Conf | All | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Appalachian State | 6-1 | 8-4 | |
| 2 | Marshall | 5-2 | 11-4 | |
| 3 | Citadel | 5-2 | 7-4 | |
| 4 | Furman | 4-3 | 7-4 | |
| 5 | UT-Chattanooga | 4-3 | 7-4 | |
| 6 | VMI | 2-5 | 4-7 | |
| 7 | Western Carolina | 2-5 | 2-9 | |
| 8 | East Tennessee State | 0-7 | 1-10 |
Southland
8 teams| # | Team | Conf | All | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | McNeese State | 4-1 | 6-4-2 | |
| 2 | Sam Houston State | 5-2 | 8-3-1 | |
| 3 | Northeast Louisiana | 4-2 | 7-3-1 | |
| 4 | SW Texas State | 4-3 | 7-4 | |
| 5 | Northwestern State | 4-3 | 6-5 | |
| 6 | Nicholls State | 2-5 | 4-7 | |
| 7 | North Texas | 2-5 | 3-7-1 | |
| 8 | Stephen F. Austin | 1-5 | 2-8-1 |
Southwestern Athletic
8 teams| # | Team | Conf | All | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alabama State | 6-0 | 11-0-1 | |
| 2 | Alcorn State | 4-2 | 7-2-1 | |
| 3 | Southern | 4-3 | 4-7 | |
| 4 | Mississippi Valley State | 3-3 | 7-3-1 | |
| 5 | Texas Southern | 3-3 | 5-5-1 | |
| 6 | Jackson State | 3-4 | 5-5 | |
| 7 | Grambling | 3-4 | 5-6 | |
| 8 | Prairie View | 0-7 | 0-11 |
Yankee
9 teams| # | Team | Conf | All | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delaware | 7-1 | 10-2 | |
| 2 | Villanova | 7-1 | 10-2 | |
| 3 | New Hampshire | 7-1 | 9-3 | |
| 4 | Rhode Island | 3-5 | 6-5 | |
| 5 | Boston University | 3-5 | 4-7 | |
| 6 | Massachusetts | 3-5 | 4-7 | |
| 7 | Connecticut | 2-6 | 3-8 | |
| 8 | Maine | 2-6 | 3-8 | |
| 9 | Richmond | 2-6 | 2-9 |
Independent
10 teams| # | Team | Conf | All | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Samford | - | 12-2 | |
| 2 | Youngstown State | - | 12-3 | |
| 3 | James Madison | - | 9-4 | |
| 4 | Georgia Southern | - | 7-4 | |
| 5 | Central Florida | - | 6-5 | |
| 6 | William & Mary | - | 5-6 | |
| 7 | Liberty | - | 4-7 | |
| 8 | Northeastern | - | 4-7 | |
| 9 | Western Kentucky | - | 3-8 | |
| 10 | Towson | - | 1-10 |
Where these numbers come from
Enough to disbelieve this page on purpose rather than by accident.
Champions, polls, standings, bowls, honours and games are read from the Citizen of Nowhere college football database, built from its own workbook one season at a time. Team colours and crests are the current programs’, so a school is drawn the way it looks today even where it played under another name.
The AP poll begins in 1936, so earlier seasons have no poll race and no final poll, but they do have an Elo race, and their champions are those the selectors named. Before 1992 there was no title game, so those seasons list the major bowls instead; from 1992 the title game is shown with the other major bowls, and from 2014 the playoff bracket. Where the database has no entry for a section, the section is left out rather than shown empty.
Elo ratings, the upsets and the best games come from the site’s college football Elo, which rates every game since 1869 and counts games against lower-level opponents. Each season’s ratings are shown on a scale where the average major team ends the season at 1500; z is the distance from that average in standard deviations.