Each week of the college football season, the AP organization establishes the AP Top 25 College Football Poll with the best team’s statistical and performance rankings.
The ranking serves several purposes, one of them is for the Fans to have the opportunity to follow the winningest teams in the tournament from Week 1 through the playoffs.
It also serves as a way for the Playoff Selection Committee to define the path of the top 12 teams at the end of the season.
National Championship Champions after being in the AP Top 25 College Football Poll
How that works is important, but we’ll get to that later. What you have to ask yourself, though, is how many of these AP Top 25 teams have been in the Ranking all regular season, and then how many and which of those teams have been champions. Usually, it usually comes down to 2 teams, No.1 and No. 2.
This is what we will see here, discovering for the fans the jewels of this sport.
^History and operation of the AP Top 25
There has been a tradition of ranking NCAAF teams since 1936, when journalist Alan J. Gould, an editor and writer, decided to do it himself. However, several fellow journalists decided to build on Gould’s idea by conducting a poll with different sports editors instead of just one, and the first weekly AP poll was born.
Since then, the poll practically decides the favorite teams competing in the national championship race.
More than 60 writers and broadcasters from across the U.S. cast their individual votes, which are chosen by the AP agency based on their expertise in the sport.
- Voters first create a list of the top 25 teams in their criteria.
- Based on the previous point, each team is assigned a number of points, giving the best team 25 points.
- Likewise, they themselves assign the second lowest number to the second team, and so on.
- No. 1 team: 25 points
- No. 2 team: 24
- No. 3 team: 23
- No. 4 team: 22
- No. 5 team: 21
- No. 6 team: 20
- No. 7 team: 19
- No. 8 team: 18
- No. 9 team: 17
- No. 10 team: 16
- No. 11 team: 15
- No. 12 team: 14
- No. 13 team: 13
- No. 14 team: 12
- No. 15 team: 11
- No. 16 team: 10
- No. 17 team: 9
- No. 18 team: 8
- No. 19 team: 7
- No. 20 team: 6
- No. 21 team: 5
- No. 22 team: 4
- No. 23 team: 3
- No. 24 team: 2
- No. 25 team: 1
After the individual selection and scoring process, the AP combines the numerical value of each voter’s poll and ranks the teams by number of points in descending order to create the final ranking.
Evolution of the Poll
1936 to 1940: Back then they ranked 20 teams each week and were #1 Minnesota, #2 Duke, #3 Army and #4 Northwestern the top 4 spots.
1961 to 1967: For these years, only 10 teams were ranked each week.
1989: The ranking expands to 25 teams.
How the AP Poll Top 25 Work
Currently there are two types of surveys, the ones that editors and broadcasters update, while on the other hand, there is also the coaches’ poll. Here at MyBookie we will concentrate on the one done by journalists.
There are 62 journalists and broadcasters from all over the United States who conduct the Top 25 poll from the preseason, and so on each week of the regular season, as well as the Bowls and the College Football Playoff.
The poll is published on Sundays and as a detail to take into account, the participants of the poll are not obliged to rank the winner of the CFP in the #1 position.
That’s how Southern California, LSU and UCF have all finished first by achieving surprising results in Bowls and Championship games. That’s why competition prevails in NCAA Football, as all teams can earn rankings in the poll.
Here the biggest winner in the AP Top 25 Poll has been Alabama, which has the most No. 1 rankings at the end of the season in the history of the AP Poll with 12: 1961, 1964, 1965, 1965, 1978, 1979, 1992, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017 y 2020.
Below, take a look at the last number 1 teams in the AP since 2000:
- 2000: Oklahoma
- 2001: Miami (FL)
- 2002: Ohio State
- 2003: Southern California
- 2004: Southern California
- 2005: Texas
- 2006: Florida
- 2007: LSU
- 2008: Florida
- 2009: Alabama
- 2010: Auburn
- 2011: Alabama
- 2012: Alabama
- 2013: Florida State
- 2014: Ohio State
- 2015: Alabama
- 2016: Clemson
- 2017: Alabama
- 2018: Clemson
- 2019: LSU
- 2020: Alabama
- 2021: Georgia
- 2022: Georgia
- 2023: Michigan
From AP Top 25 NCAAF Poll to National Championship
In case you didn’t know, here are the years and teams that reached the National Championship as the No.1 and No.2 in the poll during the regular season, and that obviously were the opponents in the final game to define the College Football National Championship.
Year | Team No.1 | Scores | Team No.2 | Venue |
---|---|---|---|---|
2023 | Michigan | 34-13 | Washington | NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas |
2022 | Georgia | 27-13 | Tennessee | Sanford Stadium, Athens, Georgia |
2019 | LSU | 46-41 | Alabama | Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, Alabama |
2018 | Alabama | 16-44 | Clemson | Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, California |
2015 | Clemson | 40-45 | Alabama | University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona |
2013 | Florida State | 34-31 | Auburn | Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California |
2012 | Notre Dame | 14-42 | Alabama | Sun Life Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida |
2011 | LSU | 0-21 | Alabama | Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana |
2011 | LSU | 9-6 (OT) | Alabama | Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, Alabama |
2010 | Auburn | 22-19 | Oregon | University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona |
2009 | Alabama | 37-21 | Texas | Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California |
2009 | Florida | 13-32 | Alabama | Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia |
2008 | Florida | 24-14 | Oklahoma | Dolphin Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida |
2008 | Alabama | 20-31 | Florida | Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia |
2007 | Ohio State | 24-38 | LSU | Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana |
2006 | Ohio State | 42-39 | Michigan | Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio |
2006 | Ohio State | 24-7 | Texas | DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium, Austin, Texas |
2005 | USC | 38-41 | Texas | Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California |
2004 | USC | 55-19 | Oklahoma | Pro Player Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida |
2002 | Miami | 31-24 (2 OT) | Ohio State | Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe, Arizona |
1999 | Florida State | 46-29 | Virginia Tech | Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana |
1998 | Tennessee | 23-16 | Florida State | Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe, Arizona |
1996 | Florida | 21-24 | Florida State | Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee, Florida |
1995 | Nebraska | 62-24 | Florida | Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe, Arizona |
1993 | Florida State | 18-16 | Nebraska | Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida |
1993 | Florida State | 24-31 | Notre Dame | Notre Dame Stadium, Notre Dame, Indiana |
1992 | Miami | 13-34 | Alabama | Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana |
1991 | Florida State | 16-17 | Miami | Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee, Florida |
1989 | Notre Dame | 24-19 | Michigan | Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Michigan |
1988 | Notre Dame | 27-10 | USC | Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California |
1987 | Oklahoma | 14-20 | Miami | Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida |
1986 | Miami | 10-14 | Penn State | Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe, Arizona |
1986 | Oklahoma | 16-28 | Miami | Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida |
1985 | Iowa | 12-10 | Michigan | Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, Iowa |
1982 | Georgia | 23-27 | Penn State | Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana |
1981 | USC | 28-24 | Oklahoma | Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California |
1978 | Penn State | 7-14 | Alabama | Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana |
1971 | Nebraska | 38-6 | Alabama | Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida |
1971 | Nebraska | 35-31 | Oklahoma | Memorial Stadium | Norman, Oklahoma |
1969 | Texas | 15-14 | Arkansas | Razorback Stadium, Fayetteville, Arkansas |
1968 | Ohio State | 27-16 | USC | Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California |
1968 | Purdue | 37-22 | Notre Dame | Notre Dame Stadium, Notre Dame, Indiana |
1966 | Notre Dame | 10-10 | Michigan State | Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, Michigan |
1963 | Texas | 28-6 | Navy | Cotton Bowl, Dallas, Texas |
1963 | Oklahoma | 7-28 | Texas | Cotton Bowl, Dallas, Texas |
1962 | USC | 42-37 | Wisconsin | Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California |
1946 | Army | Tie, 0-0 | Notre Dame | Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York |
1945 | Army | 32-13 | Navy | Municipal Stadium, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
1945 | Army | 48-0 | Notre Dame | Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York |
1944 | Army | 23-7 | Navy | Municipal Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland |
1943 | Notre Dame | 14-13 | Iowa Pre-Flight | Notre Dame Stadium, Notre Dame, Indiana |
1943 | Notre Dame | 35-12 | Michigan | Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Michigan |
NCAAF Championship History
Season | Champion | Result | Runner-up |
---|---|---|---|
2024 | |||
2023 | Michigan | 34-13 | Washington |
2022 | Georgia | 65-7 | TCU |
2021 | Georgia | 33-18 | Alabama |
2020 | Alabama | 52-24 | Ohio State |
2019 | LSU | 42-25 | Clemson |
2018 | Clemson | 44-16 | Alabama |
2017 | Alabama | 26-23 (OT) | Georgia |
2016 | Clemson | 35-31 | Alabama |
2015 | Alabama | 45-40 | Clemson |
2014 | Ohio State | 42-20 | Oregon |
2013 | Florida State | 34-31 | Auburn |
2012 | Alabama | 42-14 | Notre Dame |
2011 | Alabama | 21-0 | Texas |
2010 | Auburn | 22-19 | Oregon |
2009 | Alabama | 37-21 | Texas |
2008 | Florida | 24-14 | Oklahoma |
2007 | Louisiana State | 38-24 | Ohio State |
2006 | Florida | 41-14 | Ohio State |
2005 | Texas | 41-38 | USC |
2004 | Southern California* | 55-19 | Oklahoma |
2003 | LSU | 21-14 | Oklahoma |
2002 | Ohio State | 31-24 | Miami (FL) |
2001 | Miami (FL) | 37-14 | Nebraska |
2000 | Oklahoma | 13-2 | Florida State |
1999 | Florida State | 46-29 | Virginia Tech |
1998 | Tennessee | 23-16 | Florida State |
And how are the Classifications going this year 2024?
Everything you need to know about the current rankings can be found here in MyBookie’s AP Top 25 College Football Poll.
Each week we are updated with the AP Top 25, so you will have first hand information about the teams that are on a clear path to the playoffs and the National Championship.
RANK | SCHOOL | RECORD | PREVIOUS |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Oregon | 13-0 | 1 |
2 | Georgia | 11-2 | 5 |
3 | Texas | 11-2 | 2 |
4 | Penn State | 11-2 | 3 |
5 | Notre Dame | 11-1 | 4 |
6 | Ohio State | 10-2 | 6 |
7 | Tennessee | 10-2 | 7 |
8 | Indiana | 11-1 | 9 |
9 | Boise State | 12-1 | 10 |
10 | SMU | 11-2 | 8 |
11 | Alabama | 9-3 | 11 |
12 | Arizona State | 11-2 | 15 |
13 | Miami | 10-2 | 12 |
14 | Ole Miss | 9-3 | 13 |
15 | South Carolina | 9-3 | 14 |
16 | Clemson | 10-3 | 17 |
17 | BYU | 10-2 | 18 |
18 | Iowa State | 10-3 | 16 |
19 | Missouri | 9-3 | 19 |
20 | Illinois | 9-3 | 21 |
21 | Syracuse | 8-3 | NR |
22 | Army | 11-1 | 24 |
23 | Colorado | 9-3 | 23 |
24 | UNLV | 10-3 | 20 |
25 | Memphis | 10-2 | 25 |
Which teams will make it to the National Championship? Will the Rankings change?
Without a doubt, College Football action is based on the AP Rankings. Therefore, the best way to know the details is to be sure to keep an eye on the table, and at the same time the news around the teams is undoubtedly necessary to know them in order to adjust the betting plans that many fans base on this important poll.
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Colorado two-way standout Travis Hunter is The Associated Press college football player of the year. He received 26 of the 43 votes from a panel of AP Top 25 voters. https://t.co/q0UDRyHHZX pic.twitter.com/RaBj8dqsfM
— AP Top 25 (@AP_Top25) December 12, 2024
SOUTH ALABAMA WINS THE IS4S SALUTE TO VETERANS BOWL 🫡
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) December 15, 2024
(📸: @SouthAlabamaFB) pic.twitter.com/ZDmbxQrERa
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