1978 NCAA Division I-A football rankings
Two human polls comprised the 1978 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I-A 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
Preseason Preseason[1] [2] Week 1 Sep 11[1] Week 2 Sep 18[1] Week 3 Sep 25[1] Week 4 Oct 2[1] Week 5 Oct 9[1] Week 6 Oct 16[1] Week 7 Oct 23[1] Week 8 Oct 30[1] Week 9 Nov 6[1] Week 10 Nov 13[1] Week 11 Nov 20[1] Week 12 Nov 27[1] Week 13 Dec 4[1] Week 14 (Final) Final[1] [3] 1. Alabama (31)Alabama (1–0) Alabama (2–0) Oklahoma (3–0) Oklahoma (4–0) Oklahoma (5–0) Oklahoma (6–0) Oklahoma (7–0) Oklahoma (8–0) Oklahoma (9–0) Penn State (10–0) Penn State (10–0) Penn State (11–0) Penn State (11–0) Alabama (11–1) (38) 1. 2. Arkansas (13)Arkansas (0–0) Arkansas (1–0) Arkansas (2–0) USC (4–0) USC (4–0) Penn State (6–0) Penn State (7–0) Penn State (8–0) Penn State (9–0) Nebraska (9–1) Alabama (9–1) Alabama (9–1) Alabama (10–1) USC (12–1) (19) 2. 3. Penn State (5)Oklahoma (1–0) Oklahoma (2–0) т USC (3–0) Michigan (3–0) Arkansas (4–0) т Arkansas (4–0) Alabama (6–1) Alabama (7–1) Alabama (8–1) Alabama (9–1) USC (9–1) USC (10–1) USC (11–1) Oklahoma (11–1) (1) 3. 4. Oklahoma (1)Michigan (0–0) Penn State (3–0) т Michigan (2–0) Arkansas (3–0) Penn State (6–0) т Alabama (5–1) Nebraska (6–1) Nebraska (7–1) Nebraska (8–1) Oklahoma (9–1) Oklahoma (10–1) Oklahoma (10–1) Oklahoma (10–1) Penn State (11–1) 4. 5. Notre Dame (9)Penn State (2–0) Michigan (1–0) Penn State (4–0) Penn State (5–0) Michigan (4–0) Nebraska (5–1) Maryland (7–0) Maryland (8–0) USC (7–1) USC (8–1) Houston (8–1) Michigan (10–1) Michigan (10–1) Michigan (10–2) 5. 6. Michigan Ohio State (0–0) Texas (1–0) Texas (2–0) Texas (3–0) Texas A&M (4–0) Maryland (6–0) USC (5–1) USC (6–1) Texas (6–1) Houston (8–1) Michigan (9–1) Nebraska (9–2) Nebraska (9–2) Clemson (11–1) 6. 7. Ohio State Texas (0–0) USC (2–0) Alabama (2–1) Texas A&M (3–0) Alabama (4–1) USC (4–1) Texas (5–1) Texas (6–1) Michigan (7–1) Michigan (8–1) Nebraska (9–2) Clemson (10–1) Clemson (10–1) Notre Dame (9–3) 7. 8. Texas (1)USC (1–0) UCLA (2–0) Texas A&M (2–0) Alabama (3–1) Nebraska (4–1) Texas (4–1) Michigan (5–1) Michigan (6–1) Houston (7–1) Georgia (8–1) Notre Dame (8–2) Arkansas (8–2) Arkansas (9–2) Nebraska (9–3) 8. 9. USC (2)UCLA (1–0) Texas A&M (1–0) Pittsburgh (2–0) Pittsburgh (3–0) Pittsburgh (4–0) Michigan (4–1) Arkansas (4–1) UCLA (7–1) UCLA (8–1) Texas (6–2) Texas (7–2) Houston (8–2) Houston (9–2) Texas (9–3) 9. 10. Nebraska Texas A&M (1–0) LSU (1–0) Florida State (3–0) Nebraska (3–1) Maryland (5–0) UCLA (5–1) UCLA (6–1) Houston (6–1) LSU (6–1) Notre Dame (7–2) Clemson (9–1) Notre Dame (8–3) Notre Dame (8–3) Houston (9–3) 10. 11. Washington Missouri (1–0)Pittsburgh (1–0) LSU (2–0) LSU (3–0) LSU (4–0) Houston (4–1) Houston (5–1) Navy (7–0) Georgia (7–1) Maryland (9–1) Arkansas (7–2) Georgia (8–1–1) Georgia (9–1–1) Arkansas (9–2–1) 11. 12. UCLA Nebraska (1–1) Nebraska (2–1) Nebraska (2–1) Maryland (4–0) Texas (3–1) Texas A&M (4–1) Arizona State (5–1) LSU (5–1) Purdue (7–1) Clemson (8–1) Georgia (8–1–1) Michigan State (8–3) Michigan State (8–3) Michigan State (8–3) 12. 13. LSU LSU (0–0) Florida State (2–0) Ohio State (1–1) Colorado (4–0) Colorado (5–0) Missouri (4–2) Missouri (5–2) Georgia (6–1) Maryland (8–1) Arkansas (6–2) Maryland (9–2) Maryland (9–2) Maryland (9–2) Purdue (9–2–1) 13. 14. Pittsburgh Pittsburgh (0–0) Notre Dame (0–1) Missouri (2–1) Ohio State (2–1) UCLA (4–1) Arizona State (5–1)LSU (5–1) Purdue (6–1) Notre Dame (6–2) UCLA (8–2) Michigan State (7–3) Texas (7–3) Texas (8–3) UCLA (8–3–1) 14. 15. Kentucky Notre Dame (0–1) Washington (1–1) Maryland (3–0) Iowa State (4–0) Florida State (4–1) Pittsburgh (4–1) Pittsburgh (5–1) Notre Dame (5–2) Clemson (7–1) Purdue (7–1–1) Pittsburgh (8–2) UCLA (8–3) UCLA (8–3) Missouri (8–4) 15. 16. Texas A&M (1)Florida State (1–0) Ohio State (0–1) Colorado (3–0) UCLA (3–1) Ohio State (2–1–1) LSU (4–1) Georgia (5–1) Clemson (6–1) Arkansas (5–2) Michigan State (6–3) Ohio State (7–2–1) Pittsburgh (8–3) Pittsburgh (8–3) Georgia (9–2–1) 16. 17. Florida State Kentucky (0–0) Missouri (1–1) Iowa State (3–0) Stanford (3–1) Houston (3–1)Navy (5–0)Purdue (5–1) Arkansas (4–2) Michigan State (5–3) LSU (6–2) UCLA (8–3) Purdue (8–2–1) Purdue (8–2–1) Stanford (8–4) 17. 18. Clemson Washington (0–1) Maryland (2–0) UCLA (2–1) Florida State (3–1) Stanford (3–2) Georgia (4–1) Navy (6–0) Michigan State (4–3)Navy (7–1) Pittsburgh (7–2) Purdue (7–2–1) Missouri (7–4) Missouri (7–4) NC State (9–3) 18. 19. North Carolina Iowa State (1–0) Colorado (2–0)Georgia (2–0)Auburn (3–0)Missouri (3–2) Purdue (4–1)Notre Dame (4–2) Pittsburgh (5–2) Washington (6–3) Ohio State (6–2–1) Missouri (7–4) Iowa State (8–3) Iowa State (8–3) Texas A&M (8–4) 19. 20. Iowa State Maryland (1–0)Iowa State (2–0) Stanford (2–1)NC State (4–0)Iowa State (4–1) Notre Dame (3–2) Clemson (5–1) Washington (5–3)Pittsburgh (6–2) Georgia Tech (7–2)Iowa State (8–3) Ohio State (7–3–1) Ohio State (7–3–1) Maryland (9–3) 20. Preseason Preseason[1] [2] Week 1 Sep 11[1] Week 2 Sep 18[1] Week 3 Sep 25[1] Week 4 Oct 2[1] Week 5 Oct 9[1] Week 6 Oct 16[1] Week 7 Oct 23[1] Week 8 Oct 30[1] Week 9 Nov 6[1] Week 10 Nov 13[1] Week 11 Nov 20[1] Week 12 Nov 27[1] Week 13 Dec 4[1] Week 14 (Final) Final[1] [3] Dropped: Dropped: Dropped: Dropped: Dropped: Dropped: Colorado Florida State Ohio State Stanford Iowa State Dropped: Dropped: None Dropped: Dropped: None None Dropped: Pittsburgh Iowa State Ohio State
Coaches Poll
Preseason[4] Week 1 Sep 9[5] Week 2 Sep 16[6] Week 3 Sep 23[7] Week 4 Sep 30[8] Week 5 Oct 7[9] Week 6 Oct 14[10] Week 7 Oct 21[11] Week 8 Oct 28[12] Week 9 Nov 4[13] Week 10 Nov 11[14] Week 11 Nov 18[15] Week 12 Nov 25[16] Week 13 Dec 2[17] Week 14 (Final) Jan 2[18] 1. Alabama (18) Alabama (1–0) (30) Alabama (2–0) (34) Oklahoma (3–0) (25) Oklahoma (4–0) (29) Oklahoma (5–0) (35) Oklahoma (6–0) (31) Oklahoma (7–0) (32) Oklahoma (8–0) (32) Oklahoma (9–0) (34) Penn State (10–0) (32) Penn State (10–0) (39) Penn State (11–0) (30) Penn State (11–0) (31) USC (12–1) (15) 1. 2. Oklahoma (4) Oklahoma (1–0) (4) Oklahoma (2–0) (4) USC (3–0) (7) USC (4–0) (11) USC (4–0) (5) Penn State (6–0) (10) Penn State (7–0) (7) Penn State (8–0) (7) Penn State (9–0) (6) Nebraska (9–1) (5) Alabama (9–1) Alabama (9–1) Alabama (10–1) Alabama (11–1) (15) 2. 3. Penn State (3) Arkansas (0–0) (2) Arkansas (1–0) (1) Michigan (2–0) (3) Michigan (3–0) (1) Penn State (6–0) (1) Arkansas (4–0) Alabama (6–1) Alabama (7–1) Alabama (8–1) Alabama (9–1) (2) Oklahoma (10–1) USC (10–1) (3) USC (11–1) (3) Oklahoma (11–1) (5) 3. 4. Notre Dame (6) Michigan (0–0) (1) Penn State (1–0) (3) Arkansas (2–0) (3) Penn State (5–0) (1) Michigan (4–0) Alabama (5–1) Nebraska (6–1) Nebraska (7–1) Nebraska (8–1) Oklahoma (9–1) USC (9–1) (1) Oklahoma (10–1) Oklahoma (10–1) Penn State (11–1) 4. 5. Arkansas (3) USC (1–0) Michigan (1–0) (1) Penn State (4–0) (1) Arkansas (3–0) Arkansas (4–0) Nebraska (5–1) Maryland (7–0) Maryland (8–0) USC (7–1) USC (8–1) Houston (8–1) Michigan (10–1) (1) Michigan (10–1) (1) Michigan (10–2) 5. 6. Michigan Ohio State (0–0) Texas (1–0) Texas (2–0) Texas (3–0) Texas A&M (4–0) Maryland (6–0) USC (5–1) USC (6–1) Texas (6–1) Houston (8–1) Michigan (9–1) Nebraska (9–2) Nebraska (9–2) Clemson (11–1) т 6. 7. USC (1) Texas (0–0) USC (2–0) Alabama (2–1) Texas A&M (3–0) Alabama (4–1) USC (4–1) Texas (5–1) Texas (6–1) Michigan (7–1) Michigan (8–1) Nebraska (9–2) Clemson (10–1) Georgia (9–1–1) Notre Dame (9–3) т 7. 8. Ohio State (1) Penn State (2–0) UCLA (2–0) Texas A&M (2–0) Alabama (3–1) Nebraska (4–1) Texas (4–1) UCLA (6–1) Houston (6–1) Houston (7–1) Georgia (8–1) Notre Dame (8–2) Georgia (8–1–1) Clemson (10–1) Nebraska (9–3) 8. 9. Texas UCLA (1–0) Pittsburgh (1–0) Florida State (3–0) Pittsburgh (3–0) Pittsburgh (4–0) Michigan (4–1) Michigan (5–1) Michigan (6–1) UCLA (8–1) Texas (6–2) Texas (7–2) Notre Dame (8–3) Notre Dame (8–3) Texas (9–3) 9. 10. Nebraska Missouri (1–0)Texas A&M (1–0) Pittsburgh (2–0) Nebraska (3–1) LSU (4–0) Arkansas (5–0) Houston (5–1) UCLA (7–1) Georgia (7–1) Notre Dame (7–2) Clemson (9–1) Arkansas (8–2) Arkansas (9–2) Arkansas (9–2–1) 10. 11. Washington Texas A&M (1–0) LSU (1–0) LSU (2–0) LSU (3–0) Maryland (5–0) Houston (4–1) Arkansas (4–1) Navy (7–0) LSU (6–1) Maryland (9–1) Georgia (8–1–1) Houston (8–2) Houston (9–2) Houston (9–3) 11. 12. UCLA Pittsburgh (0–0) Nebraska (2–1) Nebraska (2–1) Colorado (4–0) Colorado (5–0) Arizona State (5–1) Arizona State (5–1) Georgia (6–1) Purdue (7–1) Clemson (8–1) Arkansas (7–2) Maryland (9–2) Maryland (9–2) UCLA (8–3–1) 12. 13. LSU LSU (0–0) Florida State (2–0) Maryland (3–0) Maryland (4–0) Texas (3–1) LSU (4–1) Georgia (5–1) LSU (5–1) Notre Dame (6–2) Arkansas (6–2) Pittsburgh (8–2) Pittsburgh (8–3) Pittsburgh (8–3) Purdue (9–2–1) 13. 14. Pittsburgh Nebraska (1–1) Notre Dame (0–1) Colorado (3–0) Ohio State (2–1) UCLA (4–1) Texas A&M (4–1) LSU (5–1) Purdue (6–1) Maryland (8–1) LSU (6–2) Ohio State (7–2–1) Purdue (8–2–1) Texas (8–3) Missouri (8–4) 14. 15. Texas A&M Florida State (1–0) Colorado (2–0) Ohio State (1–1) Iowa State (4–0) Missouri (3–2) Pittsburgh (4–1) Pittsburgh (5–1) Notre Dame (5–2) Clemson (7–1) UCLA (8–2) UCLA (8–3) UCLA (8–3) Missouri (7–4) Georgia (9–2–1) 15. 16. Florida State Notre Dame (0–1) Maryland (2–0) Iowa State (3–0) UCLA (3–1) Houston (3–1) Georgia (4–1)Missouri (5–2) Clemson (6–1) Arkansas (5–2) Purdue (7–1–1) Maryland (9–2) Missouri (7–4) UCLA (8–3) Stanford (8–4) 16. 17. Kentucky Maryland (1–0) Washington (1–1) Missouri (2–1) Houston (2–1)Florida State (4–1) Missouri (4–2) Purdue (5–1) Arkansas (4–2) Washington (6–3) Ohio State (6–2–1) Missouri (7–4) Texas (7–3) Purdue (8–2–1) Navy (9–3) 17. 18. North Carolina Kentucky (0–0) Clemson (1–0)Kentucky (1–0–1) Stanford (3–1) Utah State (5–0)Notre Dame (3–2) Navy (6–0) Colorado (6–2) Navy (7–1) Pittsburgh (7–2) Stanford (7–4) LSU (7–3) LSU (8–3) Texas A&M (8–4) 18. 19. Iowa State Washington (0–1) Ohio State (0–1) Stanford (2–1)NC State (4–0)Navy (4–0)Purdue (4–1) Notre Dame (4–2) Georgia Tech (6–2)Georgia Tech (6–2) Georgia Tech (7–2) Purdue (7–2–1) Stanford (7–4) Georgia Tech (7–4) Arizona State (9–3) т 19. 20. Maryland Colorado (1–0)Arizona State (2–0)Purdue (2–0)Auburn (3–0)Stanford (3–2) Navy (5–0) Clemson (5–1) Ohio State (4–2–1) Pittsburgh (6–2) Stanford (6–4) т Iowa State (7–3) т Iowa State (8–3) Ohio State (7–3–1) Stanford (7–4) NC State (9–3) т 20. Preseason[4] Week 1 Sep 9[5] Week 2 Sep 16[6] Week 3 Sep 23[7] Week 4 Sep 30[8] Week 5 Oct 7[9] Week 6 Oct 14[10] Week 7 Oct 21[11] Week 8 Oct 28[12] Week 9 Nov 4[13] Week 10 Nov 11[14] Week 11 Nov 18[15] Week 12 Nov 25[16] Week 13 Dec 2[17] Week 14 (Final) Jan 2[18] Dropped: Dropped: Dropped: UCLA Notre Dame Washington Clemson Arizona State Dropped: Florida State Missouri Kentucky Purdue Dropped: Ohio State Iowa State NC State Auburn Dropped: Colorado Florida State Utah State Stanford Dropped: Dropped: Arizona State Pittsburgh Missouri Dropped: Dropped: Dropped: Dropped: Dropped: Dropped: Maryland Pittsburgh LSU Georgia Tech
References
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "1978 Polls" . College Football at Sports-Reference.com . Sports Reference LLC . Retrieved February 20, 2017 .
^ "1978 Preseason AP Football Poll" . College Poll Archive . Retrieved February 20, 2017 .
^ "1978 Final AP Football Poll" . College Poll Archive . Retrieved February 20, 2017 .
^ "UPI Top 20 Colleges" . Tampa Bay Times . September 8, 1978. Retrieved August 18, 2018 .
^ "UPI Top 20" . Tampa Bay Times . September 12, 1978. Retrieved August 18, 2018 .
^ "UPI Top 20" . Tampa Bay Times . September 20, 1978. Retrieved August 18, 2018 .
^ "UPI Top 20" . Tampa Bay Times . September 26, 1978. Retrieved August 18, 2018 .
^ "UPI Top 20" . Tampa Bay Times . October 4, 1978. Retrieved August 18, 2018 .
^ "UPI Top 20" . Tampa Bay Times . October 10, 1978. Retrieved August 18, 2018 .
^ "UPI Top 20" . Tampa Bay Times . October 18, 1978. Retrieved August 18, 2018 .
^ "UPI Top 20" . Tampa Bay Times . October 24, 1978. Retrieved August 18, 2018 .
^ "UPI Top 20" . Tampa Bay Times . November 1, 1978. Retrieved August 18, 2018 .
^ "UPI Top 20" . Tampa Bay Times . November 7, 1978. Retrieved August 18, 2018 .
^ "UPI Top 20" . Tampa Bay Times . November 15, 1978. Retrieved August 18, 2018 .
^ "UPI Top 20" . Tampa Bay Times . November 21, 1978. Retrieved August 18, 2018 .
^ "The UPI Top 20" . Tampa Bay Times . November 29, 1978. Retrieved August 18, 2018 .
^ "UPI College Poll" . Tampa Bay Times . December 5, 1978. Retrieved August 18, 2018 .
^ "UPI Top 20" . Tampa Bay Times . January 3, 1979. Retrieved August 18, 2018 .
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