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AP Preseason #1 History....
Posted on 7/2/20 at 10:08 pm
Posted on 7/2/20 at 10:08 pm
few days ago I mentioned just the SEC teams, but now I will start from the beginning.
1936-1949 there was no Preseason #1 team. That didn't start until 1950. From 1936-1949 the first AP poll took place in October so they will be listed just for the fun of it.
So here you go. The first #1 and where they finished.
We all know preseason rankings mean nothing but they always generate fun conversations and debates.
1936 Minnesota, #1
1937 California, #2
1938 Pittsburgh, #8
1939 Pittsburgh, Unranked
1940 Cornell, #13
1941 Minnesota, #1
1942 Georgia, #2
1943 Notre Dame, #1
1944 Notre Dame, #9
1945 Army, #1
1946 Texas, #15
1947 Notre Dame, #1
1948 Notre Dame, #2
1949 Michigan, #7
PRESEASON AP RANKINGS BEGIN
1950 Notre Dame, Unranked
1951 Tennessee, #1
1952 Michigan State, #1
1953 Notre Dame, #2
1954 Notre Dame, #4
1955 UCLA, #4
1956 Oklahoma, #1
1957 Oklahoma, #4
1958 Ohio State, #8
1959 Louisiana State, #3
1960 Syracuse, #20
1961 Iowa, Unranked
1962 Ohio State, Unranked
1963 Southern California, Unranked
1964 Mississippi, Unranked
1965 Nebraska, #5
1966 Alabama, #3
1967 Notre Dame, #5
1968 Purdue, #10
1969 Ohio State, #4
1970 Ohio State, #5
1971 Notre Dame, #13
1972 Nebraska, #4
1973 Southern California, #8
1974 Oklahoma, #1
1975 Oklahoma, #1
1976 Nebraska, #9
1977 Oklahoma, #7
1978 Alabama, #1
1979 Southern California, #2
1980 Ohio State, #15
1981 Michigan, #12
1982 Pittsburgh, #10
1983 Nebraska, #2
1984 Auburn, #14
1985 Oklahoma, #1
1986 Oklahoma, #3
1987 Oklahoma, #3
1988 Florida State, #3
1989 Michigan, #7
1990 Miami, #3
1991 Florida State, #4
1992 Miami, #3
1993 Florida State, #1
1994 Florida, #7
1995 Florida State, #4
1996 Nebraska, #6
1997 Penn State, #16
1998 Ohio State, #2
1999 Florida State, #1
2000 Nebraska, #8
2001 Florida, #3
2002 Miami, #2
2003 Oklahoma, #3
2004 Southern California, #1
2005 Southern California, #2
2006 Ohio State, #2
2007 Southern California, #3
2008 Georgia, #13
2009 Florida, #3
2010 Alabama, #10
2011 Oklahoma, #16
2012 Southern California, Unranked
2013 Alabama, #7
2014 Florida State, #5
2015 Ohio State, #4
2016 Alabama, #2
2017 Alabama, #1
2018 Alabama, #2
2019 Clemson, #2
2020, could it be Tennessee with all this offseason hype?
1936-1949 there was no Preseason #1 team. That didn't start until 1950. From 1936-1949 the first AP poll took place in October so they will be listed just for the fun of it.
So here you go. The first #1 and where they finished.
We all know preseason rankings mean nothing but they always generate fun conversations and debates.
1936 Minnesota, #1
1937 California, #2
1938 Pittsburgh, #8
1939 Pittsburgh, Unranked
1940 Cornell, #13
1941 Minnesota, #1
1942 Georgia, #2
1943 Notre Dame, #1
1944 Notre Dame, #9
1945 Army, #1
1946 Texas, #15
1947 Notre Dame, #1
1948 Notre Dame, #2
1949 Michigan, #7
PRESEASON AP RANKINGS BEGIN
1950 Notre Dame, Unranked
1951 Tennessee, #1
1952 Michigan State, #1
1953 Notre Dame, #2
1954 Notre Dame, #4
1955 UCLA, #4
1956 Oklahoma, #1
1957 Oklahoma, #4
1958 Ohio State, #8
1959 Louisiana State, #3
1960 Syracuse, #20
1961 Iowa, Unranked
1962 Ohio State, Unranked
1963 Southern California, Unranked
1964 Mississippi, Unranked
1965 Nebraska, #5
1966 Alabama, #3
1967 Notre Dame, #5
1968 Purdue, #10
1969 Ohio State, #4
1970 Ohio State, #5
1971 Notre Dame, #13
1972 Nebraska, #4
1973 Southern California, #8
1974 Oklahoma, #1
1975 Oklahoma, #1
1976 Nebraska, #9
1977 Oklahoma, #7
1978 Alabama, #1
1979 Southern California, #2
1980 Ohio State, #15
1981 Michigan, #12
1982 Pittsburgh, #10
1983 Nebraska, #2
1984 Auburn, #14
1985 Oklahoma, #1
1986 Oklahoma, #3
1987 Oklahoma, #3
1988 Florida State, #3
1989 Michigan, #7
1990 Miami, #3
1991 Florida State, #4
1992 Miami, #3
1993 Florida State, #1
1994 Florida, #7
1995 Florida State, #4
1996 Nebraska, #6
1997 Penn State, #16
1998 Ohio State, #2
1999 Florida State, #1
2000 Nebraska, #8
2001 Florida, #3
2002 Miami, #2
2003 Oklahoma, #3
2004 Southern California, #1
2005 Southern California, #2
2006 Ohio State, #2
2007 Southern California, #3
2008 Georgia, #13
2009 Florida, #3
2010 Alabama, #10
2011 Oklahoma, #16
2012 Southern California, Unranked
2013 Alabama, #7
2014 Florida State, #5
2015 Ohio State, #4
2016 Alabama, #2
2017 Alabama, #1
2018 Alabama, #2
2019 Clemson, #2
2020, could it be Tennessee with all this offseason hype?
5
Posted on 7/2/20 at 10:12 pm to Oklahomey
2012 with USC was such horse shite. Alabama was defending national champs and still loaded. Killed Michigan opening weekend. Jumps to #1 anyway. Keeps it until Manziel and Texas A&M in November. Regains it two weeks later. Again. Then goes on to rout Notre Dame for the National title in Miami.
Posted on 7/2/20 at 10:27 pm to Oklahomey
quote:
1942 Georgia, #2
Well, not much has changed
Posted on 7/2/20 at 10:33 pm to CapstoneGrad06
‘66 was such a political hose job
Posted on 7/2/20 at 10:42 pm to Riseupfromtherubble
Two time defending national champion finishes undefeated and doesn’t get a crack at national title. 
Posted on 7/2/20 at 10:44 pm to Oklahomey
quote:
1961 Iowa, Unranked
1962 Ohio State, Unranked
1963 Southern California, Unranked
1964 Mississippi, Unranked
whoops
Posted on 7/2/20 at 10:54 pm to Riseupfromtherubble
quote:
‘66 was such a political hose job
I don’t know about that season. What happened?
Posted on 7/2/20 at 10:58 pm to Froman
Notre Dame and Michigan State kissed their sisters.
Posted on 7/2/20 at 11:42 pm to CapstoneGrad06
1966 Alabama was also #1 during the season and lost it without losing.
There has never been a back-to-back-to-back college football national champion in the poll era.
Army was the first to have a shot at it. National Champions in 1944 and 1945, unbeaten in 1946, tied a game with Notre Dame, which won the title.
Notre Dame was next and could have been a 4-peat winner. 1946 and 1947 national champion, undefeated in 1948 finishing behind Michigan, national champion in 1949.
Oklahoma had three straight undefeated season from 1954-1956. They finished #3 in 1954 behind co-national champions in Ohio State and UCLA, won back-to-back in 1955 and 1956.
Alabama won the 1964 national title before their bowl loss to give them a loss on the season overall. Alabama was not the only one to lose their bowl after receiving the national title. But it was then for a couple seasons afterward bfore later becoming the norm that the champion would be crowned after the bowl season, at least from the AP side.
Alabama did everything they could not to be in the national title picture in 1965. But... undefeated Arkansas lost, undefeated Michigan State lost, undefeated Nebraska lost. So, who is next? 9-1-1 Alabama to take the AP title by defeating Nebraska. Michigan State still won the UPI crown.
I remember reading an article several years ago in regards to one of the reasons why Alabama didn't win the 1966 national title, and that was due to them getting the breaks in 1964 and 1965. Hey, it's not their fault. But for the fact that Ara Parseghian flaked out and settled for a tie against the Spartans and a 9-0-1 record doesn't warrant a national title. Alabama stayed perfect and got screwed.
Oklahoma went unbeaten in 1973, won back-to-back national titles in 1974 and 1975.
Alabama had a really strong case to be the 1977 national champion but fell short. They would win back-to-back in 1978 and 1979.
Nebraska plays for the national title in 1993, wins it back-to-back in 1994 and 1995.
USC wins a share of the national title in 2003, wins it in 2004, plays in the BCS title game in 2005.
Alabama wins back-to-back in 2011 and 2012, and if not for the kick six, no one was going to beat them en route to a possible 3-peat.
Although not a repeat, Alabama was clearly 3peat caliber from 2015-2017 with two titles and the middle being the title game.
College Football has yet to see a 3peat national champion in the poll era. It has come close, but I don't think it will happen in my lifetime and I am 37.
Hell, there has not even been a 3peat Super Bowl Champion. Dolphins came close; Patriots and Cowboys won 3 in 4 years.
There has never been a back-to-back-to-back college football national champion in the poll era.
Army was the first to have a shot at it. National Champions in 1944 and 1945, unbeaten in 1946, tied a game with Notre Dame, which won the title.
Notre Dame was next and could have been a 4-peat winner. 1946 and 1947 national champion, undefeated in 1948 finishing behind Michigan, national champion in 1949.
Oklahoma had three straight undefeated season from 1954-1956. They finished #3 in 1954 behind co-national champions in Ohio State and UCLA, won back-to-back in 1955 and 1956.
Alabama won the 1964 national title before their bowl loss to give them a loss on the season overall. Alabama was not the only one to lose their bowl after receiving the national title. But it was then for a couple seasons afterward bfore later becoming the norm that the champion would be crowned after the bowl season, at least from the AP side.
Alabama did everything they could not to be in the national title picture in 1965. But... undefeated Arkansas lost, undefeated Michigan State lost, undefeated Nebraska lost. So, who is next? 9-1-1 Alabama to take the AP title by defeating Nebraska. Michigan State still won the UPI crown.
I remember reading an article several years ago in regards to one of the reasons why Alabama didn't win the 1966 national title, and that was due to them getting the breaks in 1964 and 1965. Hey, it's not their fault. But for the fact that Ara Parseghian flaked out and settled for a tie against the Spartans and a 9-0-1 record doesn't warrant a national title. Alabama stayed perfect and got screwed.
Oklahoma went unbeaten in 1973, won back-to-back national titles in 1974 and 1975.
Alabama had a really strong case to be the 1977 national champion but fell short. They would win back-to-back in 1978 and 1979.
Nebraska plays for the national title in 1993, wins it back-to-back in 1994 and 1995.
USC wins a share of the national title in 2003, wins it in 2004, plays in the BCS title game in 2005.
Alabama wins back-to-back in 2011 and 2012, and if not for the kick six, no one was going to beat them en route to a possible 3-peat.
Although not a repeat, Alabama was clearly 3peat caliber from 2015-2017 with two titles and the middle being the title game.
College Football has yet to see a 3peat national champion in the poll era. It has come close, but I don't think it will happen in my lifetime and I am 37.
Hell, there has not even been a 3peat Super Bowl Champion. Dolphins came close; Patriots and Cowboys won 3 in 4 years.
Posted on 7/3/20 at 3:01 am to Oklahomey
As much as I despise uat, them not winning the 1966 National Championship after going undefeated as the TWO-TIME defending national champs may be one of, if not THE biggest injustices in college football history. Not that it matters if you're not #1, but it's even more ridiculous that they finished #3.
Reminds me of the 1983 Auburn team that went 11-1...went into the New Year's Day bowl games ranked #3. The #1 and #2 teams both lost (#1 Nebraska lost to Miami, who lost 28-3 to the same Florida team Auburn beat 28-21 and #2 Texas lost 10-9 to the same Georgia team that Auburn beat 13-7) while #3 Auburn won, yet stayed #3. Auburn's last five games may be one of the best final five game stretches that ANY team has ever ended a season with.
In Auburn's last five games they beat:
#5 Florida 28-21
#7 Maryland (with Boomer Esiason) 35-23
#4 Georgia 13-7
#19 Alabama 23-20
#8 Michigan 9-7
Reminds me of the 1983 Auburn team that went 11-1...went into the New Year's Day bowl games ranked #3. The #1 and #2 teams both lost (#1 Nebraska lost to Miami, who lost 28-3 to the same Florida team Auburn beat 28-21 and #2 Texas lost 10-9 to the same Georgia team that Auburn beat 13-7) while #3 Auburn won, yet stayed #3. Auburn's last five games may be one of the best final five game stretches that ANY team has ever ended a season with.
In Auburn's last five games they beat:
#5 Florida 28-21
#7 Maryland (with Boomer Esiason) 35-23
#4 Georgia 13-7
#19 Alabama 23-20
#8 Michigan 9-7
This post was edited on 7/3/20 at 3:05 am
Posted on 7/3/20 at 3:04 am to Oklahomey
Ironic that Nebraska started the '65 season at #1, since Arkansas had just beaten them in the Cotton Bowl. We beat #1 Texas in '64 and '65, but despite winning 22 consecutive games, Arkansas spent a total of 1 week at #1 during this time.
Meanwhile, Alabama loses to Texas, but beats Nebraska, and wins 2 AP titles, with a worse record than Arkansas both years.
Gotta love college football bias.
Meanwhile, Alabama loses to Texas, but beats Nebraska, and wins 2 AP titles, with a worse record than Arkansas both years.
Gotta love college football bias.
This post was edited on 7/3/20 at 3:09 am
Posted on 7/3/20 at 7:42 am to Froman
quote:
66 was such a political hose job
I don’t know about that season. What happened?
As previously noted, Alabama was the 2 time defending national champions. They went 11-0, defeating Nebraska 34-7 in the Sugar Bowl. Only 5 teams scored on them all year, for 44 total points. On the flip side, Alabama's offense was productive for the era, scoring 301 points, so a balanced team.
Notre Dame and Michigan State, two of the Northern/Midwest favored teams of that era, played for a 10-10 tie the last game of the season for Michigan State, next to last game for Notre Dame (I googled all this)
According to articles I have read, at the time the Northern/Midwest press pretty much controlled the polls and in 1966, in the midst of the civil rights era, a deep South team was not going to win an unprecedented 3 straight national titles, no way, no how. So yeah, as also previously noted in this thread, pretty much politics.
Posted on 7/3/20 at 10:08 am to Oklahomey
quote:
Alabama won the 1964 national title before their bowl loss to give them a loss on the season overall. Alabama was not the only one to lose their bowl after receiving the national title.
National champions which subsequently lost in the postseason
Season, Bowl, Teams (AP rank)
1950 Sugar: No. 7 Kentucky beat No. 1 Oklahoma 13-7
1951 Sugar : No. 3 Maryland beat No. 1 Tennessee 28-13
1953 Orange: No. 4 Oklahoma beat No. 1 Maryland 7-0
1960 Rose: No. 6 Washington beat No. 1 Minnesota 17-7
1964 Orange: No. 5 Texas beat No. 1 Alabama 21-17
Posted on 7/3/20 at 10:18 am to GusAU
quote:
Reminds me of the 1983 Auburn team that went 11-1...
Agree with Bama '66 and that '83 Auburn team. Nobody played a harder schedule than AU in '83
Texas, Tennessee, Southern Miss (with Reggie Collier if memory serves), Florida State, Florida, GA Tech, Maryland (w/Boomer), Georgia, Bama, and Michigan all on the same schedule.
There may never be a harder schedule ever again.
Posted on 7/3/20 at 10:21 am to Oklahomey
quote:
1940 Cornell, #13
Posted on 7/3/20 at 10:28 am to Riseupfromtherubble
quote:
‘66 was such a political hose job
Yes, but you also got away with a few over the years.
That's why I don't sweat 2011, yeah it was unfair that we had to beat Bama twice to win the title but you only had to beat us once, but we stole one in 2007 so it has probably evened out in terms of how many titles we "should" have won.
Posted on 7/3/20 at 10:29 am to redeye
quote:
Ironic that Nebraska started the '65 season at #1, since Arkansas had just beaten them in the Cotton Bowl. We beat #1 Texas in '64 and '65, but despite winning 22 consecutive games, Arkansas spent a total of 1 week at #1 during this time.
Meanwhile, Alabama loses to Texas, but beats Nebraska, and wins 2 AP titles, with a worse record than Arkansas both years.
What's ironic is that because of the whining about Alabama winning the title the year before, the AP changed the way they voted in 1965. They waited until after the bowl games.
In 1965 the AP poll before the post season was....
1.Michigan State
2.Arkansas
3.Nebraska
4.Alabama
5.UCLA
6.Missouri
7.Tennessee
For the first time, the Associated Press made plans to take its final poll after the bowl games, as its top six teams were all playing on New Year's Day.
The top 3 teams were defeated, so #4 Alabama became champion.
Posted on 7/3/20 at 10:30 am to Oklahomey
quote:
Hell, there has not even been a 3peat Super Bowl Champion. Dolphins came close; Patriots and Cowboys won 3 in 4 years.
49ers won in 88/89 and had the ball and the lead late in the 1990 NFCCG until Roger Craig fumbled.
Posted on 7/3/20 at 10:31 am to jatebe
quote:
COTTON LSU 14 #2 Arkansas 7
lol, suck it piggy
Posted on 7/3/20 at 11:02 am to Ping Pong
quote:
1942 Georgia, #2
Well, not much has changed
Very interesting...
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