1938 college football rankings explained

Season:1938
Champions:TCU

One human poll comprised the 1938 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) 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. The Coaches' Poll began operation in 1950; in addition, the AP Poll did not begin conducting preseason polls until that same year.

Legend

 Increase in ranking
 Decrease in ranking
 Not ranked previous week
 National champion
 Win–loss record
 Number of first place votes
Tied with team above or below also with this symbol

AP Poll

The scheduled final AP Poll was released on November 29, with Notre Dame No. 1, prior to their season-end game against Southern California.[1]

The poll was extended for one week due to the "select quality of last Saturday's games, three of which had a direct bearing on the ranking".

The revised final AP Poll was released on December 6, at the end of the regular season, still weeks before the major bowls. The AP would not release a post-bowl season final poll regularly until 1968.

Litkenhous Ratings

The top teams in the Litkenhous Ratings for 1938 were as follows:1. Tennessee
2. TCU
3. USC
4. Notre Dame
5. Holy Cross
6. Pittsburgh
7. Cornell
8. Fordham
9. Minnesota
10. Michigan
11. Northwestern
12. California

Boand/Azzi Ratem

1. Tennessee
2. Notre Dame
3. TCU
4. USC
5. California
6. Oklahoma
7. Duke
8. Pittsburgh
9. Holy Cross
10. Minnesota
11. Villanova
12. Michigan
[2]

Poling

1. Tennessee
2. TCU
3. USC
4. Notre Dame
5. California
6. Oklahoma
7. Duke
8. Holy Cross
9. Pittsburgh
10. Minnesota
11. Alabama
12. Carnegie Tech

Williamson

1-2. Tennessee
1-2. TCU
3. Notre Dame
4. Carnegie Tech
5. Holy Cross
6. Alabama
7. USC
8. Duke
9. Oklahoma
10. Pittsburgh
11. Minnesota
12. Villanova
[3]

Notes and References

  1. News: Fullerton . Hugh S. Jr. . Associated Press . November 29, 1938 . Irish Still Top Scribes' Ballot . The Indianapolis News . New York . Indianapolis . August 22, 2022 . In the final Associated Press football ranking poll of the year, ninety sports writers and editors chose Notre Dame as the nation's No. 1 team with Duke in third place. Texas Christian, which hoped for a Rose bowl bid, came in between them..
  2. News: January 3, 1939 . Boand Gives Grid Top to Tennessee Eleven . Chicago Tribune Press Service . Omaha World-Herald . November 30, 2023 . 1. Tennessee; 2. Notre Dame; 3. Texas Christian;.
  3. News: Football Rankers Place U.T. No. 1. Chattanooga Sunday Times. January 22, 1939. II-1. Newspapers.com.