1962 NCAA University Division football rankings

Two human polls comprised the 1962 NCAA University Division 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

The final AP Poll was released on December 4, at the end of the 1962 regular season, weeks before the bowls.[1] The poll ranked only the top ten teams from 1962 through 1967.

Preseason
Aug
Week 1
Sep 24
Week 2
Oct 1
Week 3
Oct 8
Week 4
Oct 15
Week 5
Oct 22
Week 6
Oct 29
Week 7
Nov 5
Week 8
Nov 12
Week 9
Nov 19
Week 10
Nov 26
Week 11 (Final)
Dec 4[1]
1.Ohio State (41)Alabama (1–0) (14)Ohio State (1–0) (18)Alabama (3–0) (23)Texas (4–0) (21)Texas (5–0) (23)Northwestern (5–0) (34)Northwestern (6–0) (24)Alabama (8–0) (22)USC (8–0) (20)USC (9–0) (19)USC (10–0) (42)1.
2.Texas (1)Ohio State (0–0) (19)Alabama (2–0) (19)Texas (3–0) (20)Alabama (4–0) (24)Alabama (5–0) (18)Alabama (6–0) (15)USC (6–0) (6)USC (7–0) (17)Ole Miss (8–0) (15)Wisconsin (8–1) (9)Wisconsin (8–1) (5)2.
3.Alabama (3)Texas (1–0) (3)Texas (2–0) (3)Penn State (3–0) (3)USC (3–0)Northwestern (4–0) (8)USC (5–0) (1)Alabama (7–0) (9)Ole Miss (7–0) (3)Wisconsin (7–1) (7)Ole Miss (8–0) (12)Ole Miss (9–0) (2)3.
4.Michigan State (2)Penn State (1–0) (3)Penn State (2–0)USC (3–0) (1)LSU (3–0–1)USC (4–0) (1)LSU (5–0–1)Ole Miss (6–0) (9)Wisconsin (6–1) (8)Texas (8–0–1) (3)Texas (9–0–1)Texas (9–0–1)4.
5.LSULSU (1–0)Georgia Tech (2–0)Ole Miss (3–0) (1)Ole Miss (3–0)Wisconsin (4–0) (1)Texas (5–0–1)Texas (6–0–1) (1)Texas (7–0–1)Minnesota (6–1–1) (1)Alabama (8–1)Alabama (9–1) (1)5.
6.Ole Miss (2)Michigan State (0–0)USC (2–0)LSU (2–0–1)Ohio State (2–1) (2)LSU (4–0–1)Ole Miss (5–0) (1)Arkansas (6–1)Missouri (7–0–1)Alabama (8–1)Arkansas (9–1)Arkansas (9–1)6.
7.PurdueOle Miss (1–0) (1)Ole Miss (2–0)Washington (2–0–1)Arkansas (4–0) (1)Ole Miss (4–0)Michigan State (4–1) (1)Missouri (6–0–1)Arkansas (7–1)Arkansas (8–1)LSU (8–1–1)LSU (8–1–1)7.
8.DukeGeorgia Tech (1–0)Washington (1–0–1)Arkansas (3–0) (1)Northwestern (3–0) (3)Washington (4–0–1)Arkansas (5–1)Wisconsin (5–1)Minnesota (5–1–1)LSU (7–1–1)Oklahoma (7–2)Oklahoma (8–2)8.
9.Penn StateUSC (1–0)Miami (FL) (2–0)Purdue (1–0–1)Washington (3–0–1)Arkansas (4–1)Washington (4–0–2)LSU (5–1–1)Northwestern (6–1)Penn State (8–1)Penn State (9–1) (3)Penn State (9–1) (2)9.
10.WashingtonMissouri (1–0)Army (2–0)Ohio State (1–1)Wisconsin (3–0)Michigan State (3–1)Auburn (5–0)Minnesota (4–1–1)LSU (6–1–1)Oklahoma (6–2)Minnesota (6–2–1)Minnesota (6–2–1)10.
Preseason
Aug
Week 1
Sep 24
Week 2
Oct 1
Week 3
Oct 8
Week 4
Oct 15
Week 5
Oct 22
Week 6
Oct 29
Week 7
Nov 5
Week 8
Nov 12
Week 9
Nov 19
Week 10
Nov 26
Week 11 (Final)
Dec 4[1]
Dropped:
  • Purdue
  • Duke
  • Washington
Dropped:
  • LSU
  • Michigan State
  • Missouri
Dropped:
  • Georgia Tech
  • Miami (FL)
  • Army
Dropped:
  • Penn State
  • Purdue
Dropped:
Ohio State
Dropped:
Wisconsin
Dropped:
  • Michigan State
  • Washington
  • Auburn
NoneDropped:
  • Missouri
  • Northwestern
NoneNone

Final Coaches Poll

The final UPI Coaches Poll was released prior to the bowl games, on December 4.[2][3]
USC received 31 of the 35 first-place votes; Wisconsin received two, Ole Miss one, and Texas one.[2][3]

Ranking Team Conference Record Bowl
1 USC AAWU 11–0 Won Rose, 42–37
2 Wisconsin Big Ten 8–2 Lost Rose, 37–42
3 Ole Miss SEC 10–0 Won Sugar, 17–13
4 Texas Southwest 9–1–1 Lost Cotton, 0–13
5 Alabama SEC 10–1 Won Orange, 17–0
6 Arkansas Southwest 9–2 Lost Sugar, 13–17
7 Oklahoma Big Eight 8–3 Lost Orange, 0–17
8 LSU SEC 9–1–1 Won Cotton, 13–0
9 Penn State Independent 9–2 Lost Gator, 7–17
10 Minnesota Big Ten 6–2–1 none
11 Georgia Tech SEC 7–3–1 Lost Bluebonnet, 10–14
12 Missouri Big Eight 8–1–2 Won Bluebonnet, 14–10
13 Ohio State Big Ten 6–3 none
14 Duke ACC 8–2
Washington AAWU 7–1–2
16 Northwestern Big Ten 7–2
Oregon State Independent 9–2 Won Liberty, 6–0
18 Arizona State WAC 7–2–1 none
Illinois Big Ten 2–7
Miami (FL) Independent 7–4 Lost Gotham, 34–36

[2][3]

  • Prior to the 1975 season, the Big Ten and AAWU (later Pac-8) conferences allowed only one postseason participant each, for the Rose Bowl.

References

  1. ^ a b "Southern California rated as national grid champion". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Florida. Associated Press. December 5, 1962. p. 14.
  2. ^ a b c "UPI poll". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. UPI. December 4, 1962. p. 3B.
  3. ^ a b c "Trojans voted No. 1 in runaway". Bend Bulletin. Oregon. UPI. December 4, 1962. p. 2.