All-Time College Football AP Poll

[SWC75]

Ok, I had to take another look at this. I noted they had the same number as mine for SU and other schools, but different numbers for others. Rather than re-doing the whole list, I redid the top 5. I decided to brake it down year by year so that any mistakes I made could be pointed out.

Here are the historical AP rankings:
Associated Press Yearly Final Polls
(The 1934 poll is not included: the season wasn't even over).
Here again are the cumulative rankings in the article:
AP College Football Rankings: Greatest Programs Of All-Time

The system is to give 25 points for 1st, 24 points for second, etc., down to 1 point for finishing 25th. Here is a quick guide, with the rnaking first and the points second:
1-25, 2-24, 3-23, 4-22, 5-21, 6-20, 7-19, 8-18, 9-17, 10-16, 11-15, 12-14, 13-13, 14-12, 15-11, 16-10, 17-9, 18-8, 19-7, 20-6, 21-5, 22-4, 23-3, 24-2, 25-1

And here is my record of the top 5 teams on my list, the points, their ranking for each year, the points they got for that ranking, and the cumulative points they got form their rankings to that point:

ALABAMA
1936 4th = 22 points total: 22
1937 4th = 22 points total: 44
1938 13th = 13 points total: 57
1941 20th = 6 points total: 63
1942 10th = 16 points total: 79
1945 3rd = 23 points total: 102
1947 6th = 20 points total: 122
1950 16th = 10 points total: 132
1952 9th = 17 points total: 149
1953 13th = 13 points total: 162
1959 10th = 16 points total: 178
1960 9th = 17 points total: 195
1961 1st = 25 points total: 220
1962 5th = 21 points total: 241
1963 8th = 18 points total: 259
1964 1st = 25 points total: 284
1965 1st = 25 points total: 309
1966 3rd = 23 points total: 332
1967 8th = 18 points total: 350
1968 17th = 9 points total: 359
1971 4th = 22 points total: 381
1972 7th = 19 points total: 400
1973 4th = 22 points total: 422
1974 5th = 21 points total: 443
1975 3rd = 23 points total: 466
1976 11th = 15 points total: 481
1977 2nd = 24 points total: 505
1978 1st = 25 points total: 530
1979 1st = 25 points total: 555
1980 6th = 20 points total: 575
1981 7th = 19 points total: 594
1983 15th = 11 points total: 605
1985 13th = 13 points total: 618
1986 9th = 17 points total: 635
1988 17th = 9 points total: 644
1989 9th = 17 points total: 661
1991 5th = 21 points total: 682
1992 1st = 25 points total: 707
1993 14th = 12 points total: 719
1994 5th = 21 points total: 740
1995 21st = 5 points total: 745
1996 11th = 15 points total: 760
1999 8th = 18 points total: 778
2002 11th = 15 points total: 793
2005 8th = 18 points total: 811
2008 6th = 20 points total: 831
2009 1st = 25 points total: 856
2010 10th = 16 points total: 872
2011 1st = 25 points total: 897
2012 1st = 25 points total: 922
2013 7th = 19 points total: 941
2014 4th = 22 points total: 963
2015 1st = 25 points total: 988

OKLAHOMA
1938 4th = 22 points total: 22
1939 19th = 6 points total: 28
1946 14th = 12 points total: 40
1947 16th = 10 points total: 50
1948 5th = 21 points total: 71
1949 2nd = 24 points total: 95
1950 1st = 25 points total: 120
1951 10th = 16 points total: 136
1952 4th = 22 points total: 158
1953 4th = 22 points total: 180
1954 3rd = 23 points total: 203
1955 1st = 25 points total: 228
1956 1st = 25 points total: 253
1957 4th = 22 points total: 275
1958 5th = 21 points total: 296
1959 15th = 11 points total: 307
1962 8th = 18 points total: 325
1963 10th = 16 points total: 341
1967 8th = 18 points total: 359
1968 11th = 15 points total: 374
1970 20th = 6 points total: 380
1971 2ND = 24 points total: 404
1972 2nd = 24 points total: 428
1973 3rd = 23 points total: 451
1974 1st = 25 points total: 476
1975 1st = 25 points total: 501
1976 5th = 21 points total: 522
1977 7th = 19 points total: 541
1978 3rd = 23 points total: 564
1979 3rd = 23 points total: 587
1980 3rd = 23 points total: 610
1981 20th = 6 points total: 616
1982 16th = 10 points total: 626
1984 6th = 20 points total: 646
1985 1st = 25 points total: 671
1986 3rd = 23 points total: 694
1987 3rd = 23 points total: 717
1988 14th = 12 points total: 729
1990 17th = 9 points total: 738
1991 16th = 10 points total: 748
1993 17th = 9 points total: 757
2000 1st = 25 points total: 782
2001 6th = 20 points total: 802
2002 5th = 21 points total: 823
2003 3rd = 23 points total: 846
2004 3rd = 23 points total: 869
2005 22nd = 4 points total: 873
2006 11th = 15 points total: 888
2007 8th = 18 points total: 906
2008 5th = 21 points total: 927
2010 6th = 20 points total: 947
2011 16th = 10 points total: 957
2012 15th = 11 points total: 968
2013 6th = 20 points total: 988
2015 5th = 21 points total: 1009

MICHIGAN
1938 16th = 10 points total: 10
1939 20th = 6 points total: 16
1940 3rd = 23 points total: 39
1941 5th = 21 points total: 60
1942 9th = 17 points total: 77
1943 3rd = 23 points total: 100
1944 8th = 18 points total: 118
1945 6th = 20 points total: 138
1946 6th = 20 points total: 158
1947 2nd = 24 points total: 182
1948 1st = 25 points total: 207
1949 7th = 19 points total: 226
1950 9th = 17 points total: 243
1953 20th = 6 points total: 249
1954 15th = 11 points total: 260
1955 14th = 12 points total: 272
1956 7th = 19 points total: 291
1964 4th = 22 points total: 313
1968 12th = 14 points total: 327
1969 9th = 17 points total: 344
1970 9th = 17 points total: 361
1971 6th = 20 points total: 381
1972 6th = 20 points total: 401
1973 6th = 20 points total: 421
1974 3rd = 23 points total: 444
1975 8th = 18 points total: 462
1976 3rd = 23 points total: 485
1977 9th = 17 points total: 502
1978 5th = 21 points total: 523
1979 18th = 8 points total: 531
1980 4th = 22 points total: 553
1981 12th = 14 points total: 567
1983 8th = 18 points total: 585
1985 2nd = 24 points total: 609
1986 8th = 18 points total: 627
1987 19th = 7 points total: 634
1988 4th = 22 points total: 656
1989 7th = 19 points total: 675
1990 7th = 19 points total: 694
1991 6th = 20 points total: 714
1992 5th = 21 points total: 735
1993 21st = 4 points total: 739
1994 12th = 14 points total: 753
1995 17th = 9 points total: 762
1996 20th = 6 points total: 771
1997 1st = 25 points total: 796
1998 12th = 14 points total: 810
1999 5th = 21 points total: 831
2000 11th = 15 points total: 846
2001 20th = 6 points total: 852
2002 9th = 17 points total: 869
2003 6th = 20 points total: 889
2004 14th = 12 points total: 901
2006 8th = 18 points total: 919
2007 18th = 8 points total: 927
2011 12th = 14 points total: 941
2012 24th = 2 points total: 943
2015 12th = 14 points total: 957

OHIO STATE
1937 13th = 13 points total: 13
1939 15th = 11 points total: 24
1941 13th = 13 points total: 37
1942 1st = 25 points total: 62
1944 2nd = 24 points total: 86
1945 12th = 14 points total: 100
1949 6th = 20 points total: 120
1950 14th = 12 points total: 132
1952 17th = 9 points total: 141
1954 1st = 25 points total: 166
1955 5th = 21 points total: 187
1956 15th = 11 points total: 198
1957 2nd = 24 points total: 222
1958 8th = 18 points total: 240
1960 8th = 18 points total: 258
1961 2nd = 24 points total: 282
1964 9th = 17 points total: 299
1968 1st = 25 points total: 324
1969 4th = 22 points total: 346
1970 5th = 21 points total: 367
1972 9th = 17 points total: 384
1973 2nd = 24 points total: 408
1974 4th = 22 points total: 430
1975 4th = 22 points total: 452
1976 6th = 20 points total: 472
1977 11th = 15 points total: 487
1979 4th = 22 points total: 509
1980 15th = 11 points total: 520
1981 15th = 11 points total: 531
1982 12th = 14 points total: 545
1983 9th = 17 points total: 562
1985 14th = 12 points total: 574
1986 7th = 19 points total: 593
1989 24th = 2 points total: 595
1992 18th = 8 points total: 603
1993 11th = 15 points total: 618
1994 14th = 12 points total: 630
1995 6th = 20 points total: 650
1996 2nd = 24 points total: 674
1997 12th = 14 points total: 688
1998 2nd = 24 points total: 712
2002 1st = 25 points total: 737
2003 4th = 22 points total: 759
2004 20th = 6 points total: 765
2005 4th = 22 points total: 787
2006 2nd = 24 points total: 811
2007 5th = 21 points total: 832
2008 9th = 17 points total: 849
2009 5th = 21 points total: 870
2010 5th = 21 points total: 891
2012 3rd = 23 points total: 914
2013 12th = 14 points total: 928
2014 1st = 25 points total: 953
2015 4th = 22 points total: 975

NOTRE DAME
1936 8th = 18 points total: 18
1937 9th = 17 points total: 35
1938 5th = 21 points total: 56
1939 13th = 13 points total: 69
1941 3rd = 23 points total: 92
1942 6th = 20 points total: 112
1943 1st = 25 points total: 137
1944 9th = 17 points total: 154
1945 5th = 21 points total: 175
1946 1st = 25 points total: 200
1947 1st = 25 points total: 225
1948 2nd = 24 points total: 249
1949 1st = 25 points total: 274
1952 3rd = 23 points total: 297
1953 2nd = 24 points total: 321
1954 4th = 22 points total: 343
1955 9th = 17 points total: 360
1958 17th = 9 points total: 369
1959 17th = 9 points total: 378
1964 3rd = 23 points total: 401
1965 9th = 17 points total: 418
1966 1st = 25 points total: 443
1967 5th = 21 points total: 464
1968 5th = 21 points total: 485
1969 5th = 21 points total: 506
1970 2nd = 24 points total: 530
1971 13th = 13 points total: 543
1972 14th = 12 points total: 555
1973 1st = 25 points total: 580
1974 6th = 20 points total: 600
1976 12th = 14 points total: 614
1977 1st = 25 points total: 639
1978 7th = 19 points total: 658
1980 9th = 17 points total: 675
1987 17th = 9 points total: 684
1988 1st = 25 points total: 709
1989 2nd = 24 points total: 733
1990 6th = 20 points total: 753
1991 13th = 13 points total: 766
1992 4th = 22 points total: 788
1993 2nd = 24 points total: 812
1994 11th = 15 points total: 827
1996 19th = 6 points total: 833
1998 22nd = 4 points total: 837
2000 15th = 11 points total: 848
2002 17th = 9 points total: 856
2005 9th = 17 points total: 873
2006 17th = 9 points total: 882
2012 4th = 22 points total: 904
2013 20th = 6 points total: 910
2015 11th = 15 points total: 925

Here are my original numbers for these teams, the numbers in the article and the numbers I have posted above:
Alabama 1024 989 988
Oklahoma 1015 1116 1009
Michigan 957 957 957
Ohio State 951 988 975
Notre Dame 940 939 925
If the numbers above, (and in the third column) are correct, I was off by 36 points on Alabama, 6 points on Oklahoma, 24 points on Ohio State and 15 points on Notre Dame, a total of 71 points off. But the article is off by 1 point on Alabama, 107 on Oklahoma, 13 on Ohio State and 14 on Notre Dame, a total of 135 points. Why all three studies gave Michigan the exact same number of points but were off for everyone else, I don't know. But if the third column is correct, I was closer to it than the article, because they were so far off on Oklahoma.

 

[SWC75]

Here’s what the horse race between these powerhouses has looked like over the years:

1936 Alabama 22 Notre Dame 18
1937 Alabama 44 Notre Dame 35 Ohio State 13
1938 Alabama 57 Notre Dame 56 Oklahoma 22 Ohio State 13 Michigan 10
1939 Notre Dame 69 Alabama 57 Oklahoma 28 Ohio State 24 Michigan 16
1940 Notre Dame 69 Alabama 57 Michigan 39 Oklahoma 28 Ohio State 24
1941 Notre Dame 92 Alabama 63 Michigan 60 Oklahoma 28 Ohio State 37
1942 Notre Dame 112 Alabama 79 Michigan 77 Ohio State 62 Oklahoma 28
1943 Notre Dame 137 Michigan 100 Alabama 79 Ohio State 62 Oklahoma 28
1944 Notre Dame 154 Michigan 118 Ohio State 86 Alabama 79 Oklahoma 28
1945 Notre Dame 175 Michigan 138 Alabama 102 Ohio State 100 Oklahoma 28
1946 Notre Dame 200 Michigan 158 Alabama 102 Ohio State 100 Oklahoma 40
1947 Notre Dame 225 Michigan 182 Alabama 122 Ohio State 100 Oklahoma 50
1948 Notre Dame 249 Michigan 207 Alabama 122 Ohio State 100 Oklahoma 71
1949 Notre Dame 274 Michigan 226 Alabama 122 Ohio State 120 Oklahoma 95
1950 Notre Dame 274 Michigan 243 Alabama 132 Ohio State 132 Oklahoma 120
1951 Notre Dame 274 Michigan 243 Oklahoma 136 Alabama 132 Ohio State 132
1952 Notre Dame 297 Michigan 243 Oklahoma 158 Alabama 149 Ohio State 141
1953 Notre Dame 321 Michigan 249 Oklahoma 180 Alabama 162 Ohio State 141
1954 Notre Dame 343 Michigan 260 Oklahoma 203 Ohio State 166 Alabama 162
1955 Notre Dame 360 Michigan 272 Oklahoma 228 Ohio State 187 Alabama 162
1956 Notre Dame 360 Michigan 291 Oklahoma 253 Ohio State 198 Alabama 162
1957 Notre Dame 360 Michigan 291 Oklahoma 275 Ohio State 222 Alabama 162
1958 Notre Dame 369 Oklahoma 296 Michigan 291 Ohio State 240 Alabama 162
1959 Notre Dame 378 Oklahoma 307 Michigan 291 Ohio State 240 Alabama 178
1960 Notre Dame 378 Oklahoma 307 Michigan 291 Ohio State 258 Alabama 195
1961 Notre Dame 378 Oklahoma 307 Michigan 291 Ohio State 282 Alabama 220
1962 Notre Dame 378 Oklahoma 325 Michigan 291 Ohio State 282 Alabama 241
1963 Notre Dame 378 Oklahoma 341 Michigan 291 Ohio State 282 Alabama 259
1964 Notre Dame 401 Oklahoma 341 Michigan 313 Ohio State 299 Alabama 284
1965 Notre Dame 418 Oklahoma 341 Michigan 313 Alabama 309 Ohio State 299
1966 Notre Dame 443 Oklahoma 341 Michigan 313 Alabama 332 Ohio State 299
1967 Notre Dame 464 Oklahoma 359 Alabama 350 Michigan 313 Ohio State 299
1968 Notre Dame 485 Oklahoma 374 Alabama 359 Michigan 327 Ohio State 324
1969 Notre Dame 506 Oklahoma 374 Alabama 359 Ohio State 346 Michigan 344
1970 Notre Dame 530 Oklahoma 380 Alabama 359 Ohio State 367 Michigan 361
1971 Notre Dame 543 Oklahoma 404 Alabama 381 Michigan 381 Ohio State 367
1972 Notre Dame 555 Oklahoma 428 Michigan 401 Alabama 400 Ohio State 384
1973 Notre Dame 580 Oklahoma 451 Alabama 422 Michigan 421 Ohio State 408
1974 Notre Dame 600 Oklahoma 476 Michigan 444 Alabama 443 Ohio State 430
1975 Notre Dame 600 Oklahoma 501 Alabama 466 Michigan 462 Ohio State 452
1976 Notre Dame 614 Oklahoma 522 Michigan 485 Alabama 481 Ohio State 472
1977 Notre Dame 639 Oklahoma 541 Alabama 505 Michigan 502 Ohio State 487
1978 Notre Dame 658 Oklahoma 564 Alabama 530 Michigan 523 Ohio State 487
1979 Notre Dame 658 Oklahoma 587 Alabama 555 Michigan 531 Ohio State 509
1980 Notre Dame 675 Oklahoma 610 Alabama 575 Michigan 553 Ohio State 520
1981 Notre Dame 675 Oklahoma 616 Alabama 594 Michigan 567 Ohio State 531
1982 Notre Dame 675 Oklahoma 626 Alabama 594 Michigan 567 Ohio State 545
1983 Notre Dame 675 Oklahoma 626 Alabama 605 Michigan 585 Ohio State 562
1984 Notre Dame 675 Oklahoma 646 Alabama 605 Michigan 585 Ohio State 562
1985 Notre Dame 675 Oklahoma 671 Alabama 618 Michigan 609 Ohio State 574
1986 Oklahoma 694 Notre Dame 675 Alabama 635 Michigan 627 Ohio State 593
1987 Oklahoma 717 Notre Dame 684 Alabama 635 Michigan 634 Ohio State 593
1988 Oklahoma 729 Notre Dame 709 Michigan 656 Alabama 644 Ohio State 593
1989 Notre Dame 733 Oklahoma 729 Michigan 675 Alabama 661 Ohio State 595
1990 Notre Dame 753 Oklahoma 738 Michigan 694 Alabama 661 Ohio State 595
1991 Notre Dame 766 Oklahoma 748 Michigan 714 Alabama 682 Ohio State 595
1992 Notre Dame 788 Oklahoma 748 Michigan 735 Alabama 707 Ohio State 603
1993 Notre Dame 812 Oklahoma 757 Michigan 739 Alabama 719 Ohio State 618
1994 Notre Dame 827 Oklahoma 757 Michigan 753 Alabama 740 Ohio State 630
1995 Notre Dame 827 Michigan 762 Oklahoma 757 Alabama 745 Ohio State 650
1996 Notre Dame 833 Michigan 771 Alabama 760 Oklahoma 757 Ohio State 674
1997 Notre Dame 833 Michigan 796 Alabama 760 Oklahoma 757 Ohio State 688
1998 Notre Dame 837 Michigan 810 Alabama 760 Oklahoma 757 Ohio State 712
1999 Notre Dame 837 Michigan 831 Alabama 778 Oklahoma 757 Ohio State 712
2000 Notre Dame 848 Michigan 846 Oklahoma 782 Alabama 778 Ohio State 712
2001 Michigan 852 Notre Dame 848 Oklahoma 802 Alabama 778 Ohio State 737
2002 Michigan 869 Notre Dame 856 Oklahoma 823 Alabama 793 Ohio State 737
2003 Michigan 889 Notre Dame 856 Oklahoma 846 Alabama 793 Ohio State 759
2004 Michigan 901 Oklahoma 869 Notre Dame 856 Alabama 793 Ohio State 765
2005 Michigan 901 Notre Dame 873 Oklahoma 873 Alabama 811 Ohio State 787
2006 Michigan 919 Oklahoma 888 Notre Dame 882 Alabama 811 Ohio State 811
2007 Michigan 927 Oklahoma 906 Notre Dame 882 Ohio State 832 Alabama 811
2008 Michigan 927 Oklahoma 927 Notre Dame 882 Ohio State 849 Alabama 831
2009 Michigan 927 Oklahoma 927 Notre Dame 882 Ohio State 870 Alabama 856
2010 Oklahoma 947 Michigan 927 Ohio State 891 Notre Dame 882 Alabama 872
2011 Oklahoma 957 Michigan 941 Alabama 897 Ohio State 891 Notre Dame 882
2012 Oklahoma 968 Michigan 943 Alabama 922 Ohio State 914 Notre Dame 904
2013 Oklahoma 988 Michigan 943 Alabama 941 Ohio State 928 Notre Dame 910
2014 Oklahoma 988 Alabama 963 Ohio State 953 Michigan 943 Notre Dame 910
2015 Oklahoma 1009 Alabama 988 Ohio State 975 Michigan 957 Notre Dame 925

 

[SWC75]

With OmniOrange's assistance, I have revised my point totals for these teams thusly:

Oklahoma 1015
Alabama 989
Ohio State 988
Michigan 960
Notre Dame 938

 

[kirbivore]

if they give a point for every week in the Top 25, then the last 15 years absolutely crushed Syracuse.

if Syracuse did in the 00s, what all you wanted P fired for in the 90s...the Orange would be in the Top 25.

reminds me of the Hoops program rankings covering the last 50 years that ESPN did a couple years back. Local radio blowhard Brent Axe was proclaiming SU would finish behind storz due to the four titles to one. I called in and said that their pathetic records before 1990 would pull their ranking down below SU. Yes lurking storz fans college hoops was played before 1990. I ended up being right.

 

[tipphill]

This is an age old argument around here. AT THE TIME we were trending down, no one was putting money into our aging facilities, recruiting was starting to atrophy, and P's O was looking ooooollllldddd.

How it went down was regrettable. But without your amazing using of hindsight (a GoSU96 staple), it wasn't as shocking or on its face as bad as a decision as you posit.

I've been ALL IN on every Syracuse Football and Basketball since I was 10. I don't give up on my team.

your first paragraph says what i have said for years, and the main reason for recruiting melting away. history repeating itself from the last yrs of the ben s. era when we finally built the dome. pp was a decent coach, under achiever at times for the talent he had. we built the dome and then sat on it, while others schools were investing in the programs. it did effect the recruiting dramatically. su has never been proactive, and waits to long to be reactive. hope we have learned that lesson.