The AP Poll has been ranking college football teams for a long time — since 1935 to be exact. During that time, debate has been plentiful and controversy arising from human bias has been hard to eliminate. That alone is most likely what drives our fandom … the, shall I say, discussion of who is in fact the better team.
College Football News decided to start giving us the AP’s all-time football programs with a somewhat scientific approach. Taking into account final rankings with a simple scoring system. The AP national champion in each season gets 25 points, the No. 2 team gets 24 points, and so on down the line.
Last year, Ohio State came in as the No. 3 team in history leapfrogging Oklahoma, which had a steady hold on No. 1 for several years. However, the Sooners’ down season dropped the program a couple of spots.
Let’s see how the rest of the top 25 ranked according to College Football News and Pete Fiutak’s system.
No. 25 - Iowa Hawkeyes
Oct. 22, 2022; Columbus, Ohio; Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz coaches during the second quarter against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium. Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
Total Points: 344
No. 24 - Ole Miss Rebels
Mississippi quarterback Matt Corral (2) during a football game between Tennessee and Ole Miss at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021.
Total Points: 362
No. 23 - Wisconsin Badgers
Sept. 10, 2022; Madison, Wisconsin; Wisconsin Badgers logo on a flag prior to the game against the Washington State Cougars at Camp Randall Stadium. Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Total Points: 378
No. 22 - Washington Huskies
Dec. 31, 2016; Atlanta, Georgia; Washington Huskies quarterback Jake Browning (3) reacts during the fourth quarter in the 2016 national semifinal against the Alabama Crimson Tide at the Georgia Dome. Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Total Points: 394
No. 21 - Texas A&M Aggies
Texas A&M Aggies
Total Points: 397
No. 20 - Razorbacks
Arkansas Razorbacks mascot Big Red flexes during the game against the Auburn Tigers at Jordan Hare Stadium on Aug. 30, 2014 in Auburn, Alabama. Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images
Total Points: 444
No. 19 - Michigan State Spartans
Oct. 1, 2022; College Park, Maryland; Michigan State Spartans mascot during the second half against the Maryland Terrapins at Capital One Field at Maryland Stadium. Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Total Points: 472
No. 18 - Clemson Tigers
Oct. 15, 2022; Tallahassee, Florida; Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney reacts during the second half against the Florida State Seminoles at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. Melina Myers-USA TODAY Sports
Total Points: 497
No. 17 - UCLA Bruins
Nov. 15, 2020; Pasadena, California; UCLA Bruins quarterback Parker McQuarrie (9) leads players to the locker room after warming up for a game against the California Golden Bears at the Rose Bowl. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Total Points: 498
No. 16 - Miami Hurricanes
Nov. 20, 2021; Miami Gardens, Florida; Miami Hurricanes mascot Sebastian the Ibis performs on the field between plays in the first half between the Miami Hurricanes and the Virginia Tech Hokies at Hard Rock Stadium. Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Total Points: 534
No. 15 - Florida Gators
Sept. 5, 2008; Gainesville; Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow (15) celebrates with teammates after he scored a touchdown during the first half against the Charleston Southern Buccaneers at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Total Points: 551
No. 14 - Auburn Tigers
Auburn Tigers helmet on the sideline during the A-Day spring practice at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., on Saturday, April 9, 2022.
Total Points: 584
No. 13 - Florida State Seminoles
Sept. 28, 2019; Tallahassee; Florida State Seminoles symbols Osceola and Renegade during the game against the North Carolina State Wolfpack at Doak Campbell Stadium. Melina Myers-USA TODAY Sports
Total Points: 585
No. 12 - Georgia Bulldogs
Nov. 26, 2022; Athens; Georgia Bulldogs mascot UGA in his house on the sidelines during the game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets during the second half at Sanford Stadium. Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Total Points: 682
No. 11 - LSU Tigers
Oct. 6, 2018; Gainesville, Florida; A detail view of LSU Tigers football helmets against the Florida Gators during the second half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Total Points: 688
No. 10 - Tennessee Volunteers
Oct. 22, 2022; Knoxville; Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Jalin Hyatt (11) after scoring a touchdown against the Tennessee Martin Skyhawks during the first half at Neyland Stadium. Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Total Points: 706
No. 9 - Penn State Nittany Lions
Oct. 23, 2021; University Park, Pennsylvania; Penn State Nittany Lions offensive lineman Rasheed Walker (53) and linebacker Jesse Luketa (40) and safety Jaquan Brisker (1) and safety Jonathan Sutherland (0) walk on the field for the coin flip prior to the game Illinois Fighting Illini at Beaver Stadium. Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
Total Points: 721
No. 7 (tie) - Texas Longhorns
Nov. 10, 2018; Lubbock, Texas; A Texas Longhorns helmet on the sidelines during the game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Jones AT&T Stadium. Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Total Points: 798
No. 7 (tie) - Nebraska Cornhuskers
Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Tom Osborne talks to quarterback Tommie Fraizer during the 1994 season at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Photo By USA TODAY Sports
Total Points: 798
No. 6 - USC Trojans
Nov. 7, 2009; Tempe, Arizona; Southern California Trojans coach Pete Carroll reacts after the game against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Sun Devil Stadium. USC defeated Arizona State 14-9. Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports
Total Points: 851
No. 5 - Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Quarterback Ron Powlus #3 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish is consoled by head coach Lou Holtz after throwing an interception in the final minutes of the fourth quarter during the Irish’s 29-16 loss to the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Total Points: 1,036
No. 4 - Michigan Wolverines
Nov. 18, 2017; Madison, Wisconsin; An Michigan Wolverines helmet during the game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Total Points: 1,039
No. 3 - Oklahoma Sooners
Oklahoma helmets are seen before a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the West Virginia Mountaineers at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma, Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021. Oklahoma won 16-13.
Total Points: 1,136
No. 2 - Ohio State Buckeyes
Head coach Jim Tressel of the Ohio State University Buckeyes claps during the game against the Purdue University Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium at Purdue University on Nov. 9, 2002 in West Lafayette, Indiana. Ohio State defeated Purdue 10-6. Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images
Total Points: 1,141
No. 1 - Alabama Crimson Tide
Jan. 20, 2018; Tuscaloosa; Alabama Crimson Tide players Bradley Bozeman (75) and Anthony Averett (28) and Shaun Dion Hamilton (20) pose with head coach Nick Saban and College Football Playoff president Bill Hancock with the trophy at the Alabama Crimson Tide national championship celebration at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
Total Points: 1,150
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