# 1978 NCAA Division I-AA football rankings

The 1978 NCAA Division I-AA football rankings are from the Associated Press. This is for the 1978 season.

## Legend

| | Increase in ranking |
| | Decrease in ranking |
| | Not ranked previous week |
| (#–#) | Win–loss record |
| (Italics) | Number of first place votes |
| т | Tied with team above or below also with this symbol |

## Associated Press Poll

| | Week 1 Sept 20 | Week 2 Sept 27 | Week 3 Oct 4 | Week 4 Oct 11 | Week 5 Oct 18 | Week 6 Oct 25 | Week 7 Nov 1 | Week 8 Nov 8 | Week 9 Nov 15 | Week 10 Nov 22 | |
| 1. | Lehigh (2–0) т | Lehigh (3–0) | South Carolina State (5–0) | South Carolina State (6–0) | Montana State (6–0) | Montana State (7–0) | Nevada (8–0) | Nevada (9–0) | Nevada (10–0) | Nevada (11–0) | 1. |
| 2. | South Carolina State (3–0) т | South Carolina State (4–0) | Montana State (4–0) | Montana State (5–0) | Jackson State (6–0) | Nevada (7–0) | Jackson State (7–1) | Jackson State (8–1) | Jackson State (9–1) | Jackson State (10–1) | 2. |
| 3. | Boise State (2–0) | Boise State (3–0) | Nevada (4–0) | Nevada (5–0) | Nevada (6–0) | Lehigh (6–1) | Florida A&M (6–1) | Florida A&M (7–1) | Florida A&M (7–1) | Florida A&M (8–1) | 3. |
| 4. | Jackson State (3–0) | Nevada (3–0) | Jackson State (4–0) | Jackson State (5–0) | Florida A&M (5–0) | Jackson State (6–1) | UMass (5–2) т | South Carolina State (8–1–1) | Western Kentucky (7–2) | UMass (7–3) т | 4. |
| 5. | Nevada (2–0) | Jackson State (4–0) | Boston University (3–0) | Boston University (4–0) | Lehigh (5–1) | Florida A&M (5–1) | South Carolina State (7–1–1) т | Western Kentucky (7–2) т | Northern Arizona (7–2) | Western Kentucky (8–2) т | 5. |
| 6. | Montana State (2–0) | Montana State (3–0) | Lehigh (3–1) | Lehigh (4–1) | South Carolina State (6–0–1) | UMass (4–2) | Montana State (7–1) т | Lehigh (7–2) т | South Carolina State (8–2–1) | South Carolina State (8–2–1) | 6. |
| 7. | Florida A&M (1–0) | Florida A&M (2–0) | Florida A&M (3–0) | Florida A&M (4–0) | Eastern Kentucky (4–1) | South Carolina State (6–1–1) | Western Kentucky (6–2) | Northern Arizona (6–2) | Rhode Island (7–2) | Northern Arizona (8–2) | 7. |
| 8. | Northwestern State (2–0) | Northwestern State (3–0) | Boise State (3–1) | Eastern Kentucky (3–1) | Rhode Island (4–1) | Western Kentucky (5–2) | Lehigh (6–2) | Eastern Kentucky (6–2) | Eastern Kentucky (7–2) | Eastern Kentucky (8–2) | 8. |
| 9. | Northern Arizona (2–1) | Northern Arizona (3–1) | Northern Arizona (4–1) | Northern Arizona (5–1) | Northern Arizona (5–1) | Eastern Kentucky (4–2) т | Eastern Kentucky (5–2) | Boise State (7–2) т | UMass (6–3) | Lehigh (8–3) т | 9. |
| 10. | Austin Peay (1–0) | Boston University (2–0) т | Rhode Island (2–1) т | Rhode Island (3–1) | UMass (3–2) | Boston University (4–2) т | Northern Arizona (6–2) | Rhode Island (6–2) т | Montana State (8–2) | Rhode Island (7–3) т | 10. |
| 11. | | Grambling State (2–0) т | Western Kentucky (4–0) т | | | | | | | Montana State (8–2) т | 11. |
| 12. | | | Eastern Kentucky (4–0) т | | | | | | | | 12. |
| | Week 1 Sept 20 | Week 2 Sept 27 | Week 3 Oct 4 | Week 4 Oct 11 | Week 5 Oct 18 | Week 6 Oct 25 | Week 7 Nov 1 | Week 8 Nov 8 | Week 9 Nov 15 | Week 10 Nov 22 | |
| | | Dropped: 10 Austin Peay | Dropped: 8 Northwestern State11 Grambling State | Dropped: 8 Boise State11 Western Kentucky | Dropped: 5 Boston University | Dropped: 8 Rhode Island9 Northern Arizona | Dropped: 10 Boston University | Dropped: 4 UMass6 Montana State | Dropped: 6 Lehigh9 Boise State | None | |