# 1960 major college football rankings

Two human polls comprised the 1960 major college 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 November 29, at the end of the regular season, over a month before the major bowls.
| | Preseason Aug | Week 1 Sep 19 | Week 2 Sep 26 | Week 3 Oct 3 | Week 4 Oct 10 | Week 5 Oct 17 | Week 6 Oct 24 | Week 7 Oct 31 | Week 8 Nov 7 | Week 9 Nov 14 | Week 10 Nov 21 | Week 11 (Final) Nov 28 | |
| 1. | Syracuse (26) | Ole Miss (1–0) (22) | Ole Miss (2–0) (42) | Syracuse (2–0) (28) | Ole Miss (4–0) (19) | Iowa (4–0) (23) | Iowa (5–0) (34) | Iowa (6–0) (46) | Minnesota (7–0) (40) | Missouri (9–0) (34) | Minnesota (8–1) (13.5) | Minnesota (8–1) (171⁄2) | 1. |
| 2. | Ole Miss (21) | Syracuse (0–0) (22) | Syracuse (1–0) | Ole Miss (3–0) (14) | Iowa (3–0) (17) | Ole Miss (5–0) (22) | Ole Miss (6–0) (9) | Missouri (7–0) | Missouri (8–0) (4) | Iowa (7–1) (7) | Iowa (8–1) (17.5) | Ole Miss (9–0–1) (16) | 2. |
| 3. | Washington (1) | Washington (1–0) (3) | Washington (2–0) (5) | Iowa (2–0) (5) | Ohio State (3–0) (8) | Syracuse (4–0) (2) | Syracuse (5–0) (5) | Minnesota (6–0) (1) | Ohio State (6–1) (1) | Ole Miss (8–0–1) (5) | Ole Miss (8–0–1) (13) | Iowa (8–1) (121⁄2) | 3. |
| 4. | Texas | Illinois (0–0) | Illinois (1–0) | Illinois (2–0) | Syracuse (3–0) (4) | Navy (5–0) | Navy (6–0) | Navy (7–0) | Ole Miss (7–0–1) (1) | Minnesota (7–1) (1) | Washington (9–1) (2) | Navy (8–1) | 4. |
| 5. | Illinois | Alabama (1–0) | Kansas (2–0) | Ohio State (2–0) | Navy (4–0) | Missouri (5–0) | Missouri (6–0) | Ohio State (5–1) | Iowa (6–1) | Washington (8–1) | Missouri (9–1) | Missouri (9–1) | 5. |
| 6. | USC | Michigan State (0–0) | Northwestern (1–0) (1) | Navy (3–0) | Missouri (4–0) | Minnesota (4–0) | Minnesota (5–0) | Ole Miss (6–0–1) | Washington (7–1) (1) | Duke (7–1) | Arkansas (8–2) | Washington (9–1) (2) | 6. |
| 7. | Pittsburgh | Kansas (1–0) | Clemson (1–0) | Purdue (1–0–1) | Baylor (3–0) | Baylor (4–0) | Baylor (5–0) | Washington (6–1) (1) | Duke (6–1) | Arkansas (7–2) | Navy (8–1) | Arkansas (8–2) | 7. |
| 8. | Michigan State | UCLA (1–0) | Iowa (1–0) | Clemson (2–0) | Clemson (3–0) | Washington (4–1) (1) | Ohio State (4–1) | Tennessee (5–0–1) | Navy (7–1) | Navy (8–1) | Auburn (8–1) (1) | Ohio State (7–2) | 8. |
| 9. | Clemson | Clemson (0–0) | Ohio State (1–0) | Arkansas (3–0) | Kansas (3–1) | Ohio State (3–1) | Washington (5–1) | Syracuse (5–1) | Arkansas (6–2) | Auburn (7–1) (1) | Ohio State (7–2) | Alabama (8–1–1) | 9. |
| 10. | Oklahoma | Oregon State (1–0) | Georgia Tech (2–0) | Kansas (2–1) | Minnesota (3–0) | Purdue (2–1–1) | Michigan State (3–1–1) | Rice (5–1) | Auburn (6–1) | Ohio State (6–2) | Kansas (7–2–1) | Duke (7–2) | 10. |
| 11. | TCU | Penn State (1–0) | Tennessee (1–0) | Missouri (3–0) | Texas (3–1) | Wisconsin (3–1) | Tennessee (4–0–1) | Baylor (5–1) | UCLA (4–1–1) | UCLA (5–1–1) | Duke (7–2) | Kansas (7–2–1) | 11. |
| 12. | Auburn | Nebraska (1–0) | Notre Dame (1–0) | Washington (2–1) | Wisconsin (3–0) | Tennessee (3–0–1) | Arkansas (4–2) | Auburn (5–1) | Pittsburgh (4–2–2) | Michigan State (5–2–1) | Rice (7–2) | Baylor (8–2) | 12. |
| 13. | Georgia | Georgia Tech (1–0) | Texas (1–1) | Michigan State (1–0–1) | Washington (3–1) | Michigan State (2–1–1) | Rice (4–1) | Duke (5–1) | Michigan State (4–2–1) | Purdue (3–4–1) | Yale (9–0) (1) | Auburn (8–2) | 13. |
| 14. | Northwestern | Northwestern (0–0) | Arkansas (2–0) | Minnesota (2–0) | Michigan State (1–1–1) | Arkansas (4–1) | Auburn (4–1) | Pittsburgh (3–2–2) | Tennessee (5–1–1) | New Mexico State (8–0) т | Michigan State (6–2–1) | Yale (9–0) | 14. |
| 15. | Iowa | Texas (0–1) | Alabama (1–0–1) | Texas (2–1) | Alabama (2–0–1) т | Kansas (3–1–1) | Duke (4–1) т | UCLA (3–1–1) | New Mexico State (7–0) | Rice (6–2) т | New Mexico State (9–0) т | Michigan State (6–2–1) | 15. |
| 16. | Ohio State | Missouri (1–0) | UCLA (1–0–1) | UCLA (1–0–1) (1) | UCLA (1–0–1) т | Texas (3–2) | Oregon State (4–2) т | Arkansas (5–2) | Rice (5–2) | Syracuse (6–2) т | Penn State (6–3) т | Penn State (6–3) | 16. |
| 17. | Notre Dame | Pittsburgh (0–1) (1) | Navy (2–0) | Alabama (2–0–1) | Oregon State (3–1) | Auburn (3–1) | Purdue (2–2–1) т | Michigan State (3–2–1) | Syracuse (5–2) т | Yale (8–0) т | Alabama (7–1–1) т | New Mexico State (10–0) | 17. |
| 18. | Tennessee | LSU (1–0) | Minnesota (1–0) | Army (3–0) т | Arizona State (4–0) | Oregon State (4–1) | New Mexico State (6–0) | Colorado (5–1) т | Yale (7–0) т | Alabama (6–1–1) | Syracuse (7–2) т | Florida (8–2) | 18. |
| 19. | Arkansas т | Iowa (0–0) | Missouri (2–0) | Florida (3–0) т | Georgia Tech (3–1) | UCLA (1–1–1) | Kansas (4–1–1) | Utah State (7–0) т | Utah State (8–0) | Florida (7–2) т | Baylor (7–2) т | Purdue (4–4–1) т | 19. |
| 20. | Penn State т | Ohio State (0–0) | Penn State (1–0) | Baylor (2–0) | Penn State (2–1) | Rice (3–1) | | New Mexico State (7–0) | Florida (6–2) | Oregon (7–2) т | Florida (7–2) т | Syracuse (7–2) т | 20. |
| | Preseason Aug | Week 1 Sep 19 | Week 2 Sep 26 | Week 3 Oct 3 | Week 4 Oct 10 | Week 5 Oct 17 | Week 6 Oct 24 | Week 7 Oct 31 | Week 8 Nov 7 | Week 9 Nov 14 | Week 10 Nov 21 | Week 11 (Final) Nov 28 | |
| | | Dropped: ArkansasAuburnGeorgiaNotre DameOklahomaTCUTennesseeUSC | Dropped: LSUMichigan StateNebraskaOregon StatePittsburgh | Dropped: Georgia TechNorthwesternNotre DamePenn StateTennessee | Dropped: ArkansasArmyFloridaIllinoisPurdue | Dropped: AlabamaArizona StateClemsonGeorgia TechPenn State | Dropped: TexasUCLAWisconsin | Dropped: KansasOregon StatePurdue | Dropped: BaylorColorado | Dropped: PittsburghTennesseeUtah State | Dropped: OregonPurdueUCLA | Dropped: Rice | |
    A.^ Only 19 teams received votes in week 6.

## Final Coaches Poll

The final UPI Coaches Poll was released prior to the bowl games, on November 29. Minnesota received 21 of the 35 first-place votes; Mississippi received nine and Iowa five.
| Ranking | Team | Conference | Bowl |
| 1 | Minnesota | Big Ten | Lost Rose, 7–17 |
| 2 | Iowa | Big Ten | none |
| 3 | Ole Miss | SEC | Won Sugar, 14–6 |
| 4 | Missouri | Big Eight | Won Orange, 21–14 |
| 5 | Washington | AAWU | Won Rose, 17–7 |
| 6 | Navy | Independent | Lost Orange, 14–21 |
| 7 | Arkansas | Southwest | Lost Cotton, 6–7 |
| 8 | Ohio State | Big Ten | none |
| 9 | Kansas | Big Eight | none |
| 9 | Alabama | SEC | Tied Bluebonnet, 3–3 |
| 11 | Baylor | Southwest | Lost Gator, 12–13 |
| 12 | Duke | ACC | Won Cotton, 7–6 |
| 13 | Michigan State | Big Ten | none |
| 14 | Auburn | SEC | none |
| 15 | Purdue | Big Ten | none |
| 16 | Florida | SEC | Won Gator, 13–12 |
| 17 | Texas | Southwest | Tied Bluebonnet, 3–3 |
| 18 | Yale | Ivy | none |
| 18 | New Mexico State | Border | Won Sun, 20–13 |
| 18 | Tennessee | SEC | none |
* Prior to the 1975 season, the Big Ten and AAWU (later Pac-8) conferences allowed only one postseason participant each, for the Rose Bowl.
* The Ivy League has prohibited its members from participating in postseason football since the league was officially formed in 1954.

## Litkenhous Ratings

The final Litkenhous Ratings were released in December 1960. The top 30 teams according to Litkenhous were:
1. Iowa (8-1) - 112.8 2. Minnesota (8-2) - 109.0 3. Ole Miss (10-0-1) - 108.6 4. Ohio State (7-2) - 107.9 5. Missouri (11-0) - 105.9 6. Rice (7-4) - 104.8 7. Kansas (5-4-1) - 103.5 8. Michigan State (6-2-1) - 102.9 9. Purdue (4-4-1) - 102.7 10. Baylor (8-3) - 102.2 11. Michigan (5-4) - 102.1 12. Arkansas - 101.8 13. Tennessee - 100.3 14. Texas - 99.9 15. Auburn - 98.9 16. Georgia Tech - 98.9 17. Alabama - 98.2 18. Florida - 97.6 19. Kentucky - 97.3 20. LSU - 97.0 21. Syracuse - 96.7 22. Washington State - 96.7 23. UCLA - 96.6 24. Illinois - 96.4 25. Northwestern - 96.4 26. Penn State - 95.2 27. Pittsburgh - 95.2 28. Georgia - 94.8 29. Muskingum - 94.3 30. TCU (4-4-2) - 94.1