# 1979 NCAA Division I-A football rankings

Two human polls comprised the 1979 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I-A 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

| | Preseason Preseason | Week 1 Sep 10 | Week 2 Sep 17 | Week 3 Sep 24 | Week 4 Oct 1 | Week 5 Oct 8 | Week 6 Oct 15 | Week 7 Oct 22 | Week 8 Oct 29 | Week 9 Nov 5 | Week 10 Nov 12 | Week 11 Nov 19 | Week 12 Nov 26 | Week 13 Dec 3 | Week 14 (Final) Final | |
| 1. | USC (47) | USC (1–0) | USC (2–0) | USC (3–0) | USC (4–0) | USC (5–0) | Alabama (5–0) | Alabama (6–0) | Alabama (7–0) | Alabama (8–0) | Alabama (9–0) | Alabama (10–0) | Alabama (10–0) | Ohio State (11–0) | Alabama (12–0) (46) | 1. |
| 2. | Alabama (11) | Alabama (1–0) | Alabama (1–0) | Alabama (2–0) | Alabama (3–0) | Alabama (4–0) | Texas (4–0) | Nebraska (6–0) | Nebraska (7–0) | Nebraska (8–0) | Ohio State (10–0) | Ohio State (11–0) | USC (10–0–1) | Alabama (11–0) | USC (11–0–1) (21) | 2. |
| 3. | Oklahoma (4) | Oklahoma (0–0) | Oklahoma (1–0) | Oklahoma (2–0) | Oklahoma (3–0) | Oklahoma (4–0) | Nebraska (5–0) | USC (6–0–1) | USC (7–0–1) | Ohio State (9–0) | Nebraska (9–0) | Nebraska (10–0) | Ohio State (11–0) | USC (10–0–1) | Oklahoma (11–1) | 3. |
| 4. | Texas (1) | Texas (0–0) | Texas (0–0) | Texas (1–0) | Texas (2–0) | Texas (3–0) | USC (5–0–1) | Arkansas (6–0) т | Houston (7–0) | USC (8–0–1) | USC (9–0–1) | USC (9–0–1) | Florida State (11–0) | Florida State (11–0) | Ohio State (11–1) | 4. |
| 5. | Penn State | Purdue (1–0) | Notre Dame (1–0) | Missouri (3–0) | Nebraska (3–0) | Nebraska (4–0) | Houston (5–0) | Ohio State (7–0) т | Ohio State (8–0) | Houston (8–0) | Florida State (9–0) | Florida State (10–0) | Oklahoma (10–1) | Oklahoma (10–1) | Houston (11–1) | 5. |
| 6. | Purdue | Michigan (1–0) | Penn State (1–0) | Nebraska (2–0) | Houston (3–0) | Washington (5–0) | Ohio State (6–0) | Houston (6–0) | Florida State (7–0) | Oklahoma (7–1) | Texas (7–1) | Texas (8–1) | Texas (9–1) | Arkansas (10–1) | Florida State (11–1) | 6. |
| 7. | Michigan | Penn State (0–0) | Nebraska (1–0) | Michigan State (3–0) | Washington (4–0) | Houston (4–0) | Florida State (6–0) | Oklahoma (5–1) | Oklahoma (6–1) | Florida State (8–0) | Oklahoma (8–1) | Arkansas (9–1) | Nebraska (10–1) | Nebraska (10–1) | Pittsburgh (11–1) | 7. |
| 8. | Nebraska | Nebraska (0–0) | Michigan State (2–0) | Houston (2–0) | Ohio State (4–0) | Ohio State (5–0) | Oklahoma (4–1) | Florida State (6–0) | Texas (5–1) | Texas (6–1) | Arkansas (8–1) | Oklahoma (9–1) | Arkansas (10–1) | Houston (10–1) | Arkansas (10–2) | 8. |
| 9. | Notre Dame | Notre Dame (0–0) | Missouri (2–0) | Washington (3–0) | Florida State (4–0) | Florida State (5–0) | Notre Dame (4–1) | Texas (4–1) | Arkansas (6–1) | Arkansas (7–1) | Houston (8–1) | Houston (8–1) | BYU (11–0) | BYU (11–0) | Nebraska (10–2) | 9. |
| 10. | Michigan State | Michigan State (1–0) | Houston (2–0) | Purdue (2–1) | Notre Dame (2–1) | Notre Dame (3–1) | Arkansas (5–0) | Michigan (6–1) | Michigan (7–1) | Michigan (8–1) | BYU (9–0) | BYU (10–0) | Houston (9–1) | Pittsburgh (10–1) | Purdue (10–2) | 10. |
| 11. | Georgia | Missouri (1–0) | Michigan (1–1) | Michigan (2–1) | Michigan (3–1) | Michigan (4–1) | Michigan (5–1) | BYU (6–0) | BYU (7–0) | BYU (8–0) | Pittsburgh (8–1) | Pittsburgh (9–1) | Pittsburgh (10–1) | Texas (9–2) | Washington (9–3) | 11. |
| 12. | Missouri | Georgia (0–0) | Washington (2–0) | Florida State (3–0) | Purdue (3–1) | Arkansas (4–0) | Washington (5–1) | Pittsburgh (5–1) | Pittsburgh (6–1) | Pittsburgh (7–1) | Purdue (8–2) | Purdue (9–2) | Purdue (9–2) | Purdue (9–2) | Texas (9–3) | 12. |
| 13. | Stanford | Houston (1–0) | Pittsburgh (1–0) | Arkansas (2–0) | Arkansas (3–0) | LSU (3–1) | BYU (5–0) | Auburn (5–1) | Notre Dame (5–2) | Notre Dame (6–2) | Michigan (8–2) | Clemson (8–2) | Washington (8–3) | Washington (8–3) | BYU (11–1) | 13. |
| 14. | Texas A&M | Washington (1–0) | Florida State (2–0) | Ohio State (3–0) | NC State (4–0) | North Carolina (4–0) | Auburn (4–1) | Notre Dame (4–2) | Wake Forest (7–1) | Purdue (7–2) | Clemson (7–2) | Auburn (8–2)т | Auburn (8–2) | Michigan (8–3) | Baylor (8–4) | 14. |
| 15. | Washington | Ohio State (1–0) | Arkansas (1–0) | Notre Dame (1–1) | Missouri (3–1) | Missouri (3–1) | NC State (5–1) | North Carolina (5–1) | Purdue (6–2) | Washington (7–2) | Auburn (7–2) | Washington (8–3)т | Michigan (8–3) | Tulane (9–2) | North Carolina (8–3–1) | 15. |
| 16. | Houston | Pittsburgh (0–0) | Ohio State (2–0) | NC State (3–0) | Michigan State (3–1) | BYU (4–0) | Purdue (4–2) | Purdue (5–2) | Washington (6–2) | Auburn (6–2) | Washington (7–3) | Michigan (8–3) | Tulane (9–2) | South Carolina (8–3) | Auburn (8–3) | 16. |
| 17. | Pittsburgh | Arkansas (0–0) | Purdue (1–1) | UCLA (2–1) | LSU (2–1) | NC State (4–1) | Pittsburgh (4–1) | Navy (6–0) | Tennessee (4–2) | Baylor (6–2) | Wake Forest (8–2) | Baylor (7–3) | South Carolina (8–3) | Auburn (8–3) | Temple (10–2) | 17. |
| 18. | Arizona State | Florida State (1–0) | SMU (2–0) | Penn State (1–1) | North Carolina (3–0) | Auburn (3–1) | Tennessee (4–1) | Wake Forest (6–1) | North Carolina (5–1–1) | Clemson (6–2) | Temple (8–1) | Tulane (8–2) | Clemson (8–3) | Clemson (8–3) | Michigan (8–4) | 18. |
| 19. | Florida State | NC State (1–0) | NC State (2–0) | SMU (3–0) | Tennessee (3–0) | Michigan State (3–2) | North Carolina (4–1) | Tennessee (4–2) | Penn State (5–2) | South Carolina (6–2) | Tennessee (5–3) | South Carolina (7–3) | Penn State (7–4) | Baylor (7–4) | Indiana (8–4) | 19. |
| 20. | Arkansas | SMU (1–0) | UCLA (1–1) | LSU (2–0) | BYU (3–0) | Purdue (3–2) | Navy (5–0) | Washington (5–2) | Auburn (5–2) | Wake Forest (7–2) | Baylor (6–3) тTulane (8–2) т | Penn State (7–3) | Baylor (7–4) | Temple (9–2) | Penn State (8–4) | 20. |
| | Preseason Preseason | Week 1 Sep 10 | Week 2 Sep 17 | Week 3 Sep 24 | Week 4 Oct 1 | Week 5 Oct 8 | Week 6 Oct 15 | Week 7 Oct 22 | Week 8 Oct 29 | Week 9 Nov 5 | Week 10 Nov 12 | Week 11 Nov 19 | Week 12 Nov 26 | Week 13 Dec 3 | Week 14 (Final) Final | |
| | | Dropped: StanfordTexas A&MHoustonArizona State | Dropped: Georgia | Dropped: Pittsburgh | Dropped: UCLAPenn StateSMU | Dropped: Tennessee | Dropped: LSUMissouriMichigan State | Dropped: NC State | Dropped: Navy | Dropped: TennesseeNorth CarolinaPenn State | Dropped: Notre DameSouth Carolina | Dropped: Wake ForestTempleTennessee | None | Dropped: Penn State | Dropped: TulaneSouth CarolinaClemson | |

## Coaches Poll

| | Preseason | Week 1 Sep 8 | Week 2 Sep 15 | Week 3 Sep 22 | Week 4 Sep 29 | Week 5 Oct 6 | Week 6 Oct 13 | Week 7 Oct 20 | Week 8 Oct 27 | Week 9 Nov 3 | Week 10 Nov 10 | Week 11 Nov 17 | Week 12 Nov 24 | Week 13 Dec 1 | Week 14 (Final) Jan 3 | |
| 1. | USC (22) | USC (1–0) (24) | USC (2–0) (33) | USC (3–0) (32) | USC (4–0) (27) | USC (5–0) (25) | Alabama (5–0) (28) | Alabama (6–0) (36) | Alabama (7–0) (33) | Alabama (8–0) (33) | Alabama (9–0) (29) | Alabama (10–0) (32) | Alabama (10–0) (25) | Alabama (11–0) (22) | Alabama (12–0) (28) | 1. |
| 2. | Oklahoma (2) | Alabama (1–0) (9) | Alabama (1–0) (5) | Alabama (2–0) (4) | Alabama (3–0) (11) | Alabama (4–0) (8) | Texas (5–0) (9) | Nebraska (6–0) (4) | Nebraska (7–0) (6) | Nebraska (8–0) (5) | Nebraska (9–0) (3) | Nebraska (10–0) (2) | USC (10–0–1) (4) | USC (10–0–1) (4) | USC (11–0–1) (9) | 2. |
| 3. | Alabama (4) | Oklahoma (0–0) (3) | Oklahoma (1–0) | Oklahoma (2–0) | Oklahoma (3–0) | Oklahoma (4–0) | Nebraska (5–0) (4) | USC (6–0–1) (2) | Ohio State (8–0) | USC (8–0–1) (3) | Ohio State (10–0) (5) | Ohio State (11–0) (5) | Ohio State (11–0) (3) | Ohio State (11–0) (3) | Oklahoma (11–1) (1) | 3. |
| 4. | Texas (4) | Texas (0–0) (1) | Texas (0–0) (1) | Texas (1–0) (2) | Texas (2–0) (2) | Nebraska (4–0) (1) | USC (5–0–1) | Houston (6–0) | Houston (7–0) (1) | Houston (8–0) (1) | USC (9–0–1) (4) | USC (9–0–1) (3) | Oklahoma (10–1) | Florida State (11–0) | Ohio State (11–1) | 4. |
| 5. | Penn State (1) | Michigan (1–0) | Notre Dame (1–0) | Nebraska (2–0) | Nebraska (3–0) (1) | Texas (3–0) (1) | Houston (5–0) | Arkansas (6–0) | USC (7–0–1) | Ohio State (9–0) | Florida State (9–0) (1) | Florida State (10–0) | Florida State (11–0) | Oklahoma (10–1) | Houston (11–1) | 5. |
| 6. | Michigan | Penn State (0–0) | Penn State (1–0) | Michigan State (3–0) | Houston (3–0) | Houston (4–0) | Ohio State (6–0) | Ohio State (7–0) | Florida State (7–0) | Florida State (8–0) | Texas (7–1) | Texas (8–1) | Texas (9–1) | Houston (10–1) | Pittsburgh (11–1) | 6. |
| 7. | Nebraska | Purdue (1–0) (1) | Nebraska (1–0) | Missouri (3–0) | Washington (4–0) | Washington (5–0) | Florida State (6–0) | Florida State (6–0) | Oklahoma (6–1) | Oklahoma (8–1) | Oklahoma (8–1) | Oklahoma (9–1) | Arkansas (10–1) | Arkansas (10–1) | Nebraska (10–2) | 7. |
| 8. | Purdue (1) | Nebraska (0–0) | Michigan State (2–0) | Houston (2–0) | Ohio State (4–0) | Ohio State (5–0) | Oklahoma (4–1) | Texas (4–1) | Texas (5–1) | Texas (6–1) | Houston (8–1) | Arkansas (9–1) | Nebraska (10–1) | Nebraska (10–1) | Florida State (11–1) | 8. |
| 9. | Notre Dame | Houston (1–0) | Houston (2–0) | Washington (3–0) | Notre Dame (2–1) | Notre Dame (3–1) | Notre Dame (4–1) | Oklahoma (5–1) | Arkansas (6–1) | Arkansas (7–1) | Arkansas (8–1) | Houston (8–1) | Houston (9–1) | BYU (11–0) | Arkansas (10–2) | 9. |
| 10. | Michigan State | Michigan State (1–0) | Washington (2–0) | Florida State (3–0) | Florida State (4–0) | Florida State (5–0) | Arkansas (5–0) | Michigan (6–1) | Michigan (7–1) | Michigan (8–1) | BYU (9–0) | BYU (10–0) | BYU (11–0) (1) | Pittsburgh (10–1) | Purdue (10–2) | 10. |
| 11. | Houston | Notre Dame (0–0) | Missouri (2–0) | Ohio State (3–0) | Arkansas (3–0) | Michigan (4–1) | Michigan (5–1) | BYU (6–0) | BYU (7–0) | BYU (8–0) | Pittsburgh (8–1) | Pittsburgh (9–1) | Pittsburgh (9–1) | Texas (9–2) | Washington (10–2) | 11. |
| 12. | Missouri | Missouri (1–0) | Michigan (1–1) | Purdue (2–1) | Michigan (3–1) | LSU (3–1) | Washington (5–1) | Pittsburgh (5–1) | Pittsburgh (6–1) | Pittsburgh (7–1) | Purdue (8–2) | Purdue (9–2) | Purdue (9–2) | Purdue (9–2) | BYU (11–1) | 12. |
| 13. | Washington | Washington (1–0) | Pittsburgh (1–0) | Michigan (2–1) | Purdue (3–1) | Arkansas (4–0) | BYU (4–1) | North Carolina (5–1) | Notre Dame (5–2) | Notre Dame (6–2) | Michigan (8–2) | Clemson (8–2) | Washington (9–2) | Washington (9–2) | Texas (9–3) | 13. |
| 14. | Georgia | Georgia (0–0) | Florida State (2–0) | Arkansas (2–0) | LSU (2–1) | North Carolina (4–0) | Pittsburgh (4–1) | Navy (6–0) | Wake Forest (7–1) | Washington (7–2) | Clemson (7–2) | Washington (9–2) | Michigan (8–3) | Michigan (8–3) | North Carolina (8–3–1) | 14. |
| 15. | Florida State | Pittsburgh (0–0) | Ohio State (2–0) | LSU (2–0) | NC State (4–0) | Missouri (3–1) | Purdue (4–2) | Notre Dame (4–2) | Washington (6–2) | Purdue (7–2) | Washington (7–3) | Michigan (8–3) | Tulane (9–2) | Tulane (9–2) | Baylor (8–4) | 15. |
| 16. | Pittsburgh | Ohio State (1–0) | Arkansas (1–0) | Notre Dame (1–1) | North Carolina (3–0) | BYU (4–0) | Navy (5–0) | Purdue (5–2) | Purdue (6–2) | Baylor (6–2) | Temple (8–1) | Baylor (7–3) | South Carolina (8–3) | South Carolina (8–3) | Indiana (8–4) | 16. |
| 17. | Arkansas | Arkansas (0–0) | LSU (1–0) | UCLA (2–1) | Missouri (3–1) | Pittsburgh (3–1) | NC State (5–1) | LSU (4–2) | North Carolina (5–1–1) | Clemson (6–2) | Wake Forest (8–2) | Tulane (8–2) | Clemson (8–3) | Clemson (8–3) | Temple (10–2) | 17. |
| 18. | Ohio State | Florida State (1–0) | UCLA (1–1) | Penn State (1–1) | Michigan State (3–1) | Navy (4–0) | North Carolina (4–1) | Wake Forest (6–1) | Baylor (6–2) | Temple (7–1) | Tennessee (5–3) | LSU (6–4) | Baylor (7–4) | Temple (9–2) | Penn State (8–4) | 18. |
| 19. | UCLA | NC State (1–0) | BYU (2–0) | NC State (3–0) | Tennessee (3–0) | NC State (4–1) | Tennessee (4–1) | Penn State (4–2) | Penn State (5–2) | Wake Forest (7–2) | Indiana (7–3) | Indiana (7–4) | Temple (9–2) | Baylor (7–4) | Michigan (8–4) | 19. |
| 20. | Texas A&M | BYU (1–0) | NC State (2–0) | North Carolina (2–0) | BYU (3–0) | Mississippi State (2–2) | LSU (3–2) | Baylor (5–2) | LSU (4–3) | LSU (5–3) | Baylor (6–3) | NC State (7–4) | Penn State (7–3) | Penn State (7–4) | Missouri (7–5) | 20. |
| | Preseason | Week 1 Sep 8 | Week 2 Sep 15 | Week 3 Sep 22 | Week 4 Sep 29 | Week 5 Oct 6 | Week 6 Oct 13 | Week 7 Oct 20 | Week 8 Oct 27 | Week 9 Nov 3 | Week 10 Nov 10 | Week 11 Nov 17 | Week 12 Nov 24 | Week 13 Dec 1 | Week 14 (Final) Jan 3 | |
| | | Dropped: UCLATexas A&M | Dropped: PurdueGeorgia | Dropped: PittsburghBYU | Dropped: UCLAPenn State | Dropped: PurdueMichigan StateTennessee | Dropped: MissouriMississippi State | Dropped: WashingtonNC StateTennessee | Dropped: Navy | Dropped: North CarolinaPenn State | Dropped: Notre DameLSU | Dropped: TempleWake ForestTennessee | Dropped: LSUIndianaNC State | None | Dropped: TulaneSouth CarolinaClemson | |