# 1950 college football rankings

Two human polls and several math systems comprised the 1950 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

This was the first season that the AP released a preseason poll before any games were played in August. The final AP Poll was released on November 27, near the end of the 1950 regular season, weeks before the major bowls. The AP would not release a post-bowl season final poll regularly until 1968.
| | Preseason Aug | Week 1 Oct 2 | Week 2 Oct 9 | Week 3 Oct 16 | Week 4 Oct 23 | Week 5 Oct 30 | Week 6 Nov 6 | Week 7 Nov 13 | Week 8 Nov 20 | Week 9 (Final) Nov 27 | |
| 1. | Notre Dame (101) | Notre Dame (1–0) (63) | Army (2–0) (115) | Army (3–0) (124) | SMU (5–0) (96) | SMU (5–0) (153) | Army (6–0) (88) | Ohio State (6–1) (66) | Oklahoma (8–0) (173) | Oklahoma (10–0) (213) | 1. |
| 2. | Army (7) | Michigan State (2–0) (32) | SMU (3–0) (53) | Oklahoma (3–0) (47) | Army (4–0) (84) | Army (5–0) (34) | Ohio State (5–1) (94) | Oklahoma (7–0) (63) | Army (8–0) (36) | Army (8–1) (38) | 2. |
| 3. | Michigan (3) | SMU (2–0) (28) | Oklahoma (2–0) (29) | SMU (4–0) (63) | Oklahoma (4–0) (35) | Oklahoma (5–0) (25) | Oklahoma (6–0) (48) | Army (7–0) (72) | Kentucky (10–0) (55) | Texas (8–1) (4) | 3. |
| 4. | Tennessee (1) | Army (1–0) (29) | Texas (2–0) (9) | Kentucky (5–0) (9) | Kentucky (6–0) (15) | Ohio State (4–1) (30) | Kentucky (8–0) (35) | California (8–0) (36) | California (9–0) (20) | Tennessee (9–1) (15) | 4. |
| 5. | Texas (7) | Oklahoma (1–0) (17) | Kentucky (4–0) (11) | California (4–0) (1) | California (5–0) (2) | Kentucky (7–0) (17) | Texas (5–1) (11) | Kentucky (9–0) (43) | Texas (7–1) (6) | California (9–0–1) (8) | 5. |
| 6. | Oklahoma (3) | Kentucky (3–0) (5) | Stanford (3–0) (4) | Stanford (4–0) | Ohio State (3–1) (2) | California (6–0) (2) | California (7–0) (14) | Texas (6–1) (10) | Illinois (7–1) (14) | Princeton (9–0) (6) | 6. |
| 7. | Stanford | Texas (1–0) (2) | California (3–0) (2) | Texas (2–1) | Texas (3–1) | Texas (4–1) | SMU (5–1) (2) | Princeton (7–0) (3) | Princeton (8–0) (8) | Kentucky (10–1) (7) | 7. |
| 8. | Illinois (1) | Stanford (2–0) (3) | Maryland (2–1) (8) | Maryland (3–1) (5) | Tennessee (4–1) | Miami (FL) (5–0) (12) | Princeton (6–0) (4) | Illinois (6–1) (1) | Ohio State (6–2) | Michigan State (8–1) (3) | 8. |
| 9. | Cornell | California (2–0) (2) | Purdue (1–1) (1) | Ohio State (2–1) | Northwestern (4–0) | Princeton (5–0) (2) | Miami (FL) (6–0) (8) | Tennessee (7–1) | Tennessee (8–1) (2) | Michigan (5–3–1) | 9. |
| 10. | SMU | Washington (2–0) | Notre Dame (1–1) (1) | Washington (4–0) (5) | Cornell (4–0) (2) | Illinois (4–1) | Illinois (5–1) | Michigan State (7–1) (3) | Michigan State (8–1) (4) | Clemson (8–0–1) (9) | 10. |
| 11. | Ohio State | North Carolina (1–1) (1) | Washington (3–0) (2) | Notre Dame (2–1) | Miami (FL) (4–0) (8) | Tennessee (5–1) | Tennessee (6–1) | Clemson (6–0–1) (7) | Clemson (7–0–1) (7) | Washington (8–2) (4) | 11. |
| 12. | USC | Alabama (2–0) (2) | Ohio State (1–1) | Clemson (3–0) (4) | Illinois (3–1) (1) | Washington (5–1) | Michigan State (6–1) | Texas A&M (6–2) (1) | Wyoming (8–0) (3) | Wyoming (9–0) (4) | 12. |
| 13. | Kentucky | UCLA (2–0) | Clemson (3–0) (4) | Vanderbilt (4–0) | Texas A&M (4–1) | Michigan State (5–1) | Clemson (5–0–1) (7) | Wyoming (8–0) (2) | Penn (6–2) | Illinois (7–2) | 13. |
| 14. | California | Duke (2–0) | Tennessee (2–1) | Miami (FL) (3–0) (14) | Michigan (2–2) | Clemson (4–0–1) (3) | Wyoming (7–0) (2) | SMU (5–2) | Miami (FL) (7–0–1) (1) | Ohio State (6–3) | 14. |
| 15. | Maryland | Illinois (1–0) (1) | Rice (2–0) (1) т | Rice (3–0) | Michigan State (4–1) | Penn (4–1) | Wisconsin (5–1) | Wisconsin (6–1) | SMU (6–2) | Miami (FL) (8–0–1) (1) | 15. |
| 16. | Duke | Cornell (1–0) | Wisconsin (2–0) т | Wisconsin (3–0) | Clemson (3–0–1) | Maryland (4–2) | Nebraska (4–1–1) | Wake Forest (5–1–1) | Nebraska (6–1–1) (2) | Ohio (8–2) (1) | 16. |
| 17. | Missouri | Iowa (1–0) (2) | Cornell (2–0) (2) | Cornell (3–0) (2) | Wake Forest (4–0–1) | Florida (5–1) | Washington (5–2) | Miami (FL) (6–0–1) | Alabama (7–2) | Nebraska (6–2–1) (2) | 17. |
| 18. | Minnesota | Clemson (2–0) (3) | Michigan (1–1) | Tennessee (3–1) | UCLA (3–2) | Wyoming (6–0) (2) | Maryland (5–2) | Nebraska (5–1–1) (1) | Washington (7–2) | Washington & Lee (8–2) (2) | 18. |
| 19. | Michigan State | Michigan (0–1) | Vanderbilt (3–0) | Wake Forest (3–0–1) (1) | Indiana (2–1–1) | UCLA (4–2) | Kansas (5–2) т | Washington (6–2) | Washington & Lee (7–2) (1) | Tulsa (8–1–1) | 19. |
| 20. | North Carolina | Penn (1–0) | Michigan State (2–1) | Northwestern (3–0) | Florida (4–1) (1) | Wisconsin (4–1) | Lehigh (7–0) тUCLA (5–2) т | Penn (5–2) | Loyola Marymount (7–0) (1) | Tulane (6–2) | 20. |
| | Preseason Aug | Week 1 Oct 2 | Week 2 Oct 9 | Week 3 Oct 16 | Week 4 Oct 23 | Week 5 Oct 30 | Week 6 Nov 6 | Week 7 Nov 13 | Week 8 Nov 20 | Week 9 (Final) Nov 27 | |
| | | Dropped: MarylandMinnesotaMissouriOhio StatePrincetonTennesseeUSC | Dropped: AlabamaDukeIllinoisIowaNorth CarolinaPennUCLA | Dropped: MichiganMichigan StatePurdue | Dropped: MarylandNotre DameRiceStanfordVanderbiltWashingtonWisconsin | Dropped: CornellIndianaMichiganNorthwesternTexas A&MWake Forest | Dropped: FloridaPenn | Dropped: KansasLehighMarylandUCLA | Dropped: Texas A&MWake ForestWisconsin | Dropped: Loyola MarymountPennSMU | |

## Coaches Poll

This was the first year for the UP Coaches Poll, and its final edition was released prior to the bowl games, on December 5. Oklahoma received 32 of the 35 first-place votes, with one vote each to Princeton, Michigan State, and Wyoming.
| Ranking | Team | Conference | Bowl |
| 1 | Oklahoma | Big Seven | Lost Sugar, 7–13 |
| 2 | Texas | Southwest | Lost Cotton, 14–20 |
| 3 | Tennessee | SEC | Won Cotton, 20–14 |
| 4 | California | Pacific Coast | Lost Rose, 6–14 |
| 5 | Army | Independent | none |
| 6 | Michigan | Big Ten | Won Rose, 14–6 |
| 7 | Kentucky | SEC | Won Sugar, 13–7 |
| 8 | Princeton | Independent | none |
| 9 | Michigan State | Independent | none |
| 10 | Ohio State | Big Ten | none |
| 11 | Illinois | Big Ten | none |
| 12 | Clemson | Southern | Won Orange, 15–14 |
| 13 | Miami (FL) | Independent | Lost Orange, 14–15 |
| 14 | Wyoming | Skyline | Won Gator, 20–7 |
| 15 | Baylor | Southwest | none |
| 15 | Washington | Pacific Coast | none |
| 17 | Alabama | SEC | none |
| 18 | Washington & Lee | Southern | none |
| 19 | Navy | Independent | none |
| 20 | Cornell | Independent | none |
| 20 | Nebraska | Big Seven | none |
| 20 | Wisconsin | Big Ten | none |

## Litkenhous Ratings

The Litkenhous Ratings released in mid-December 1950 provided numerical rankings to over 600 college football programs. The top 100 ranked teams were:
1. Oklahoma 2. Tennessee 3. Texas 4. Kentucky 5. Army 6. Texas A&M 7. Clemson 8. Illinois 9. Tulane 10. Alabama 11. Ohio State 12. California 13. Princeton 14. Penn 15. Michigan State 16. Michigan 17. Baylor 18. UCLA 19. Wisconsin 20. SMU 21. Washington 22. Tulsa 23. Stanford 24. Pacific 25. Miami (FL) 26. LSU 27. Arkansas 28. San Francisco 29. Wyoming 30. Northwestern 31. TCU 32. Mississippi State 33. Maryland 34. Rice 35. Loyola-Los Angeles 36. John Carroll 37. Wake Forest 38. Miami (OH) 39. Ole Miss 40. Georgia 41. Nebraska 42. Cornell 43. Kansas 44. Indiana 45. Vanderbilt 46. Duke 47. Notre Dame 48. Marquette 49. Xavier 50. Navy 51. Virginia 52. Lehigh 53. Purdue 54. Georgia Tech 55. Washington & Lee 56. Cincinnati 57. North Carolina 58. Colorado 59. Texas Tech 60. Iowa 61. Santa Clara 62. Hardin Simmons 63. Missouri 64. Minnesota 65. St. Bonaventure 66. Villanova 67. Syracuse 68. South Carolina 69. USC 70. Detroit 71. Dartmouth 72. Houston 73. Arizona State 74. Florida 75. West Texas 76. San Jose State 77. Drake 78. Colgate 79. Holy Cross 80. Oregon State 81. Penn State 82. Iowa State 83. Rutgers 84. Oklahoma A&M 85. Washington State 86. Pittsburgh 87. Yale 88. North Texas 89. Columbia 90. Fordham 91. Memphis State 92. Georgetown 93. George Washington 94. Dayton 95. Baldwin Wallace 96. Oregon 97. Temple 98. William & Mary 99. Abilene Christian 100. Bucknell

## Williamson System

The Williamson System rankings for 1950 were as follows:
1. Oklahoma 2. Texas 3. Princeton 4. Tennessee 5. California 6. Kentucky 7. Michigan State 8. Army 9. Clemson 10. Miami (FL) 11. Illinois 12. Wyoming 13. Baylor 14. Alabama 15. Michigan 16. Washington 17. Cornell 18. Wake Forest 19. SMU 20. Penn 21. Ohio State 22. Wisconsin 23. Tulane 24. Nebraska 25. Maryland 26. Northwestern 27. Duke 28. UCLA 29. Virginia 30. Indiana 31. Mississippi State 32. Rice 33. Texas A&M 34. Stanford 35. Georgia Tech 36. LSU 37. Georgia 38. Iowa 39. Washington & Lee 40. USC 41. Notre Dame 42. North Carolina 43. Loyola-Los Angeles 44. Miami (OH) 45. South Carolina 46. Fordham 47. San Francisco 48. Navy 49. Yale 50. Ole Miss 51. Lehigh 52. Colgate 53. TCU 54. Tulsa 55. Florida 56. Cincinnati 57. Missouri 58. Vanderbilt 59. West Texas 60. Xavier 61. St. Bonaventure 62. Hardin Simmons 63. John Carroll 64.
65. Syracuse 66.
67. George Washington 68. Kansas 69. Marquette 70. Detroit 71. Penn State 72. Pittsburgh 73. Oklahoma A&M 74. Minnesota 75. Arkansas 76. Texas Tech 77. Washington State 78. Colorado 79. Arizona State 80. Pacific 81. Emory & Henry 82. VMI 83.
84. Appalachian 85. Houston 86. Texas Western 87. Rutgers 88. Dartmouth 89. Memphis State 90. Arizona 91. Wichita 92. Drake 93. 94. 95. Oregon State 96. Iowa State 97. 98. Florida State 99. Furman 100. Santa Clara 101. Purdue 102. Colorado A&M 103. Villanova 104. Columbia 105. Georgetown 106. Jacksonville State 107. Holy Cross 108. William & Mary 109. Sul Ross 110. NC State

## HBCU rankings

The Pittsburgh Courier, a leading African American newspaper, ranked the top 1950 teams from historically black colleges and universities using the Dickinson System in an era when college football was largely segregated. The rankings were published on December 2:
* 1. Florida A&M (8–1–1)
* 2. Southern (10–0–1)
* 3. Maryland State (8–0)
* 4. Tennessee A&I (9–2)
* 5. Langston (8–1)
* 6. North Carolina A&T (7–2–1), Alcorn (8–2)
* 8. Morgan State (6–0–2)
* 9. North Carolina College (7–2), St. Augustine's (8–1)
* 11. West Virginia State (5–3–1)
* 12. Wilberforce State (6–4)
* 13. Xavier (LA) (7–1)
* 14. Philander Smith (6–1–1)
* 15. Fort Valley State (7–3)
* 16. Bluefield State (5–3–1), Grambling (5–4–1)
* 18. Prairie View A&M (6–4), Fisk (5–2)
* 20. Benedict (5–2–1)
* 21. Bethune-Cookman (4–2–1)
* 22. Bishop (6–3)
* 23. Morris Brown (6–3)
* 24. Mississippi Industrial (6–2)
* 25. LeMoyne-Owen (4–3), Howard (5–3–1)
* 27. Virginia Union (4–4)
* 28. Kentucky State (4–4–1)
* 29. Winston-Salem State (3–3–1)
* 30. Allen (3–3)
The Associated Negro Press also published rankings on December 16:
* 1. Southern (10–0–1)
* 2. Maryland State (8–0)
* 3. Florida A&M (8–1–1)
* 4. Langston (8–1)
* 5. Tennessee A&I (9–2)
* 6. North Carolina A&T (7–2–1)
* 7. Morgan State (6–0–2)
* 8. Wilberforce State (6–4)
* 9. North Carolina College (7–2)
* 10. Alcorn (8–2)
* 11. Xavier (LA) (7–1)
* 12. West Virginia State (5–3–1)
* 13. Bishop (6–3)
* 14. St. Augustine's (8–1)
* 15. Morris Brown (6–3)
* 16. Jackson State (7–2)
* 17. Fort Valley State (7–3)
* 18. Bluefield State (5–3–1)
* 19. Prairie View A&M (6–4)
* 20. Fisk (5–2)
* 21. Benedict (5–2–1)
* 22. Allen (3–3)
* 23. Virginia Union (4–4)
* 24. LeMoyne-Owen (4–3)
* 25. Howard (5–3–1)
* 26. Lincoln (PA) (3–3–1)
* 27. Philander Smith (6–1–1)
* 28. Grambling (5–4–1)
* 29. Mississippi Industrial (6–2)
* 30. Bethune-Cookman (4–2–1)