# 1974 NCAA Division I football rankings

Two human polls comprised the 1974 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I 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 Aug | Week 1 Sep 9 | Week 2 Sep 16 | Week 3 Sep 23 | Week 4 Sep 30 | Week 5 Oct 7 | Week 6 Oct 14 | Week 7 Oct 21 | Week 8 Oct 28 | Week 9 Nov 4 | Week 10 Nov 11 | Week 11 Nov 18 | Week 12 Nov 25 | Week 13 Dec 2 | Week 14 (Final) Jan | |
| 1. | Oklahoma (23) | Oklahoma (0–0) (22) | Notre Dame (1–0) (19) | Ohio State (2–0) (23) | Ohio State (3–0) (25 1⁄5) | Ohio State (4–0) (33) | Ohio State (5–0) (51) | Ohio State (6–0) (50) | Ohio State (7–0) (45) | Ohio State (8–0) (49) | Oklahoma (8–0) (48) | Oklahoma (9–0) (45) | Oklahoma (10–0) (49) | Oklahoma (11–0) (49) | Oklahoma (11–0) (51) | 1. |
| 2. | Ohio State (14) | Notre Dame (1–0) (17) | Ohio State (1–0) (17) | Notre Dame (2–0) (26) | Oklahoma (2–0) (24 1⁄5) | Oklahoma (3–0) (24) | Oklahoma (4–0) (5) | Oklahoma (5–0) (8) | Oklahoma (6–0) (14) | Oklahoma (7–0) (10) | Alabama (9–0) (10) | Alabama (10–0) (9) | Alabama (10–0) (10) | Alabama (11–0) (12) | USC (10–1–1) (6) | 2. |
| 3. | Notre Dame (13) | Alabama (0–0) (5) | Oklahoma (1–0) (18) | Oklahoma (1–0) (8) | Alabama (3–0) (3 1⁄5) | Alabama (4–0) (1) | Michigan (5–0) (1) | Michigan (6–0) (1) | Michigan (7–0) (2) | Alabama (8–0) (2) | Michigan (9–0) (4) | Michigan (10–0) (8) | Ohio State (10–1) | Ohio State (10–1) | Michigan (10–1) (2) | 3. |
| 4. | Alabama (6) | Ohio State (0–0) (9) | Nebraska (1–0) (10) | Alabama (2–0) (4) | Michigan (3–0) (4 1⁄5) | Michigan (4–0) (2) | Alabama (5–0) (1) | Alabama (6–0) (1) | Alabama (7–0) (1) | Michigan (8–0) (1) | Ohio State (8–1) | Ohio State (9–1) | Michigan (10–1) | Michigan (10–1) | Ohio State (10–2) | 4. |
| 5. | USC (1) | USC (0–0) (1) | Alabama (1–0) (4) | Michigan (2–0) | Texas A&M (3–0) (1 1⁄5) | Nebraska (3–1) | Auburn (5–0) (1) | Auburn (6–0) (1) | Auburn (7–0) (1) | Texas A&M (7–1) | Notre Dame (7–1) | Notre Dame (8–1) | Notre Dame (9–1) | USC (9–1–1) | Alabama (11–1) | 5. |
| 6. | Michigan (1) | Michigan (0–0) | Michigan (1–0) | Texas (2–0) | Nebraska (2–1) | Notre Dame (3–1) | USC (3–1) | USC (4–1) | USC (5–1) | Florida (7–1) | Nebraska (7–2) | Nebraska (8–2) | USC (8–1–1) | Auburn (9–2) | Notre Dame (10–2) | 6. |
| 7. | Nebraska | Nebraska (0–0) | LSU (1–0) | Arizona State (2–0) | Notre Dame (2–1) | USC (2–1) | Notre Dame (4–1) | Notre Dame (5–1) | Notre Dame (6–1) | Penn State (7–1) | Auburn (8–1) | Auburn (9–1) | Auburn (9–1) | Penn State (9–2) | Penn State (10–2) | 7. |
| 8. | Penn State | Penn State (0–0) | Penn State (1–0) | Pittsburgh (2–0) | NC State (3–0) | Florida (4–0) | Texas A&M (4–1) | Texas A&M (5–1) | Texas A&M (6–1) | Notre Dame (7–1) | USC (6–1–1) | USC (7–1–1) | Texas A&M (8–2) | Nebraska (8–3) | Auburn (10–2) (1) | 8. |
| 9. | LSU | LSU (0–0) | Texas (1–0) | Texas A&M (2–0) | USC (1–1) | Texas Tech (3–0–1) | Arizona (5–0) | Nebraska (4–2) | Nebraska (5–2) | Nebraska (6–2) | Florida (7–2) | Texas A&M (8–2) | Nebraska (8–3) | Notre Dame (9–2) | Nebraska (9–3) | 9. |
| 10. | Texas | Texas (0–0) | Arkansas (1–0) | Nebraska (1–1) | Texas Tech (2–0–1) | Auburn (4–0) (1) | NC State (5–0) | Penn State (5–1) | Penn State (6–1) | Auburn (7–1) | Texas A&M (7–2) | Penn State (8–2) | Penn State (8–2) | Maryland (8–3) | Miami (OH) (10–0–1) | 10. |
| 11. | Houston | Arizona State (1–0) | Arizona State (1–0) | Wisconsin (2–0) | Auburn (3–0) | NC State (4–0) | Penn State (4–1) | Texas Tech (4–1–1) | Florida (6–1) | USC (5–1–1) | Penn State (7–2) | Maryland (7–3) | Maryland (8–3) | Texas (8–3) | NC State (9–2–1) | 11. |
| 12. | UCLA | UCLA (0–0–1) | UCLA (0–0–1) | Oklahoma State (2–0) | Arizona (3–0) | Arizona (4–0) | Nebraska (3–2) | Florida (5–1) | Texas (5–2) | Texas (6–2) | Miami (OH) (8–0–1) | Miami (OH) (9–0–1) | Miami (OH) (9–0–1) | Baylor (8–3) | Michigan State (7–3–1) | 12. |
| 13. | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh (0–0) | USC (0–1) | NC State (2–0) | Florida (3–0) | Wisconsin (3–1) | Kansas (4–1) | Texas (4–2) | Texas Tech (5–1–1) | Miami (OH) (7–0–1) | Maryland (6–3) | NC State (8–2) | NC State (9–2) | NC State (9–2) | Maryland (8–4) | 13. |
| 14. | Maryland | Maryland (0–0) | Maryland (0–1) | Tennessee (1–0–1) | Illinois (3–0) | Arkansas (3–1) | Florida (4–1) | Arizona State (4–1) | Arizona State (5–1) | Maryland (5–3) | Houston (6–2) | Michigan State (6–3–1) | Michigan State (7–3–1) | Michigan State (7–3–1) | Baylor (8–4) | 14. |
| 15. | Arizona State | Tennessee (0–0) | NC State (1–0) т | Arizona (2–0) | Penn State (2–1) | Penn State (3–1) | Arizona State (3–1) | Maryland (4–2) | Maryland (5–2) | Houston (6–2) | Michigan State (5–3–1) | Houston (7–2) | Houston (8–2) | Miami (OH) (9–0–1) | Florida (8–4) | 15. |
| 16. | Tennessee | NC State (0–0) | Pittsburgh (1–0) т | Illinois (2–0) | Miami (FL) (2–0) | Texas A&M (3–1) | Texas (3–2) | Arizona (5–1) | Miami (OH) (6–0–1) | Arizona State (5–2) | NC State (7–2) | Baylor (6–3) | Baylor (7–3) | Texas A&M (8–3) | Texas A&M (8–3) | 16. |
| 17. | Arizona | Arizona (0–0) | Arizona (1–0) т | LSU (1–1) | Pittsburgh (2–1) | Texas (3–1) | Texas Tech (3–1–1) | NC State (5–1) | Mississippi State (6–1) | Oklahoma State (4–3) | Pittsburgh (7–2) | Texas (7–3) | Texas (7–3) | BYU (7–3–1) | Mississippi State (9–3) т | 17. |
| 18. | NC State | Missouri (0–0) | Tennessee (0–0–1) т | USC (0–1) | Arizona State (2–1) | Arizona State (3–1) | Maryland (3–2) | Tulane (5–0) | UCLA (4–1–2) | California (5–2–1) | Oklahoma State (5–3) | Pittsburgh (7–3) | Pittsburgh (7–3) | Florida (8–3) | Texas (8–4) т | 18. |
| 19. | Arkansas | Houston (0–1) | Houston (1–1) т | Penn State (1–1) | Texas (2–1) | Kansas (3–1) | Miami (OH) (4–0–1) | Miami (OH) (5–0–1) | Temple (6–0) | Pittsburgh (6–2) т | California (6–2–1) | California (7–2–1) | Wisconsin (7–4) | Arizona (9–2) | Houston (8–3–1) | 19. |
| 20. | Texas A&M | Arkansas (0–0) тStanford (0–0) т | Stanford (0–1) т | Miami (FL) (1–0) | Arkansas (2–1) | Miami (OH) (3–0–1) | Tulane (4–0) | California (5–1) | San Diego State (5–1) тWisconsin (4–3) т | Texas Tech (5–2–1) т | Texas Tech (6–2–1) | Florida (7–3) | BYU (7–3–1) | Pittsburgh (7–4) тWisconsin (7–4) т | Tennessee (7–3–2) | 20. |
| | Preseason Aug | Week 1 Sep 9 | Week 2 Sep 16 | Week 3 Sep 23 | Week 4 Sep 30 | Week 5 Oct 7 | Week 6 Oct 14 | Week 7 Oct 21 | Week 8 Oct 28 | Week 9 Nov 4 | Week 10 Nov 11 | Week 11 Nov 18 | Week 12 Nov 25 | Week 13 Dec 2 | Week 14 (Final) Jan | |
| | | Dropped: Texas A&M | Dropped: Missouri | Dropped: ArkansasHoustonMarylandStanfordUCLA | Dropped: LSUOklahoma StateTennesseeWisconsin | Dropped: IllinoisMiami (FL)Pittsburgh | Dropped: ArkansasWisconsin | Dropped: Kansas | Dropped: ArizonaCaliforniaNC StateTulane | Dropped: Mississippi StateSan Diego StateTempleUCLAWisconsin | Dropped: Arizona StateTexas | Dropped: Oklahoma StateTexas Tech | Dropped: CaliforniaFlorida | Dropped: Houston | Dropped: ArizonaBYUPittsburghWisconsin | |

## Final Coaches Poll

For the first time, the final UPI Coaches Poll was released after the bowl games, on January 2, 1975. USC received 27 of the 34 first-place votes; Michigan received four and Alabama three.
| Ranking | Team | Conference | Bowl |
| 1 | USC | Pac-8 | Won Rose, 18–17 |
| 2 | Alabama | SEC | Lost Orange, 11–13 |
| 3 | Ohio State | Big Ten | Lost Rose, 17–18 |
| 4 | Notre Dame | Independent | Won Orange, 13–11 |
| 5 | Michigan | Big Ten | none |
| 6 | Auburn | SEC | Won Gator, 27–3 |
| 7 | Penn State | Independent | Won Cotton, 41–20 |
| 8 | Nebraska | Big Eight | Won Sugar, 13–10 |
| 9 | NC State | ACC | Tied Bluebonnet, 31–31 |
| 10 | Miami (OH) | Mid-American | Won Tangerine, 21–10 |
| 11 | Houston | Independent | Tied Bluebonnet, 31–31 |
| 12 | Florida | SEC | Lost Sugar, 10–13 |
| 13 | Maryland | ACC | Lost Liberty, 3–7 |
| 14 | Baylor | Southwest | Lost Cotton, 21–40 |
| 15 | Texas A&M | Southwest | none |
| 15 | Tennessee | SEC | Won Liberty, 7–3 |
| 17 | Mississippi State | SEC | Won Sun, 26–24 |
| 18 | Michigan State | Big Ten | none |
| 19 | Tulsa | MVC | none |
* Only 19 teams received votes
* Teams on probation were ineligible for the Coaches' poll, most notably Oklahoma (11–0).
* Prior to the 1975 season, the Big Ten and Pac-8 conferences allowed only one postseason participant each, for the Rose Bowl.
In the preceding poll in early December, Alabama was first, followed by Ohio State, Michigan, USC, and Auburn; Notre Dame was eighth.