# 1988 NCAA Division I-A football rankings

Two human polls comprised the 1988 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 Aug 21 | Week 1 Aug 30 | Week 2 Sep 6 | Week 3 Sep 13 | Week 4 Sep 20 | Week 5 Sep 27 | Week 6 Oct 4 | Week 7 Oct 11 | Week 8 Oct 18 | Week 9 Oct 25 | Week 10 Nov 1 | Week 11 Nov 8 | Week 12 Nov 15 | Week 13 Nov 22 | Week 14 Nov 29 | Week 15 Dec 6 | Week 16 (Final) Jan 3 | |
| 1. | Florida State (44) | Florida State (0–0) (41) | Miami (FL) (1–0) (38) | Miami (FL) (1–0) (46) | Miami (FL) (2–0) (46) | Miami (FL) (3–0) (55) | Miami (FL) (4–0) (53) | Miami (FL) (4–0) (52) | UCLA (6–0) (33) | UCLA (7–0) (35) | Notre Dame (8–0) (44) | Notre Dame (9–0) (42) | Notre Dame (9–0) (40) | Notre Dame (10–0) (35) | Notre Dame (11–0) (57) | Notre Dame (11–0) (49) | Notre Dame (12–0) (58 1⁄2) | 1. |
| 2. | Nebraska (2) | Nebraska (1–0) (4) | Nebraska (2–0) (14) | UCLA (2–0) (3) | UCLA (3–0) (3) | UCLA (3–0) (3) | UCLA (4–0) (3) | UCLA (5–0) (1) | Notre Dame (6–0) (22) | Notre Dame (7–0) (19) | USC (7–0) (11) | USC (8–0) (15) | USC (9–0) (18) | USC (10–0) (22) | Miami (FL) (9–1) (1) | Miami (FL) (10–1) (1) | Miami (FL) (11–1) (1 1⁄2) | 2. |
| 3. | Oklahoma (2) | Oklahoma (0–0) (1) | Clemson (1–0) (3) | Clemson (2–0) (4) | Oklahoma (2–0) (3) | USC (3–0) (2) | USC (4–0) (2) | USC (5–0) (3) | USC (6–0) (5) | USC (6–0) (5) | Miami (FL) (6–1) (1) | Miami (FL) (7–1) (1) | Miami (FL) (7–1) (1) | Miami (FL) (8–1) (1) | West Virginia (11–0) (2) | West Virginia (11–0) (3) | Florida State (11–1) | 3. |
| 4. | Clemson (3) | Clemson (0–0) (3) | Oklahoma (0–0) (2) | Oklahoma (1–0) (1) | Auburn (2–0) (2) | Auburn (3–0) | Auburn (4–0) | Notre Dame (5–0) | Miami (FL) (4–1) | Miami (FL) (5–1) | West Virginia (8–0) (2) | West Virginia (9–0) (1) | West Virginia (10–0) | West Virginia (11–0) (2) | Florida State (10–1) | Florida State (10–1) | Michigan (9–2–1) | 4. |
| 5. | UCLA (2) | UCLA (0–0) (2) | UCLA (1–0) (2) | USC (2–0) (1) | USC (2–0) (1) | Notre Dame (3–0) | Notre Dame (4–0) | Florida State (5–1) | Nebraska (6–1) | Nebraska (7–1) | Florida State (7–1) | Florida State (8–1) | Florida State (9–1) | Florida State (9–1) | USC (10–1) | USC (10–1) | West Virginia (11–1) | 5. |
| 6. | USC (3) | Miami (FL) (0–0) (1) | USC (1–0) (1) | Auburn (1–0) | Georgia (3–0) | Florida State (3–1) | Florida State (4–1) | West Virginia (6–0) | West Virginia (6–0) | Florida State (7–1) | UCLA (7–1) | UCLA (8–1) | UCLA (9–1) | Nebraska (11–1) | Nebraska (11–1) | Nebraska (11–1) | UCLA (10–2) | 6. |
| 7. | Auburn | Auburn (0–0) | Auburn (0–0) | Georgia (2–0) | LSU (2–0) | West Virginia (4–0) | West Virginia (5–0) | Nebraska (5–1) | Florida State (6–1) | West Virginia (7–0) (1) | Nebraska (8–1) | Nebraska (9–1) | Nebraska (10–1) | Auburn (9–1) | Auburn (10–1) | Auburn (10–1) | USC (10–2) | 7. |
| 8. | Miami (FL) (1) | USC (0–0) (1) | Georgia (1–0) | Notre Dame (1–0) | Notre Dame (2–0) | South Carolina (4–0) | South Carolina (5–0) | South Carolina (6–0) | Oklahoma (5–1) | Oklahoma (6–1) | Oklahoma (7–1) | Oklahoma (8–1) | Auburn (9–1) | Arkansas (10–0) | UCLA (9–2) | Arkansas (10–1) | Auburn (10–2) | 8. |
| 9. | Iowa (1) | Iowa (0–0) | Michigan (0–0) | LSU (1–0) | Florida State (2–1) | Nebraska (3–1) | Nebraska (4–1) | Oklahoma (4–1) | Clemson (5–1) | Auburn (6–1) | Auburn (7–1) | Auburn (8–1) | Oklahoma (9–1) | UCLA (9–2) | Arkansas (10–1) | UCLA (9–2) | Clemson (10–2) | 9. |
| 10. | Texas A&M | Michigan (0–0) | Florida State (0–1) | Florida State (1–1) | Nebraska (2–1) | Oklahoma (2–1) | Oklahoma (3–1) | Oklahoma State (4–0) | Auburn (5–1) | Wyoming (8–0) | Wyoming (9–0) | Wyoming (10–0) | Arkansas (10–0) | Oklahoma (9–2) | Oklahoma (9–2) | Oklahoma (9–2) | Nebraska (11–2) | 10. |
| 11. | Michigan (1) | Texas A&M (0–1) | LSU (1–0) | Nebraska (2–1) | West Virginia (3–0) | Clemson (3–1) | Clemson (3–1) | Clemson (4–1) | Georgia (5–1) | Arkansas (7–0) | Arkansas (8–0) | Arkansas (9–0) | LSU (7–2) | Michigan (8–2–1) | Michigan (8–2–1) | Michigan (8–2–1) | Oklahoma State (10–2) | 11. |
| 12. | Georgia | Georgia (0–0) | West Virginia (1–0) | West Virginia (2–0) | Clemson (2–1) | Alabama (2–0) | Alabama (3–0) | Auburn (4–1) | Wyoming (7–0) | Oklahoma State (5–1) | Oklahoma State (6–1) | LSU (6–2) | Michigan (7–2–1) | Oklahoma State (8–2) | Oklahoma State (8–2) | Oklahoma State (9–2) | Arkansas (10–2) | 12. |
| 13. | Notre Dame (1) | Notre Dame (0–0) | Notre Dame (0–0) | Alabama (1–0) | Alabama (1–0) | Oklahoma State (2–0) | Oklahoma State (3–0) | Georgia (5–1) | Arkansas (6–0) | LSU (4–2) | LSU (5–2) | Michigan (6–2–1) | Oklahoma State (7–2) | Clemson (9–2) | Clemson (9–2) | Clemson (9–2) | Syracuse (10–2) | 13. |
| 14. | Alabama | Alabama (0–0) | Alabama (0–0) | South Carolina (2–0) | South Carolina (3–0) | LSU (2–1) | Florida (5–0) | Wyoming (6–0) | Indiana (5–0–1) | Michigan (4–2–1) | Michigan (5–2–1) | Oklahoma State (6–2) | Syracuse (8–1) | Houston (8–2) | Houston (9–2) | Houston (9–2) | Oklahoma (9–3) | 14. |
| 15. | Michigan State | Michigan State (0–0) | Michigan State (0–0) | Michigan (0–1) | Penn State (2–0) | Georgia (3–1) | Georgia (4–1) | Michigan (3–2) | Oklahoma State (4–1) | Clemson (5–2) | South Carolina (7–1) | Syracuse (7–1) | Clemson (8–2) | Wyoming (11–1) | Wyoming (11–1) | Wyoming (11–1) | Georgia (9–3) | 15. |
| 16. | West Virginia | West Virginia (0–0) | South Carolina (1–0) | Penn State (1–0) | Pittsburgh (2–0) | Washington (3–0) | Wyoming (5–0) | Washington (4–1) | LSU (4–2) | Syracuse (6–1) | Syracuse (6–1) | Clemson (7–2) | Wyoming (10–1) | LSU (7–3) | LSU (8–3) | LSU (8–3) | Washington State (9–3) | 16. |
| 17. | Tennessee | LSU (0–0) | Iowa (0–1) | Washington (1–0) | Washington (2–0) | Florida (4–0) | Michigan (2–2) | Arkansas (5–0) | Washington (4–2) | South Carolina (6–1) | Clemson (6–2) | Georgia (7–2) | Houston (7–2) | Alabama (7–2) | Washington State (8–3) | Syracuse (9–2) | Alabama (9–3) | 17. |
| 18. | LSU | Tennessee (0–0) | Penn State (0–0) | Ohio State (1–0) | Oklahoma State (1–0) | Wyoming (4–0) | Oregon (4–0) | Indiana (4–0–1) | South Carolina (6–1) | Georgia (5–2) | Alabama (6–1) | Alabama (6–2) | Alabama (7–2) | Washington State (8–3) | Syracuse (8–2) | Washington State (8–3) | Houston (9–3) | 18. |
| 19. | South Carolina | South Carolina (0–0) | Texas (0–0) | Iowa (1–1) | Michigan (0–2) | Michigan (1–2) | Washington (3–1) | LSU (3–2) | Syracuse (5–1) | Alabama (5–1) | Georgia (6–2) | Colorado (7–2) | Washington State (7–3) | Syracuse (8–2) | Georgia (8–3) | Georgia (8–3) | LSU (8–4) | 19. |
| 20. | Penn State | Penn State (0–0) | Washington (0–0) | Oklahoma State (1–0) | Florida (3–0) | Oregon (3–0) | Arkansas (4–0) | Florida (5–1) | Michigan (3–2–1) | Oregon (6–1) | BYU (7–1) т Indiana (6–1–1) т | Washington State (5–3) | Georgia (7–3) | Georgia (7–3) | Alabama (7–3) | Alabama (8–3) | Indiana (8–3–1) | 20. |
| | Preseason Aug 21 | Week 1 Aug 30 | Week 2 Sep 6 | Week 3 Sep 13 | Week 4 Sep 20 | Week 5 Sep 27 | Week 6 Oct 4 | Week 7 Oct 11 | Week 8 Oct 18 | Week 9 Oct 25 | Week 10 Nov 1 | Week 11 Nov 8 | Week 12 Nov 15 | Week 13 Nov 22 | Week 14 Nov 29 | Week 15 Dec 6 | Week 16 (Final) Jan 3 | |
| | | None | Dropped: Texas A&MTennessee | Dropped: Michigan StateTexas | Dropped: Ohio StateIowa | Dropped: Penn StatePittsburgh | Dropped: LSU | Dropped: AlabamaOregon | Dropped: Florida | Dropped: IndianaWashington | Dropped: Oregon | Dropped: South CarolinaIndianaBYU | Dropped: Colorado | None | None | None | Dropped: Wyoming | |

## Coaches Poll

| | Preseason Aug 21 | Week 1 Aug 30 | Week 2 Sep 6 | Week 3 Sep 13 | Week 4 Sep 20 | Week 5 Sep 27 | Week 6 Oct 4 | Week 7 Oct 11 | Week 8 Oct 18 | Week 9 Oct 25 | Week 10 Nov 1 | Week 11 Nov 8 | Week 12 Nov 15 | Week 13 Nov 22 | Week 14 Nov 29 | Week 15 Dec 6 | Week 16 (Final) Jan 3 | |
| 1. | Florida State (37) | Florida State (0–0) | Miami (FL) (1–0) (29) | Miami (FL) (1–0) (37) | Miami (FL) (2–0) (45) | Miami (FL) (3–0) (45) | Miami (FL) (4–0) (43) | Miami (FL) (4–0) (44) | UCLA (6–0) (37) | UCLA (7–0) (41) | Notre Dame (8–0) (30) | Notre Dame (9–0) (32) | Notre Dame (9–0) (31) | Notre Dame (10–0) (29) | Notre Dame (11–0) (42) | Notre Dame (11–0) (42) | Notre Dame (12–0) (42) | 1. |
| 2. | Oklahoma (4) | Oklahoma (0–0) | Nebraska (2–0) (19) | UCLA (2–0) (13) | UCLA (3–0) (5) | UCLA (3–0) (7) | UCLA (4–0) (6) | UCLA (5–0) (5) | Notre Dame (6–0) (10) | Notre Dame (7–0) (8) | USC (7–0) (16) | USC (8–0) (14) | USC (9–0) (13) | USC (10–0) (16) | Miami (FL) (9–1) (2) | Miami (FL) (10–1) (3) | Miami (FL) (11–1) (2) | 2. |
| 3. | Nebraska | Nebraska (1–0) | Clemson (1–0) | Oklahoma (1–0) | Oklahoma (2–0) | USC (3–0) (1) | USC (4–0) | USC (5–0) | USC (6–0) (2) | USC (6–0) | Miami (FL) (6–1) | Miami (FL) (7–1) | Miami (FL) (7–1) (1) | Miami (FL) (8–1) (1) | West Virginia (11–0) (4) | West Virginia (11–0) (3) | Florida State (11–1) (1) | 3. |
| 4. | Clemson | Clemson (0–0) | Oklahoma (0–0) | Clemson (2–0) | USC (2–0) | Auburn (3–0) | Auburn (4–0) | Notre Dame (5–0) | Miami (FL) (4–1) | Miami (FL) (5–1) | West Virginia (8–0) (2) | West Virginia (9–0) (2) | West Virginia (10–0) (2) | West Virginia (11–0) (2) | Florida State (10–1) (1) | Florida State (10–1) (1) | Michigan (9–2–1) | 4. |
| 5. | Miami (FL) (4) | Miami (FL) (0–0) | UCLA (1–0) | USC (2–0) | Auburn (2–0) | Notre Dame (3–0) | Notre Dame (4–0) | West Virginia (6–0) | West Virginia (6–0) | Nebraska (7–1) | Nebraska (8–1) | Florida State (8–1) (1) | Florida State (8–1) (1) | Florida State (9–1) (1) | Nebraska (11–1) | USC (10–1) | West Virginia (11–1) | 5. |
| 6. | Texas A&M (1) | Texas A&M (0–1) | USC (1–0) | Georgia (2–0) | LSU (2–0) | West Virginia (4–0) | West Virginia (5–0) | Florida State (5–1) | Nebraska (6–1) | West Virginia (7–0) | UCLA (7–1) | UCLA (8–1) | UCLA (9–1) | Nebraska (11–1) | USC (10–1) | Nebraska (11–1) | UCLA (10–2) | 6. |
| 7. | Auburn | Auburn (0–0) | Auburn (0–0) | Auburn (1–0) | Georgia (3–0) | South Carolina (4–0) | Florida State (4–1) | South Carolina (6–0) | Florida State (6–1) | Florida State (7–1) | Oklahoma (7–1) | Nebraska (9–1) | Nebraska (10–1) | Auburn (9–1) | Auburn (10–1) | Auburn (10–1) | Auburn (10–2) | 7. |
| 8. | USC | USC (0–0) | Georgia (1–0) | LSU (1–0) | Notre Dame (2–0) | Florida State (3–1) | South Carolina (5–0) | Nebraska (5–1) | Oklahoma (5–1) | Oklahoma (6–1) | Florida State (7–1) (1) | Oklahoma (8–1) | Oklahoma (9–1) | Arkansas (10–0) | Arkansas (10–1) | Arkansas (10–1) | Clemson (10–2) | 8. |
| 9. | UCLA (2) | UCLA (0–0) | LSU (1–0) (1) | Notre Dame (1–0) | Florida State (2–1) | Nebraska (3–1) | Nebraska (4–1) | Oklahoma (4–1) | Auburn (5–1) | Auburn (6–1) | Auburn (7–1) | Auburn (8–1) | Auburn (9–1) | UCLA (9–2) | UCLA (9–2) | UCLA (9–2) | USC (10–2) | 9. |
| 10. | Michigan (1) | Michigan (0–0) | Michigan (0–0) | Nebraska (2–1) | West Virginia (3–0) | Oklahoma (2–1) | Oklahoma (3–1) | Oklahoma State (4–0) | Clemson (5–1) | Wyoming (8–0) | Wyoming (9–0) | Wyoming (10–0) | Arkansas (10–0) | Michigan (8–2–1) | Oklahoma (9–2) | Oklahoma (9–2) | Nebraska (11–2) | 10. |
| 11. | Iowa | Iowa (0–0) | Notre Dame (0–0) | West Virginia (2–0) | Nebraska (2–1) | Clemson (3–1) | Florida (5–0) | Clemson (4–1) | Arkansas (6–0) | Arkansas (7–0) | Arkansas (8–0) | Arkansas (9–0) | Michigan (7–2–1) | Oklahoma (9–2) | Michigan (8–2–1) | Michigan (8–2–1) | Oklahoma State (10–2) | 11. |
| 12. | Notre Dame | Notre Dame (0–0) | Florida State (0–1) | Florida State (1–1) | Clemson (2–1) | Alabama (2–0) | Clemson (3–1) | Auburn (4–1) | Wyoming (7–0) | Oklahoma State (5–1) | Oklahoma State (6–1) | Michigan (6–2–1) | LSU (7–2) | Oklahoma State (8–2) | Oklahoma State (8–2) | Oklahoma State (9–2) | Syracuse (10–2) | 12. |
| 13. | LSU | LSU (0–0) | West Virginia (1–0) | Penn State (1–0) | Penn State (2–0) | LSU (2–1) | Oklahoma State (3–0) | Georgia (5–1) | Georgia (5–1) | Syracuse (6–1) | Michigan (5–2–1) | Syracuse (7–1) | Syracuse (8–1) | Clemson (9–2) | Clemson (9–2) | Clemson (9–2) | Arkansas (10–2) | 13. |
| 14. | Georgia | Georgia (0–0) | Michigan State (0–0) | Alabama (1–0) | South Carolina (3–0) | Oklahoma State (2–0) | Alabama (3–0) | Wyoming (6–0) | Indiana (5–0–1) | Michigan (4–2–1) | Syracuse (6–1) | LSU (6–2) | Oklahoma State (7–2) | Wyoming (11–1) | Wyoming (11–1) | Houston (9–2) | Oklahoma (9–3) | 14. |
| 15. | Michigan State т | Michigan State (0–0) | South Carolina (1–0) | South Carolina (2–0) | Pittsburgh (2–0) | Florida (4–0) | Georgia (4–1) | Arkansas (5–0) | Oklahoma State (4–1) | LSU (5–2) | South Carolina (7–1) | Oklahoma State (6–2) | Clemson (8–2) | Alabama (7–2) | Houston (9–2) | Wyoming (11–1) | Georgia (9–3) | 15. |
| 16. | Penn State т | Penn State (0–0) | Alabama (0–0) | Michigan (0–1) | Alabama (1–0) | Georgia (3–1) | Wyoming (5–0) | Washington (4–1) | Syracuse (5–1) | Alabama (5–2) | LSU (5–2) т | Clemson (7–2) | Wyoming (10–1) | Houston (8–2) | Syracuse (8–2) | Syracuse (8–2) | Washington State (9–3) | 16. |
| 17. | Tennessee | Tennessee (0–0) | Penn State (0–0) | Ohio State (1–0) | Washington (2–0) | Washington (3–0) | Arkansas (4–0) | Michigan (3–2) | South Carolina (6–1) | South Carolina (6–1) | Alabama (6–1) т | Georgia (7–2) | Houston (7–2) т | LSU (7–3) | LSU (8–3) | LSU (8–3) | Alabama (9–3) т | 17. |
| 18. | South Carolina | South Carolina (0–0) | Iowa (0–1) | Florida (2–0) | Florida (3–0) | Wyoming (1–0) | Oregon (4–0) | Indiana (4–0–1) | Washington (4–2) | Clemson (5–2) | Indiana (6–1–1) | BYU (7–2) | Colorado (7–3) т | Washington State (8–3) | Washington State (8–3) | Washington State (8–3) | NC State (8–3–1) т | 18. |
| 19. | Alabama | Alabama (0–0) | Syracuse (1–0) | Washington (1–0) | Wyoming (3–0) | Arkansas (3–0) т | Washington (3–1) т | LSU (3–2) | LSU (4–2) | Oregon (6–1) | BYU (7–1) | Alabama (6–2) т | BYU (8–2) | Syracuse (8–2) | Colorado (8–3) | Georgia (8–3) | Indiana (8–3–1) | 19. |
| 20. | Texas | Texas (0–0) | Pittsburgh (1–0) | Pittsburgh (1–0) | Oklahoma State (1–0) | Michigan (1–2) т | Michigan (2–2) т | Syracuse (4–1) т Washington State (4–1) т | Washington State (4–2) | Georgia (5–2) | Clemson (6–2) | Colorado (7–2) т | Washington State (7–3) | Colorado (8–3) | Georgia (8–3) | Colorado (8–3) тAlabama (8–3) т | Wyoming (11–2) | 20. |
| | Preseason Aug 21 | Week 1 Aug 30 | Week 2 Sep 6 | Week 3 Sep 13 | Week 4 Sep 20 | Week 5 Sep 27 | Week 6 Oct 4 | Week 7 Oct 11 | Week 8 Oct 18 | Week 9 Oct 25 | Week 10 Nov 1 | Week 11 Nov 8 | Week 12 Nov 15 | Week 13 Nov 22 | Week 14 Nov 29 | Week 15 Dec 6 | Week 16 (Final) Jan 3 | |
| | | None | Dropped: Texas A&MTennesseeTexas | Dropped: Michigan StateIowaSyracuse | Dropped: MichiganOhio State | Dropped: Pittsburgh | Dropped: LSU | Dropped: FloridaAlabamaOregon | Dropped: Michigan | Dropped: IndianaWashingtonWashington State | Dropped: OregonGeorgia | Dropped: South CarolinaIndiana | Dropped: GeorgiaAlabama | Dropped: BYU | Dropped: Alabama | None | Dropped: HoustonLSUColorado | |