# 1981 NCAA Division I-A football rankings

Two human polls comprised the 1981 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 29 | Week 1 Sep 7 | Week 2 Sep 14 | Week 3 Sep 21 | Week 4 Sep 28 | Week 5 Oct 5 | Week 6 Oct 12 | Week 7 Oct 19 | Week 8 Oct 26 | Week 9 Nov 2 | Week 10 Nov 9 | Week 11 Nov 16 | Week 12 Nov 23 | Week 13 Nov 30 | Week 14 (Final) Jan 3 | |
| 1. | Michigan (38) | Michigan (0–0) (37) | Notre Dame (1–0) (24) | USC (2–0) (46) | USC (3–0) (57 1⁄2) | USC (4–0) (58) | Texas (4–0) (35) | Penn State (5–0) (36 1⁄2) | Penn State (6–0) (45) | Pittsburgh (7–0) (49) | Pittsburgh (8–0) (53) | Pittsburgh (9–0) (63) | Pittsburgh (10–0) (60) | Clemson (11–0) (63) | Clemson (12–0) (47) | 1. |
| 2. | Oklahoma (7) | Alabama (1–0) (11) | USC (1–0) (12) | Oklahoma (1–0) (15) | Penn State (2–0) (5 1⁄2) | Penn State (3–0) (6) | Penn State (4–0) (24) | Pittsburgh (5–0) (26 1⁄2) | Pittsburgh (6–0) (19) | Clemson (8–0) (9) | Clemson (9–0) (7) | Clemson (10–0) (5) | Clemson (11–0) (5) | Georgia (10–1) (1) | Texas (10–1–1) (1) | 2. |
| 3. | Notre Dame (7) | Oklahoma (0–0) | Oklahoma (1–0) (12) | Penn State (1–0) (2) | Texas (3–0) (1) | Texas (3–0) (1) | Pittsburgh (4–0) (3) | North Carolina (6–0) (3) | Clemson (7–0) | USC (7–1) (7) | USC (8–1) (8) | Georgia (9–1) | Georgia (9–1) | Alabama (9–1–1) | Penn State (10–2) (1) | 3. |
| 4. | Alabama (3) | Notre Dame (0–0) (4) | Georgia (2–0) (12) | Texas (2–0) (1) | Pittsburgh (2–0) | Pittsburgh (3–0) | North Carolina (5–0) (4) | Clemson (6–0) | USC (6–1) | Georgia (7–1) | Georgia (8–1) | Alabama (8–1–1) | Alabama (8–1–1) | Nebraska (9–2) (1) | Pittsburgh (11–1) | 4. |
| 5. | USC (5) | USC (0–0) (3) | Penn State (1–0) (1) | Pittsburgh (2–0) | Oklahoma (1–1) | North Carolina (4–0) | Michigan (4–1) | USC (5–1) | Georgia (6–1) | Texas (6–1) | Penn State (7–1) | Nebraska (8–2) | Nebraska (9–2) | SMU (10–1) (1) | SMU (10–1) (1) | 5. |
| 6. | Nebraska | Georgia (1–0) (4) | Texas (1–0) (1) | UCLA (2–0) | North Carolina (3–0) | Michigan (3–1) | Clemson (5–0) | Iowa (5–1) | Texas (5–1) | Penn State (6–1) | Alabama (7–1–1) | SMU (9–1) | SMU (10–1) | Texas (9–1–1) | Georgia (10–2) | 6. |
| 7. | Penn State (1) | Nebraska (0–0) | Pittsburgh (1–0) | Michigan (1–1) (1) | Ohio State (3–0) | Alabama (4–1) | USC (4–1) | Georgia (5–1) | Mississippi State (6–1) | Alabama (7–1–1) | Nebraska (7–2) | Michigan (8–2) | Texas (8–1–1) | Penn State (9–2) (1) | Alabama (9–2–1) | 7. |
| 8. | Pittsburgh | Texas (0–0) | Ohio State (1–0) | Ohio State (2–0) | Michigan (2–1) | BYU (5–0) | Missouri (5–0) | SMU (6–0) | Alabama (6–1–1) | North Carolina (7–1) | SMU (8–1) | Texas (7–1–1) | USC (9–2) | USC (9–2) | Miami (FL) (9–2) | 8. |
| 9. | Texas | Penn State (0–0) | UCLA (1–0) | North Carolina (2–0) | Mississippi State (3–0) | Clemson (4–0) | Georgia (4–1) | Mississippi State (5–1) | North Carolina (6–1) | Arizona State (6–1) | Arizona State (7–1) | Southern Miss (8–0–1) | Miami (FL) (8–2) | Miami (FL) (9–2) (1) | North Carolina (10–2) | 9. |
| 10. | Georgia | Pittsburgh (1–0) | North Carolina (1–0) | Alabama (2–1) | BYU (4–0) | Oklahoma (1–1–1) | SMU (5–0) | Texas (4–1) | Arizona State (6–1) | SMU (7–1) | Texas (6–1–1) | USC (8–2) | North Carolina (9–2) | Pittsburgh (10–1) | Washington (10–2) | 10. |
| 11. | Ohio State (1) | Ohio State (0–0) | Michigan (0–1) | BYU (3–0) | Alabama (3–1) | Georgia (3–1) | Florida State (4–1) | Alabama (5–1–1) | Iowa State (5–1–1) | Nebraska (6–2) | Michigan (7–2) | Miami (FL) (7–2) | Penn State (8–2) | North Carolina (9–2) | Nebraska (9–3) | 11. |
| 12. | North Carolina | UCLA (0–0) | Alabama (1–1) | Mississippi State (2–0) | Washington (3–0) | Iowa State (3–0–1) | Iowa (4–1) | Arkansas (5–1) | Nebraska (5–2) | Michigan (6–2) | Miami (FL) (6–2) | North Carolina (8–2) | Washington (9–2) | Washington (9–2) | Michigan (9–3) | 12. |
| 13. | UCLA | North Carolina (0–0) | BYU (2–0) | Notre Dame (1–1) | Georgia (3–1) | Missouri (4–0) | Miami (FL) (3–1) | BYU (6–1) | SMU (6–1) | Miami (FL) (5–2) | North Carolina (7–2) | Penn State (7–2) | Iowa (8–3) | Iowa (8–3) | BYU (11–2) | 13. |
| 14. | Mississippi State | Mississippi State (1–0) | Mississippi State (1–0) | Miami (FL) (2–0) | Clemson (3–0) | SMU (4–0) | Wisconsin (4–1) | Iowa State (4–1–1) | Washington State (6–0–1) | Florida State (6–2) | Southern Miss (7–0–1) | Washington State (8–1–1) | BYU (10–2) | BYU (10–2) | USC (9–3) | 14. |
| 15. | Washington | BYU (1–0) | Washington (1–0) | Nebraska (1–1) | SMU (4–0) | Iowa (3–1) | Alabama (4–1–1) | Nebraska (4–2) | Michigan (5–2) | Mississippi State (6–2) | Oklahoma (5–2–1) | UCLA (7–2–1) | Ohio State (8–3) | Ohio State (8–3) | Ohio State (9–3) | 15. |
| 16. | BYU | Miami (FL) (1–0) | Miami (FL) (1–0) | Washington (2–0) | UCLA (2–1) | Miami (FL) (3–1) | Mississippi State (4–1) | Washington State (5–0–1) | Iowa (5–2) | Washington (7–1) | Arkansas (7–2) | Arkansas (8–2) | Michigan (8–3) | Michigan (8–3) | Arizona State (9–2) | 16. |
| 17. | Florida | Washington (0–0) | Nebraska (0–1) | Georgia (2–1) | Miami (FL) (2–1) | UCLA (3–1) | BYU (5–1) | Arizona State (5–1) | Florida State (5–2) | Oklahoma (4–2–1) | Washington State (7–1–1) | Washington (8–2) | Southern Miss (8–1–1) | Arizona State (9–2) | West Virginia (9–3) | 17. |
| 18. | Stanford | Florida State (1–0) | Arizona State (1–0) | Arizona State (2–0) | Iowa (2–1) | Ohio State (3–1) | Washington State (5–0) | Michigan (4–2) | Washington (6–1) | Ohio State (6–2) | UCLA (6–2–1) | BYU (9–2) | Arizona State (8–2) | Southern Miss (9–1–1) | Iowa (8–4) | 18. |
| 19. | Florida State | Stanford (0–0) | Florida State (2–0) | Clemson (3–0) | Arkansas (3–0) | Mississippi State (3–1) | Nebraska (3–2) | Missouri (5–1) | Oklahoma (3–2–1) | Arkansas (6–2) | Hawaii (7–0) | Iowa (7–3) | UCLA (7–3–1) | UCLA (7–3–1) | Missouri (8–4) | 19. |
| 20. | Arizona State | Arizona State (0–0) | Wisconsin (1–0) | SMU (3–0) | Iowa State (3–0) | Florida State (3–1) | Arizona State (4–1) | Florida State (4–2) | Arkansas (5–2) | Southern Miss (6–0–1) | Florida State (6–3) | Arizona State (7–2) | Washington State (8–2–1) | Washington State (8–2–1) | Oklahoma (7–4–1) | 20. |
| | Preseason Aug 29 | Week 1 Sep 7 | Week 2 Sep 14 | Week 3 Sep 21 | Week 4 Sep 28 | Week 5 Oct 5 | Week 6 Oct 12 | Week 7 Oct 19 | Week 8 Oct 26 | Week 9 Nov 2 | Week 10 Nov 9 | Week 11 Nov 16 | Week 12 Nov 23 | Week 13 Nov 30 | Week 14 (Final) Jan 3 | |
| | | Dropped: Florida | Dropped: Stanford | Dropped: Florida StateWisconsin | Dropped: Notre DameNebraskaArizona State | Dropped: WashingtonArkansas | Dropped: OklahomaIowa StateUCLAOhio State | Dropped: Miami (FL)Wisconsin | Dropped: BYUMissouri | Dropped: Iowa StateWashington StateIowa | Dropped: Mississippi StateWashingtonOhio State | Dropped: OklahomaHawaiiFlorida State | Dropped: Arkansas | None | Dropped: Southern MissUCLAWashington State | |

## Coaches Poll

Arizona State, SMU, and Miami (FL) (after a November 3, 1981 ruling) were on probation by the NCAA during the 1981 season; they were therefore ineligible to receive votes in the Coaches Poll.
| | Preseason Aug 29 | Week 1 Sep 14 | Week 2 Sep 21 | Week 3 Sep 28 | Week 4 Oct 5 | Week 5 Oct 12 | Week 6 Oct 19 | Week 7 Oct 26 | Week 8 Nov 2 | Week 9 Nov 9 | Week 10 Nov 16 | Week 11 Nov 23 | Week 12 Nov 30 | Week 13 (Final) Jan 3 | |
| 1. | Michigan (22) | Notre Dame (1–0) (11) | USC (2–0) (28) | USC (3–0) (39) | USC (4–0) (40) | Texas (4–0) (23) | Penn State (5–0) (36) | Penn State (6–0) (40) | Pittsburgh (7–0) (35) | Pittsburgh (8–0) (38) | Pittsburgh (9–0) (40) | Pittsburgh (10–0) (39) | Clemson (11–0) | Clemson (12–0) (35) | 1. |
| 2. | Oklahoma (3) | USC (1–0) (10) | Oklahoma (1–0) (10) | Penn State (2–0) (2) | Penn State (3–0) (1) | Penn State (4–0) (19) | Pittsburgh (5–0) (6) | Pittsburgh (6–0) (2) | USC (7–1) (4) | Clemson (9–0) (1) | Clemson (10–0) (2) | Clemson (11–0) (3) | Georgia (10–1) | Pittsburgh (11–1) | 2. |
| 3. | Alabama (3) | Oklahoma (1–0) (14) | Penn State (1–0) (1) | Texas (3–0) | Texas (3–0) | Pittsburgh (4–0) | North Carolina (6–0) | USC (6–1) | Clemson (8–0) (2) | USC (8–1) (3) | Georgia (9–1) | Georgia (9–1) | Alabama (9–1–1) | Penn State (10–2) (1) | 3. |
| 4. | Notre Dame (5) | Georgia (2–0) (7) | Texas (2–0) (1) | Pittsburgh (2–0) | Pittsburgh (3–0) | North Carolina (5–0) | USC (5–1) | Clemson (7–0) | Georgia (7–1) (1) | Georgia (8–1) | Alabama (8–1–1) | Alabama (8–1–1) | Nebraska (9–2) | Texas (10–1–1) (1) | 4. |
| 5. | USC (2) | Penn State (1–0) | Pittsburgh (2–0) | North Carolina (3–0) (1) | North Carolina (4–0) | Michigan (4–1) | Clemson (6–0) | Georgia (6–1) | Texas (6–1) | Penn State (7–1) | Nebraska (8–2) | Nebraska (9–2) | Texas (9–1–1) | Georgia (10–2) | 5. |
| 6. | Nebraska | Texas (1–0) | Michigan (1–1) | Oklahoma (1–1) | Michigan (3–1) | USC (4–1) | Georgia (5–1) | Texas (5–1) | Penn State (6–1) | Alabama (7–1–1) | Michigan (8–2) | Texas (8–1–1) | Penn State (9–2) | Alabama (9–2–1) | 6. |
| 7. | Penn State (2) | Pittsburgh (1–0) | UCLA (2–0) | Ohio State (3–0) | Alabama (4–1) | Clemson (5–0) | Iowa (5–1) | Alabama (6–1–1) | Alabama (7–1–1) | Nebraska (7–2) | Texas (7–1–1) | USC (9–2) | USC (9–2) | Washington (10–2) | 7. |
| 8. | Georgia (4) | Ohio State (1–0) | Ohio State (2–0) | Michigan (2–1) | BYU (5–0) | Missouri (5–0) | Texas (4–1) | Mississippi State (6–1) | Nebraska (6–2) | Michigan (7–2) | Southern Miss (8–0–1) | North Carolina (9–2) | Pittsburgh (10–1) | North Carolina (10–2) | 8. |
| 9. | Pittsburgh (1) | North Carolina (1–0) | North Carolina (2–0) | Mississippi State (3–0) | Georgia (3–1) | Georgia (4–1) | Alabama (5–1–1) | Nebraska (5–2) | North Carolina (7–1) | Texas (6–1–1) | USC (8–2) | Penn State (8–2) | North Carolina (9–2) | Nebraska (9–3) | 9. |
| 10. | Texas | UCLA (1–0) | Alabama (2–1) | Alabama (3–1) | Clemson (4–0) | Florida State (4–1) | Mississippi State (5–1) | Iowa State (5–1–1) | Michigan (6–2) | Southern Miss (7–0–1) | Arkansas (8–2) | Washington (9–2) | Washington (9–2) | Michigan (9–3) | 10. |
| 11. | Ohio State | Alabama (1–1) | Notre Dame (1–1) | BYU (4–0) | Missouri (4–0) | Miami (FL) (3–1) | Nebraska (4–2) | North Carolina (6–1) | Miami (FL) (5–2) | Oklahoma (5–2–1) | North Carolina (8–2) | Iowa (8–3) | Iowa (8–3) | BYU (11–2) | 11. |
| 12. | UCLA | Michigan (0–1) | Nebraska (1–1) | Georgia (3–1) | Oklahoma (1–1–1) | Iowa (4–1) | Iowa State (4–1–1) | Washington State (6–0–1) | Washington (7–1) | North Carolina (7–2) | Washington State (8–1–1) | BYU (10–2) | BYU (10–2) | Ohio State (9–3) | 12. |
| 13. | Florida State | BYU (2–0) | BYU (3–0) | Washington (3–0) | Miami (FL) (3–1) | Wisconsin (4–1) | Arkansas (5–1) | Oklahoma (3–2–1) | Oklahoma (4–2–1) | Arkansas (7–2) | UCLA (7–2–1) | Michigan (8–3) | Michigan (8–3) | USC (9–3) | 13. |
| 14. | North Carolina | Mississippi State (1–0) | Mississippi State (2–0) | Clemson (3–0) | Iowa State (3–0–1) | Alabama (4–1–1) | Washington State (5–0–1) | Michigan (5–2) | Florida State (6–2) | UCLA (6–2–1) | Penn State (7–2) | Ohio State (8–3) | Ohio State (8–3) | Oklahoma (7–4–1) | 14. |
| 15. | Mississippi State | Miami (FL) (1–0) | Miami (FL) (2–0) | Miami (FL) (2–1) | Iowa (3–1) | BYU (5–1) | BYU (6–1) | Washington (6–1) | Mississippi State (6–2) | Washington State (7–1–1) | BYU (9–2) | Southern Miss (8–1–1) | Southern Miss (9–1–1) | Iowa (8–4) | 15. |
| 16. | Florida | Florida State (2–0) | Georgia (2–1) | Arkansas (3–0) | UCLA (3–1) | Mississippi State (4–1) | Missouri (5–1) | Iowa (5–2) | Ohio State (6–2) | Hawaii (7–0) | Washington (8–2) | UCLA (7–3–1) | UCLA (7–3–1) | Arkansas (8–4) | 16. |
| 17. | Washington | Washington (1–0) | Washington (2–0) | Missouri (3–0) | Ohio State (3–1) | Iowa State (3–1–1) | Oklahoma (2–2–1) | Florida State (5–2) | Arkansas (6–2) | BYU (8–2) | Iowa (7–3) | Arkansas (8–3) | Arkansas (8–3) | Mississippi State (8–4) | 17. |
| 18. | Houston | Purdue (1–0) | Clemson (3–0) | UCLA (2–1) | Nebraska (2–2) | Nebraska (3–2) | Washington (5–1) | Ohio State (5–2) | Southern Miss (6–0–1) | Iowa (6–3) | Ohio State (7–3) | Washington State (8–2–1) | Washington State (8–2–1) | West Virginia (9–3) | 18. |
| 19. | BYU | Nebraska (0–1) | Florida State (2–1) | Nebraska (1–2) | Florida State (3–1) | Washington State (5–0) | Michigan (4–2) | Miami (FL) (4–2) | Washington State (6–1–1) | Florida State (6–3) | West Virginia (8–2) | Houston (6–3–1) | Houston (7–3–1) | Southern Miss (9–2–1) | 19. |
| 20. | Baylor | Wisconsin (1–0) | Arkansas (2–0) West Virginia (2–0) | Iowa (2–1) | Mississippi State (3–1) | Oklahoma (1–2–1) | Florida State (4–2) | Arkansas (5–2) | Iowa State (5–2–1) | Minnesota (6–3) | Missouri (7–3) | San Jose State (8–2) | San Jose State (9–2) | Missouri (8–4) | 20. |
| | Preseason Aug 29 | Week 1 Sep 14 | Week 2 Sep 21 | Week 3 Sep 28 | Week 4 Oct 5 | Week 5 Oct 12 | Week 6 Oct 19 | Week 7 Oct 26 | Week 8 Nov 2 | Week 9 Nov 9 | Week 10 Nov 16 | Week 11 Nov 23 | Week 12 Nov 30 | Week 13 (Final) Jan 3 | |
| | | Dropped: FloridaHoustonBaylor | Dropped: PurdueWisconsin | Dropped: Notre DameFlorida StateWest Virginia | Dropped: WashingtonArkansas | Dropped: UCLAOhio State | Dropped: Miami (FL)Wisconsin | Dropped: BYUMissouri | Dropped: Iowa | Dropped: Miami (FL)WashingtonMississippi StateOhio StateIowa State | Dropped: OklahomaHawaiiFlorida StateMinnesota | Dropped: West VirginiaMissouri | None | Dropped: UCLAWashington StateHoustonSan Jose State | |