# 1970 NCAA University Division football rankings

Two human polls comprised the 1970 NCAA University Division 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 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 Dec 7 | Week 14 Jan | |
| 1. | Ohio State (19) | Ohio State (0–0) (24) | Ohio State (0–0) (14) | Ohio State (1–0) (25) | Ohio State (2–0) (27) | Ohio State (3–0) (20) | Ohio State (4–0) (19) | Texas (5–0) (15) | Texas (6–0) (20) | Notre Dame (7–0) (23) | Texas (8–0) (26) | Texas (8–0) (20) | Texas (9–0) (23) | Texas (10–0) (30) | Nebraska (11–0–1) (39) | 1. |
| 2. | Texas (7) | Texas (0–0) (6) | Texas (1–0) (16) | Texas (2–0) (14) | Texas (3–0) (6) | Texas (4–0) (13) | Texas (4–0) (9) | Ohio State (5–0) (16) | Notre Dame (6–0) (12) | Texas (7–0) (13) | Notre Dame (8–0) (7) | Ohio State (9–0) (14) | Ohio State (9–0) (12) | Ohio State (9–0) (10) | Notre Dame (10–1) (8) | 2. |
| 3. | USC (6) | USC (1–0) (7) | Stanford (2–0) (1) | Stanford (3–0) (1) | Notre Dame (3–0) | Notre Dame (4–0) (4) | Notre Dame (5–0) (4) | Notre Dame (5–0) (4) | Ohio State (6–0) (5) | Ohio State (7–0) (3) | Nebraska (9–0–1) (5) | Nebraska (10–0–1) (6) | Nebraska (10–0–1) (5) | Nebraska (10–0–1) (2) | Texas (10–1) (3) | 3. |
| 4. | Arkansas (1) | Stanford (1–0) | Penn State (1–0) (2) | Notre Dame (2–0) | USC (3–0–1) (3) | Ole Miss (4–0) (1) | Nebraska (5–0–1) (1) | Nebraska (6–0–1) (1) | Nebraska (7–0–1) | Nebraska (8–0–1) (3) | Michigan (9–0) (6) | Notre Dame (9–0) (3) | Arkansas (9–1) | Tennessee (10–1) | Tennessee (11–1) | 4. |
| 5. | Ole Miss (1) | Ole Miss (0–0) (1) | Ole Miss (1–0) (1) | USC (2–0–1) (1) | Ole Miss (3–0) (1) | Nebraska (4–0–1) (1) | Michigan (5–0) (1) | Michigan (6–0) (1) | Michigan (7–0) (2) | Michigan (8–0) (3) | Ohio State (8–0) (1) | Arkansas (9–1) | Tennessee (9–1) | LSU (9–2) | Ohio State (9–1) | 5. |
| 6. | Notre Dame | Notre Dame (0–0) | Notre Dame (1–0) | Nebraska (2–0–1) | Nebraska (3–0–1) | Michigan (4–0) (1) | Auburn (5–0) (1) | Stanford (6–1) | Stanford (7–1) (1) | Stanford (8–1) | Arkansas (8–1) | LSU (7–2) | Notre Dame (9–1) | Notre Dame (9–1) | Arizona State (11–0) (2) | 6. |
| 7. | Penn State (1) | Penn State (0–0) (1) | USC (1–0–1) (2) | Ole Miss (2–0) | Michigan (3–0) (1) | Air Force (5–0) | Air Force (6–0) (1) | Air Force (7–0) (1) | Arkansas (6–1) | Arkansas (7–1) | LSU (7–1) | Tennessee (8–1) | Michigan (9–1) | Michigan (9–1) | LSU (9–3) | 7. |
| 8. | Michigan | Michigan (0–0) (1) | Nebraska (1–0–1) | Colorado (2–0) | Air Force (4–0) | Auburn (4–0) | Stanford (5–1) | Arkansas (5–1) | Tennessee (6–1) | Auburn (7–1) | Tennessee (7–1) | Michigan (9–1) | LSU (8–2) | Arizona State (10–0) (2) | Stanford (9–3) | 8. |
| 9. | Nebraska | Nebraska (1–0) | Missouri (2–0) | Michigan (2–0) (1) | Auburn (3–0) | Stanford (4–1) | Arkansas (4–1) | Tennessee (5–1) | Air Force (8–0) | LSU (6–1) | Arizona State (8–0) (1) | Arizona State (9–0) (2) | Arizona State (9–0) (2) | Arkansas (9–2) | Michigan (9–1) | 9. |
| 10. | Stanford | Missouri (1–0) | Michigan (1–0) (1) | Air Force (3–0) | Arkansas (3–1) | Arkansas (4–1) | USC (4–1–1) | LSU (5–1) | Auburn (6–1) | Tennessee (7–1) | Air Force (9–1) | Ole Miss (7–1) | Auburn (8–2) | Auburn (8–2) | Auburn (9–2) | 10. |
| 11. | Missouri | Arkansas (0–1) | Houston (1–0) | Arkansas (2–1) | West Virginia (4–0) | USC (3–1–1) | Tennessee (4–1) | Arizona State (6–0) | LSU (5–1) | Arizona State (7–0) (1) | Stanford (8–2) | Auburn (7–2) | Air Force (9–2) | Air Force (9–2) | Arkansas (9–2) | 11. |
| 12. | LSU | LSU (0–0) | Arkansas (1–1) | Auburn (2–0) | Stanford (3–1) | Arizona State (4–0) | Arizona State (5–0) | Auburn (5–1) | Arizona State (6–0) | Ole Miss (6–1) | Ole Miss (7–1) | Air Force (9–2) | Stanford (8–3) | Stanford (8–3) | Toledo (12–0) | 12. |
| 13. | Houston | Kansas State (1–0) | Florida (2–0) | UCLA (3–0) | Georgia Tech (4–0) | Colorado (3–1) | Ole Miss (4–1) | Ole Miss (5–1) | Ole Miss (5–1) | Air Force (8–1) | Auburn (7–2) | Stanford (8–3) | Georgia Tech (8–3) | Georgia Tech (8–3) | Georgia Tech (9–3) | 13. |
| 14. | Kansas State | Florida (1–0) | Oklahoma (2–0) | West Virginia (3–0) | Arizona State (3–0) | Tennessee (3–1) | LSU (4–1) | San Diego State (6–0) | San Diego State (7–0) | San Diego State (8–0) | San Diego State (9–0) | Dartmouth (9–0) | Toledo (11–0) | Dartmouth (9–0) | Dartmouth (9–0) | 14. |
| 15. | Florida | Houston (0–0) | UCLA (2–0) | Georgia Tech (3–0) | UCLA (3–1) | LSU (3–1) | Houston (3–1) | Pittsburgh (5–1) | Toledo (8–0) | Dartmouth (7–0) | Toledo (10–0) | Toledo (11–0) | Dartmouth (9–0) | Toledo (11–0) | USC (6–4–1) | 15. |
| 16. | Alabama | UCLA (1–0) | West Virginia (2–0) | Penn State (1–1) | Missouri (3–1) | Georgia Tech (4–1) | UCLA (4–2) | Oregon (5–2) | UCLA (5–3) | Toledo (9–0) | Dartmouth (8–0) | Georgia Tech (7–3) | Ole Miss (7–2) | USC (6–4–1) | Air Force (9–3) | 16. |
| 17. | South Carolina | West Virginia (1–0) | Tennessee (1–0) | Alabama (2–1) | Colorado (2–1) | Texas Tech (4–1) | San Diego State (6–0) | Missouri (4–3) | Dartmouth (6–0) | UCLA (5–3) | Georgia Tech (7–3) | Penn State (7–3) | USC (6–4–1) | Houston (8–3) | Tulane (8–4) | 17. |
| 18. | UCLA | Oklahoma (1–0) | Colorado (1–0) | Arizona State (2–0) | North Carolina (4–0) | Missouri (3–2) | Pittsburgh (4–1) | USC (4–2–1) | Houston (3–2) | USC (5–3–1) | Northwestern (5–4) | Northwestern (6–4) | Penn State (7–3) | Penn State (7–3) | Penn State (7–3) | 18. |
| 19. | Arizona State | Georgia (0–0) | Georgia Tech (2–0) | North Carolina (3–0) | LSU (2–1) | Houston (2–1) т | Colorado (3–2) т | UCLA (4–3) | Alabama (5–3) | Oregon (6–3) | Texas Tech (8–2) | Colorado (6–4) | Northwestern (6–4) | Texas Tech (8–3) | Houston (8–3) | 19. |
| 20. | Auburn тOklahoma тWest Virginia т | Arizona State (0–0) | Air Force (2–0) | Missouri (2–1) | Tennessee (2–1) | UCLA (3–2) т | Toledo (6–0) т | Northwestern (3–3) | Syracuse (4–3) | Kansas State (6–3) | Penn State (6–3) | Washington (6–4) | Oklahoma (7–4) | Oklahoma (7–4) | Oklahoma (7–4–1) тOle Miss (7–4) т | 20. |
| | Preseason Aug | 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 Dec 7 | Week 14 Jan | |
| | | Dropped: AlabamaSouth CarolinaAuburn | Dropped: LSUKansas StateGeorgiaArizona State | Dropped: HoustonFloridaOklahomaTennessee | Dropped: Penn StateAlabama | Dropped: West VirginiaNorth Carolina | Dropped: Georgia TechTexas TechMissouri | Dropped: HoustonColoradoToledo | Dropped: PittsburghOregonMissouriUSCNorthwestern | Dropped: HoustonAlabamaSyracuse | Dropped: UCLAUSCOregonKansas State | Dropped: San Diego StateTexas Tech | Dropped: ColoradoWashington | Dropped: Ole MissNorthwestern | Dropped: Texas Tech | |

## Final Coaches Poll

The final UPI Coaches Poll was released prior to the bowl games, in early December. Two coaches on the 35-member board did not submit votes. Texas received 25 of the 33 first place votes; Ohio State received six and Nebraska two.
| Ranking | Team | Conference | Bowl |
| 1 | Texas | Southwest | Lost Cotton, 11–24 |
| 2 | Ohio State | Big Ten | Lost Rose, 17–27 |
| 3 | Nebraska | Big Eight | Won Orange, 17–12 |
| 4 | Tennessee | SEC | Won Sugar, 34–13 |
| 5 | Notre Dame | Independent | Won Cotton, 24–11 |
| 6 | LSU | SEC | Lost Orange, 12–17 |
| 7 | Michigan | Big Ten | none |
| 8 | Arizona State | WAC | Won Peach, 48–26 |
| 9 | Auburn | SEC | Won Gator, 35–28 |
| 10 | Stanford | Pac-8 | Won Rose, 27–17 |
| 11 | Air Force | Independent | Lost Sugar, 13–34 |
| 12 | Arkansas | Southwest | none |
| 13 | Houston | Independent | none |
| 14 | Dartmouth | Ivy League | none |
| 15 | Oklahoma | Big Eight | Tied Bluebonnet, 24–24 |
| 16 | Colorado | Big Eight | Lost Liberty, 3–17 |
| 17 | Georgia Tech | Independent | Won Sun, 17–9 |
| 17 | Toledo | MAC | Won Tangerine, 40–12 |
| 19 | Penn State | Independent | none |
| 19 | USC | Pac-8 | none |
* Prior to the 1975 season, the Big Ten and Pac-8 conferences allowed only one postseason participant each, for the Rose Bowl.
* The Ivy League has prohibited its members from participating in postseason football since the league was officially formed in 1954.