# 1978 NCAA Division I-A football rankings

Two human polls comprised the 1978 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 Preseason | Week 1 Sep 11 | Week 2 Sep 18 | Week 3 Sep 25 | Week 4 Oct 2 | Week 5 Oct 9 | Week 6 Oct 16 | Week 7 Oct 23 | Week 8 Oct 30 | Week 9 Nov 6 | Week 10 Nov 13 | Week 11 Nov 20 | Week 12 Nov 27 | Week 13 Dec 4 | Week 14 (Final) Final | |
| 1. | Alabama (31) | Alabama (1–0) | Alabama (2–0) | Oklahoma (3–0) | Oklahoma (4–0) | Oklahoma (5–0) | Oklahoma (6–0) | Oklahoma (7–0) | Oklahoma (8–0) | Oklahoma (9–0) | Penn State (10–0) | Penn State (10–0) | Penn State (11–0) | Penn State (11–0) | Alabama (11–1) (38) | 1. |
| 2. | Arkansas (13) | Arkansas (0–0) | Arkansas (1–0) | Arkansas (2–0) | USC (4–0) | USC (4–0) | Penn State (6–0) | Penn State (7–0) | Penn State (8–0) | Penn State (9–0) | Nebraska (9–1) | Alabama (9–1) | Alabama (9–1) | Alabama (10–1) | USC (12–1) (19) | 2. |
| 3. | Penn State (5) | Oklahoma (1–0) | Oklahoma (2–0) т | USC (3–0) | Michigan (3–0) | Arkansas (4–0) т | Arkansas (4–0) | Alabama (6–1) | Alabama (7–1) | Alabama (8–1) | Alabama (9–1) | USC (9–1) | USC (10–1) | USC (11–1) | Oklahoma (11–1) (1) | 3. |
| 4. | Oklahoma (1) | Michigan (0–0) | Penn State (3–0) т | Michigan (2–0) | Arkansas (3–0) | Penn State (6–0) т | Alabama (5–1) | Nebraska (6–1) | Nebraska (7–1) | Nebraska (8–1) | Oklahoma (9–1) | Oklahoma (10–1) | Oklahoma (10–1) | Oklahoma (10–1) | Penn State (11–1) | 4. |
| 5. | Notre Dame (9) | Penn State (2–0) | Michigan (1–0) | Penn State (4–0) | Penn State (5–0) | Michigan (4–0) | Nebraska (5–1) | Maryland (7–0) | Maryland (8–0) | USC (7–1) | USC (8–1) | Houston (8–1) | Michigan (10–1) | Michigan (10–1) | Michigan (10–2) | 5. |
| 6. | Michigan | Ohio State (0–0) | Texas (1–0) | Texas (2–0) | Texas (3–0) | Texas A&M (4–0) | Maryland (6–0) | USC (5–1) | USC (6–1) | Texas (6–1) | Houston (8–1) | Michigan (9–1) | Nebraska (9–2) | Nebraska (9–2) | Clemson (11–1) | 6. |
| 7. | Ohio State | Texas (0–0) | USC (2–0) | Alabama (2–1) | Texas A&M (3–0) | Alabama (4–1) | USC (4–1) | Texas (5–1) | Texas (6–1) | Michigan (7–1) | Michigan (8–1) | Nebraska (9–2) | Clemson (10–1) | Clemson (10–1) | Notre Dame (9–3) | 7. |
| 8. | Texas (1) | USC (1–0) | UCLA (2–0) | Texas A&M (2–0) | Alabama (3–1) | Nebraska (4–1) | Texas (4–1) | Michigan (5–1) | Michigan (6–1) | Houston (7–1) | Georgia (8–1) | Notre Dame (8–2) | Arkansas (8–2) | Arkansas (9–2) | Nebraska (9–3) | 8. |
| 9. | USC (2) | UCLA (1–0) | Texas A&M (1–0) | Pittsburgh (2–0) | Pittsburgh (3–0) | Pittsburgh (4–0) | Michigan (4–1) | Arkansas (4–1) | UCLA (7–1) | UCLA (8–1) | Texas (6–2) | Texas (7–2) | Houston (8–2) | Houston (9–2) | Texas (9–3) | 9. |
| 10. | Nebraska | Texas A&M (1–0) | LSU (1–0) | Florida State (3–0) | Nebraska (3–1) | Maryland (5–0) | UCLA (5–1) | UCLA (6–1) | Houston (6–1) | LSU (6–1) | Notre Dame (7–2) | Clemson (9–1) | Notre Dame (8–3) | Notre Dame (8–3) | Houston (9–3) | 10. |
| 11. | Washington | Missouri (1–0) | Pittsburgh (1–0) | LSU (2–0) | LSU (3–0) | LSU (4–0) | Houston (4–1) | Houston (5–1) | Navy (7–0) | Georgia (7–1) | Maryland (9–1) | Arkansas (7–2) | Georgia (8–1–1) | Georgia (9–1–1) | Arkansas (9–2–1) | 11. |
| 12. | UCLA | Nebraska (1–1) | Nebraska (2–1) | Nebraska (2–1) | Maryland (4–0) | Texas (3–1) | Texas A&M (4–1) | Arizona State (5–1) | LSU (5–1) | Purdue (7–1) | Clemson (8–1) | Georgia (8–1–1) | Michigan State (8–3) | Michigan State (8–3) | Michigan State (8–3) | 12. |
| 13. | LSU | LSU (0–0) | Florida State (2–0) | Ohio State (1–1) | Colorado (4–0) | Colorado (5–0) | Missouri (4–2) | Missouri (5–2) | Georgia (6–1) | Maryland (8–1) | Arkansas (6–2) | Maryland (9–2) | Maryland (9–2) | Maryland (9–2) | Purdue (9–2–1) | 13. |
| 14. | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh (0–0) | Notre Dame (0–1) | Missouri (2–1) | Ohio State (2–1) | UCLA (4–1) | Arizona State (5–1) | LSU (5–1) | Purdue (6–1) | Notre Dame (6–2) | UCLA (8–2) | Michigan State (7–3) | Texas (7–3) | Texas (8–3) | UCLA (8–3–1) | 14. |
| 15. | Kentucky | Notre Dame (0–1) | Washington (1–1) | Maryland (3–0) | Iowa State (4–0) | Florida State (4–1) | Pittsburgh (4–1) | Pittsburgh (5–1) | Notre Dame (5–2) | Clemson (7–1) | Purdue (7–1–1) | Pittsburgh (8–2) | UCLA (8–3) | UCLA (8–3) | Missouri (8–4) | 15. |
| 16. | Texas A&M (1) | Florida State (1–0) | Ohio State (0–1) | Colorado (3–0) | UCLA (3–1) | Ohio State (2–1–1) | LSU (4–1) | Georgia (5–1) | Clemson (6–1) | Arkansas (5–2) | Michigan State (6–3) | Ohio State (7–2–1) | Pittsburgh (8–3) | Pittsburgh (8–3) | Georgia (9–2–1) | 16. |
| 17. | Florida State | Kentucky (0–0) | Missouri (1–1) | Iowa State (3–0) | Stanford (3–1) | Houston (3–1) | Navy (5–0) | Purdue (5–1) | Arkansas (4–2) | Michigan State (5–3) | LSU (6–2) | UCLA (8–3) | Purdue (8–2–1) | Purdue (8–2–1) | Stanford (8–4) | 17. |
| 18. | Clemson | Washington (0–1) | Maryland (2–0) | UCLA (2–1) | Florida State (3–1) | Stanford (3–2) | Georgia (4–1) | Navy (6–0) | Michigan State (4–3) | Navy (7–1) | Pittsburgh (7–2) | Purdue (7–2–1) | Missouri (7–4) | Missouri (7–4) | NC State (9–3) | 18. |
| 19. | North Carolina | Iowa State (1–0) | Colorado (2–0) | Georgia (2–0) | Auburn (3–0) | Missouri (3–2) | Purdue (4–1) | Notre Dame (4–2) | Pittsburgh (5–2) | Washington (6–3) | Ohio State (6–2–1) | Missouri (7–4) | Iowa State (8–3) | Iowa State (8–3) | Texas A&M (8–4) | 19. |
| 20. | Iowa State | Maryland (1–0) | Iowa State (2–0) | Stanford (2–1) | NC State (4–0) | Iowa State (4–1) | Notre Dame (3–2) | Clemson (5–1) | Washington (5–3) | Pittsburgh (6–2) | Georgia Tech (7–2) | Iowa State (8–3) | Ohio State (7–3–1) | Ohio State (7–3–1) | Maryland (9–3) | 20. |
| | Preseason Preseason | Week 1 Sep 11 | Week 2 Sep 18 | Week 3 Sep 25 | Week 4 Oct 2 | Week 5 Oct 9 | Week 6 Oct 16 | Week 7 Oct 23 | Week 8 Oct 30 | Week 9 Nov 6 | Week 10 Nov 13 | Week 11 Nov 20 | Week 12 Nov 27 | Week 13 Dec 4 | Week 14 (Final) Final | |
| | | Dropped: ClemsonNorth Carolina | Dropped: Kentucky | Dropped: Notre DameWashington | Dropped: MissouriGeorgia | Dropped: AuburnNC State | Dropped: ColoradoFlorida StateOhio StateStanfordIowa State | Dropped: Texas A&M | Dropped: Arizona StateMissouri | None | Dropped: NavyWashington | Dropped: LSUGeorgia Tech | None | None | Dropped: PittsburghIowa StateOhio State | |

## Coaches Poll

| | Preseason | 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 2 | |
| 1. | Alabama (18) | Alabama (1–0) (30) | Alabama (2–0) (34) | Oklahoma (3–0) (25) | Oklahoma (4–0) (29) | Oklahoma (5–0) (35) | Oklahoma (6–0) (31) | Oklahoma (7–0) (32) | Oklahoma (8–0) (32) | Oklahoma (9–0) (34) | Penn State (10–0) (32) | Penn State (10–0) (39) | Penn State (11–0) (30) | Penn State (11–0) (31) | USC (12–1) (15) | 1. |
| 2. | Oklahoma (4) | Oklahoma (1–0) (4) | Oklahoma (2–0) (4) | USC (3–0) (7) | USC (4–0) (11) | USC (4–0) (5) | Penn State (6–0) (10) | Penn State (7–0) (7) | Penn State (8–0) (7) | Penn State (9–0) (6) | Nebraska (9–1) (5) | Alabama (9–1) | Alabama (9–1) | Alabama (10–1) | Alabama (11–1) (15) | 2. |
| 3. | Penn State (3) | Arkansas (0–0) (2) | Arkansas (1–0) (1) | Michigan (2–0) (3) | Michigan (3–0) (1) | Penn State (6–0) (1) | Arkansas (4–0) | Alabama (6–1) | Alabama (7–1) | Alabama (8–1) | Alabama (9–1) (2) | Oklahoma (10–1) | USC (10–1) (3) | USC (11–1) (3) | Oklahoma (11–1) (5) | 3. |
| 4. | Notre Dame (6) | Michigan (0–0) (1) | Penn State (1–0) (3) | Arkansas (2–0) (3) | Penn State (5–0) (1) | Michigan (4–0) | Alabama (5–1) | Nebraska (6–1) | Nebraska (7–1) | Nebraska (8–1) | Oklahoma (9–1) | USC (9–1) (1) | Oklahoma (10–1) | Oklahoma (10–1) | Penn State (11–1) | 4. |
| 5. | Arkansas (3) | USC (1–0) | Michigan (1–0) (1) | Penn State (4–0) (1) | Arkansas (3–0) | Arkansas (4–0) | Nebraska (5–1) | Maryland (7–0) | Maryland (8–0) | USC (7–1) | USC (8–1) | Houston (8–1) | Michigan (10–1) (1) | Michigan (10–1) (1) | Michigan (10–2) | 5. |
| 6. | Michigan | Ohio State (0–0) | Texas (1–0) | Texas (2–0) | Texas (3–0) | Texas A&M (4–0) | Maryland (6–0) | USC (5–1) | USC (6–1) | Texas (6–1) | Houston (8–1) | Michigan (9–1) | Nebraska (9–2) | Nebraska (9–2) | Clemson (11–1) т | 6. |
| 7. | USC (1) | Texas (0–0) | USC (2–0) | Alabama (2–1) | Texas A&M (3–0) | Alabama (4–1) | USC (4–1) | Texas (5–1) | Texas (6–1) | Michigan (7–1) | Michigan (8–1) | Nebraska (9–2) | Clemson (10–1) | Georgia (9–1–1) | Notre Dame (9–3) т | 7. |
| 8. | Ohio State (1) | Penn State (2–0) | UCLA (2–0) | Texas A&M (2–0) | Alabama (3–1) | Nebraska (4–1) | Texas (4–1) | UCLA (6–1) | Houston (6–1) | Houston (7–1) | Georgia (8–1) | Notre Dame (8–2) | Georgia (8–1–1) | Clemson (10–1) | Nebraska (9–3) | 8. |
| 9. | Texas | UCLA (1–0) | Pittsburgh (1–0) | Florida State (3–0) | Pittsburgh (3–0) | Pittsburgh (4–0) | Michigan (4–1) | Michigan (5–1) | Michigan (6–1) | UCLA (8–1) | Texas (6–2) | Texas (7–2) | Notre Dame (8–3) | Notre Dame (8–3) | Texas (9–3) | 9. |
| 10. | Nebraska | Missouri (1–0) | Texas A&M (1–0) | Pittsburgh (2–0) | Nebraska (3–1) | LSU (4–0) | Arkansas (5–0) | Houston (5–1) | UCLA (7–1) | Georgia (7–1) | Notre Dame (7–2) | Clemson (9–1) | Arkansas (8–2) | Arkansas (9–2) | Arkansas (9–2–1) | 10. |
| 11. | Washington | Texas A&M (1–0) | LSU (1–0) | LSU (2–0) | LSU (3–0) | Maryland (5–0) | Houston (4–1) | Arkansas (4–1) | Navy (7–0) | LSU (6–1) | Maryland (9–1) | Georgia (8–1–1) | Houston (8–2) | Houston (9–2) | Houston (9–3) | 11. |
| 12. | UCLA | Pittsburgh (0–0) | Nebraska (2–1) | Nebraska (2–1) | Colorado (4–0) | Colorado (5–0) | Arizona State (5–1) | Arizona State (5–1) | Georgia (6–1) | Purdue (7–1) | Clemson (8–1) | Arkansas (7–2) | Maryland (9–2) | Maryland (9–2) | UCLA (8–3–1) | 12. |
| 13. | LSU | LSU (0–0) | Florida State (2–0) | Maryland (3–0) | Maryland (4–0) | Texas (3–1) | LSU (4–1) | Georgia (5–1) | LSU (5–1) | Notre Dame (6–2) | Arkansas (6–2) | Pittsburgh (8–2) | Pittsburgh (8–3) | Pittsburgh (8–3) | Purdue (9–2–1) | 13. |
| 14. | Pittsburgh | Nebraska (1–1) | Notre Dame (0–1) | Colorado (3–0) | Ohio State (2–1) | UCLA (4–1) | Texas A&M (4–1) | LSU (5–1) | Purdue (6–1) | Maryland (8–1) | LSU (6–2) | Ohio State (7–2–1) | Purdue (8–2–1) | Texas (8–3) | Missouri (8–4) | 14. |
| 15. | Texas A&M | Florida State (1–0) | Colorado (2–0) | Ohio State (1–1) | Iowa State (4–0) | Missouri (3–2) | Pittsburgh (4–1) | Pittsburgh (5–1) | Notre Dame (5–2) | Clemson (7–1) | UCLA (8–2) | UCLA (8–3) | UCLA (8–3) | Missouri (7–4) | Georgia (9–2–1) | 15. |
| 16. | Florida State | Notre Dame (0–1) | Maryland (2–0) | Iowa State (3–0) | UCLA (3–1) | Houston (3–1) | Georgia (4–1) | Missouri (5–2) | Clemson (6–1) | Arkansas (5–2) | Purdue (7–1–1) | Maryland (9–2) | Missouri (7–4) | UCLA (8–3) | Stanford (8–4) | 16. |
| 17. | Kentucky | Maryland (1–0) | Washington (1–1) | Missouri (2–1) | Houston (2–1) | Florida State (4–1) | Missouri (4–2) | Purdue (5–1) | Arkansas (4–2) | Washington (6–3) | Ohio State (6–2–1) | Missouri (7–4) | Texas (7–3) | Purdue (8–2–1) | Navy (9–3) | 17. |
| 18. | North Carolina | Kentucky (0–0) | Clemson (1–0) | Kentucky (1–0–1) | Stanford (3–1) | Utah State (5–0) | Notre Dame (3–2) | Navy (6–0) | Colorado (6–2) | Navy (7–1) | Pittsburgh (7–2) | Stanford (7–4) | LSU (7–3) | LSU (8–3) | Texas A&M (8–4) | 18. |
| 19. | Iowa State | Washington (0–1) | Ohio State (0–1) | Stanford (2–1) | NC State (4–0) | Navy (4–0) | Purdue (4–1) | Notre Dame (4–2) | Georgia Tech (6–2) | Georgia Tech (6–2) | Georgia Tech (7–2) | Purdue (7–2–1) | Stanford (7–4) | Georgia Tech (7–4) | Arizona State (9–3) т | 19. |
| 20. | Maryland | Colorado (1–0) | Arizona State (2–0) | Purdue (2–0) | Auburn (3–0) | Stanford (3–2) | Navy (5–0) | Clemson (5–1) | Ohio State (4–2–1) | Pittsburgh (6–2) | Stanford (6–4) тIowa State (7–3) т | Iowa State (8–3) | Ohio State (7–3–1) | Stanford (7–4) | NC State (9–3) т | 20. |
| | Preseason | 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 2 | |
| | | Dropped: North CarolinaIowa State | Dropped: MissouriKentucky | Dropped: UCLANotre DameWashingtonClemsonArizona State | Dropped: Florida StateMissouriKentuckyPurdue | Dropped: Ohio StateIowa StateNC StateAuburn | Dropped: ColoradoFlorida StateUtah StateStanford | Dropped: Texas A&M | Dropped: Arizona StatePittsburghMissouri | Dropped: ColoradoOhio State | Dropped: WashingtonNavy | Dropped: LSUGeorgia Tech | Dropped: Iowa State | Dropped: Ohio State | Dropped: MarylandPittsburghLSUGeorgia Tech | |