1952 college football rankings

1952 college football rankings
Season1952
Bowl season1952–53 bowl games
Preseason No. 1
Michigan State
End of season championsMichigan State
college football rankings
← 1951
1953 →

Two human polls comprised the 1952 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) 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

The final AP Poll was released on December 1, at the end of the 1952 regular season, weeks before the major bowls. The AP would not release a post-bowl season final poll regularly until 1968.

Preseason
Aug[1]		Week 1
Sep 29[2]		Week 2
Oct 6[3]		Week 3
Oct 13[4]		Week 4
Oct 20[5]		Week 5
Oct 27[6]		Week 6
Nov 3[7]		Week 7
Nov 10[8]		Week 8
Nov 17[9]		Week 9
Nov 24[10]		Week 10 (Final)
Dec 1[11]
1.Michigan State (77)Michigan State (1–0) (52)Wisconsin (2–0) (27)Michigan State (3–0) (39)Michigan State (4–0) (49)Michigan State (5–0) (38)Michigan State (6–0) (33)Michigan State (7–0) (57)Michigan State (8–0) (80)Michigan State (9–0) (88)Michigan State (9–0) (207)1.
2.Maryland (79)Illinois (1–0) (4)Michigan State (2–0) (24)Maryland (4–0) (31)Maryland (5–0) (36)Maryland (6–0) (32)Maryland (7–0) (35)Georgia Tech (8–0) (32)Georgia Tech (9–0) (14)USC (9–0) (24)Georgia Tech (11–0) (36)2.
3.Georgia Tech (15)Maryland (2–0) (7)California (3–0) (23)California (4–0) (21)Oklahoma (3–0–1) (23)Oklahoma (4–0–1) (20)Georgia Tech (7–0) (27)Maryland (7–0) (24)UCLA (8–0) (9)Georgia Tech (10–0) (20)Notre Dame (7–2–1) (4)3.
4.Oklahoma (16)California (2–0)Maryland (3–0) (22)Georgia Tech (4–0) (4)California (5–0) (9)Georgia Tech (6–0) (7)Oklahoma (5–0–1) (27)UCLA (8–0) (15)USC (8–0) (11)Oklahoma (7–1–1) (3)Oklahoma (8–1–1) (14)4.
5.Illinois (7)Texas (2–0) (5)Georgia Tech (3–0) (12)Duke (4–0) (9)Georgia Tech (5–0) (5)USC (6–0) (7)UCLA (7–0) (11)USC (7–0) (7)Oklahoma (6–1–1) (1)UCLA (8–1)USC (9–1) (2)5.
6.Tennessee (5)Georgia Tech (2–0)Duke (3–0) (12)Oklahoma (2–0–1) (5)Duke (5–0) (5)Duke (6–0) (10)USC (6–0) (3)Notre Dame (5–1–1) (3)Ole Miss (7–0–2) (4)Ole Miss (7–0–2) (5)UCLA (8–1) (1)6.
7.Wisconsin (4)USC (2–0) (5)USC (3–0) (6)USC (4–0) (2)USC (5–0) (1)UCLA (6–0) (6)Kansas (6–1)Tennessee (6–1)Tennessee (7–1) (4)Notre Dame (6–2–1)Ole Miss (8–0–2) (3)7.
8.California (2)Wisconsin (1–0) (1)Notre Dame (1–0–1) (3)Kansas (4–0) (1)UCLA (5–0) (3)Purdue (3–1–1) (1)Tennessee (5–1)Oklahoma (5–1–1)Maryland (7–1)Alabama (8–2) (1)Tennessee (8–1–1)8.
9.TCU (1)Kansas (2–0)Kansas (3–0) (1)Purdue (2–0–1)Virginia (4–0) (5)Kansas (5–1)Purdue (3–2–1)Texas (6–2)Notre Dame (5–2–1)Tennessee (7–1–1)Alabama (9–2)9.
10.Notre DameDuke (2–0)Princeton (2–0) (3)UCLA (4–0)Wisconsin (3–1)Villanova (6–0)Notre Dame (4–1–1)Purdue (3–2–2)Texas (7–2)Texas (7–2)Texas (8–2)10.
11.TexasTennessee (1–0) (2)UCLA (3–0)Virginia (3–0) (7)Penn (3–0–1)California (5–1)Villanova (6–0–1)Ole Miss (6–0–2)Tulsa (6–1–1) (3)Tulsa (7–1–1) (8)Wisconsin (6–2–1)11.
12.PennVillanova (2–0) (2)Oklahoma (1–0–1) (1)Wisconsin (2–0)Villanova (5–0)Tennessee (4–1)Duke (6–1)Alabama (7–1)Michigan (5–3)Wisconsin (6–2–1)Tulsa (8–1–1) (3)12.
13.StanfordPrinceton (1–0) (1)Illinois (1–1)Stanford (4–0)Tennessee (3–1)Notre Dame (3–1–1)Texas (5–2)Syracuse (5–2)Wisconsin (6–2)Duke (8–2)Maryland (7–2)13.
14.PrincetonUCLA (2–0)Villanova (3–0)Penn (2–0–1)Ohio State (3–1)Texas (4–2)Ole Miss (5–0–2)Pittsburgh (5–2) (1)Alabama (7–2)Purdue (4–3–2)Syracuse (7–2)14.
15.Washington StateOhio State (1–0)Virginia (2–0) (3)Villanova (4–0)Kansas (4–1)Michigan (3–2)Penn State (5–1–1)Wisconsin (5–2)Syracuse (6–2)Maryland (7–2)Florida (6–3)15.
16.USC (1)Virginia (1–0) (2)Purdue (1–0–1)Ohio State (2–1)Notre Dame (2–1–1)Virginia (4–1)Alabama (6–1)Princeton (6–1)Pittsburgh (6–2) (1)Syracuse (7–2)Duke (8–2)16.
17.Kansas (1)Rice (1–0)Navy (2–0)Illinois (2–1)Penn State (4–0–1) (2)Penn (3–0–2)Florida (4–2)Washington (6–2)Princeton (7–1)Florida (6–3)Ohio State (6–3)17.
18.UCLAOle Miss (1–0–1)Alabama (3–0)Alabama (4–0)Pittsburgh (3–1)Wisconsin (3–2)Wisconsin (4–2)Florida (5–2)Kansas (7–2)Princeton (8–1)Purdue (4–3–2)18.
19.DukeNotre Dame (0–0–1)Georgia (3–0)Penn State (3–0–1)Michigan (2–2)Alabama (5–1)Princeton (5–1)Kansas (6–2)Houston (6–2)Kentucky (5–3–2)Princeton (8–1)19.
20.Ohio StateOklahoma (0–0–1)Penn State (2–0–1) (1)Navy (3–0)Texas (3–2)Florida (3–2)Holy Cross (5–1)Michigan (4–3)Duke (7–2)Virginia (7–2)Kentucky (5–3–2)20.
Preseason
Aug[1]		Week 1
Sep 29[2]		Week 2
Oct 6[3]		Week 3
Oct 13[4]		Week 4
Oct 20[5]		Week 5
Oct 27[6]		Week 6
Nov 3[7]		Week 7
Nov 10[8]		Week 8
Nov 17[9]		Week 9
Nov 24[10]		Week 10 (Final)
Dec 1[11]
Dropped:
  • Penn
  • Stanford
  • TCU
  • Washington State
Dropped:
  • Ole Miss
  • Ohio State
  • Rice
  • Tennessee
  • Texas
Dropped:
  • Georgia
  • Notre Dame
  • Princeton
Dropped:
  • Alabama
  • Illinois
  • Navy
  • Purdue
  • Stanford
Dropped:
  • Ohio State
  • Penn State
  • Pittsburgh
Dropped:
  • California
  • Michigan
  • Penn
  • Virginia
Dropped:
  • Duke
  • Holy Cross
  • Penn State
  • Villanova
Dropped:
  • Florida
  • Purdue
  • Washington
Dropped:
  • Houston
  • Kansas
  • Michigan
  • Pittsburgh
Dropped:
  • Virginia

Final Coaches Poll

The final UP Coaches Poll was released prior to the bowl games, on December 2.[12][13]
Michigan State received 32 of the 35 first-place votes; one each went to Georgia Tech, Notre Dame, and Oklahoma.[12][13]

Ranking Team Conference Bowl
1 Michigan State Independent none
2 Georgia Tech SEC Won Sugar, 24–7
3 Notre Dame Independent none
4 Oklahoma Big Seven
USC Pacific Coast Won Rose, 7–0
6 UCLA Pacific Coast none
7 Ole Miss SEC Lost Sugar, 7–24
8 Tennessee SEC Lost Cotton, 0–16
9 Alabama SEC Won Orange, 61–6
10 Wisconsin Big Ten Lost Rose, 0–7
11 Texas Southwest Won Cotton, 16–0
12 Purdue Big Ten none
13 Maryland Southern
14 Princeton Independent
15 Ohio State Big Ten
Pittsburgh Independent
17 Navy Independent
18 Duke Southern
19 Houston MVC
Kentucky SEC

[12][13]

Litkenhous Ratings

The Litkenhous Ratings released in mid-December 1952 provided numerical rankings to over 600 college football programs. The top 150 ranked teams were:[14]

1. Michigan State (9–0) - 115.1
2. Georgia Tech (12–0) - 111.9
3. USC (10–1) - 111.3
4. Oklahoma (8–1–1) - 111.1
5. UCLA (8–1) - 111.0
6. Tennessee (8–2–1) - 109.6
7. Notre Dame (7–2–1) - 105.0
8. Florida (8–3) - 103.4
9. Ole Miss (8–1–2) - 103.1
10. Alabama (10–2) - 102.9
11. California (7–3) - 102.2
12. Maryland (7–2) - 102.2
13. Texas (9–2) - 101.8
14. Wisconsin (6–3–1) - 101.2
15. Ohio State (6–3) - 100.9
16. Duke (8–2) - 100.5
17. Michigan (5–4) - 99.7
18. Purdue (4–3–2) - 99.7
19. Kansas (7–3) - 99.2
20. Mississippi State (5–4) - 96.9
21. Houston (8–2) - 96.1
22. Tulsa (8–2–1) 95.9
23. Washington (7–3) - 95.4
24. Illinois (4–5) - 94.9
25. Colorado (6–2–2) - 94.5
26. Navy (6–2–1) - 93.9
27. Cincinnati (8–1–1) - 93.5
28. TCU (4–4–2) - 93.4
29. Arizona State (6–3) - 92.7
30. Kentucky (5–4–2) - 92.3
31. Georgia (7–4) - 92.0
32. Pittsburgh (6–3) - 92.0
33. SMU (4–5–1) - 92.0
34. Virginia (8–2) - 91.8
35. LSU (3–7) - 91.7
36. Rice (5–5) - 91.6
37. Tulane (5–5) - 91.6
38. Villanova (7–1–1) - 91.3
39. Miami (OH) (7–3) - 90.8
40. Missouri (5–5) - 90.8
41. Minnesota (4–3–2) - 90.2
42. Princeton (8–1) - 90.0
43. East Texas (11–0) - 89.8
44. Texas A&M (3–6–1) - 89.7
45. Nebraska (5–4–1) - 89.2
46. Baylor (4–4–2) - 88.6
47. Stanford (5–5) - 88.0
48. Chattanooga (7–3) - 87.8
49. Pacific (7–3–1) - 87.7
50. Vanderbilt (3–5–2) - 87.5
51. Penn State (7–2–1)
52. Mississippi Southern (10–2)
53. Army (4–4–1)
54. Auburn (2–8)
55. Penn (4–3–2)
56. Arizona (6–4)
57. Oklahoma A&M (3–7)
58. Northwestern (2-6-1)
59. Holy Cross (8–2)
60. Washington State (4–6)
61. Indiana (2–7)
62. Marquette (3–5–1)
63. Syracuse (7–3)
64. Iowa (2–7)
65. Arkansas (2–8)
66. West Virginia (7–2)
67. North Carolina (2–6)
68. San Jose State (6–3)
69. Wake Forest (5–4–1)
70. Yale (7–2)
71. North Texas (7–3)
72. Utah (6–3–1)
73. Fordham (2–5–1)
74. Miami (FL) (4–7)
75. Texas Tech (3–7–1)
76. South Carolina (5–5)
77. William & Mary (4–5)
78. Oregon State (2–7)
79. Clemson (2–6–1)
80. Iowa State (3–6)
81. Hardin–Simmons (5–3–2)
82. Detroit (3–6)
83. Arkansas State (8–3)
84. Santa Clara (2–6–1)
85. Dayton
86. Idaho (4–4–1)
87. Xavier (4–6)
88. Oregon (2–7–1)
89. Bowling Green
90. Colorado A&M (6–4)
91. Compton
92. New Mexico (7–2)
93. Kansas State (1–9)
94. Wyoming (5–4)
95. Lenoir Rhyne
96. Tyler JC
97. Columbia (2–6–1)
98. Abilene Christian (6–3–1)
99. Pasadena JC
100. Boston University (5–4–1)
101. John Carroll
102. West Chester (7–0)
103. Cornell (2–7)
104. Colgate (6–3)
105. Dartmouth (2–7)
106. Ohio (6–2–1)
107. Boston College (4–4–1)
108. Boise JC (8-1)
109. Western Kentucky (9–1)
110. George Washington (6–2–1)
111. BYU (4–6)
112. Texas Western (5–5–1)
113. McNeese (7–3)
114. Wichita (3–6–1)
115. Central Michigan (7–2)
116. Harvard (5–4)
117. Del Mar
118. Tennessee Tech (9–2)
119. Trinity (TX)
120. Heidelberg
121. Furman (6–3–1)
122. Sam Houston (6–4)
123. Louisiana Tech (6–1–2)
124. Southeastern Louisiana
125. Gustavus Adolphus
126. Idaho State (8–0)
127. Bucknell (6–3)
128. Rutgers (4–4–1)
129. Virginia Tech (5–6)
130. Southwestern Louisiana (5–2–2)
131. Southwest Texas (7–2)
132. American International
133. Temple (2–7–1)
134. El Camino
135. Shippensburg
136. Toledo (4–5)
137. Colorado College
138. Western Reserve (5–4)
139. Rhode Island (7–1)
140. East Los Angeles
141. El Dorado
142. Baldwin Wallace
143. Bradley
144. Connecticut (5–3)
145. VMI (3–6–1)
146. The Citadel (3–5–1)
147. Tampa (8–3–1)
148. Utah State (3–7–1)
149. Louisville (3–5)
150. Western Michigan (4–4)

HBCU rankings

The Pittsburgh Courier, a leading African American newspaper, ranked the top 1952 teams from historically black colleges and universities in an era when college football was largely segregated. The rankings were published on December 20:[15]

The Associated Negro Press also published rankings on December 20:[16]

See also

References

  1. ^ "1952 Preseason AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 26, 2017.
  2. ^ "September 29, 1952 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 26, 2017.
  3. ^ "October 6, 1952 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 26, 2017.
  4. ^ "October 13, 1952 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 26, 2017.
  5. ^ "October 20, 1952 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 26, 2017.
  6. ^ "October 27, 1952 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 26, 2017.
  7. ^ "November 3, 1952 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 26, 2017.
  8. ^ "November 10, 1952 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 26, 2017.
  9. ^ "November 17, 1952 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 26, 2017.
  10. ^ "November 24, 1952 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 26, 2017.
  11. ^ "1952 Final AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 26, 2017.
  12. ^ a b c "Michigan State tops press poll; jackets second". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). United Press. December 2, 1952. p. 3B.
  13. ^ a b c Miller, Norman (December 2, 1952). "Board of coaches selects Michigan State's great Spartans for mythical title for '52". Bend Bulletin. (Oregon). United Press. p. 2.
  14. ^ "Michigan State Tops Litratings; Tech Is Runnerup". The Nashville Banner. October 19, 1952. p. 38 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "Florida A. & M. Declared 1952 Nat'l Grid Champs". The Pittsburgh Courier. December 20, 1952. p. 16 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Press Syndicate Rates Fla. Top Eleven; Va. State 4th". Baltimore Afro-American (p. 17). December 20, 1952.