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1942 college football rankings

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FieldValue
season1942
championsOhio State

One human poll comprised the 1942 college 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. The Coaches' Poll began operation in 1950; in addition, the AP Poll did not begin conducting preseason polls until that same year.

Legend

Tied with team above or below also with this symbol

AP Poll

The final AP Poll was released on November 30, at the end of the 1942 regular season, weeks before the major bowls. The AP would not release a post-bowl season final poll regularly until 1968. |Week1-1 = Georgia (3–0) (25) |Week1-2 = Ohio State (4–0) (12) |Week1-3 = Michigan (2–1) (12) |Week1-4 = Alabama (3–0) (10) |Week1-5 = Illinois (3–0) (18) |Week1-6 = Georgia Tech (3–0) (5) |Week1-7 = Wisconsin (3–0–1) |Week1-8 = Penn (2–1) (5) |Week1-9 = Colgate (3–0) (2) |Week1-10 = Washington State (3–0) (3) |Week1-11 = Boston College (2–0) (1) |Week1-12 = Vanderbilt (3–0) |Week1-13 = Duquesne (3–0) (2) |Week1-14 = Minnesota (1–2) (1) |Week1-15 = Santa Clara (3–0) (1) т |Week1-15-Color = tw |Week1-16 = Tennessee (2–0–1) (1) т |Week1-17 = TCU (3–0) |Week1-18 = Army (2–0) |Week1-19 = Iowa (3–1) |Week1-20 = Texas (3–1) |Week2-1 = Ohio State (4–0) (58) |Week2-1-Color = |Week2-2 = Georgia (5–0) (38) |Week2-2-Color = |Week2-3 = Alabama (4–0) (8) |Week2-3-Color = u |Week2-4 = Michigan (3–1) (2) |Week2-4-Color = d |Week2-5 = Illinois (4–0) (1) |Week2-5-Color = |Week2-6 = Georgia Tech (4–0) (1) |Week2-6-Color = d |Week2-7 = Wisconsin (4–0–1) (2) |Week2-7-Color = |Week2-8 = Notre Dame (2–1–1) (3) |Week2-8-Color = npr |Week2-9 = Santa Clara (4–0) (2) |Week2-9-Color = u |Week2-10 = Boston College (3–0) (4) |Week2-10-Color = u |Week2-11 = Army (3–0) |Week2-11-Color = u |Week2-12 = TCU (4–0) |Week2-12-Color = u |Week2-13 = Minnesota (2–2) |Week2-13-Color = u |Week2-14 = UCLA (2–2) |Week2-14-Color = npr |Week2-15 = Texas (4–1) |Week2-15-Color = u |Week2-16 = Mississippi State (2–2) |Week2-16-Color = npr |Week2-17 = Penn (2–1–1) т |Week2-17-Color = td |Week2-18 = Tennessee (2–1–1) т |Week2-18-Color = d |Week2-19 = North Carolina (3–0–1) |Week2-19-Color = npr |Week2-20 = Syracuse (4–0) |Week2-20-Color = npr |Week3-1 = Ohio State (5–0) (80) |Week3-1-Color = |Week3-2 = Georgia (6–0) (25) |Week3-2-Color = |Week3-3 = Alabama (5–0) (6) |Week3-3-Color = |Week3-4 = Notre Dame (3–1–1) (3) |Week3-4-Color = u |Week3-5 = Georgia Tech (5–0) (3) |Week3-5-Color = u |Week3-6 = Wisconsin (5–0–1) (1) |Week3-6-Color = u |Week3-7 = Boston College (4–0) (4) |Week3-7-Color = u |Week3-8 = Army (4–0) (1) |Week3-8-Color = u |Week3-9 = TCU (5–0) |Week3-9-Color = u |Week3-10 = Minnesota (3–2) |Week3-10-Color = u |Week3-11 = UCLA (3–2) |Week3-11-Color = u |Week3-12 = Illinois (4–1) |Week3-12-Color = d |Week3-13 = Michigan (4–1) |Week3-13-Color = d |Week3-14 = Penn (3–1–1) |Week3-14-Color = u |Week3-15 = Syracuse (5–0) т |Week3-15-Color = tu |Week3-16 = Tulsa (5–0) т |Week3-16-Color = npr |Week3-17 = Texas (5–1) |Week3-17-Color = d |Week3-18 = William & Mary (4–0–1) |Week3-18-Color = npr |Week3-19 = LSU (5–1) |Week3-19-Color = npr |Week3-20 = Tennessee (3–1–1) |Week3-20-Color = d |Week4-1 = Georgia (7–0) (84.31) |Week4-1-Color = u |Week4-2 = Wisconsin (6–0–1) (20.33) |Week4-2-Color = u |Week4-3 = Georgia Tech (6–0) (3.83) |Week4-3-Color = u |Week4-4 = Notre Dame (4–1–1) (1) |Week4-4-Color = |Week4-5 = Boston College (5–0) (13) |Week4-5-Color = u |Week4-6 = Ohio State (5–1) |Week4-6-Color = d |Week4-7 = Minnesota (4–2) (1) |Week4-7-Color = u |Week4-8 = Alabama (5–1) |Week4-8-Color = d |Week4-9 = Penn (4–1–1) (1) |Week4-9-Color = u |Week4-10 = UCLA (4–2) (1) |Week4-10-Color = u |Week4-11 = Michigan (4–2) |Week4-11-Color = u |Week4-12 = Tulsa (6–0) |Week4-12-Color = u |Week4-13 = Tennessee (4–1–1) |Week4-13-Color = u |Week4-14 = Texas (6–1) |Week4-14-Color = u |Week4-15 = Santa Clara (5–1) |Week4-15-Color = npr |Week4-16 = Baylor (6–1) |Week4-16-Color = npr |Week4-17 = William & Mary (5–0–1) |Week4-17-Color = u |Week4-18 = Fresno State (7–0) (1) |Week4-18-Color = npr |Week4-19 = Army (4–1) |Week4-19-Color = d |Week4-20 = Illinois (4–2) |Week4-20-Color = d |Week5-1 = Georgia (8–0) (85) |Week5-1-Color = |Week5-2 = Georgia Tech (7–0) (14) |Week5-2-Color = u |Week5-3 = Boston College (6–0) (10) |Week5-3-Color = u |Week5-4 = Notre Dame (5–1–1) (1) |Week5-4-Color = |Week5-5 = Alabama (6–1) |Week5-5-Color = u |Week5-6 = Michigan (5–2) |Week5-6-Color = u |Week5-7 = Wisconsin (6–1–1) |Week5-7-Color = d |Week5-8 = Texas (7–1) |Week5-8-Color = u |Week5-9 = Tulsa (7–0) (1) |Week5-9-Color = u |Week5-10 = Ohio State (6–1) (1) |Week5-10-Color = d |Week5-11 = Tennessee (5–1–1) |Week5-11-Color = u |Week5-12 = Iowa (6–2) |Week5-12-Color = npr |Week5-13 = Illinois (5–2) |Week5-13-Color = u |Week5-14 = Washington State (5–1) |Week5-14-Color = npr |Week5-15 = William & Mary (6–0–1) |Week5-15-Color = u |Week5-16 = Minnesota (4–3) |Week5-16-Color = d |Week5-17 = Penn (4–2–1) |Week5-17-Color = d |Week5-18 = UCLA (4–3) |Week5-18-Color = d |Week5-19 = Hardin-Simmons (6–0) |Week5-19-Color = npr |Week5-20 = Williams (7–0) |Week5-20-Color = npr |Week6-1 = Georgia (9–0) (69) |Week6-1-Color = |Week6-2 = Georgia Tech (8–0) (13) |Week6-2-Color = |Week6-3 = Boston College (7–0) (37) |Week6-3-Color = |Week6-4 = Michigan (6–2) (3) |Week6-4-Color = u |Week6-5 = Ohio State (7–1) (1) |Week6-5-Color = u |Week6-6 = Tulsa (8–0) (2) |Week6-6-Color = u |Week6-7 = Wisconsin (7–1–1) |Week6-7-Color = |Week6-8 = Notre Dame (5–2–1) |Week6-8-Color = d |Week6-9 = Alabama (6–2) |Week6-9-Color = d |Week6-10 = Minnesota (5–3) |Week6-10-Color = u |Week6-11 = Tennessee (6–1–1) |Week6-11-Color = |Week6-12 = Washington State (6–1) (1) |Week6-12-Color = u |Week6-13 = William & Mary (7–0–1) |Week6-13-Color = u |Week6-14 = Santa Clara (7–1) т |Week6-14-Color = tnpr |Week6-15 = Texas (7–2) т |Week6-15-Color = d |Week6-16 = USC (3–3–1) |Week6-16-Color = npr |Week6-17 = Hardin-Simmons (7–0) |Week6-17-Color = u |Week6-18 = Indiana (5–3) т |Week6-18-Color = tnpr |Week6-19 = TCU (6–2) т |Week6-19-Color = tnpr |Week6-20 = UCLA (4–3) т |Week6-20-Color = |Week7-1 = Boston College (8–0) (47) |Week7-1-Color = u |Week7-2 = Georgia Tech (9–0) (50) |Week7-2-Color = |Week7-3 = Ohio State (8–1) (16) |Week7-3-Color = u |Week7-4 = Wisconsin (8–1–1) (2) |Week7-4-Color = u |Week7-5 = Georgia (9–1) (1) |Week7-5-Color = d |Week7-6 = Tulsa (9–0) (1) |Week7-6-Color = |Week7-7 = Alabama (7–2) |Week7-7-Color = u |Week7-8 = Notre Dame (6–2–1) |Week7-8-Color = |Week7-9 = Michigan (6–3) |Week7-9-Color = d |Week7-10 = Tennessee (7–1–1) |Week7-10-Color = u |Week7-11 = UCLA (5–3) |Week7-11-Color = u |Week7-12 = Santa Clara (7–2) т |Week7-12-Color = tu |Week7-13 = Stanford (5–4) т |Week7-13-Color = npr |Week7-14 = USC (3–3–1) |Week7-14-Color = u |Week7-15 = Washington State (6–1–1) (1) |Week7-15-Color = d |Week7-16 = Auburn (5–4–1) т |Week7-16-Color = tnpr |Week7-17 = Mississippi State (7–2) т |Week7-17-Color = npr |Week7-18 = Texas (7–2) |Week7-18-Color = d |Week7-19 = William & Mary (7–1–1) |Week7-19-Color = d |Week7-20 = Minnesota (5–4) |Week7-20-Color = d |Week8-1 = Ohio State (9–1) (84) |Week8-1-Color = nc |Week8-2 = Georgia (10–1) (62) |Week8-2-Color = u |Week8-3 = Wisconsin (8–1–1) (4) |Week8-3-Color = u |Week8-4 = Tulsa (10–0) (4) |Week8-4-Color = u |Week8-5 = Georgia Tech (9–1) |Week8-5-Color = d |Week8-6 = Notre Dame (7–2–1) |Week8-6-Color = u |Week8-7 = Tennessee (8–1–1) |Week8-7-Color = u |Week8-8 = Boston College (8–1) |Week8-8-Color = d |Week8-9 = Michigan (7–3) |Week8-9-Color = |Week8-10 = Alabama (7–3) |Week8-10-Color = 9 |Week8-11 = Texas (8–2) |Week8-11-Color = u |Week8-12 = Stanford (6–4) |Week8-12-Color = |Week8-13 = UCLA (5–3) |Week8-13-Color = d |Week8-14 = William & Mary (8–1–1) (1) |Week8-14-Color = u |Week8-15 = Santa Clara (7–2) |Week8-15-Color = d |Week8-16 = Auburn (6–4–1) |Week8-16-Color = |Week8-17 = Washington State (6–1–2) |Week8-17-Color = d |Week8-18 = Mississippi State (7–2) |Week8-18-Color = d |Week8-19 = Holy Cross (5–4–1) (1) т |Week8-19-Color = tnpr |Week8-20 = |Week8-20-Color = npr

AP Service Poll

On December 2, a special panel of 91 sportswriters for the Associated Press released a ranking of the US service academy football teams, as they had not been permitted in the regular 1942 AP poll (this practice would be reversed in 1943). The Great Lakes Naval Training Station football team was awarded service champion, garnering the most overall (812) and 1st place votes (50) in the special poll. The ranking system was ten points to the first place team, nine for 2nd place, and so on, with the sportswriters ranking their top ten. Teams that did not finish in the overall top ten but still received individual votes were also added to the final standings.

RankTeamRecordPoints
1Great Lakes Navy8–3–1812 (50)
2Iowa Pre-Flight7–3773 (12)
3Georgia Pre-Flight7–1–1743 (28)
4North Carolina Pre-Flight8–2–1591
5Saint Mary's Pre-Flight6–3–1527 (1)
6Jacksonville NAS9–3386
7Camp Grant4–5151
8Pensacola NAS3–5–1115
9Manhattan Beach6–0–189
10Corpus Christi NAS4–3–188
11Second Air Force11–0–180
12Fort Knox2–666
13Lakehurst NAS4–4–143
14Fort Monmouth5–2–235
15Fort Riley6–313
16Camp Davis4–3–26
17March Field5–25
18 тFort Totten3–5–12
18 тSpence Field0–42
20 тCamp Shelby0–0?1
20 тFort Douglas5–31
20 тDaniel Field0–61
  • In parentheses is the number of 1st place votes

Litkenhous Ratings

The final Litkenhous Ratings were released in January 1943, after the bowl games had been played. The top 30 ranked teams were:

  1. Ohio State (112.0)

  2. Georgia (111.2)

  3. Michigan (107.7)

  4. Great Lakes Navy (106.4)

  5. Alabama (105.7)

  6. Notre Dame (105.6)

  7. Wisconsin (104.9)

  8. Tennessee (104.9)

  9. Georgia Tech (104.6)

  10. Minnesota (104.6)

  11. Georgia Pre-Flight (101.7)

  12. Illinois (101.3)

  13. Iowa Pre-Flight (100.9)

  14. Texas (100.8)

  15. Tulsa (100.7)

  16. Mississippi State (99.5)

  17. Indiana (99.3)

  18. Boston College (98.8)

  19. LSU (97.5)

  20. Duke (97.2)

  21. Rice (96.1)

  22. Penn (95.8)

  23. Stanford (95.1)

  24. Auburn (94.9)

  25. North Carolina Pre-Flight (94.7)

  26. Iowa (93.5)

  27. Vanderbilt (93.4)

  28. UCLA (93.2)

  29. Army (93.2)

  30. Missouri (93.1)

Williamson System

The final Williamson System rankings for 1942 were issued in January 1943, after the bowl games.

  1. Georgia (98.1)

  2. Wisconsin (97.1)

  3. Ohio State (96.8)

  4. Texas (96.0)

  5. Georgia Tech (95.7)

  6. Michigan (95.5)

  7. Alabama (95.3)

  8. Tennessee (95.0)

  9. Notre Dame (94.7)

  10. Tulsa (94.4)

  11. Mississippi State (94.2)

  12. Rice (93.8)

  13. Boston College (93.5)

  14. Marquette (93.3)

  15. Auburn (93.1)

  16. Penn State (93.0)

  17. LSU (92.9)

  18. Fordham (92.8)

  19. William & Mary (92.4)

  20. Missouri (92.3)

  21. Illinois (92.1)

  22. Navy (91.8)

  23. Indiana (91.4)

  24. Hardin–Simmons (91.2)

  25. Duke (91.1)

  26. Baylor (91.0)

  27. Penn (90.7)

  28. TCU (90.6)

  29. UCLA (90.4)

  30. Army (90.3)

  31. Texas A&M (90.2)

  32. Minnesota (90.1)

  33. Colgate (90.0)

  34. Washington State (89.8)

  35. Santa Clara (89.6)

  36. Tulane (89.5)

  37. Stanford (89.3)

  38. Vanderbilt (89.2)

  39. North Carolina (89.1)

  40. Oklahoma A&M (89.0)

  41. Wake Forest (88.8)

  42. USC (88.7)

  43. Iowa (88.6)

  44. Texas Tech (88.6)

  45. California (88.5)

  46. VPI (88.5)

  47. Saint Mary's (88.3)

  48. Detroit (88.1)

  49. Duquesne (87.9)

  50. Syracuse (87.8)

  51. Villanova (87.6)

  52. Michigan State (87.5)

  53. Cornell (87.4)

  54. Georgetown (87.1)

  55. Amherst (87.0)

Williamson also separately ranked the top service teams as follows:

  1. Georgia Pre-Flight (96.4)

  2. Great Lakes Navy (94.7)

  3. North Carolina Pre-Flight (92.6)

  4. Second Air Force (92.3)

  5. Iowa Pre-Flight (91.7)

  6. Jacksonville NAS (91.5)

  7. Manhattan Beach Coast Guard (88.0)

  8. Corpus Christi NAS (85.6)

  9. Saint Mary's Pre-Flight (85.4)

  10. Pensacola NAS (83.4)

  11. Camp Grant (83.1)

  12. Lakehurst NAS (82.5)

  13. Fort Riley (82.0)

  14. Fort Monmouth (81.4)

  15. March Field (79.2)

  16. Fort Knox (78.5)

  17. Santa Ana Air Force (77.9)

  18. Camp Davis (77.6)

References

References

  1. (1942-12-06). "Great Lakes Is Leading Service Team Of Nation". Asheville Citizen-Times.
  2. Dr. E. E. Litkenhous. (January 21, 1943). "Ohio State Rated First By Expert: Litkenhous Announces Final Grid Standings". The Richmond News Leader.
  3. Paul Williamson. (January 5, 1943). "Williamson Rates Texas At No. 4". Austin Statesman.
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