1959 NCAA University Division football rankings
Two human polls comprised the 1959 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.
| 1959 NCAA University Division football rankings | |
|---|---|
| Season | 1959 |
| Bowl season | 1959–60 bowl games |
| Preseason No. 1 | |
| End of season champions | Syracuse |
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 7,[1] at the end of the 1959 regular season, weeks before the major bowls.
| Preseason Aug[2] | Week 1 Sep 21[3] | Week 2 Sep 28[4] | Week 3 Oct 5[5] | Week 4 Oct 12[6] | Week 5 Oct 19[7] | Week 6 Oct 26[8] | Week 7 Nov 2[9] | Week 8 Nov 9[10] | Week 9 Nov 16[11] | Week 10 Nov 23[12] | Week 11 Nov 30[13] | Week 12 (Final) Dec 7[14] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | LSU (60) | LSU (1–0) (64) | LSU (2–0) (48) | LSU (3–0) (69) | LSU (4–0) (83) | LSU (5–0) (68) | LSU (6–0) (71) | LSU (7–0) (132) | Syracuse (7–0) (111) | Syracuse (8–0) (126) | Syracuse (9–0) (121) | Syracuse (9–0) (95) | Syracuse (10–0) (134) | 1. |
| 2. | Oklahoma (48) | Oklahoma (0–0) (12) | Northwestern (1–0) (20) | Northwestern (2–0) (30) | Northwestern (3–0) (10) | Northwestern (4–0) (23) | Northwestern (5–0) (25) | Northwestern (6–0) (30) | Texas (8–0) (85) | Ole Miss (8–1) (68) | Ole Miss (8–1) (32) | Ole Miss (9–1) (49) | Ole Miss (9–1) (47) | 2. |
| 3. | Auburn (17) | Auburn (0–0) (6) | Ole Miss (2–0) (4) | Georgia Tech (3–0) | Texas (4–0) (10) | Texas (5–0) (8) | Ole Miss (6–0) (46) | Texas (7–0) (6) | LSU (7–1) (13) | LSU (8–1) (16) | LSU (9–1) (1) | LSU (9–1) (6) | LSU (9–1) (6) | 3. |
| 4. | SMU (6) | Ole Miss (1–0) (6) | Army (1–0) | Texas (3–0) | Georgia Tech (4–0) (6) | Ole Miss (5–0) (18) | Texas (6–0) (6) | Syracuse (6–0) (14) | USC (7–0) (14) | USC (8–0) (16) | Texas (8–1) (1) | Texas (9–1) | Texas (9–1) (1) | 4. |
| 5. | Army (4) | Clemson (1–0) | Iowa (1–0) (4) | Ole Miss (3–0) (2) | Ole Miss (4–0) (6) | USC (4–0) (12) | Syracuse (5–0) (11) | Ole Miss (6–1) (1) | Ole Miss (7–1) (14) | Texas (8–1) (1) | Wisconsin (7–2) (1) | Georgia (9–1) (2) | Georgia (9–1) (3) | 5. |
| 6. | Wisconsin (10) | SMU (0–0) | Clemson (2–0) (7) | USC (3–0) (9) | Purdue (2–0–1) (5) | Syracuse (4–0) (4) | USC (5–0) (6) | USC (6–0) (4) | Northwestern (6–1) (2) | Georgia (8–1) (6) | Georgia (8–1) (2) | Wisconsin (7–2) (15) | Wisconsin (7–2) (5) | 6. |
| 7. | Ohio State (2) | Army (0–0) | Georgia Tech (2–0) | Purdue (1–0–1) | USC (3–0) (7) | Auburn (3–1) (5) | Penn State (6–0) (6) | Penn State (7–0) (8) | Wisconsin (6–1) (19) | Penn State (8–1) (6) | USC (8–1) | TCU (8–2) | TCU (8–2) | 7. |
| 8. | Ole Miss (5) | Wisconsin (0–0) | Notre Dame (1–0) (1) | Tennessee (2–0) | Syracuse (3–0) (2) | Penn State (5–0) (3) | Auburn (4–1) (5) | Auburn (5–1) (3) | Auburn (6–1) (9) | Northwestern (6–2) (1) | TCU (7–2) | Washington (9–1) (2) | Washington (9–1) | 8. |
| 9. | Iowa (4) | TCU (1–0) | Tennessee (1–0) | Wisconsin (2–0) | Iowa (2–1) (5) | Georgia Tech (4–1) | Georgia Tech (5–1) (1) | Wisconsin (5–1) (2) | Tennessee (5–1–1) (4) | Wisconsin (6–2) | Washington (9–1) (4) | Arkansas (8–2) | Arkansas (8–2) | 9. |
| 10. | Northwestern (6) | Northwestern (0–0) | Texas (2–0) | Iowa (1–1) | Penn State (4–0) (4) | Arkansas (4–1) (1) | Wisconsin (4–1) (2) | Clemson (5–1) (2) | Penn State (7–1) | TCU (6–2) | Arkansas (8–2) (1) | Clemson (8–2) | Alabama (7–1–2) (5) | 10. |
| 11. | Purdue (2) | USC (1–0) (4) | USC (2–0) (1) | South Carolina (3–0) (3) | Auburn (2–1) (1) | Oregon (5–0) (1) | Purdue (3–1–1) | Georgia (6–1) | Clemson (6–1) (3) | Michigan State (5–3) (1) | Auburn (7–2) | Alabama (7–1–2) (6) | Clemson (8–2) | 11. |
| 12. | North Carolina (6) | Ohio State (0–0) | Wisconsin (1–0) | Syracuse (2–0) (1) | Arkansas (4–0) | Wisconsin (3–1) | Clemson (4–1) (2) | Washington (6–1) | Georgia (7–1) (2) | Auburn (6–2) | Miami (FL) (6–3) (5) | Illinois (5–3–1) (1) | Penn State (8–2) | 12. |
| 13. | TCU (2) | Iowa (0–0) т | Georgia (2–0) | Oklahoma (1–1) (2) | Illinois (2–1) | Illinois (3–1) | Yale (5–0) (1) | Tennessee (4–1–1) | Washington (7–1) | Arkansas (7–2) | Illinois (5–3–1) | USC (8–2) | Illinois (5–3–1) | 13. |
| 14. | South Carolina (4) | Navy (1–0) т | Ohio State (1–0) | Auburn (1–1) | Tennessee (2–1) | Purdue (2–1–1) | Georgia (5–1) | Purdue (3–1–2) | Oregon (7–1) (2) | Washington (8–1) | Clemson (7–2) | Penn State (8–2) | USC (8–2) | 14. |
| 15. | Air Force (1) | Texas (1–0) | Navy (2–0) | SMU (1–1) | Clemson (3–1) т | Iowa (2–2) | TCU (4–2) | Oregon (6–1) | Georgia Tech (6–2) | Oregon (8–1) (1) | Penn State (8–2) | Oklahoma (7–3) | Oklahoma (7–3) | 15. |
| 16. | Notre Dame (3) | Georgia Tech (1–0) | South Carolina (2–0) | Penn State (3–0) (2) | SMU (2–1) т | TCU (3–2) | Oregon (5–1) | Arkansas (5–2) | Iowa (4–3) (1) т | Iowa (5–3) (3) | Pittsburgh (6–4) | Wyoming (9–1) | Wyoming (9–1) | 16. |
| 17. | Texas | Georgia (1–0) | Auburn (0–1) | Florida (3–0) | Air Force (3–0) | Clemson (3–1) | Arkansas (4–2) т | TCU (5–2) | North Texas State (8–0) т | Alabama (5–1–2) (4) | Oklahoma (6–3) | UCLA (5–3–1) | Notre Dame (5–5) | 17. |
| 18. | Clemson (1) | Penn State (1–0) (2) | Air Force (1–0) | Air Force (2–0) | Washington (4–0) | Oklahoma (3–2) | Washington (5–1) т | Air Force (4–1–1) | TCU (5–2) | Miami (FL) (5–3) | Missouri (6–4) (2) | Florida (5–4–1) | Missouri (6–4) | 18. |
| 19. | Michigan State (1) | Florida (1–0) | Florida (2–0) | Arkansas (3–0) | Florida (3–0–1) | Yale (4–0) (1) | Oklahoma (4–2) | Georgia Tech (5–2) | Michigan State (4–3) | Clemson (6–2) | Alabama (6–1–2) (1) | Notre Dame (5–5) | Florida (5–4–1) | 19. |
| 20. | Syracuse | South Carolina (1–0) | Syracuse (1–0) | Illinois (1–1) | Pittsburgh (3–1) | Ohio State (2–0) | Tennessee (3–1–1) | North Texas State (7–0) | Arkansas (6–2) | Tennessee (5–2–1) | UCLA (4–3–1) | Missouri (6–4) | Pittsburgh (6–4) | 20. |
| Preseason Aug[15] | Week 1 Sep 21[16] | Week 2 Sep 28[17] | Week 3 Oct 5[18] | Week 4 Oct 12[19] | Week 5 Oct 19[20] | Week 6 Oct 26[21] | Week 7 Nov 2[22] | Week 8 Nov 9[23] | Week 9 Nov 16[24] | Week 10 Nov 23[25] | Week 11 Nov 30[26] | Week 12 (Final) Dec 7[27] | ||
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Final Coaches Poll
The final UPI Coaches Poll was released prior to the bowl games, on December 8.[28]
Syracuse received 31 of the 35 first-place votes; Mississippi received three and Washington one.[29]
| Ranking | Team | Conference | Bowl |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Syracuse | Independent | Won Cotton, 23–14 |
| 2 | Ole Miss | SEC | Won Sugar, 21–0 |
| 3 | LSU | SEC | Lost Sugar, 0–21 |
| 4 | Texas | Southwest | Lost Cotton, 14–23 |
| 5 | Georgia | SEC | Won Orange, 14–0 |
| 6 | Wisconsin | Big Ten | Lost Rose, 8–44 |
| 7 | Washington | AAWU | Won Rose, 44–8 |
| 8 | TCU | Southwest | Lost Bluebonnet, 7–23 |
| 9 | Arkansas | Southwest | Won Gator, 14–7 |
| 10 | Penn State | Independent | Won Liberty, 7–0 |
| 11 | Clemson | ACC | Won Bluebonnet, 23–7 |
| 12 | Illinois | Big Ten | none |
| 13 | Alabama | SEC | Lost Liberty, 0–7 |
| USC | AAWU | none | |
| 15 | Auburn | SEC | |
| 16 | Michigan State | Big Ten | |
| 17 | Oklahoma | Big Eight | |
| 18 | Notre Dame | Independent | |
| 19 | Florida | SEC | |
| Pittsburgh | Independent | ||
| Missouri | Big Eight | Lost Orange, 0–14 |
Litkenhous Ratings
The final Litkenhous Ratings released in December 1959 provided numerical rankings to college football programs.[30] The top 120 ranked teams were:
1. Syracuse (11–0) - 110.0
2. Ole Miss (10–1) - 110.5
3. LSU (9–2) - 105.1
4. TCU (8–3) - 102.4
5. Texas (9–2) - 102.0
6. Auburn (7–3) - 100.8
7. Georgia (10–1) - 100.2
8. Northwestern (6–3) - 98.1
9. Iowa (5–4) - 97.9
10. Purdue (5–2–2) - 96.7
11. Michigan State (5–4) - 96.6
12. USC (8–2) - 96.6
13. Arkansas (9–2) - 96.3
14. Washington (10–1) - 96.2
15. Wisconsin (7–3) - 95.8
16. Penn State (9–2) - 95.2
17. Georgia Tech (6–5) - 94.9
18. Illinois (5–3–1) - 94.7
19. Oklahoma (7–3) - 94.7
20. Clemson (9–2) - 94.3
21. Indiana (4–4–1) - 93.7
22. Kentucky (4–6) - 93.5
23. SMU (5–4–1) - 93.0
24. Florida (5–4–1) - 92.9
25. UCLA (5–4–1) - 91.5
26. Ohio State (3–5–1) - 91.1
27. Alabama (7–2–2) - 91.0
28. Notre Dame (5–5) 91.0
29. Tennessee (5–4–1) 90.4
30. Bowling Green (9–0) - 90.2
31. Wyoming (9–1) - 90.2
32. Miami (FL) (6–4) 90.0
33. Oregon (8–2) - 89.0
34. Kansas (5–5) - 88.5
35. Florida A&M (10–0) - 88.4
36. Vanderbilt (5–3–2) - 88.2
37. Baylor (4–6) - 88.1
38. North Carolina (5–5) - 88.1
39. Iowa State (7–3) - 87.8
40. Michigan (4–5) - 87.8
41. Pittsburgh (6–4) - 87.4
42. Navy (5–4–1) - 87.2
43. Texas A&M (3–7) - 87.2
44. North Texas (9–2) - 87.2
45. Missouri (6–5) - 87.0
46. Minnesota (2–7) - 85.8
47. Army (4–4–1) - 85.4
48. Washington State (6–4) -85.4
49. Wake Forest (6–4) - 83.9
50. Rice (1–7–2) - 83.7
51. Texas Tech
52. New Mexico State (8–3)
53. Stanford
54. Maryland
55. Oregon State
56. Tulane
57. Ohio (7–2)
58. Air Force (5–4–1)
59. Duke
60. Oklahoma State
61. Mississippi Southern
62. Nebraska
63. South Carolina
64. California
65. VMI
66. Cincinnati (5–4–1)
67. New Mexico (7–3)
68. Mississippi State
69. Colorado
70. Florida State
71. Louisiana Tech (9–1)
72. Penn
73. Miami (OH) (5–4)
74. Houston
75. Tulsa
76. Arizona State
77. Detroit (6–4)
78. Memphis State
79. Boston College
80. NC State
81. Utah
82. Delaware
83. Prairie View
84. Western Michigan (4–5)
85. Illinois Western
86. Wichita
87. Middle Tennessee
88. Virginia Tech
89. Marquette (3–7)
90. The Citadel
91. Hillsdale
92. Northern Illinois
93. Richmond
94. Kent State
95. Lenoir Rhyne
96. Pacific
97. Holy Cross (6–4)
98. Hardin Simmons
99. Yale
100. Tennessee A&I
101. Harvard
102. Texas East
103. Boston University (4–5)
104. San Jose State (4–6)
105. Louisville (6–4)
106. Central Michigan (7–3)
107. Colorado State (6–4)
108. West Virginia
109. Dayton
110. Northern Michigan
111. Dartmouth (5–3–1)
112. Fresno State (7–3)
113. San Francisco State (10–0)
114. Langston
115. Texas Western (3–7)
116. William & Mary
117. Princeton (4–5)
118. Lamar Tech
119. Colorado State
120. Presbyterian
References
- "Orange win grid crown". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. December 8, 1959. p. 18.
- "1959 Preseason AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
- "September 21, 1959 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
- "September 28, 1959 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
- "October 5, 1959 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
- "October 12, 1959 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
- "October 19, 1959 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
- "October 26, 1959 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
- "November 2, 1959 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
- "November 9, 1959 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
- "November 16, 1959 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
- "November 23, 1959 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
- "November 30, 1959 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
- "1959 Final AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
- "1959 Preseason AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
- "September 21, 1959 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
- "September 28, 1959 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
- "October 5, 1959 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
- "October 12, 1959 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
- "October 19, 1959 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
- "October 26, 1959 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
- "November 2, 1959 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
- "November 9, 1959 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
- "November 16, 1959 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
- "November 23, 1959 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
- "November 30, 1959 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
- "1959 Final AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
- "Syracuse tops final grid poll by wide margin". Bend Bulletin. (Oregon). UPI. December 8, 1959. p. 2.
- "Syracuse is voted national champion by coaches board". Reading Eagle. (Pennsylvania). UPI. December 8, 1959. p. 23.
- "Bowl Rankings By Litkenhous". The Wichita Eagle. December 18, 1959. p. 7B – via Newspapers.com.