1937 college football rankings

Champions (by ranking)

Most major rankings (both contemporary and retroactive) have found Pittsburgh to have been the 1937 national champion. However, two major rankings (the contemporary Dunkel and retroactive Helms rankings) instead find California to have been the champion.

• AP poll: Pittsburgh
• Berryman QPRS: Pittsburgh
• Billingsley Report: Pittsburgh
• Boand System: Pittsburgh
• College Football Researchers Association: Pittsburgh
• Dickinson System: Pittsburgh
• Dunkel System: California
• Helms Athletic Foundation: California
• Houlgate System: Pittsburgh
• Litkenhous Ratings: Pittsburgh
• National Championship Foundation: Pittsburgh
• Poling System: Pittsburgh
• Sagarin Ratings Elo chess method: Pittsburgh
• Sagarin Ratings Predictor method: Pittsburgh
• Williamson System: Pittsburgh Note: AP poll, Boand System, Dickinson System, Dunkel System, Houlgate System, Litkenhous Ratings, Poling System, and Williamson System were given contemporarily. All other methods were given retroactively.

AP Poll

Legend

The final AP Poll was released on November 29, at the end of the 1937 regular season, weeks before the major bowls. The AP would not release a post-bowl season final poll regularly until 1968. |Week1-1 = California (5–0) (24) |Week1-2 = Alabama (4–0) (7) |Week1-3 = Pittsburgh (3–0–1) (8) |Week1-4 = Minnesota (3–1) (5) |Week1-5 = Yale (3–0) (6) |Week1-6 = LSU (4–0) (2) |Week1-7 = Northwestern (3–0) |Week1-8 = Nebraska (2–0–1) |Week1-9 = Fordham (2–0–1) |Week1-10 = Duke (3–0–1) |Week1-11 = USC (3–1) |Week1-12 = Ohio State (2–1) |Week1-13 = Texas A&M (2–0–1) |Week1-14 = Santa Clara (3–0) |Week1-15 = Baylor (4–0) |Week1-16 = Wisconsin (4–0) |Week1-17 = Syracuse (3–0) |Week1-18 = Dartmouth (4–0) |Week1-19 = Cornell (3–1) |Week1-20 = |Week2-1 = California (6–0) (48) |Week2-1-Color = |Week2-2 = Pittsburgh (4–0–1) (3) |Week2-2-Color = u |Week2-3 = Alabama (5–0) |Week2-3-Color = d |Week2-4 = Minnesota (3–1) (2) |Week2-4-Color = |Week2-5 = Yale (4–0) (2) |Week2-5-Color = |Week2-6 = Baylor (5–0) (1) |Week2-6-Color = u |Week2-7 = Vanderbilt (5–0) (1) |Week2-7-Color = u |Week2-8 = Ohio State (3–1) |Week2-8-Color = u |Week2-9 = Dartmouth (5–0) |Week2-9-Color = u |Week2-10 = Fordham (3–0–1) |Week2-10-Color = d |Week2-11 = Nebraska (3–0–1) |Week2-11-Color = d |Week2-12 = Auburn (3–0–2) |Week2-12-Color = u |Week2-13 = Duke (4–0–1) |Week2-13-Color = d |Week2-14 = Santa Clara (4–0) |Week2-14-Color = |Week2-15 = North Carolina (4–0–1) |Week2-15-Color = npr |Week2-16 = Villanova (3–0–1) |Week2-16-Color = npr |Week2-17 = LSU (4–1) |Week2-17-Color = d |Week2-18 = Detroit (5–0) т |Week2-18-Color = tnpr |Week2-19 = Holy Cross (5–0) т |Week2-19-Color = u |Week2-20 = Arkansas (3–1–1) |Week2-20-Color = npr |Week3-1 = California (7–0) (49) |Week3-1-Color = |Week3-2 = Alabama (6–0) (6) |Week3-2-Color = u |Week3-3 = Pittsburgh (5–0–1) (4) |Week3-3-Color = d |Week3-4 = Baylor (6–0) (2) |Week3-4-Color = u |Week3-5 = Fordham (4–0–1) |Week3-5-Color = u |Week3-6 = Nebraska (4–0–1) |Week3-6-Color = u |Week3-7 = Yale (4–0–1) |Week3-7-Color = d |Week3-8 = Ohio State (4–1) |Week3-8-Color = |Week3-9 = Dartmouth (5–0–1) |Week3-9-Color = |Week3-10 = Santa Clara (5–0) |Week3-10-Color = u |Week3-11 = Duke (5–0–1) |Week3-11-Color = u |Week3-12 = Notre Dame (3–1–1) |Week3-12-Color = npr |Week3-13 = Villanova (4–0–1) |Week3-13-Color = u |Week3-14 = Minnesota (3–2) |Week3-14-Color = d |Week3-15 = Tennessee (4–1–1) |Week3-15-Color = npr |Week3-16 = Arkansas (4–1–1) т |Week3-16-Color = tu |Week3-17 = Duquesne (4–1) т |Week3-17-Color = npr |Week3-18 = LSU (5–1) |Week3-18-Color = d |Week3-19 = Northwestern (4–1) т |Week3-19-Color = tnpr |Week3-20 = Tulane (4–1–1) т |Week3-20-Color = npr |Week4-1 = Pittsburgh (6–0–1) (32) |Week4-1-Color = u |Week4-2 = California (7–0–1) (9) |Week4-2-Color = d |Week4-3 = Alabama (7–0) (13) |Week4-3-Color = d |Week4-4 = Fordham (5–0–1) (2) |Week4-4-Color = u |Week4-5 = Dartmouth (6–0–1) |Week4-5-Color = u |Week4-6 = Yale (5–0–1) |Week4-6-Color = u |Week4-7 = Santa Clara (6–0) |Week4-7-Color = u |Week4-8 = Duke (6–0–1) |Week4-8-Color = u |Week4-9 = Villanova (5–0–1) |Week4-9-Color = u |Week4-10 = Minnesota (4–2) |Week4-10-Color = u |Week4-11 = Nebraska (4–0–2) |Week4-11-Color = d |Week4-12 = LSU (6–1) |Week4-12-Color = u |Week4-13 = Baylor (6–1) |Week4-13-Color = d |Week4-14 = Auburn (4–1–2) |Week4-14-Color = npr |Week4-15 = Rice (3–2–1) |Week4-15-Color = npr |Week4-16 = Colorado (6–0) |Week4-16-Color = npr |Week4-17 = Indiana (4–2) |Week4-17-Color = npr |Week4-18 = Notre Dame (3–2–1) |Week4-18-Color = d |Week4-19 = Holy Cross (6–0–1) |Week4-19-Color = npr |Week4-20 = Arkansas (4–2–1) |Week4-20-Color = d |Week5-1 = Pittsburgh (7–0–1) (49) |Week5-1-Color = |Week5-2 = California (8–0–1) (6) |Week5-2-Color = |Week5-3 = Alabama (8–0) (2) |Week5-3-Color = |Week5-4 = Fordham (5–0–1) (2) |Week5-4-Color = |Week5-5 = Yale (6–0–1) |Week5-5-Color = u |Week5-6 = Santa Clara (7–0) |Week5-6-Color = u |Week5-7 = Minnesota (5–2) |Week5-7-Color = u |Week5-8 = LSU (7–1) |Week5-8-Color = u |Week5-9 = Dartmouth (6–0–2) |Week5-9-Color = d |Week5-10 = Villanova (6–0–1) |Week5-10-Color = d |Week5-11 = Nebraska (4–1–2) |Week5-11-Color = |Week5-12 = Notre Dame (4–2–1) |Week5-12-Color = u |Week5-13 = Stanford (4–2–1) |Week5-13-Color = npr |Week5-14 = Holy Cross (7–0–1) |Week5-14-Color = u |Week5-15 = Rice (3–2–2) |Week5-15-Color = |Week5-16 = Colorado (7–0) |Week5-16-Color = |Week5-17 = North Carolina (6–1–1) |Week5-17-Color = npr |Week5-18 = Vanderbilt (7–1) |Week5-18-Color = npr |Week5-19 = Ohio State (5–2) |Week5-19-Color = npr |Week5-20 = Indiana (5–2) |Week5-20-Color = d |Week6-1 = Pittsburgh (8–0–1) (38) |Week6-1-Color = |Week6-2 = California (9–0–1) (10) |Week6-2-Color = |Week6-3 = Fordham (6–0–1) |Week6-3-Color = u |Week6-4 = Alabama (8–0) |Week6-4-Color = d |Week6-5 = Minnesota (6–2) |Week6-5-Color = u |Week6-6 = Dartmouth (7–0–2) |Week6-6-Color = u |Week6-7 = Villanova (7–0–1) |Week6-7-Color = u |Week6-8 = Santa Clara (7–0) |Week6-8-Color = d |Week6-9 = Notre Dame (5–2–1) |Week6-9-Color = u |Week6-10 = LSU (8–1) |Week6-10-Color = d |Week6-11 = Nebraska (5–1–2) |Week6-11-Color = |Week6-12 = Vanderbilt (7–1) |Week6-12-Color = u |Week6-13 = Washington (5–2–2) |Week6-13-Color = npr |Week6-14 = TCU (3–4–2) т |Week6-14-Color = tnpr |Week6-15 = Yale (6–1–1) т |Week6-15-Color = d |Week6-16 = Colorado (8–0) |Week6-16-Color = |Week6-17 = Holy Cross (7–0–2) |Week6-17-Color = d |Week6-18 = Duke (7–1–1) т |Week6-18-Color = tnpr |Week6-19 = North Carolina (6–1–1) т |Week6-19-Color = d |Week6-20 = Tulsa (6–1–1) |Week6-20-Color = npr |Week7-1 = Pittsburgh (9–0–1) (30) |Week7-1-Color = nc |Week7-2 = California (9–0–1) |Week7-2-Color = |Week7-3 = Fordham (7–0–1) (2) |Week7-3-Color = |Week7-4 = Alabama (9–0) (1) |Week7-4-Color = |Week7-5 = Minnesota (6–2) |Week7-5-Color = |Week7-6 = Villanova (8–0–1) |Week7-6-Color = u |Week7-7 = Dartmouth (7–0–2) |Week7-7-Color = d |Week7-8 = LSU (9–1) |Week7-8-Color = u |Week7-9 = Notre Dame (6–2–1) т |Week7-9-Color = tw |Week7-10 = Santa Clara (8–0) т |Week7-10-Color = d |Week7-11 = Nebraska (6–1–2) |Week7-11-Color = |Week7-12 = Yale (6–1–1) |Week7-12-Color = u |Week7-13 = Ohio State (6–2) |Week7-13-Color = npr |Week7-14 = Arkansas (6–2–2) т |Week7-14-Color = tnpr |Week7-15 = Holy Cross (8–0–2) т |Week7-15-Color = u |Week7-16 = TCU (4–4–2) |Week7-16-Color = d |Week7-17 = Colorado (8–0) |Week7-17-Color = d |Week7-18 = Rice (4–3–2) |Week7-18-Color = npr |Week7-19 = North Carolina (7–1–1) |Week7-19-Color = d |Week7-20 = Duke (7–2–1) |Week7-20-Color = d

Boand System rankings

The final post-bowl Boand System rankings for 1937 were:

1. Pittsburgh (83.6 pts)
2. California (82.4 pts)
3. Fordham (79.3 pts)
4. Santa Clara (78.7 pts)
5. Villanova (77.4 pts)
6. Dartmouth (76.9 pts)
7. Yale (76.2 pts)
8. Alabama (75.4 pts)
9. Nebraska (75.3 pts)
10. Louisiana State (75.1 pts)
11. Holy Cross (75.0 pts)
12. Notre Dame (74.1 pts)
13. Minnesota (73.7 pts)
14. Auburn (73.5 pts)
15. Michigan State (73.4 pts)
16. Ohio State (73.3 pts)
17. Rice (71.9 pts)
18. North Carolina (71.6 pts)
19. Vanderbilt (70.7 pts)
20. Army (70.6 pts)

Litkenhous Ratings

The top 26 teams in the Litkenhous Ratings for 1937 were as follows:

1. Pittsburgh (9–0–1) - 98.8

2. Alabama (9–1) - 95.6

3. Fordham (7–0–1) - 93.5

4. LSU (9–2) - 92.5

5. Minnesota (6–2) - 86.7

6. Dartmouth (7–0–2) - 86.6

7. Auburn (6–2–3) - 85.7

8. Duke (7–2–1) - 84.8

9. Villanova (8–0–1) - 84.8

10. Ohio State (6–2) - 84.7

11. California (10–0–1) - 84.6

12. Arkansas (6–2–2) - 83.8

13. Tennessee (6–3–1) - 83.4

14. Santa Clara (9–0) - 82.3

15. Georgia Tech (6–3–1) - 82.2

16. Vanderbilt (7–2) - 81.8

17. North Carolina (7–1–1) - 81.8

18. Detroit (7–3) - 81.8

19. Tulane (5–4–1) - 81.5

20. Rice (6–3–2) - 81.4

21. Harvard (5–2–1) - 80.6

22. Notre Dame (6–2–1) - 80.4

23. Tulsa (6–2–2) - 80.4

24. TCU (4–4–2) - 80.1

25. Baylor (7–3) - 79.5

26. Yale (6–1–1) - 79.3

Notes

References

References

1. (2017). "Football Bowl Subdivision Records".
2. Boand, William F.. (January 5, 1938). "1937 Grid Ratings — Azzi Ratems System — By William F. Boand, Chicago". Chattanooga Daily Times.
3. (December 2, 1937). "Pittsburgh, Season Over, Is Leading Grid Crew". The Evansville Courier.