1938 college football rankings

Champions (by ranking)

The AP Poll and three other major rankings consider TCU as the season's champion. Eight major rankings consider Tennessee the season's champion. The Dickinson System considers Notre Dame the season's champion:

• AP poll: TCU
• Berryman QPRS: Tennessee
• Billingsley Report: Tennessee
• Boand System: Tennessee
• College Football Researchers Association: Tennessee
• Dickinson System: Notre Dame
• Dunkel System: Tennessee
• Helms Athletic Foundation: TCU
• Houlgate System: Tennessee
• Litkenhous Ratings: Tennessee
• National Championship Foundation: TCU
• Poling System: Tennessee
• Sagarin Ratings Elo chess method: Tennessee
• Sagarin Ratings Predictor method: Tennessee
• Williamson System: TCU 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 scheduled final AP Poll was released on November 29, with Notre Dame No. 1, prior to their season-end game against Southern California.

The poll was extended for one week due to the "select quality of last Saturday's games, three of which had a direct bearing on the ranking".

The revised final AP Poll was released on December 6, at the end of the regular season, still weeks before the major bowls. The AP would not release a post-bowl season final poll regularly until 1968. |Week1-1 = Pittsburgh (4–0) (83) |Week1-2 = Minnesota (4–0) (6) |Week1-3 = California (5–0) (1) |Week1-4 = Dartmouth (4–0) (1) |Week1-5 = Notre Dame (3–0) |Week1-6 = Santa Clara (3–0) |Week1-7 = TCU (4–0) (3) |Week1-8 = Tennessee (4–0) |Week1-9 = Duke (4–0) |Week1-10 = Syracuse (3–0) |Week1-11 = Fordham (2–0–1) |Week1-12 = Michigan (2–1) |Week1-13 = Carnegie Tech (3–0) |Week1-14 = Oklahoma (3–0) |Week1-15 = Alabama (3–1) |Week1-16 = Vanderbilt (4–0) |Week1-17 = Baylor (4–0) |Week1-18 = Northwestern (2–0–1) |Week1-19 = North Carolina (3–1) |Week1-20 = Villanova (3–0) |Week2-1 = Pittsburgh (5–0) (90) |Week2-1-Color = |Week2-2 = Minnesota (4–0) (1) |Week2-2-Color = |Week2-3 = California (6–0) (3) |Week2-3-Color = |Week2-4 = TCU (5–0) (3) |Week2-4-Color = u |Week2-5 = Santa Clara (4–0) (1) |Week2-5-Color = u |Week2-6 = Dartmouth (5–0) |Week2-6-Color = d |Week2-7 = Notre Dame (4–0) (1) |Week2-7-Color = d |Week2-8 = Tennessee (5–0) |Week2-8-Color = |Week2-9 = Fordham (3–0–1) (1) |Week2-9-Color = u |Week2-10 = Oklahoma (4–0) |Week2-10-Color = u |Week2-11 = Duke (5–0) |Week2-11-Color = d |Week2-12 = Northwestern (3–0–1) |Week2-12-Color = u |Week2-13 = Michigan (3–1) |Week2-13-Color = d |Week2-14 = Holy Cross (4–1) |Week2-14-Color = npr |Week2-15 = Villanova (4–0) |Week2-15-Color = u |Week2-16 = Carnegie Tech (3–1) |Week2-16-Color = d |Week2-17 = Cornell (3–1) |Week2-17-Color = npr |Week2-18 = Alabama (4–1) |Week2-18-Color = d |Week2-19 = USC (4–1) |Week2-19-Color = npr |Week2-20 = Ohio State (2–1–1) |Week2-20-Color = npr |Week3-1 = Pittsburgh (6–0) (105) |Week3-1-Color = |Week3-2 = TCU (6–0) (8) |Week3-2-Color = u |Week3-3 = California (7–0) |Week3-3-Color = |Week3-4 = Notre Dame (5–0) |Week3-4-Color = u |Week3-5 = Dartmouth (6–0) |Week3-5-Color = u |Week3-6 = Tennessee (6–0) (1) |Week3-6-Color = u |Week3-7 = Northwestern (4–0–1) |Week3-7-Color = u |Week3-8 = Santa Clara (5–0) |Week3-8-Color = d |Week3-9 = Duke (6–0) |Week3-9-Color = u |Week3-10 = Fordham (3–1–1) |Week3-10-Color = d |Week3-11 = Oklahoma (5–0) |Week3-11-Color = d |Week3-12 = Minnesota (4–1) |Week3-12-Color = d |Week3-13 = Holy Cross (5–1) т |Week3-13-Color = tu |Week3-14 = USC (5–1) т |Week3-14-Color = u |Week3-15 = Alabama (5–1) |Week3-15-Color = u |Week3-16 = Cornell (4–1) т |Week3-16-Color = tu |Week3-17 = Michigan (4–1) т |Week3-17-Color = d |Week3-18 = Iowa State (6–0) |Week3-18-Color = npr |Week3-19 = Carnegie Tech (4–1) т |Week3-19-Color = td |Week3-20 = Texas A&M (3–2–1) т |Week3-20-Color = npr |Week4-1 = TCU (7–0) (48) |Week4-1-Color = u |Week4-2 = Notre Dame (6–0) (41) |Week4-2-Color = u |Week4-3 = Pittsburgh (6–1) (14) |Week4-3-Color = d |Week4-4 = Tennessee (7–0) (6) |Week4-4-Color = u |Week4-5 = Dartmouth (7–0) |Week4-5-Color = |Week4-6 = Carnegie Tech (5–1) |Week4-6-Color = u |Week4-7 = Duke (6–0) |Week4-7-Color = u |Week4-8 = Santa Clara (6–0) (1) |Week4-8-Color = |Week4-9 = USC (6–1) (2) |Week4-9-Color = u |Week4-10 = Oklahoma (6–0) (1) |Week4-10-Color = u |Week4-11 = Holy Cross (6–1) |Week4-11-Color = u |Week4-12 = Minnesota (5–1) |Week4-12-Color = |Week4-13 = Fordham (4–1–1) |Week4-13-Color = d |Week4-14 = California (7–1) |Week4-14-Color = d |Week4-15 = Wisconsin (4–2) |Week4-15-Color = npr |Week4-16 = Alabama (6–1) |Week4-16-Color = d |Week4-17 = Northwestern (4–1–1) |Week4-17-Color = d |Week4-18 = Michigan (5–1) (1) |Week4-18-Color = d |Week4-19 = Villanova (5–0–1) |Week4-19-Color = npr |Week4-20 = Cornell (4–1) |Week4-20-Color = d |Week5-1 = Notre Dame (7–0) (60) |Week5-1-Color = u |Week5-2 = TCU (8–0) (19) |Week5-2-Color = d |Week5-3 = Tennessee (8–0) (5) |Week5-3-Color = u |Week5-4 = Duke (7–0) (5) |Week5-4-Color = u |Week5-5 = Pittsburgh (7–1) (2) |Week5-5-Color = d |Week5-6 = Carnegie Tech (6–1) |Week5-6-Color = |Week5-7 = Oklahoma (7–0) (1) |Week5-7-Color = u |Week5-8 = Cornell (5–1) |Week5-8-Color = u |Week5-9 = California (8–1) |Week5-9-Color = u |Week5-10 = Holy Cross (7–1) |Week5-10-Color = u |Week5-11 = Santa Clara (6–1) |Week5-11-Color = d |Week5-12 = Wisconsin (5–2) |Week5-12-Color = u |Week5-13 = USC (6–2) |Week5-13-Color = d |Week5-14 = Dartmouth (7–1) |Week5-14-Color = d |Week5-15 = Villanova (6–0–1) |Week5-15-Color = u |Week5-16 = Northwestern (4–1–2) |Week5-16-Color = u |Week5-17 = Michigan (5–1–1) |Week5-17-Color = u |Week5-18 = Fordham (4–1–2) |Week5-18-Color = d |Week5-19 = Texas Tech (8–0) |Week5-19-Color = npr |Week5-20 = Alabama (6–1–1) |Week5-20-Color = d |Week6-1 = Notre Dame (7–0) (48) |Week6-1-Color = |Week6-2 = TCU (9–0) (28) |Week6-2-Color = |Week6-3 = Duke (8–0) (3) |Week6-3-Color = u |Week6-4 = Pittsburgh (8–1) (2) т |Week6-4-Color = tu |Week6-5 = Tennessee (8–0) (3) т |Week6-5-Color = d |Week6-6 = Oklahoma (8–0) |Week6-6-Color = u |Week6-7 = Carnegie Tech (6–1) |Week6-7-Color = d |Week6-8 = Minnesota (6–2) |Week6-8-Color = npr |Week6-9 = California (9–1) |Week6-9-Color = |Week6-10 = Cornell (5–1) |Week6-10-Color = d |Week6-11 = Holy Cross (7–1) |Week6-11-Color = d |Week6-12 = Michigan (6–1–1) |Week6-12-Color = u |Week6-13 = Dartmouth (7–1) |Week6-13-Color = u |Week6-14 = USC (6–2) |Week6-14-Color = d |Week6-15 = Northwestern (4–2–2) |Week6-15-Color = u |Week6-16 = Villanova (7–0–1) |Week6-16-Color = d |Week6-17 = Texas Tech (9–0) |Week6-17-Color = u |Week6-18 = Fordham (5–1–2) |Week6-18-Color = |Week6-19 = Santa Clara (6–1) |Week6-19-Color = d |Week6-20 = Georgetown (8–0) |Week6-20-Color = npr |Week7-1 = Notre Dame (8–0) (48) |Week7-1-Color = |Week7-2 = TCU (10–0) (23) |Week7-2-Color = |Week7-3 = Duke (9–0) (15) |Week7-3-Color = |Week7-4 = Tennessee (9–0) (4) |Week7-4-Color = |Week7-5 = Oklahoma (9–0) |Week7-5-Color = u |Week7-6 = Carnegie Tech (7–1) |Week7-6-Color = u |Week7-7 = Pittsburgh (8–2) |Week7-7-Color = d |Week7-8 = USC (7–2) |Week7-8-Color = u |Week7-9 = Holy Cross (8–1) |Week7-9-Color = u |Week7-10 = Minnesota (6–2) |Week7-10-Color = d |Week7-11 = Cornell (5–1–1) |Week7-11-Color = d |Week7-12 = California (9–1) |Week7-12-Color = d |Week7-13 = Fordham (6–1–2) |Week7-13-Color = u |Week7-14 = Texas Tech (10–0) |Week7-14-Color = u |Week7-15 = Villanova (8–0–1) |Week7-15-Color = u |Week7-16 = Michigan (6–1–1) |Week7-16-Color = d |Week7-17 = Alabama (7–1–1) |Week7-17-Color = npr |Week7-18 = Tulane (7–2–1) |Week7-18-Color = npr |Week7-19 = Northwestern (4–2–2) |Week7-19-Color = d |Week7-20 = Dartmouth (7–2) |Week7-20-Color = d |Week8-1 = TCU (10–0) (55) |Week8-1-Color = nc |Week8-2 = Tennessee (10–0) (16) |Week8-2-Color = u |Week8-3 = Duke (9–0) (11) |Week8-3-Color = |Week8-4 = Oklahoma (10–0) |Week8-4-Color = u |Week8-5 = Notre Dame (8–1) (4) |Week8-5-Color = d |Week8-6 = Carnegie Tech (7–1) |Week8-6-Color = |Week8-7 = USC (8–2) (1) |Week8-7-Color = u |Week8-8 = Pittsburgh (8–2) |Week8-8-Color = d |Week8-9 = Holy Cross (8–1) |Week8-9-Color = |Week8-10 = Minnesota (6–2) |Week8-10-Color = |Week8-11 = Texas Tech (10–0) |Week8-11-Color = u |Week8-12 = Cornell (5–1–1) |Week8-12-Color = d |Week8-13 = Alabama (7–1–1) |Week8-13-Color = u |Week8-14 = California (10–1) |Week8-14-Color = d |Week8-15 = Fordham (6–1–2) |Week8-15-Color = d |Week8-16 = Michigan (6–1–1) |Week8-16-Color = |Week8-17 = Northwestern (4–2–2) |Week8-17-Color = u |Week8-18 = Villanova (8–0–1) |Week8-18-Color = d |Week8-19 = Tulane (7–2–1) |Week8-19-Color = d |Week8-20 = Dartmouth (7–2) |Week8-20-Color =

Houlgate System

|Week1-1 = Tennessee (A 35) |Week1-2 = Notre Dame (B 30) |Week1-3 = Duke (A 27) |Week1-4 = Oklahoma (A 25) |Week1-5 = Texas Christian (A 24) |Week1-6 = Southern California (C 23) |Week1-7 = California (B 22) |Week1-8 = Pittsburgh (C 22) |Week1-9 = Holy Cross (B 21) |Week1-10 = Alabama (C 20)

Litkenhous Ratings

The top teams in the Litkenhous Ratings for 1938 were as follows:

1. Tennessee

2. TCU

3. USC

4. Notre Dame

5. Holy Cross

6. Pittsburgh

7. Cornell

8. Fordham

9. Minnesota

10. Michigan

11. Northwestern

12. California

Boand/Azzi Ratem

1. Tennessee

2. Notre Dame

3. TCU

4. USC

5. California

6. Oklahoma

7. Duke

8. Pittsburgh

9. Holy Cross

10. Minnesota

11. Villanova

12. Michigan

Poling

1. Tennessee

2. TCU

3. USC

4. Notre Dame

5. California

6. Oklahoma

7. Duke

8. Holy Cross

9. Pittsburgh

10. Minnesota

11. Alabama

12. Carnegie Tech

Williamson

1-2. Tennessee

1-2. TCU

3. Notre Dame

4. Carnegie Tech

5. Holy Cross

6. Alabama

7. USC

8. Duke

9. Oklahoma

10. Pittsburgh

11. Minnesota

12. Villanova

Notes

References

References

1. (2017). "Football Bowl Subdivision Records".
2. Fullerton, Hugh S. Jr.. (November 29, 1938). "Irish Still Top Scribes' Ballot". The Indianapolis News.
3. Middleton, Drew. (December 6, 1938). "Texas Christian Places On Pinnacle In Final AP Poll".
4. (December 6, 1938). "Houlgate Rates Tennessee No. 1 Team". Daily News.
5. (January 3, 1939). "Boand Gives Grid Top to Tennessee Eleven". Omaha World-Herald.
6. (January 22, 1939). "Football Rankers Place U.T. No. 1". Chattanooga Sunday Times.