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1950 college football rankings
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| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| season | 1950 |
| preseason_number_1 | [Notre Dame](1950-notre-dame-fighting-irish-football-team) |
| champions | [Oklahoma](1950-oklahoma-sooners-football-team) |
Two human polls and several math systems comprised the 1950 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.
Legend
| Tied with team above or below also with this symbol |
|---|
AP Poll
This was the first season that the AP released a preseason poll before any games were played in August. The final AP Poll was released on November 27, near the end of the 1950 regular season, weeks before the major bowls. The AP would not release a post-bowl season final poll regularly until 1968. |Week1-1 = Notre Dame (101) |Week1-2 = Army (7) |Week1-3 = Michigan (3) |Week1-4 = Tennessee (1) |Week1-5 = Texas (7) |Week1-6 = Oklahoma (3) |Week1-7 = Stanford |Week1-8 = Illinois (1) |Week1-9 = Cornell |Week1-10 = SMU |Week1-11 = Ohio State |Week1-12 = USC |Week1-13 = Kentucky |Week1-14 = California |Week1-15 = Maryland |Week1-16 = Duke |Week1-17 = Missouri |Week1-18 = Minnesota |Week1-19 = Michigan State |Week1-20 = North Carolina |Week2-1 = Notre Dame (1–0) (63) |Week2-1-Color = |Week2-2 = Michigan State (2–0) (32) |Week2-2-Color = u |Week2-3 = SMU (2–0) (28) |Week2-3-Color = u |Week2-4 = Army (1–0) (29) |Week2-4-Color = d |Week2-5 = Oklahoma (1–0) (17) |Week2-5-Color = u |Week2-6 = Kentucky (3–0) (5) |Week2-6-Color = u |Week2-7 = Texas (1–0) (2) |Week2-7-Color = d |Week2-8 = Stanford (2–0) (3) |Week2-8-Color = d |Week2-9 = California (2–0) (2) |Week2-9-Color = u |Week2-10 = Washington (2–0) |Week2-10-Color = npr |Week2-11 = North Carolina (1–1) (1) |Week2-11-Color = u |Week2-12 = Alabama (2–0) (2) |Week2-12-Color = npr |Week2-13 = UCLA (2–0) |Week2-13-Color = npr |Week2-14 = Duke (2–0) |Week2-14-Color = u |Week2-15 = Illinois (1–0) (1) |Week2-15-Color = d |Week2-16 = Cornell (1–0) |Week2-16-Color = d |Week2-17 = Iowa (1–0) (2) |Week2-17-Color = npr |Week2-18 = Clemson (2–0) (3) |Week2-18-Color = npr |Week2-19 = Michigan (0–1) |Week2-19-Color = d |Week2-20 = Penn (1–0) |Week2-20-Color = npr |Week3-1 = Army (2–0) (115) |Week3-1-Color = u |Week3-2 = SMU (3–0) (53) |Week3-2-Color = u |Week3-3 = Oklahoma (2–0) (29) |Week3-3-Color = u |Week3-4 = Texas (2–0) (9) |Week3-4-Color = u |Week3-5 = Kentucky (4–0) (11) |Week3-5-Color = u |Week3-6 = Stanford (3–0) (4) |Week3-6-Color = u |Week3-7 = California (3–0) (2) |Week3-7-Color = u |Week3-8 = Maryland (2–1) (8) |Week3-8-Color = npr |Week3-9 = Purdue (1–1) (1) |Week3-9-Color = npr |Week3-10 = Notre Dame (1–1) (1) |Week3-10-Color = d |Week3-11 = Washington (3–0) (2) |Week3-11-Color = d |Week3-12 = Ohio State (1–1) |Week3-12-Color = npr |Week3-13 = Clemson (3–0) (4) |Week3-13-Color = u |Week3-14 = Tennessee (2–1) |Week3-14-Color = npr |Week3-15 = Rice (2–0) (1) т |Week3-15-Color = tnpr |Week3-16 = Wisconsin (2–0) т |Week3-16-Color = npr |Week3-17 = Cornell (2–0) (2) |Week3-17-Color = d |Week3-18 = Michigan (1–1) |Week3-18-Color = u |Week3-19 = Vanderbilt (3–0) |Week3-19-Color = npr |Week3-20 = Michigan State (2–1) |Week3-20-Color = d |Week4-1 = Army (3–0) (124) |Week4-1-Color = |Week4-2 = Oklahoma (3–0) (47) |Week4-2-Color = u |Week4-3 = SMU (4–0) (63) |Week4-3-Color = d |Week4-4 = Kentucky (5–0) (9) |Week4-4-Color = u |Week4-5 = California (4–0) (1) |Week4-5-Color = u |Week4-6 = Stanford (4–0) |Week4-6-Color = |Week4-7 = Texas (2–1) |Week4-7-Color = d |Week4-8 = Maryland (3–1) (5) |Week4-8-Color = |Week4-9 = Ohio State (2–1) |Week4-9-Color = u |Week4-10 = Washington (4–0) (5) |Week4-10-Color = u |Week4-11 = Notre Dame (2–1) |Week4-11-Color = d |Week4-12 = Clemson (3–0) (4) |Week4-12-Color = u |Week4-13 = Vanderbilt (4–0) |Week4-13-Color = u |Week4-14 = Miami (FL) (3–0) (14) |Week4-14-Color = npr |Week4-15 = Rice (3–0) |Week4-15-Color = |Week4-16 = Wisconsin (3–0) |Week4-16-Color = d |Week4-17 = Cornell (3–0) (2) |Week4-17-Color = |Week4-18 = Tennessee (3–1) |Week4-18-Color = d |Week4-19 = Wake Forest (3–0–1) (1) |Week4-19-Color = npr |Week4-20 = Northwestern (3–0) |Week4-20-Color = npr |Week5-1 = SMU (5–0) (96) |Week5-1-Color = u |Week5-2 = Army (4–0) (84) |Week5-2-Color = d |Week5-3 = Oklahoma (4–0) (35) |Week5-3-Color = d |Week5-4 = Kentucky (6–0) (15) |Week5-4-Color = |Week5-5 = California (5–0) (2) |Week5-5-Color = |Week5-6 = Ohio State (3–1) (2) |Week5-6-Color = u |Week5-7 = Texas (3–1) |Week5-7-Color = |Week5-8 = Tennessee (4–1) |Week5-8-Color = u |Week5-9 = Northwestern (4–0) |Week5-9-Color = u |Week5-10 = Cornell (4–0) (2) |Week5-10-Color = u |Week5-11 = Miami (FL) (4–0) (8) |Week5-11-Color = u |Week5-12 = Illinois (3–1) (1) |Week5-12-Color = npr |Week5-13 = Texas A&M (4–1) |Week5-13-Color = npr |Week5-14 = Michigan (2–2) |Week5-14-Color = npr |Week5-15 = Michigan State (4–1) |Week5-15-Color = npr |Week5-16 = Clemson (3–0–1) |Week5-16-Color = d |Week5-17 = Wake Forest (4–0–1) |Week5-17-Color = u |Week5-18 = UCLA (3–2) |Week5-18-Color = npr |Week5-19 = Indiana (2–1–1) |Week5-19-Color = npr |Week5-20 = Florida (4–1) (1) |Week5-20-Color = npr |Week6-1 = SMU (5–0) (153) |Week6-1-Color = |Week6-2 = Army (5–0) (34) |Week6-2-Color = |Week6-3 = Oklahoma (5–0) (25) |Week6-3-Color = |Week6-4 = Ohio State (4–1) (30) |Week6-4-Color = u |Week6-5 = Kentucky (7–0) (17) |Week6-5-Color = d |Week6-6 = California (6–0) (2) |Week6-6-Color = d |Week6-7 = Texas (4–1) |Week6-7-Color = |Week6-8 = Miami (FL) (5–0) (12) |Week6-8-Color = u |Week6-9 = Princeton (5–0) (2) |Week6-9-Color = npr |Week6-10 = Illinois (4–1) |Week6-10-Color = u |Week6-11 = Tennessee (5–1) |Week6-11-Color = d |Week6-12 = Washington (5–1) |Week6-12-Color = npr |Week6-13 = Michigan State (5–1) |Week6-13-Color = u |Week6-14 = Clemson (4–0–1) (3) |Week6-14-Color = u |Week6-15 = Penn (4–1) |Week6-15-Color = npr |Week6-16 = Maryland (4–2) |Week6-16-Color = npr |Week6-17 = Florida (5–1) |Week6-17-Color = u |Week6-18 = Wyoming (6–0) (2) |Week6-18-Color = npr |Week6-19 = UCLA (4–2) |Week6-19-Color = d |Week6-20 = Wisconsin (4–1) |Week6-20-Color = npr |Week7-1 = Army (6–0) (88) |Week7-1-Color = u |Week7-2 = Ohio State (5–1) (94) |Week7-2-Color = u |Week7-3 = Oklahoma (6–0) (48) |Week7-3-Color = |Week7-4 = Kentucky (8–0) (35) |Week7-4-Color = u |Week7-5 = Texas (5–1) (11) |Week7-5-Color = u |Week7-6 = California (7–0) (14) |Week7-6-Color = |Week7-7 = SMU (5–1) (2) |Week7-7-Color = d |Week7-8 = Princeton (6–0) (4) |Week7-8-Color = u |Week7-9 = Miami (FL) (6–0) (8) |Week7-9-Color = d |Week7-10 = Illinois (5–1) |Week7-10-Color = |Week7-11 = Tennessee (6–1) |Week7-11-Color = |Week7-12 = Michigan State (6–1) |Week7-12-Color = u |Week7-13 = Clemson (5–0–1) (7) |Week7-13-Color = u |Week7-14 = Wyoming (7–0) (2) |Week7-14-Color = u |Week7-15 = Wisconsin (5–1) |Week7-15-Color = u |Week7-16 = Nebraska (4–1–1) |Week7-16-Color = npr |Week7-17 = Washington (5–2) |Week7-17-Color = d |Week7-18 = Maryland (5–2) |Week7-18-Color = d |Week7-19 = Kansas (5–2) т |Week7-19-Color = tnpr |Week7-20 = |Week7-20-Color = |Week8-1 = Ohio State (6–1) (66) |Week8-1-Color = u |Week8-2 = Oklahoma (7–0) (63) |Week8-2-Color = u |Week8-3 = Army (7–0) (72) |Week8-3-Color = d |Week8-4 = California (8–0) (36) |Week8-4-Color = u |Week8-5 = Kentucky (9–0) (43) |Week8-5-Color = d |Week8-6 = Texas (6–1) (10) |Week8-6-Color = d |Week8-7 = Princeton (7–0) (3) |Week8-7-Color = u |Week8-8 = Illinois (6–1) (1) |Week8-8-Color = u |Week8-9 = Tennessee (7–1) |Week8-9-Color = u |Week8-10 = Michigan State (7–1) (3) |Week8-10-Color = u |Week8-11 = Clemson (6–0–1) (7) |Week8-11-Color = u |Week8-12 = Texas A&M (6–2) (1) |Week8-12-Color = npr |Week8-13 = Wyoming (8–0) (2) |Week8-13-Color = u |Week8-14 = SMU (5–2) |Week8-14-Color = d |Week8-15 = Wisconsin (6–1) |Week8-15-Color = |Week8-16 = Wake Forest (5–1–1) |Week8-16-Color = npr |Week8-17 = Miami (FL) (6–0–1) |Week8-17-Color = d |Week8-18 = Nebraska (5–1–1) (1) |Week8-18-Color = d |Week8-19 = Washington (6–2) |Week8-19-Color = d |Week8-20 = Penn (5–2) |Week8-20-Color = npr |Week9-1 = Oklahoma (8–0) (173) |Week9-1-Color = u |Week9-2 = Army (8–0) (36) |Week9-2-Color = u |Week9-3 = Kentucky (10–0) (55) |Week9-3-Color = u |Week9-4 = California (9–0) (20) |Week9-4-Color = |Week9-5 = Texas (7–1) (6) |Week9-5-Color = u |Week9-6 = Illinois (7–1) (14) |Week9-6-Color = u |Week9-7 = Princeton (8–0) (8) |Week9-7-Color = |Week9-8 = Ohio State (6–2) |Week9-8-Color = d |Week9-9 = Tennessee (8–1) (2) |Week9-9-Color = |Week9-10 = Michigan State (8–1) (4) |Week9-10-Color = |Week9-11 = Clemson (7–0–1) (7) |Week9-11-Color = |Week9-12 = Wyoming (8–0) (3) |Week9-12-Color = u |Week9-13 = Penn (6–2) |Week9-13-Color = u |Week9-14 = Miami (FL) (7–0–1) (1) |Week9-14-Color = u |Week9-15 = SMU (6–2) |Week9-15-Color = d |Week9-16 = Nebraska (6–1–1) (2) |Week9-16-Color = u |Week9-17 = Alabama (7–2) |Week9-17-Color = npr |Week9-18 = Washington (7–2) |Week9-18-Color = u |Week9-19 = Washington & Lee (7–2) (1) |Week9-19-Color = npr |Week9-20 = Loyola Marymount (7–0) (1) |Week9-20-Color = npr |Week10-1 = Oklahoma (10–0) (213) |Week10-1-Color = nc |Week10-2 = Army (8–1) (38) |Week10-2-Color = |Week10-3 = Texas (8–1) (4) |Week10-3-Color = u |Week10-4 = Tennessee (9–1) (15) |Week10-4-Color = u |Week10-5 = California (9–0–1) (8) |Week10-5-Color = d |Week10-6 = Princeton (9–0) (6) |Week10-6-Color = u |Week10-7 = Kentucky (10–1) (7) |Week10-7-Color = d |Week10-8 = Michigan State (8–1) (3) |Week10-8-Color = u |Week10-9 = Michigan (5–3–1) |Week10-9-Color = npr |Week10-10 = Clemson (8–0–1) (9) |Week10-10-Color= u |Week10-11 = Washington (8–2) (4) |Week10-11-Color= u |Week10-12 = Wyoming (9–0) (4) |Week10-12-Color= |Week10-13 = Illinois (7–2) |Week10-13-Color= d |Week10-14 = Ohio State (6–3) |Week10-14-Color= d |Week10-15 = Miami (FL) (8–0–1) (1) |Week10-15-Color= d |Week10-16 = Ohio (8–2) (1) |Week10-16-Color= u |Week10-17 = Nebraska (6–2–1) (2) |Week10-17-Color= d |Week10-18 = Washington & Lee (8–2) (2) |Week10-18-Color= u |Week10-19 = Tulsa (8–1–1) |Week10-19-Color= npr |Week10-20 = Tulane (6–2) |Week10-20-Color= npr
Coaches Poll
This was the first year for the UP Coaches Poll, and its final edition was released prior to the bowl games, on December 5.
Oklahoma received 32 of the 35 first-place votes, with one vote each to Princeton, Michigan State, and Wyoming.
| Ranking | Team | Conference | Bowl |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | [Oklahoma](1950-oklahoma-sooners-football-team) | Big Seven | Lost [Sugar](1951-sugar-bowl), 7–13 |
| 2 | [Texas](1950-texas-longhorns-football-team) | Southwest | Lost [Cotton](1951-cotton-bowl-classic), 14–20 |
| 3 | [Tennessee](1950-tennessee-volunteers-football-team) | SEC | **Won** [Cotton](1951-cotton-bowl-classic), 20–14 |
| 4 | [California](1950-california-golden-bears-football-team) | Pacific Coast | Lost [Rose](1951-rose-bowl), 6–14 |
| 5 | [Army](1950-army-cadets-football-team) | Independent | *none* |
| 6 | [Michigan](1950-michigan-wolverines-football-team) | Big Ten | **Won** [Rose](1951-rose-bowl), 14–6 |
| 7 | [Kentucky](1950-kentucky-wildcats-football-team) | SEC | **Won** [Sugar](1951-sugar-bowl), 13–7 |
| 8 | [Princeton](1950-princeton-tigers-football-team) | Independent | *none* |
| 9 | [Michigan State](1950-michigan-state-spartans-football-team) | Independent | |
| 10 | [Ohio State](1950-ohio-state-buckeyes-football-team) | Big Ten | |
| 11 | [Illinois](1950-illinois-fighting-illini-football-team) | Big Ten | |
| 12 | [Clemson](1950-clemson-tigers-football-team) | Southern | **Won** [Orange](1951-orange-bowl), 15–14 |
| 13 | [Miami (FL)](1950-miami-hurricanes-football-team) | Independent | Lost [Orange](1951-orange-bowl), 14–15 |
| 14 | [Wyoming](1950-wyoming-cowboys-football-team) | Skyline | **Won** [Gator](1951-gator-bowl), 20–7 |
| 15 | [Baylor](1950-baylor-bears-football-team) | Southwest | *none* |
| [Washington](1950-washington-huskies-football-team) | Pacific Coast | ||
| 17 | [Alabama](1950-alabama-crimson-tide-football-team) | SEC | |
| 18 | [Washington & Lee](1950-washington-and-lee-generals-football-team) | Southern | |
| 19 | [Navy](1950-navy-midshipmen-football-team) | Independent | |
| 20 | [Cornell](1950-cornell-big-red-football-team) | Independent | |
| [Nebraska](1950-nebraska-cornhuskers-football-team) | Big Seven | ||
| [Wisconsin](1950-wisconsin-badgers-football-team) | Big Ten |
Litkenhous Ratings
The Litkenhous Ratings released in mid-December 1950 provided numerical rankings to over 600 college football programs. The top 100 ranked teams were:
-
Oklahoma
-
Tennessee
-
Texas
-
Kentucky
-
Army
-
Texas A&M
-
Clemson
-
Illinois
-
Tulane
-
Alabama
-
Ohio State
-
California
-
Princeton
-
Penn
-
Michigan State
-
Michigan
-
Baylor
-
UCLA
-
Wisconsin
-
Washington
-
Stanford
-
Miami (FL)
-
LSU
-
Arkansas
-
Northwestern
-
Mississippi State
-
Maryland
-
Wake Forest
-
Ole Miss
-
Georgia
-
Nebraska
-
Kansas
-
Indiana
-
Vanderbilt
-
Duke
-
Notre Dame
-
Navy
-
Virginia
-
Purdue
-
Georgia Tech
-
North Carolina
-
Colorado
-
Texas Tech
-
Iowa
Williamson System
The Williamson System rankings for 1950 were as follows:
-
Oklahoma
-
Texas
-
Princeton
-
Tennessee
-
California
-
Kentucky
-
Michigan State
-
Army
-
Clemson
-
Miami (FL)
-
Illinois
-
Wyoming
-
Baylor
-
Alabama
-
Michigan
-
Washington
-
Cornell
-
Wake Forest
-
SMU
-
Penn
-
Ohio State
-
Wisconsin
-
Tulane
-
Nebraska
-
Maryland
-
Northwestern
-
Duke
-
UCLA
-
Virginia
-
Indiana
-
Mississippi State
-
Rice
-
Texas A&M
-
Stanford
-
Georgia Tech
-
LSU
-
Georgia
-
Iowa
-
Washington & Lee
-
USC
-
Notre Dame
-
North Carolina
-
Loyola-Los Angeles
-
Miami (OH)
-
South Carolina
-
Fordham
-
San Francisco
-
Navy
-
Yale
-
Ole Miss
-
Lehigh
-
Colgate
-
TCU
-
Tulsa
-
Florida
-
Cincinnati
-
Missouri
-
Vanderbilt
-
West Texas
-
Xavier
-
St. Bonaventure
-
Hardin Simmons
-
John Carroll
-
Syracuse
-
George Washington
-
Kansas
-
Marquette
-
Detroit
-
Penn State
-
Pittsburgh
-
Oklahoma A&M
-
Minnesota
-
Arkansas
-
Texas Tech
-
Washington State
-
Colorado
-
Arizona State
-
Pacific
-
Emory & Henry
-
VMI
-
Appalachian
-
Houston
-
Texas Western
-
Rutgers
-
Dartmouth
-
Memphis State
-
Arizona
-
Wichita
-
Drake
-
Oregon State
-
Iowa State
-
Florida State
-
Furman
-
Santa Clara
-
Purdue
-
Colorado A&M
-
Villanova
-
Columbia
-
Georgetown
-
Jacksonville State
-
Holy Cross
-
William & Mary
-
Sul Ross
-
NC State
HBCU rankings
The Pittsburgh Courier, a leading African American newspaper, ranked the top 1950 teams from historically black colleges and universities using the Dickinson System in an era when college football was largely segregated. The rankings were published on December 2:
-
- Florida A&M (8–1–1)
-
- Southern (10–0–1)
-
- Maryland State (8–0)
-
- Tennessee A&I (9–2)
-
- Langston (8–1)
-
- North Carolina A&T (7–2–1), Alcorn (8–2)
-
- Morgan State (6–0–2)
-
- North Carolina College (7–2), St. Augustine's (8–1)
-
- West Virginia State (5–3–1)
-
- Wilberforce State (6–4)
-
- Xavier (LA) (7–1)
-
- Philander Smith (6–1–1)
-
- Fort Valley State (7–3)
-
- Bluefield State (5–3–1), Grambling (5–4–1)
-
- Prairie View A&M (6–4), Fisk (5–2)
-
- Benedict (5–2–1)
-
- Bethune-Cookman (4–2–1)
-
- Bishop (6–3)
-
- Morris Brown (6–3)
-
- Mississippi Industrial (6–2)
-
- LeMoyne-Owen (4–3), Howard (5–3–1)
-
- Virginia Union (4–4)
-
- Kentucky State (4–4–1)
-
- Winston-Salem State (3–3–1)
-
- Allen (3–3)
The Associated Negro Press also published rankings on December 16:
-
- Southern (10–0–1)
-
- Maryland State (8–0)
-
- Florida A&M (8–1–1)
-
- Langston (8–1)
-
- Tennessee A&I (9–2)
-
- North Carolina A&T (7–2–1)
-
- Morgan State (6–0–2)
-
- Wilberforce State (6–4)
-
- North Carolina College (7–2)
-
- Alcorn (8–2)
-
- Xavier (LA) (7–1)
-
- West Virginia State (5–3–1)
-
- Bishop (6–3)
-
- St. Augustine's (8–1)
-
- Morris Brown (6–3)
-
- Jackson State (7–2)
-
- Fort Valley State (7–3)
-
- Bluefield State (5–3–1)
-
- Prairie View A&M (6–4)
-
- Fisk (5–2)
-
- Benedict (5–2–1)
-
- Allen (3–3)
-
- Virginia Union (4–4)
-
- LeMoyne-Owen (4–3)
-
- Howard (5–3–1)
-
- Lincoln (PA) (3–3–1)
-
- Philander Smith (6–1–1)
-
- Grambling (5–4–1)
-
- Mississippi Industrial (6–2)
-
- Bethune-Cookman (4–2–1)
References
References
- "AP Top 25 college football poll kicks off 81st year".
- (December 5, 1950). "Sooners keep top grid spot". Eugene Register-Guard.
- Opotowsky, Stan. (December 5, 1951). "Oklahoma expected to win Sugar Bowl tilt; extend its winning streak to 32 games". Bend Bulletin.
- Dr. E. E. Litkenhous. (December 14, 1950). "Oklahoma Tops Both Dr. Lit, Williamson". The Nashville Banner.
- (December 2, 1950). "The Final Dickinson Rating Standings of Grid Teams". The Pittsburgh Courier.
- "The Afro American - Dec 16, 1950".
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