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1956 college football rankings

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FieldValue
season1956
preseason_number_1[Oklahoma](1956-oklahoma-sooners-football-team)
champions[Oklahoma](1956-oklahoma-sooners-football-team)

The 1956 college football rankings were an effort to rank the American football teams participating in the 1956 college football season. College football's governing body, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), did not issue rankings or conduct a championship game or playoffs to determine a national champion. The most widely-reported rankings were published by two of the major news agencies based on polling conducted on a weekly basis during the season.

  • The Associated Press (AP) conducted a weekly poll of sports writers throughout the country. This was known as the AP poll or the "writers poll".
  • The United Press International (UPI) conducted a weekly poll of the nation's head football coaches. This was known as the UPI poll or the "coaches poll".

At the end of the regular season, Oklahoma was ranked No. 1 in both the AP and UPI polls. Oklahoma did not participate in a bowl game. Neither agency conducted polling after the bowl games.

Though not as widely reported as the AP and UPI polls, some newspapers also reported on a mathematical ranking system developed by Vanderbilt University professor Edward Litkenhous. These were known as the Litkenhous Ratings. Oklahoma was also ranked No. 1 in the Litkenhouse Ratings. Whereas the AP and UPI polls ranked the top 20 teams, Litkenhouse ranked every college football team, and his rankings from 1 to 100 are included below.

Legend

Tied with team above or below also with this symbol

AP poll

The final AP poll was released on December 3, at the end of the regular season, weeks before the major bowls. The AP did not release poll after the bowl season regularly until 1968.

|Week1-1 = Oklahoma (111) |Week1-2 = Michigan State (20) |Week1-3 = Notre Dame (5) |Week1-4 = Georgia Tech (3) |Week1-5 = Ohio State |Week1-6 = Maryland |Week1-7 = TCU (2) |Week1-8 = Michigan (2) |Week1-9 = Texas A&M |Week1-10 = Pittsburgh (2) |Week1-11 = Army |Week1-12 = Tennessee (2) |Week1-13 = Ole Miss |Week1-14 = Stanford |Week1-15 = USC (2) |Week1-16 = Duke |Week1-17 = UCLA |Week1-18 = Miami (FL) |Week1-19 = Yale |Week1-20 = Illinois |Week2-1 = Oklahoma (0–0) (91) |Week2-1-Color = |Week2-2 = Georgia Tech (1–0) (12) |Week2-2-Color = u |Week2-3 = Michigan State (0–0) (9) |Week2-3-Color = d |Week2-4 = TCU (1–0) (4) |Week2-4-Color = u |Week2-5 = SMU (1–0) (10) |Week2-5-Color = npr |Week2-6 = USC (1–0) (12) |Week2-6-Color = u |Week2-7 = Syracuse (1–0) (4) |Week2-7-Color = npr |Week2-8 = Ohio State (0–0) |Week2-8-Color = d |Week2-9 = Ole Miss (1–0) |Week2-9-Color = u |Week2-10 = Pittsburgh (1–0) (2) |Week2-10-Color = |Week2-11 = Texas A&M (1–0) |Week2-11-Color = d |Week2-12 = Stanford (1–0) (4) |Week2-12-Color = u |Week2-13 = Michigan (0–0) |Week2-13-Color = d |Week2-14 = Notre Dame (0–1) |Week2-14-Color = d |Week2-15 = Vanderbilt (1–0) |Week2-15-Color = npr |Week2-16 = Army (0–0) |Week2-16-Color = d |Week2-17 = South Carolina (2–0) |Week2-17-Color = npr |Week2-18 = Oregon (1–0) |Week2-18-Color = npr |Week2-19 = Florida (1–0) (2) |Week2-19-Color = npr |Week2-20 = NC State (1–0) |Week2-20-Color = npr |Week3-1 = Oklahoma (1–0) (60) |Week3-1-Color = |Week3-2 = Michigan State (1–0) (17) |Week3-2-Color = u |Week3-3 = Georgia Tech (1–0) (5) |Week3-3-Color = d |Week3-4 = Ohio State (1–0) |Week3-4-Color = u |Week3-5 = Michigan (1–0) (2) |Week3-5-Color = u |Week3-6 = Ole Miss (2–0) (5) |Week3-6-Color = u |Week3-7 = Pittsburgh (2–0) (1) |Week3-7-Color = u |Week3-8 = TCU (1–0) (1) |Week3-8-Color = d |Week3-9 = Tennessee (1–0) (3) |Week3-9-Color = npr |Week3-10 = USC (2–0) (1) |Week3-10-Color = d |Week3-11 = Texas A&M (2–0) |Week3-11-Color = |Week3-12 = SMU (1–1) |Week3-12-Color = d |Week3-13 = Illinois (1–0) т |Week3-13-Color = tnpr |Week3-14 = Miami (FL) (1–0) т |Week3-14-Color = npr |Week3-15 = Army (1–0) |Week3-15-Color = u |Week3-16 = Baylor (2–0) |Week3-16-Color = npr |Week3-17 = Notre Dame (0–1) |Week3-17-Color = d |Week3-18 = Syracuse (1–0) т |Week3-18-Color = td |Week3-19 = Vanderbilt (2–0) т |Week3-19-Color = d |Week3-20 = Iowa (1–0) |Week3-20-Color = npr |Week4-1 = Oklahoma (2–0) (76) |Week4-1-Color = |Week4-2 = Michigan State (2–0) (32) |Week4-2-Color = |Week4-3 = Georgia Tech (2–0) (4) |Week4-3-Color = |Week4-4 = TCU (2–0) (7) |Week4-4-Color = u |Week4-5 = Ohio State (2–0) (1) |Week4-5-Color = d |Week4-6 = Tennessee (2–0) (5) |Week4-6-Color = u |Week4-7 = Ole Miss (3–0) (2) |Week4-7-Color = d |Week4-8 = USC (3–0) |Week4-8-Color = u |Week4-9 = Texas A&M (3–0) |Week4-9-Color = u |Week4-10 = Baylor (3–0) |Week4-10-Color = u |Week4-11 = Miami (FL) (2–0) (1) |Week4-11-Color = u |Week4-12 = Michigan (1–1) |Week4-12-Color = d |Week4-13 = Vanderbilt (3–0) |Week4-13-Color = u |Week4-14 = Navy (2–0) |Week4-14-Color = npr |Week4-15 = Army (2–0) |Week4-15-Color = |Week4-16 = George Washington (3–0) (1) |Week4-16-Color = npr |Week4-17 = Minnesota (2–0) |Week4-17-Color = npr |Week4-18 = Notre Dame (1–1) |Week4-18-Color = d |Week4-19 = SMU (2–1) |Week4-19-Color = d |Week4-20 = |Week4-20-Color = npr |Week5-1 = Oklahoma (3–0) (67) |Week5-1-Color = |Week5-2 = Michigan State (3–0) (45) |Week5-2-Color = |Week5-3 = Georgia Tech (3–0) (5) |Week5-3-Color = |Week5-4 = TCU (3–0) (2) |Week5-4-Color = |Week5-5 = Ohio State (3–0) |Week5-5-Color = |Week5-6 = Ole Miss (4–0) (7) |Week5-6-Color = u |Week5-7 = Tennessee (3–0) (3) |Week5-7-Color = d |Week5-8 = Michigan (2–1) |Week5-8-Color = u |Week5-9 = USC (3–0) |Week5-9-Color = d |Week5-10 = Baylor (4–0) |Week5-10-Color = |Week5-11 = Miami (FL) (3–0) (1) |Week5-11-Color = |Week5-12 = Iowa (3–0) |Week5-12-Color = npr |Week5-13 = Syracuse (2–1) |Week5-13-Color = npr |Week5-14 = Texas A&M (3–0–1) |Week5-14-Color = d |Week5-15 = Clemson (3–0–1) |Week5-15-Color = npr |Week5-16 = Pittsburgh (2–1) |Week5-16-Color = npr |Week5-17 = Purdue (2–1) |Week5-17-Color = npr |Week5-18 = Virginia Tech (4–1) |Week5-18-Color = npr |Week5-19 = Tulane (3–1) |Week5-19-Color = npr |Week5-20 = South Carolina (4–1) |Week5-20-Color = |Week6-1 = Michigan State (4–0) (96) |Week6-1-Color = u |Week6-2 = Oklahoma (4–0) (44) |Week6-2-Color = d |Week6-3 = Georgia Tech (4–0) (9) |Week6-3-Color = |Week6-4 = Tennessee (4–0) (4) |Week6-4-Color = u |Week6-5 = Michigan (3–1) |Week6-5-Color = u |Week6-6 = USC (4–0) (2) |Week6-6-Color = u |Week6-7 = Texas A&M (4–0–1) (1) |Week6-7-Color = u |Week6-8 = Baylor (4–0) |Week6-8-Color = u |Week6-9 = Ohio State (3–1) |Week6-9-Color = d |Week6-10 = Ole Miss (4–1) т |Week6-10-Color = td |Week6-11 = TCU (3–1) т |Week6-11-Color = d |Week6-12 = Iowa (4–0) |Week6-12-Color = |Week6-13 = Pittsburgh (3–1) |Week6-13-Color = u |Week6-14 = Syracuse (3–1) |Week6-14-Color = d |Week6-15 = Tulane (4–1) |Week6-15-Color = u |Week6-16 = Virginia Tech (5–1) |Week6-16-Color = u |Week6-17 = George Washington (4–0–1) |Week6-17-Color = npr |Week6-18 = Penn State (3–1) |Week6-18-Color = npr |Week6-19 = Miami (FL) (3–0–1) |Week6-19-Color = d |Week6-20 = Clemson (3–0–1) |Week6-20-Color = d |Week7-1 = Oklahoma (5–0) (143) |Week7-1-Color = u |Week7-2 = Georgia Tech (5–0) (31) |Week7-2-Color = u |Week7-3 = Tennessee (5–0) (8) |Week7-3-Color = u |Week7-4 = Michigan State (4–1) |Week7-4-Color = d |Week7-5 = Texas A&M (5–0–1) |Week7-5-Color = u |Week7-6 = Ohio State (4–1) (1) |Week7-6-Color = u |Week7-7 = Iowa (5–0) |Week7-7-Color = u |Week7-8 = Minnesota (4–0–1) |Week7-8-Color = npr |Week7-9 = Miami (FL) (4–0–1) (1) |Week7-9-Color = u |Week7-10 = Stanford (4–2) |Week7-10-Color = npr |Week7-11 = Pittsburgh (4–1) |Week7-11-Color = u |Week7-12 = Penn State (4–1) |Week7-12-Color = u |Week7-13 = Clemson (4–0–1) |Week7-13-Color = u |Week7-14 = George Washington (5–0–1) |Week7-14-Color = u |Week7-15 = Baylor (4–1) т |Week7-15-Color = td |Week7-16 = Virginia Tech (6–1) т |Week7-16-Color = u |Week7-17 = Michigan (3–2) т |Week7-17-Color = td |Week7-18 = Oregon State (4–2) т |Week7-18-Color = tnpr |Week7-19 = Syracuse (4–1) т |Week7-19-Color = d |Week7-20 = USC (4–1) |Week7-20-Color = d |Week8-1 = Oklahoma (6–0) (116) |Week8-1-Color = |Week8-2 = Georgia Tech (6–0) (30) |Week8-2-Color = |Week8-3 = Tennessee (6–0) (1) |Week8-3-Color = |Week8-4 = Michigan State (5–1) (7) |Week8-4-Color = |Week8-5 = Texas A&M (6–0–1) (1) |Week8-5-Color = |Week8-6 = Minnesota (5–0–1) |Week8-6-Color = u |Week8-7 = Ohio State (5–1) (1) |Week8-7-Color = d |Week8-8 = Miami (FL) (5–0–1) (1) |Week8-8-Color = u |Week8-9 = Syracuse (5–1) (1) |Week8-9-Color = u |Week8-10 = Michigan (4–2) |Week8-10-Color = u |Week8-11 = Clemson (5–0–1) |Week8-11-Color = u |Week8-12 = Navy (5–1) (3) |Week8-12-Color = npr |Week8-13 = Florida (5–1–1) |Week8-13-Color = npr |Week8-14 = Oregon State (5–2) |Week8-14-Color = u |Week8-15 = Iowa (5–1) |Week8-15-Color = d |Week8-16 = USC (5–1) |Week8-16-Color = u |Week8-17 = TCU (4–2) |Week8-17-Color = npr |Week8-18 = Colorado (5–2) |Week8-18-Color = npr |Week8-19 = UCLA (5–2) (1) |Week8-19-Color = npr |Week8-20 = |Week8-20-Color = d |Week9-1 = Tennessee (7–0) (58) |Week9-1-Color = u |Week9-2 = Oklahoma (7–0) (92) |Week9-2-Color = d |Week9-3 = Michigan State (6–1) (3) |Week9-3-Color = u |Week9-4 = Georgia Tech (6–1) |Week9-4-Color = d |Week9-5 = Texas A&M (7–0–1) (1) |Week9-5-Color = |Week9-6 = Ohio State (6–1) (1) |Week9-6-Color = u |Week9-7 = Iowa (6–1) |Week9-7-Color = u |Week9-8 = Miami (FL) (5–0–1) (1) |Week9-8-Color = |Week9-9 = Syracuse (6–1) |Week9-9-Color = |Week9-10 = Michigan (5–2) |Week9-10-Color = |Week9-11 = Oregon State (6–2) (1) |Week9-11-Color = u |Week9-12 = Florida (6–1–1) (2) |Week9-12-Color = u |Week9-13 = Clemson (5–0–2) |Week9-13-Color = d |Week9-14 = USC (6–1) |Week9-14-Color = u |Week9-15 = Navy (5–1–1) |Week9-15-Color = d |Week9-16 = Pittsburgh (5–2) |Week9-16-Color = u |Week9-17 = Minnesota (5–1–1) |Week9-17-Color = d |Week9-18 = George Washington (6–1–1) |Week9-18-Color = npr |Week9-19 = Ole Miss (6–2) |Week9-19-Color = npr |Week9-20 = Princeton (7–0) |Week9-20-Color = npr |Week10-1 = Oklahoma (8–0) (111) |Week10-1-Color = u |Week10-2 = Tennessee (8–0) (69) |Week10-2-Color = d |Week10-3 = Iowa (7–1) (6) |Week10-3-Color = u |Week10-4 = Texas A&M (8–0–1) |Week10-4-Color = u |Week10-5 = Georgia Tech (7–1) (1) |Week10-5-Color = d |Week10-6 = Miami (FL) (6–0–1) (5) |Week10-6-Color = u |Week10-7 = Minnesota (6–1–1) |Week10-7-Color = u |Week10-8 = Syracuse (7–1) (2) |Week10-8-Color = u |Week10-9 = Michigan (6–2) |Week10-9-Color = u |Week10-10 = Michigan State (6–2) |Week10-10-Color= d |Week10-11 = Oregon State (7–2) (1) |Week10-11-Color= |Week10-12 = Ohio State (6–2) |Week10-12-Color= d |Week10-13 = Florida (6–1–1) (2) |Week10-13-Color= d |Week10-14 = Pittsburgh (6–2) |Week10-14-Color= u |Week10-15 = Navy (6–1–1) (1) |Week10-15-Color= |Week10-16 = Baylor (6–2) |Week10-16-Color= npr |Week10-17 = George Washington (7–1–1) |Week10-17-Color= u |Week10-18 = TCU (5–3) |Week10-18-Color= npr |Week10-19 = Wyoming (10–0) |Week10-19-Color= npr |Week10-20 = Colorado (6–2–1) |Week10-20-Color= npr |Week11-1 = Oklahoma (9–0) (81) |Week11-1-Color = |Week11-2 = Tennessee (9–0) (49) |Week11-2-Color = |Week11-3 = Iowa (8–1) (12) |Week11-3-Color = |Week11-4 = Georgia Tech (8–1) (2) |Week11-4-Color = u |Week11-5 = Texas A&M (8–0–1) (1) |Week11-5-Color = d |Week11-6 = Miami (FL) (7–0–1) (8) |Week11-6-Color = |Week11-7 = Michigan (7–2) (2) |Week11-7-Color = u |Week11-8 = Syracuse (7–1) (1) |Week11-8-Color = |Week11-9 = Michigan State (7–2) |Week11-9-Color = u |Week11-10 = Minnesota (6–1–2) |Week11-10-Color= d |Week11-11 = Oregon State (7–2–1) (1) |Week11-11-Color= |Week11-12 = Pittsburgh (6–2–1) |Week11-12-Color= u |Week11-13 = Navy (6–1–1) |Week11-13-Color= u |Week11-14 = TCU (6–3) |Week11-14-Color= u |Week11-15 = Baylor (7–2) |Week11-15-Color= u |Week11-16 = George Washington (7–1–1) |Week11-16-Color= u |Week11-17 = USC (7–2) |Week11-17-Color= npr |Week11-18 = Florida (6–2–1) |Week11-18-Color= d |Week11-19 = Colorado (7–2–1) |Week11-19-Color= u |Week11-20 = Ohio State (6–3) |Week11-20-Color= d |Week12-1 = Oklahoma (10–0) (104) |Week12-1-Color = nc |Week12-2 = Tennessee (10–0) (48) |Week12-2-Color = |Week12-3 = Iowa (8–1) (15) |Week12-3-Color = |Week12-4 = Georgia Tech (9–1) (4) |Week12-4-Color = |Week12-5 = Texas A&M (9–0–1) (2) |Week12-5-Color = |Week12-6 = Miami (FL) (8–0–1) (12) |Week12-6-Color = |Week12-7 = Michigan (7–2) (1) |Week12-7-Color = |Week12-8 = Syracuse (7–1) |Week12-8-Color = |Week12-9 = Michigan State (7–2) |Week12-9-Color = |Week12-10 = Oregon State (7–2–1) (3) |Week12-10-Color= u |Week12-11 = Baylor (8–2) (1) |Week12-11-Color= u |Week12-12 = Minnesota (6–1–2) |Week12-12-Color= d |Week12-13 = Pittsburgh (6–2–1) |Week12-13-Color= d |Week12-14 = TCU (7–3) |Week12-14-Color= |Week12-15 = Ohio State (6–3) |Week12-15-Color= u |Week12-16 = Navy (6–1–2) |Week12-16-Color= d |Week12-17 = George Washington (7–1–1) |Week12-17-Color= d |Week12-18 = USC (8–2) |Week12-18-Color= d |Week12-19 = Clemson (7–1–2) |Week12-19-Color= npr |Week12-20 = Colorado (7–2–1) |Week12-20-Color= d

UPI poll

The final UPI poll was released prior to the bowl games, on December 4.

Oklahoma received 26 of the 35 first-place votes; Tennessee received five, Iowa three, and Miami one.

RankTeam1stPoints
1[Oklahoma](1956-oklahoma-sooners-football-team)26337
2[Tennessee](1956-tennessee-volunteers-football-team)5301
3[Iowa](1956-iowa-hawkeyes-football-team)3247
4[Georgia Tech](1956-georgia-tech-yellow-jackets-football-team)0211
5[Texas A&M](1956-texas-a-m-aggies-football-team)0202
6[Miami (FL)](1956-miami-hurricanes-football-team)1134
7[Michigan](1956-michigan-wolverines-football-team)0115
8[Syracuse](1956-syracuse-orangemen-football-team)063
9[Minnesota](1956-minnesota-golden-gophers-football-team)060
10[Michigan State](1956-michigan-state-spartans-football-team)055
11[Baylor](1956-baylor-bears-football-team)046
12[Pittsburgh](1956-pittsburgh-panthers-football-team)036
13[Oregon State](1956-oregon-state-beavers-football-team)021
14[TCU](1956-tcu-horned-frogs-football-team)018
15[USC](1956-usc-trojans-football-team)015
16[Wyoming](1956-wyoming-cowboys-football-team)013
17[Yale](1956-yale-bulldogs-football-team)010
18[Colorado](1956-colorado-buffaloes-football-team)09
19[Navy](1956-navy-midshipmen-football-team)08
20[Duke](1956-duke-blue-devils-football-team)06

Litkenhous Ratings

The final Litkenhous Ratings, released in December 1956, ranked over 600 teams. The top 100 teams as ranked by Litkenhous were:

  1. Oklahoma

  2. Tennessee

  3. Georgia Tech

  4. Michigan State

  5. Michigan

  6. Iowa

  7. Texas A&M

  8. TCU

  9. Ohio State

  10. Minnesota

  11. Ole Miss

  12. Baylor

  13. Florida

  14. Miami (FL)

  15. Duke

  16. Texas Western

  17. Auburn

  18. USC

  19. Pittsburgh

  20. Oregon State

  21. Kentucky

  22. Syracuse

  23. Penn State

  24. Washington University

  25. Arizona State

  26. Houston

  27. Illinois

  28. Purdue

  29. UCLA

  30. Oregon

  31. Colorado

  32. Stanford

  33. Mississippi Southern

  34. Vanderbilt

  35. Tulane

  36. Northwestern

  37. Arkansas

  38. Rice

  39. Wisconsin

  40. California

  41. Navy

  42. Virginia Tech

  43. Clemson

  44. Florida State

  45. Army

  46. South Carolina

  47. Mississippi State

  48. LSU

  49. SMU

  50. Southeastern Louisiana

  51. Georgia

  52. Missouri

  53. West Texas

  54. Alabama

  55. Villanova

  56. Pacific

  57. Texas

  58. Wake Forest

  59. Maryland

  60. Tulsa

  61. North Carolina

  64. Kansas

  65. West Virginia

  66. Washington State

  67. Oklahoma A&M

  68. Yale

  69. Texas Tech

  70. Notre Dame

  71. Xavier

  72. NC State

  73. Wyoming

  75. Utah

  78. Virginia

  80. Hardin Simmons

  81. Arizona

  82. George Washington

  83. Boston College

  84. Miami (OH)

  85. Nebraska

  86. Indiana

  88. Bowling Green

  92. Memphis State

  93. Holy Cross

  94. Cincinnati

  96. Princeton

  97. Chattanooga

  101. Air Force

  102. Colgate

  103. Utah State

  104. Kansas State

  105. Dayton

  106. Dartmouth

  107. Denver

  108. Wichita

  109. Furman

  110. Middle Tennessee

  111. VMI

  112. Louisville

  113. Boston University

  114. Iowa State

  115. Detroit

  116. Brown

  117. Davidson

  118. Citadel

  119. Arkansas State

  120. Richmond

  121. William & Mary

  122. Murray

  123. Harvard

  124. Ohio

  125. Tennessee Tech

  126. Florence

  127. Eastern Kentucky

References

References

  1. (December 4, 1956). "Final UP poll". Eugene Register-Guard.
  2. Miller, Norman. (December 4, 1956). "Oklahoma voted grid champion in final AP and UP polls". Reading Eagle.
  3. (December 4, 1956). "Aggies Rated 5th in Nation". The Austin Statesman.
  4. (December 13, 1956). "UT Second In Final Litratings; Vanderbilt 34th". The Nashville Banner.
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