| 1984 NCAA Division I-A football rankings | |
|---|---|
| Season | 1984 |
| Bowl season | 1984–85 bowl games |
| Preseason No.1 | |
| End of season champions | BYU |
| Conference with most teams in final AP poll | SEC (4) |
| NCAA Division I-A football rankings
← 1983
1985 →
| |
Two human polls comprised the 1984 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I-A 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.
| Increase in ranking | ||
| Decrease in ranking | ||
| Not ranked previous week | ||
| National champion | ||
(#–#)
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Win–loss record | |
(Italics)
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Number of first place votes | |
т
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Tied with team above or below also with this symbol |
| Preseason Aug[1] | Week 1 Sep 4[2] | Week 2 Sep 11[2] | Week 3 Sep 18[2] | Week 4 Sep 25[2] | Week 5 Oct 2[2] | Week 6 Oct 9[2] | Week 7 Oct 16[2] | Week 8 Oct 23[2] | Week 9 Oct 30[2] | Week 10 Nov 6[2] | Week 11 Nov 13[2] | Week 12 Nov 20[2] | Week 13 Nov 27[2] | Week 14 Dec 4[2] | Week 15 (Final) Jan 2[3] | ||
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| 1. | Auburn (30) | Miami (FL) (2–0) (36) | Nebraska (1–0) (35) | Nebraska (2–0) (37) | Nebraska (3–0) (52) | Texas (2–0) (51) | Texas (3–0) (55) | Washington (6–0) (37) | Washington (7–0) (45) | Washington (8–0) (50) | Washington (9–0) | Nebraska (9–1) (37) | BYU (11–0) (40) | BYU (12–0) (34) | BYU (12–0) (33) | BYU (13–0) (38) | 1. |
| 2. | Nebraska (5) | Nebraska (0–0) (7) | Clemson (2–0) (15) | Clemson (2–0) (15) | Texas (1–0) (2) | Ohio State (4–0) (5) | Washington (5–0) (1) | Oklahoma (4–0–1) (10) | Oklahoma (5–0–1) (7) | Texas (5–0–1) (3) | Nebraska (8–1) | South Carolina (9–0) (11) | Oklahoma (8–1–1) (7) | Oklahoma (9–1–1) (18) | Oklahoma (9–1–1) (16) | Washington (11–1) (16) | 2. |
| 3. | Pittsburgh (2) | Clemson (1–0) (2) | Michigan (1–0) (3) | Texas (1–0) (4) | Ohio State (3–0) (2) | Washington (4–0) (1) | Oklahoma (4–0) (1) | Texas (3–0–1) (4) | Texas (4–0–1) (3) | Nebraska (7–1) (3) | Texas (6–0–1) | BYU (10–0) (11) | Oklahoma State (9–1) (3) | Florida (8–1–1) (5) | Florida (9–1–1) (6) | Florida (9–1–1) (6) | 3. |
| 4. | Clemson (11) | UCLA (0–0) (6) | Texas (0–0) (1) | Miami (FL) (3–1) (1) | Penn State (3–0) | Boston College (3–0) (2) | Boston College (3–0) (2) | Boston College (4–0) (6) | Nebraska (6–1) | BYU (8–0) (4) | BYU (9–0) | Oklahoma State (8–1) | Florida (8–1–1) (7) | Washington (10–1) (1) | Washington (10–1) (1) | Nebraska (10–2) | 4. |
| 5. | UCLA (5) | Texas (0–0) | Iowa (1–0) (2) т | Ohio State (2–0) | Boston College (3–0) | Oklahoma (4–0) (1) | BYU (5–0) | Nebraska (5–1) | BYU (7–0) (3) | South Carolina (7–0) | South Carolina (8–0) | Florida (7–1–1) | Washington (10–1) (1) | Nebraska (9–2) | Nebraska (9–2) | Boston College (10–2) | 5. |
| 6. | Texas | Ohio State (0–0) | Miami (FL) (2–1) (1) т | BYU (3–0) | Washington (3–0) | Florida State (4–0) | Nebraska (4–1) | SMU (4–0) (1) | Ohio State (6–1) | Miami (FL) (7–2) | Miami (FL) (8–2) | Oklahoma (7–1–1) | Texas (7–1–1) | Ohio State (9–2) | Ohio State (9–2) | Oklahoma (9–2–1) | 6. |
| 7. | Ohio State | Notre Dame (0–0) (1) | UCLA (1–0) (2) | Penn State (2–0) | Oklahoma (3–0) | BYU (4–0) | SMU (3–0) | BYU (6–0) | LSU (5–0–1) (1) | Oklahoma State (6–1) | Oklahoma State (7–1) | USC (8–1) | Nebraska (9–2) | South Carolina (10–1) | South Carolina (10–1) | Oklahoma State (10–2) | 7. |
| 8. | Notre Dame (1) | Auburn (0–1) | BYU (2–0) (1) | UCLA (2–0) (2) | BYU (4–0) | Nebraska (3–1) | Ohio State (4–1) | Ohio State (5–1) | Miami (FL) (7–2) | Georgia (6–1) | Georgia (7–1) | Washington (9–1) | Ohio State (9–2) | Boston College (8–2) | Boston College (9–2) | SMU (10–2) | 8. |
| 9. | Alabama (1) | Alabama (0–0) (1) | Ohio State (1–0) | Washington (2–0) | Florida State (3–0) | Oklahoma State (4–0) | Florida State (4–0–1) | Miami (FL) (6–2) | South Carolina (6–0) | Boston College (5–1) | Oklahoma (6–1–1) | LSU (7–1–1) | South Carolina (9–1) | Oklahoma State (9–2) | Oklahoma State (9–2) | UCLA (9–3) | 9. |
| 10. | Miami (FL) (1) | Iowa (0–0) (1) | Boston College (2–0) | Boston College (2–0) | Oklahoma State (3–0) | SMU (3–0) | Miami (FL) (5–2) | LSU (4–0–1) | Oklahoma State (5–1) | Oklahoma (5–1–1) | Florida (6–1–1) | Texas (6–1–1) | Boston College (7–2) | SMU (8–2) | SMU (9–2) | USC (9–3) | 10. |
| 11. | Penn State | Penn State (0–0) | Auburn (0–1) | Oklahoma (2–0) | SMU (2–0) | Penn State (3–1) | Penn State (4–1) | South Carolina (5–0) | Boston College (4–1) | Auburn (6–2) | Florida State (6–1–1) | Ohio State (8–2) | SMU (7–2) | Auburn (8–3) | LSU (8–2–1) | South Carolina (10–2) | 11. |
| 12. | Iowa (1) | Arizona State (0–0) | Penn State (1–0) | Oklahoma State (2–0) | Georgia (2–0) | Georgia Tech (3–0) | LSU (3–0–1) | Oklahoma State (4–1) | Auburn (5–2) | West Virginia (7–1) | LSU (6–1–1) | TCU (8–1) | Miami (FL) (8–3) | Florida State (7–2–1) | Maryland (8–3) | Maryland (9–3) | 12. |
| 13. | Arizona State (2) | BYU (1–0) | Oklahoma State (1–0) | SMU (1–0) | Clemson (2–1) | Michigan (3–1) | Oklahoma State (4–1) | Auburn (4–2) | Georgia (5–1) | Florida (5–1–1) | Ohio State (7–2) | Boston College (6–2) | Auburn (8–3) | Texas (7–2–1) | Miami (FL) (8–4) | Ohio State (9–3) | 13. |
| 14. | Michigan (1) | Michigan (0–0) (1) | SMU (0–0) | Iowa (1–1) | Michigan (2–1) | Miami (FL) (4–2) | Purdue (4–1) | Georgia (4–1) | SMU (4–1) | Florida State (5–1–1) | USC (7–1) | Miami (FL) (8–3) | USC (8–2) | LSU (8–2–1) | UCLA (8–3) | Auburn (9–4) | 14. |
| 15. | SMU | SMU (0–0) | Oklahoma (1–0) | Florida State (2–0) | USC (2–0) | LSU (3–0–1) | Georgia (3–1) | Florida State (4–1–1) | Florida State (5–1–1) | LSU (5–1–1) | TCU (7–1) | Georgia (7–2) | Florida State (7–2–1) | Maryland (8–3) | Florida State (7–3–1) | LSU (8–3–1) | 15. |
| 16. | Oklahoma | Oklahoma (0–0) | Washington (1–0) | Michigan (1–1) | Miami (FL) (3–2) | Notre Dame (3–1) | Auburn (3–2) | Kentucky (5–0) | Florida (5–1–1) | Ohio State (6–2) | Boston College (5–2) | SMU (6–2) | LSU (7–2–1) | Miami (FL) (8–4) | Auburn (8–4) | Iowa (8–4–1) | 16. |
| 17. | Florida | Pittsburgh (0–1) | Pittsburgh (0–1) | USC (1–0) | UCLA (2–1) | UCLA (3–1) | South Carolina (4–0) | Florida (4–1–1) | Iowa (5–2) | Iowa (6–2) | SMU (5–2) | Florida State (6–2–1) | TCU (8–2) | UCLA (8–3) | Notre Dame (7–4) | Florida State (7–3–2) | 17. |
| 18. | Washington | Boston College (1–0) | Florida State (1–0) | West Virginia (3–0) | Georgia Tech (2–0) | Auburn (2–2) | Florida (3–1–1) | Iowa (4–2) | West Virginia (6–1) | USC (6–1) | Iowa (6–2–1) | Auburn (7–3) | Maryland (7–3) | Georgia (7–3) | USC (8–3) | Miami (FL) (8–5) | 18. |
| 19. | Boston College | Washington (0–0) | Alabama (0–1) | Auburn (0–2) | Notre Dame (2–1) | Vanderbilt (4–0) | Kentucky (4–0) | Penn State (4–2) | Penn State (5–2) | SMU (4–2) | West Virginia (7–2) | Virginia (7–1–1) | UCLA (8–3) | Notre Dame (7–4) | Texas (7–3–1) | Kentucky (9–3) | 19. |
| 20. | Florida State | Florida State (1–0) | USC (1–0) | Georgia (1–0) | Auburn (1–2) | Georgia (2–1) | Georgia Tech (3–1) | West Virginia (5–1) | USC (5–1) | TCU (6–1) | Auburn (6–3) | Clemson (7–2) | Georgia (7–3) | USC (8–3) | Wisconsin (7–3–1) | Virginia (8–2–2) | 20. |
| Preseason Aug[1] | Week 1 Sep 4[2] | Week 2 Sep 11[2] | Week 3 Sep 18[2] | Week 4 Sep 25[2] | Week 5 Oct 2[2] | Week 6 Oct 9[2] | Week 7 Oct 16[2] | Week 8 Oct 23[2] | Week 9 Oct 30[2] | Week 10 Nov 6[2] | Week 11 Nov 13[2] | Week 12 Nov 20[2] | Week 13 Nov 27[2] | Week 14 Dec 4[2] | Week 15 (Final) Jan 2[3] | ||
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| Preseason Aug 26[4] | Week 1 Sep 4[5] | Week 2 Sep 11[6] | Week 3 Sep 18[7] | Week 4 Sep 25[8] | Week 5 Oct 2[9] | Week 6 Oct 9[10] | Week 7 Oct 16[11] | Week 8 Oct 23[12] | Week 9 Oct 30[13] | Week 10 Nov 6[14] | Week 11 Nov 13[15] | Week 12 Nov 20[16] | Week 13 Nov 27[17] | Week 14 Dec 4[18] | Week 15 (Final) Jan 2[19] | ||
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| 1. | Auburn (32) | Miami (FL) (2–0) (30) | Nebraska (1–0) (32) | Nebraska (2–0) (34) | Nebraska (3–0) (39) | Texas (2–0) (34) | Texas (3–0) (34) | Washington (6–0) (24) | Washington (7–0) (30) | Washington (8–0) (24) | Washington (9–0) (30) | Nebraska (9–1) (19) | BYU (11–0) (30) | BYU (12–0) (21) | BYU (12–0) (24) | BYU (13–0) (28) | 1. |
| 2. | Nebraska (1) | Nebraska (0–0) (4) | Michigan (1–0) (4) | Texas (1–0) (4) | Texas (1–0) | Ohio State (4–0) (1) | Oklahoma (4–0) (1) | Oklahoma (4–0–1) (3) | Texas (4–0–1) (7) | Texas (5–0–1) | Texas (6–0–1) (6) | South Carolina (9–0) (9) | Oklahoma State (9–1) (2) | Oklahoma (9–1–1) (10) | Oklahoma (9–1–1) (8) | Washington (11–1) (11) | 2. |
| 3. | Texas (4) | Texas (0–0) | Texas (0–0) (2) | Oklahoma (2–0) | Ohio State (3–0) | Oklahoma (4–0) (1) | Washington (5–0) (3) | Texas (3–0–1) (9) | Oklahoma (5–0–1) (2) | BYU (8–0) (5) | Nebraska (8–1) (2) | BYU (10–0) (12) | Oklahoma (8–1–1) (2) | Washington (10–1) (1) | Washington (10–1) (1) | Nebraska (10–2) | 3. |
| 4. | Miami (FL) (1) | UCLA (0–0) | Clemson (2–0) | BYU (3–0) | Oklahoma (3–0) | Washington (4–0) (3) | Boston College (3–0) (1) | Boston College (4–0) (2) | BYU (7–0) (1) | Nebraska (7–1) (2) | BYU (9–0) (4) | Oklahoma State (8–1) | Texas (7–1–1) (3) | Nebraska (9–2) | Nebraska (9–2) | Boston College (10–2) | 4. |
| 5. | UCLA (1) | Clemson (1–0) | Iowa (1–0) | Penn State (2–0) | Washington (3–0) | Boston College (3–0) (1) | BYU (5–0) | BYU (6–0) (1) | Nebraska (6–1) | South Carolina (7–0) | South Carolina (8–0) | Washington (9–1) | Washington (10–1) (1) | Ohio State (9–2) | Ohio State (9–2) | Oklahoma State (10–2) | 5. |
| 6. | Penn State | Auburn (0–1) | BYU (2–0) (1) | Ohio State (2–0) | Penn State (3–0) | BYU (4–0) | Nebraska (4–1) | Nebraska (5–1) | LSU (5–0–1) (1) | Miami (FL) (7–2) | Miami (FL) (8–2) | Oklahoma (7–1–1) | Ohio State (9–2) | South Carolina (10–1) | Florida (9–1–1) (2) | Oklahoma (9–2–1) | 6. |
| 7. | Pittsburgh (1) | Penn State (0–0) | UCLA (1–0) | Boston College (2–0) | Boston College (3–0) (1) | Florida State (4–0) | SMU (3–0) | SMU (4–0) | Ohio State (6–1) (1) | Boston College (5–1) | Oklahoma State (7–1) | USC (8–1) | Florida (8–1–1) (2) | Florida (8–1–1) (1) | South Carolina (10–1) | Florida (9–1–1) (1) | 7. |
| 8. | Clemson | Ohio State (0–0) | Miami (FL) (2–1) | Washington (2–0) | BYU (4–0) | Oklahoma State (4–0) | Florida State (4–0–1) | Ohio State (5–1) (1) | South Carolina (6–0) | Georgia (6–1) | Georgia (7–1) | Florida (7–1–1) | Nebraska (9–2) | Boston College (9–2) | Boston College (9–2) | SMU (10–2) | 8. |
| 9. | Ohio State | Michigan (0–0) | Boston College (2–0) | Miami (FL) (3–1) | Florida State (3–0) | Nebraska (3–1) | Ohio State (4–1) | LSU (4–0–1) | Miami (FL) (7–2) | West Virginia (7–1) | Oklahoma (6–1–1) | Texas (6–1–1) | South Carolina (9–1) | Oklahoma State (9–2) | Oklahoma State (9–2) | USC (9–3) | 9. |
| 10. | Michigan | Oklahoma (0–0) | Auburn (0–1) | UCLA (2–0) | Georgia (2–0) | SMU (3–0) | LSU (3–0–1) | Miami (FL) (6–2) | Boston College (4–1) | Oklahoma State (6–1) | Florida State (6–1–1) | TCU (8–1) | Boston College (7–2) | SMU (8–2) | SMU (9–2) | UCLA (9–3) | 10. |
| 11. | Oklahoma | Alabama (0–0) | Ohio State (1–0) | Oklahoma State (2–0) | Oklahoma State (3–0) | Michigan (3–1) | Miami (FL) (5–2) | South Carolina (5–0) | Oklahoma State (5–1) | Auburn (6–2) | Florida (6–1–1) | Ohio State (8–2) | Auburn (8–3) | Auburn (8–3) | Maryland (8–3) | Maryland (9–3) | 11. |
| 12. | Alabama | BYU (1–0) | Oklahoma (1–0) | SMU (1–0) | SMU (2–0) | Georgia Tech (3–0) | Penn State (4–1) | Oklahoma State (4–1) | Georgia (5–1) | Oklahoma (5–1–1) | USC (7–1) | LSU (7–1–1) | Miami (FL) (8–3) т | Texas (7–2–1) | LSU (8–2–1) | Ohio State (9–3) | 12. |
| 13. | Arizona State | Arizona State (0–0) | Penn State (1–0) | Florida State (2–0) | Michigan (2–1) | LSU (3–0–1) | Oklahoma State (4–1) | Auburn (4–2) | Auburn (5–2) | Iowa (6–2) | Ohio State (7–2) | Boston College (6–2) | USC (8–2) т | Florida State (7–2–1) | Miami (FL) 8–4 | South Carolina (10–2) | 13. |
| 14. | Iowa | Iowa (0–0) | Oklahoma State (1–0) | Michigan (1–1) | USC (2–0) | Penn State (3–1) | South Carolina (4–0) | Georgia (4–1) | West Virginia (6–1) | Florida State (5–1–1) | TCU (7–1) | Virginia (7–1–1) | SMU (7–2) | Maryland (8–3) | USC (8–3) | Auburn (9–4) | 14. |
| 15. | Notre Dame (1) | Notre Dame (0–0) | SMU (0–0) | Iowa (1–1) | UCLA (2–1) | Notre Dame (3–1) | Georgia (3–1) | Kentucky (5–0) | Florida State (5–1–1) | Florida (5–1–1) | LSU (6–1–1) | SMU (6–2) | Florida State (7–2–1) | LSU (8–2–1) | UCLA (8–3) | Iowa (8–4–1) | 15. |
| 16. | SMU | Boston College (1–0) | Washington (1–0) | USC (1–0) | Miami (FL) (3–2) | Miami (FL) (4–2) | Auburn (3–2) | Florida State (4–1–1) | SMU (4–1) | USC (6–1) | Boston College (5–2) | Georgia (7–2) | TCU (8–2) | Miami (8–4) | Florida State (7–3–1) | LSU (8–3–1) | 16. |
| 17. | Washington | SMU (0–0) | Florida State (1–0) | Georgia (1–0) | Notre Dame (2–1) | Vanderbilt (4–0) | Purdue (4–1) | Iowa (4–2) | Iowa (5–2) | LSU (5–1–1) | Iowa (6–2–1) | Miami (FL) (8–3) | Virginia (7–1–2) | USC (8–3) | Wisconsin (7–3–1) | Virginia (8–2–2) | 17. |
| 18. | Florida | Washington (0–0) | USC (1–0) | West Virginia (3–0) | LSU (2–0–1) | Auburn (2–2) | Florida (3–1–1) | Florida (4–1–1) | Florida (5–1–1) | Ohio State (6–2) | West Virginia (7–2) | Florida State (6–2–1) | LSU (7–2–1) | UCLA (8–3) | Notre Dame (7–4) | West Virginia (8–4) | 18. |
| 19. | Georgia | Florida State (1–0) | Georgia (1–0) | Tennessee (2–0) | Auburn (1–2) | Georgia (2–1) | Iowa (3–2) | West Virginia (5–1) | USC (5–1) | TCU (6–1) | Virginia (6–1–1) | Auburn (7–3) | Maryland (7–3) | Wisconsin (7–3–1) | Auburn (8–4) | Kentucky (9–3) т | 19. |
| 20. | Boston College | Pittsburgh (0–1) | Alabama (0–1) | Auburn (0–2) | Iowa (1–2) |
| Kentucky (4–0) | Michigan (4–2) | Penn State (5–2) | Cal State Fullerton (9–0) | SMU (5–2) | Penn State (6–3) | Wisconsin (7–3–1) | Notre Dame (7–4) | Texas (7–3–1) | Florida State (7–3–2) т | 20. |
| Preseason Aug 26[4] | Week 1 Sep 4[5] | Week 2 Sep 11[6] | Week 3 Sep 18[7] | Week 4 Sep 25[8] | Week 5 Oct 2[9] | Week 6 Oct 9[10] | Week 7 Oct 16[11] | Week 8 Oct 23[12] | Week 9 Oct 30[13] | Week 10 Nov 6[14] | Week 11 Nov 13[15] | Week 12 Nov 20[16] | Week 13 Nov 27[17] | Week 14 Dec 4[18] | Week 15 (Final) Jan 2[19] | ||
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| Pre-divisional |
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| NCAA University Division |
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| NCAA Division I |
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| NCAA Division I-A/FBS |
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| NCAA Division I-AA/FCS |
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| Small college |
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| NCAA Division II |
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| NCAA Division III |
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| Polls |
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