1972 NCAA University Division football rankings

1972 NCAA University Division football rankings
Season	1972
Bowl season	1972–73 bowl games
Preseason No. 1	Nebraska
End of season champions	USC

Final AP poll

The final AP Poll was released after the bowl games, on January 3, 1973.
USC was a unanimous selection, with all fifty first-place votes.

Ranking	Team	Conference	Record	Points	1st	Bowl
1	USC	Pac-8	12–0	1,000	50	Won Rose, 42–17
2	Oklahoma	Big Eight	11–1	872	—	Won Sugar, 14–0
3	Texas	Southwest	10–1	667	—	Won Cotton, 17–13
4	Nebraska	Big Eight	9–2–1	665	—	Won Orange, 40–6
5	Auburn	SEC	10–1	631	—	Won Gator, 24–3
6	Michigan	Big Ten	10–1	502	—	none
7	Alabama	SEC	10–2	453	—	Lost Cotton, 13–17
8	Tennessee	SEC	10–2	409	—	Won Bluebonnet, 24–17
9	Ohio State	Big Ten	9–2	362	—	Lost Rose, 17–42
10	Penn State	Independent	10–2	340	—	Lost Sugar, 0–14
11	LSU	SEC	9–2–1	209	—	Lost Bluebonnet, 17–24
12	North Carolina	ACC	11–1	179	—	Won Sun, 32–28
13	Arizona State	WAC	10–2	158	—	Won Fiesta, 49–35
14	Notre Dame	Independent	8–3	75	—	Lost Orange, 6–40
15	UCLA	Pac-8	8–3	71	—	none
16	Colorado	Big Eight	8–4	58	—	Lost Gator, 3–24
17	NC State	ACC	8–3–1	35	—	Won Peach, 49–13
18	Louisville	Independent	9–1	19	—	none
19	Washington State	Pac-8	7–4	9	—	none
20	Georgia Tech	Independent	7–4–1	5	—	Won Liberty, 31–30

Source:

• Prior to the 1975 season, the Big Ten and Pac-8 conferences allowed only one postseason participant each, for the Rose Bowl.

Final Coaches' poll

The final UPI Coaches Poll was released prior to the bowl games, in early December.
USC was a unanimous selection, with all 35 first-place votes.

Ranking	Team
1	USC
2	Oklahoma
3	Ohio State
4	Alabama
5	Texas
6	Michigan
7	Auburn
8	Penn State
9	Nebraska
10	LSU
11	Tennessee
12	Notre Dame
13	Arizona State
14	Colorado
	North Carolina
16	Louisville
17	UCLA
	Washington State
	Utah State
20	San Diego State

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