1985 NCAA Division I-A football rankings
Season1985
Bowl season1985–86 bowl games
Preseason No. 1
Oklahoma
End of season championsOklahoma
Conference with most
teams in final AP poll		SEC (4)
NCAA Division I-A football rankings
← 1984
1986 →

Two human polls comprised the 1985 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.

Legend

  Increase in ranking
  Decrease in ranking
  Not ranked previous week
  National champion
(#–#)
   Win–loss record
(Italics)
   Number of first place votes
т
 Tied with team above or below also with this symbol

AP Poll

Preseason
Aug[1]		Week 1
Sep 3[2]		Week 2
Sep 10[2]		Week 3
Sep 17[2]		Week 4
Sep 24[2]		Week 5
Oct 1[2][3]		Week 6
Oct 8[2][4]		Week 7
Oct 15[2]		Week 8
Oct 22[2]		Week 9
Oct 29[2]		Week 10
Nov 5[2]		Week 11
Nov 12[2]		Week 12
Nov 19[2]		Week 13
Nov 26[2]		Week 14
Dec 3[2]		Week 15
Dec 10[2]		Week 16 (Final)
Jan 2[5]
1.Oklahoma (23)Oklahoma (0–0)Auburn (1–0) (16)Auburn (2–0) (23)Auburn (2–0) (26)Iowa (3–0) (35)Iowa (4–0) (34)Iowa (5–0) (27)Iowa (6–0) (60)Iowa (7–0) (58)Florida (7–0–1) (42)Penn State (9–0)Penn State (10–0) (46)Penn State (11–0) (49)Penn State (11–0) (47)Penn State (11–0) (47)Oklahoma (11–1) (55)1.
2.Auburn (13)Auburn (0–0)Oklahoma (0–0) (28)Oklahoma (0–0) (23)Oklahoma (0–0) (21)Oklahoma (1–0) (13)Oklahoma (2–0)Michigan (5–0) (20)Florida (5–0–1)Florida (6–0–1)Penn State (8–0) (15)Nebraska (8–1)Nebraska (9–1) (12)Iowa (10–1) (3)Miami (FL) (10–1) (3)Miami (FL) (10–1) (3)Michigan (10–1–1) (1)2.
3.SMU (3)SMU (0–0)Florida (1–0) (3)USC (1–0) (6)Iowa (2–0) (5)SMU (2–0) (6)Michigan (4–0)Oklahoma (3–0) (12)Penn State (6–0)Penn State (7–0)Nebraska (7–1)Ohio State (8–1)Iowa (9–1)Oklahoma (8–1) (6)Iowa (10–1) (3)Oklahoma (10–1) (5)Penn State (11–1)3.
4.Iowa (7)Iowa (0–0)USC (1–0) (6)Iowa (1–0) (5)Florida State (3–0)Florida State (4–0) (1)Florida State (4–0)Arkansas (5–0)Michigan (5–1)Michigan (6–1)Ohio State (7–1) (1)Air Force (10–0)Miami (FL) (8–1)Miami (FL) (9–1) (1)Oklahoma (9–1) (5)Iowa (10–1) (3)Tennessee (9–1–2) (1)4.
5.Florida (4)Florida (0–0)Iowa (0–0) (5)SMU (1–0) (3)Ohio State (2–0)Ohio State (3–0)Oklahoma State (4–0)Florida (4–0–1)Nebraska (5–1)Nebraska (6–1)Air Force (9–0)Iowa (7–1)Oklahoma (7–1) (2)Michigan (9–1–1) (1)Michigan (9–1–1) (1)Michigan (9–1–1) (1)Florida (9–1–1)5.
6.USC (2)USC (0–0)SMU (1–0) (2)Florida State (2–0)SMU (1–0)Oklahoma State (3–0) (1)Arkansas (4–0)Penn State (5–0) (1)Auburn (5–1)Auburn (6–1)Iowa (7–1)Miami (FL) (7–1)Michigan (8–1–1)Florida (8–1–1)Florida (9–1–1)Florida (9–1–1)Texas A&M (10–2)6.
7.Maryland (3)Maryland (0–0)Florida State (2–0)Ohio State (1–0)Oklahoma State (2–0)Michigan (3–0) (3)Florida (3–0–1)Nebraska (4–1)BYU (6–1)Air Force (8–0)Oklahoma (5–1) (1)Oklahoma (6–1)Oklahoma State (8–1)Auburn (8–2)Nebraska (9–2)Nebraska (9–2)UCLA (9–2–1)7.
8.Ohio StateBYU (1–0)Oklahoma State (1–0)Oklahoma State (2–0)LSU (2–0)LSU (2–0)Penn State (4–0)Auburn (4–1)Air Force (7–0)Ohio State (6–1)Miami (FL) (7–1)Michigan (7–1–1)UCLA (8–1–1)Nebraska (9–2)Tennessee (8–1–2)Tennessee (8–1–2)Air Force (12–1)8.
9.NebraskaOhio State (0–0)Ohio State (0–0)LSU (1–0)Penn State (3–0)Penn State (4–0)Nebraska (3–1)BYU (5–1)Ohio State (5–1)Oklahoma (4–1)Michigan (6–1–1)Arkansas (8–1)Florida (8–1–1)BYU (10–2)BYU (10–2)BYU (11–2)Miami (FL) (10–2)9.
10.BYU (1)Nebraska (0–0)UCLA (1–0)Penn State (2–0)Arkansas (2–0)Arkansas (3–0)Alabama (4–0)Air Force (6–0)Oklahoma (3–1)Florida State (6–1)Oklahoma State (6–1)Oklahoma State (7–1)Auburn (8–2)Tennessee (7–1–2)Air Force (11–1)Air Force (11–1)Iowa (10–2)10.
11.Illinois (2)Illinois (0–0)Penn State (1–0)Florida (1–0–1)Florida (1–0–1)Florida (2–0–1)BYU (4–1)Ohio State (4–1)Florida State (5–1)Miami (FL) (6–1)Baylor (7–1)UCLA (7–1–1)BYU (9–2)Air Force (11–1)Texas A&M (9–2)Texas A&M (9–2)Nebraska (9–3)11.
12.Washington (2)Washington (0–0)LSU (0–0)UCLA (1–0–1)Michigan (2–0)Alabama (4–0)Auburn (3–1)Oklahoma State (4–1)Oklahoma State (4–1)Oklahoma State (5–1)Arkansas (7–1)Georgia (7–1–1)Ohio State (8–2)Florida State (8–2)LSU (8–1–1)LSU (8–1–1)Arkansas (10–2)12.
13.LSULSU (0–0)Notre Dame (0–0)BYU (2–1)UCLA (2–0–1)Nebraska (2–1)Air Force (5–0)Florida State (4–1)Baylor (6–1)Baylor (7–1)Auburn (6–2)Florida (7–1–1)Air Force (10–1)LSU (7–1–1)Arkansas (9–2)UCLA (8–2–1)Alabama (9–2–1)13.
14.Notre DameNotre Dame (0–0)Arkansas (0–0)Arkansas (1–0)BYU (3–1)Auburn (2–1)Tennessee (2–0–1)Baylor (5–1)Arkansas (5–1)Arkansas (6–1)UCLA (6–1–1)Auburn (7–2)Florida State (8–2)Arkansas (9–2)UCLA (8–2–1)Arkansas (9–2)Ohio State (9–3)14.
15.ArkansasArkansas (0–0)South Carolina (2–0)South Carolina (2–0)Alabama (3–0)BYU (3–1)Ohio State (3–1)Alabama (4–1)Miami (FL) (5–1)UCLA (6–1–1)LSU (5–1)BYU (8–2)Baylor (8–2)Texas A&M (8–2)Alabama (8–2–1)Alabama (8–2–1)Florida State (9–3)15.
16.Oklahoma StateOklahoma State (0–0)BYU (1–1)Alabama (2–0)Nebraska (1–1)Tennessee (1–0–1)SMU (2–1)Georgia (4–1)Tennessee (3–1–1)LSU (4–1)Florida State (6–2)Florida State (7–2)Tennessee (6–1–2)UCLA (8–2–1)Auburn (8–3)Auburn (8–3)BYU (11–3)16.
17.South CarolinaFlorida State (1–0)Maryland (0–1)Maryland (1–1)Maryland (2–1)Air Force (4–0)Texas (3–0)LSU (3–1)UCLA (5–1–1)BYU (6–2)Georgia (6–1–1)Baylor (7–2)LSU (6–1–1)Oklahoma State (8–2)Ohio State (8–3)Ohio State (8–3)Baylor (9–3)17.
18.Penn StateSouth Carolina (1–0)Nebraska (0–1)Nebraska (0–1)USC (1–1)Georgia (3–1)Georgia (3–1)UCLA (4–1–1)LSU (4–1)Georgia (5–1–1)BYU (7–2)Tennessee (5–1–2)Arkansas (8–2)Texas (8–2)Florida State (8–3)Florida State (8–3)Maryland (9–3)18.
19.Florida StatePenn State (0–0)Illinois (0–1)Michigan (1–0)Air Force (3–0)Baylor (3–1)Baylor (4–1)Army (5–0)Texas (4–1)Tennessee (3–1–2)Tennessee (4–1–2)LSU (5–1–1)Texas A&M (7–2)Ohio State (8–3)Oklahoma State (8–3)Oklahoma State (8–3)Georgia Tech (9–2–1)19.
20.UCLAUCLA (0–0)Alabama (1–0)Illinois (1–1)Virginia (2–0)Texas (2–0)LSU (2–1)Tennessee (2–1–1)Minnesota (5–1)SMU (4–2)Alabama (6–2)Alabama (6–2–1)Georgia (7–2–1)Georgia (7–2–1)Bowling Green (11–0)
  • Maryland (8–3) т
  • Bowling Green (11–0) т
LSU (9–2–1)20.
Preseason
Aug[1]		Week 1
Sep 3[2]		Week 2
Sep 10[2]		Week 3
Sep 17[2]		Week 4
Sep 24[2]		Week 5
Oct 1[2][3]		Week 6
Oct 8[2][4]		Week 7
Oct 15[2]		Week 8
Oct 22[2]		Week 9
Oct 29[2]		Week 10
Nov 5[2]		Week 11
Nov 12[2]		Week 12
Nov 19[2]		Week 13
Nov 26[2]		Week 14
Dec 3[2]		Week 15
Dec 10[2]		Week 16 (Final)
Jan 2[5]
NoneDropped:
  • Washington
Dropped:
  • Notre Dame
Dropped:
  • South Carolina
  • Illinois
Dropped:
  • UCLA
  • Maryland
  • USC
  • Virginia
NoneDropped:
  • SMU
  • Texas
Dropped:
  • Alabama
  • Georgia
  • Army
Dropped:
  • Texas
  • Minnesota
Dropped:
  • SMU
NoneDropped:
  • Alabama
Dropped:
  • Baylor
Dropped:
  • Texas
  • Georgia
NoneDropped:
  • Auburn
  • Oklahoma State
  • Bowling Green

Coaches Poll

Preseason
Aug[6]		Week 1
Sep 3		Week 2
Sep 10[7]		Week 3
Sep 17[8]		Week 4
Sep 24[9]		Week 5
Oct 1[10]		Week 6
Oct 8[11]		Week 7
Oct 15[12]		Week 8
Oct 22[13]		Week 9
Oct 29[14]		Week 10
Nov 5[15]		Week 11
Nov 12[16]		Week 12
Nov 19[17]		Week 13
Nov 26[18]		Week 14
Dec 3[19]		Week 15
Dec 10[20]		Week 16 (Final)
Jan 2[21]
1.Oklahoma (14)Oklahoma (0–0) (14)Oklahoma (0–0) (18)Auburn (2–0)Auburn (2–0) (32)Iowa (3–0) (19)Iowa (4–0) (16)Iowa (5–0) (16)Iowa (6–0) (42)Iowa (7–0) (42)Penn State (8–0) (34)Penn State (9–0) (34)Penn State (10–0) (41)Penn State (11–0) (39)Penn State (11–0) (37)Penn State (11–0) (36)Oklahoma (11–1) (41)1.
2.Auburn (8)Auburn (0–0) (8)Auburn (1–0) (16)Oklahoma (0–0)Oklahoma (0–0) (8)Oklahoma (1–0) (14)Oklahoma (2–0) (14)Oklahoma (3–0) (14)Penn State (6–0)Penn State (7–0)Nebraska (7–1) (5)Nebraska (8–1) (4)Nebraska (9–1) (1)Oklahoma (8–1) (2)Oklahoma (9–1) (2)Oklahoma (10–1) (1)Michigan (10–1–1)2.
3.Ohio StateOhio State (0–0)USC (1–0) (5)USC (1–0)Iowa (2–0)Ohio State (3–0) (1)Michigan (4–0) (10)Michigan (5–0) (11)Nebraska (5–1)Nebraska (6–1)Ohio State (7–1) (1)Ohio State (8–1)Oklahoma (7–1)Iowa (10–1)Iowa (10–1)Iowa (10–1)Penn State (11–1)3.
4.NebraskaNebraska (0–0)Ohio State (0–0) (1)Iowa (1–0)Ohio State (2–0)Florida State (4–0) (1)Florida State (4–0)Penn State (5–0)Michigan (5–1)Michigan (6–1)Air Force (9–0) (2)Air Force (10–0) (3)Iowa (9–1)Miami (FL) (9–1)Miami (FL) (10–1)Miami (FL) (10–1)Tennessee (9–1–2)4.
5.USC (2)USC (0–0) (2)Florida State (2–0) (1)Ohio State (1–0)Florida State (3–0)Michigan (3–0) (5)Oklahoma State (4–0) (1)Arkansas (5–0)Auburn (5–1)Auburn (6–1)Oklahoma (5–1)Iowa (8–1)Miami (FL) (8–1)Michigan (9–1–1)Michigan (9–1–1)Michigan (9–1–1)Air Force (12–1)5.
6.Washington (5)Washington (0–0) (5)Oklahoma State (1–0) (1)Florida State (2–0) (1)Penn State (3–0)Oklahoma State (3–0)Penn State (4–0)Nebraska (4–1)Air Force (7–0)Air Force (8–0)Iowa (7–1)Oklahoma (6–1)Michigan (8–1–1)Auburn (8–2)Nebraska (9–2)Nebraska (9–2)UCLA (9–2–1)6.
7.BYU (9)BYU (1–0) (9)Iowa (0–0)Oklahoma State (1–0) (1)Oklahoma State (2–0)Penn State (4–0)Arkansas (4–0)Auburn (4–1)BYU (6–1)Ohio State (6–1)Miami (FL) (7–1)Miami (FL) (8–1)Oklahoma State (8–1)Air Force (11–1)Tennessee (8–1–2)Air Force (11–1)Texas A&M (10–2)7.
8.Iowa (1)Iowa (0–0) (1)UCLA (1–0)Penn State (2–0)LSU (2–0)Alabama (4–0)Alabama (4–0)BYU (5–1)Ohio State (5–1)Oklahoma (4–1)Baylor (7–1)Michigan (7–1–1)UCLA (8–1–1)Nebraska (9–2)Air Force (11–1)Tennessee (8–1–2)Miami (FL) (10–2)8.
9.Maryland (1)Maryland (0–0) (1)Penn State (1–0)LSU (1–0)Michigan (2–0)LSU (2–0)Nebraska (3–1)Air Force (6–0)Florida State (5–1)Florida State (6–1)Michigan (6–1–1)Arkansas (8–1)Auburn (8–2)Tennessee (7–1–2)BYU (10–2)BYU (11–2)Iowa (10–2)9.
10.IllinoisIllinois (0–0)LSU (0–0)BYU (2–1)Alabama (3–0)Nebraska (2–1)BYU (4–1)Ohio State (4–1)Oklahoma (3–1)Baylor (7–1)Arkansas (7–1)Oklahoma State (7–1)Air Force (10–1)BYU (10–2)LSU (8–1–1)LSU (9–1–1)Nebraska (9–3)10.
11.LSULSU (0–0)South Carolina (2–0) тSouth Carolina (2–0)UCLA (2–0–1)Arkansas (3–0)Auburn (3–1)Florida State (4–1)Baylor (6–1)Arkansas (6–1)Oklahoma State (6–1)UCLA (7–1–1)Ohio State (8–2)Florida State (8–2)Texas A&M (9–2)Texas A&M (9–2)Ohio State (9–3)11.
12.Notre DameNotre Dame (0–0)Notre Dame (0–0) тAlabama (2–0)BYU (3–1)BYU (3–1)Air Force (5–0)Oklahoma State (4–1)Oklahoma State (4–1)Miami (FL) (6–1)UCLA (7–1–1)Georgia (7–1–1)Florida State (8–2)LSU (7–1–1)Arkansas (9–2)Arkansas (9–2)Arkansas (10–2)12.
13.Florida State (1)Florida State (1–0) (1)BYU (1–1)UCLA (1–0–1)Arkansas (2–0)Auburn (2–1)Tennessee (2–0–1)Baylor (5–1)Arkansas (5–1)Oklahoma State (5–1)LSU (5–1)Auburn (7–2)BYU (9–2)Arkansas (9–2)UCLA (8–2–1)UCLA (8–2–1)Florida State (9–3)13.
14.Oklahoma StateOklahoma State (0–0)Nebraska (0–1)Arkansas (1–0)Nebraska (1–1)Tennessee (1–0–1)Texas (3–0)Alabama (4–1) тMiami (FL) (5–1)UCLA (6–1–1)Auburn (6–2)Florida State (7–2)Baylor (8–2)Texas A&M (7–2)Alabama (8–2–1)Alabama (8–2–1)Alabama (9–2–1)14.
15.UCLAUCLA (0–0)Arkansas (0–0)Michigan (1–0)Maryland (2–1)Air Force (4–0)Ohio State (3–1)Georgia (4–1) тUCLA (5–1–1)LSU (4–1)Georgia (6–1–1)BYU (8–2)Tennessee (6–1–2)UCLA (8–2–1)Auburn (8–3)Auburn (8–3)Baylor (9–3)15.
16.ArkansasArkansas (0–0)Alabama (1–0)Maryland (1–1)USC (1–1)Texas (2–0)UCLA (3–1–1)UCLA (4–1–1)Tennessee (3–1–1)BYU (6–2)Florida State (6–2)Baylor (7–2)Arkansas (8–2)Texas (8–2)Ohio State (8–3)Florida State (8–3)Fresno State (11–0–1) (1)16.
17.Penn StatePenn State (0–0)West Virginia (1–0)Nebraska (0–1)Virginia (2–0)UCLA (2–1–1)Georgia (3–1)LSU (3–1)Texas (4–1)Georgia (5–1–1)Tennessee (4–1–2)Tennessee (5–1–2)LSU (6–1–1)Oklahoma State (8–2)Florida State (8–3)Ohio State (8–3)BYU (11–3)17.
18.South CarolinaSouth Carolina (1–0)Maryland (0–1)West Virginia (2–0)Air Force (3–0)Georgia (3–1)Baylor (4–1)Texas (3–1)LSU (4–1)Tennessee (3–1–2)BYU (7–2)LSU (5–1–1)Texas A&M (7–2)Ohio State (8–3)Fresno State (10–0–1)Fresno State (10–0–1)Georgia Tech (9–2–1)18.
19.GeorgiaGeorgia (0–0)Pittsburgh (1–0)Arizona (2–0)Texas (1–0)Baylor (3–1)LSU (2–1)Tennessee (2–1–1)Arizona (5–1)Texas A&M (5–2)Texas A&M (6–2)Texas A&M (6–2)Texas (7–2)Fresno State (10–0–1)Maryland (8–3)Oklahoma State (8–3)Maryland (9–3)19.
20.Boston CollegeBoston College (0–1)Texas (0–0)Texas (0–0)Kansas (3–0)Indiana (3–0)Indiana (4–0)Army (5–0) т
Arizona (4–1) т		Minnesota (5–1)Alabama (5–2)Alabama (6–2)Texas (6–2)Arizona State (8–2)Georgia (7–2–1)Arizona (8–3)Arizona (8–3)LSU (9–2–1)20.
Preseason
Aug[6]		Week 1
Sep 3		Week 2
Sep 10[7]		Week 3
Sep 17[8]		Week 4
Sep 24[9]		Week 5
Oct 1[10]		Week 6
Oct 8[11]		Week 7
Oct 15[12]		Week 8
Oct 22[13]		Week 9
Oct 29[14]		Week 10
Nov 5[15]		Week 11
Nov 12[16]		Week 12
Nov 19[17]		Week 13
Nov 26[18]		Week 14
Dec 3[19]		Week 15
Dec 10[20]		Week 16 (Final)
Jan 2[21]
NoneDropped:
  • Washington
  • Illinois
  • Georgia
  • Boston College
Dropped:
  • Notre Dame
  • Pittsburgh
Dropped:
  • South Carolina
  • West Virginia
  • Arizona
Dropped:
  • Maryland
  • USC
  • Virginia
  • Kansas
NoneDropped:
  • Indiana
Dropped:
  • Alabama
  • Georgia
  • Army
Dropped:
  • Texas
  • Arizona
  • Minnesota
NoneDropped:
  • Alabama
Dropped:
  • Georgia
Dropped:
  • Baylor
  • Arizona State
Dropped:
  • Texas
  • Oklahoma State
  • Georgia
Dropped:
  • Maryland
Dropped:
  • Auburn
  • Oklahoma State
  • Arizona

References

  1. ^ "1985 Preseason A.P. Poll". DatabaseFootball.com. Archived from the original on November 30, 2015.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "1985 College Football Polls". Sports Reference. September 3, 1985.
  3. ^ "Hawks grab No. 1 spot in AP poll". Des Moines Register. October 1, 1985. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
  4. ^ "Hawks still ranked No. 1 despite fragile victory". Des Moines Register. October 8, 1985. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
  5. ^ "1985 Final AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. January 2, 1986.
  6. ^ "UPI Coaches Top 20 The United Press International Board of Coaches preseason Top 20 college football ratings". Arizona Republic. August 25, 1985. Retrieved December 18, 2016.
  7. ^ "The United Press International Board of Coaches Top 20 college football ratings". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. September 10, 1985. Retrieved December 18, 2016.
  8. ^ "The United Press International Board of Coaches Top 20 college football ratings". Daily Reporter. September 17, 1985. Retrieved December 18, 2016.
  9. ^ "The United Press International Board of Coaches Top 20 college football ratings". Tyrone Daily Herald. September 24, 1985. Retrieved December 18, 2016.
  10. ^ "Iowa ranked #1". Daily Chronicle. October 1, 1985. Retrieved December 18, 2016.
  11. ^ "The United Press International Board of Coaches Top 20 college football ratings". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. October 8, 1985. Retrieved December 18, 2016.
  12. ^ "Iowa hangs onto top grid rating". Ukiah Daily Journal. October 15, 1985. Retrieved December 18, 2016.
  13. ^ "The United Press International Board of Coaches Top 20 college football ratings". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. October 22, 1985. Retrieved December 18, 2016.
  14. ^ "The United Press International Board of Coaches Top 20 college football ratings". Ukiah Daily Journal. October 29, 1985. Retrieved December 18, 2016.
  15. ^ "Unimpressive Penn State #1". Ukiah Daily Journal. November 5, 1985. Retrieved December 18, 2016.
  16. ^ "Top 7 Spots Unchanged in UPI's Football Poll". Tyrone Daily Herald. November 12, 1985. Retrieved December 18, 2016.
  17. ^ "The United Press International Board of Coaches Top 20 college football ratings". Detroit Free Press. November 19, 1985. Retrieved December 18, 2016.
  18. ^ "The United Press International Board of Coaches Top 20 college football ratings". Logansport Pharos-Tribune. November 26, 1985. Retrieved December 18, 2016.
  19. ^ "The United Press International Board of Coaches Top 20 college football ratings". Tyrone Daily Herald. December 3, 1985. Retrieved December 18, 2016.
  20. ^ "The United Press International Board of Coaches Top 20 college football ratings". Daily Chronicle. December 10, 1985. Retrieved December 18, 2016.
  21. ^ "UPI COACHES' TOP 20". Indianapolis Star. January 3, 1986. Retrieved December 18, 2016.
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