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Topic: AP Poll trivia and minutiae after 2025

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medinabuckeye1

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AP Poll trivia and minutiae after 2025
« on: January 22, 2026, 10:21:02 PM »
2025 was the 90th year of the AP Poll and, for the first time since 1996 we have a first-time National Champion.  Congratulations Indiana.  Winning their first NC is far from the only accomplishment for the 2025 edition of the Hoosiers:

  • The Hoosiers were ranked in all 17 polls this year.  The only other year in which IU was ranked in every poll was 1945.  
  • Indiana only had 28 top-10 appearances in the first 89 years of the poll, they had 12 this year moving them from 65th place with 28 to 57th place with 40.  
  • Indiana only had 9 top-5 appearances in the first 89 years of the poll, they had 10 this year moving them from 58th place with 9 to 52nd place with 19.  
  • Not only had Indiana never won an NC prior to this year, they had never even been ranked #1 in any week.  Now they have two appearances at #1 and they join TCU as the two programs with the fewest appearances at #1 to ever win an NC.  
Here are total appearances from 1936-2024, 2025, and 1936-2025:


Not much change at the top because, surprise-surprise, the teams that have been ranked the most historically were mostly all ranked all or most of this year as well.  
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medinabuckeye1

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Re: AP Poll trivia and minutiae after 2025
« Reply #1 on: January 22, 2026, 10:22:54 PM »
Top-10 appearances:

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medinabuckeye1

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Re: AP Poll trivia and minutiae after 2025
« Reply #2 on: January 22, 2026, 10:23:38 PM »
Top-5 appearances:

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medinabuckeye1

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Re: AP Poll trivia and minutiae after 2025
« Reply #3 on: January 22, 2026, 10:24:04 PM »
Appearances at #1:
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medinabuckeye1

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Re: AP Poll trivia and minutiae after 2025
« Reply #4 on: January 22, 2026, 10:24:58 PM »
All data from here:  https://www.collegepollarchive.com/football/index.cfm

For each category I have included the all-time top-25 and all teams meeting that category at least once this year.  
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Brutus Buckeye

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Re: AP Poll trivia and minutiae after 2025
« Reply #5 on: January 22, 2026, 11:49:13 PM »
Nebraska's gotta be sinking like a stone, with these last three hires. 
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ELA

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Re: AP Poll trivia and minutiae after 2025
« Reply #6 on: January 22, 2026, 11:50:52 PM »
I saw Indiana beat 6 AP top 10 teams this year.  They had previously beaten 10 AP top 10 teams in their history.

Not sure if thats true, but I saw it on the internet.

I also get that 4 of those were in CCG/CFP games, that didnt previously exist.  But in that era, they probably would have played OSU in the regular season, instead of a CCG, and I guess Oregon in the Rose Bowl, instead of the semifinal.  So its still 4.
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medinabuckeye1

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Re: AP Poll trivia and minutiae after 2025
« Reply #7 on: February 03, 2026, 05:46:44 PM »
I should have covered streaks.  The big one is that Alabama's appearance streak lives and they continue to creep up on a Nebraska record that once looked untouchable.  Nebraska appeared in 348 consecutive AP Polls from 1981-2002.  Specifically, Nebraska was #6 in the preseason 1981 AP Poll and didn't play before the first weekly poll of that year.  They dropped to #7 because previous #10 Georgia opened the season by annihilating Tennessee.  Nebraska then dropped their opener in Iowa City and dropped to #17.  In retrospect that wasn't a bad loss as the 1981 Hawkeyes won a share of the Big Ten and represented the league in the Rose Bowl but at the time Iowa hadn't finished above .500 since 1961 so a top-10 team losing in Iowa City was seen as shocking.  

Nebraska beat FSU at home on September 19 and climbed to #15 in the September 21 Poll (Polls back then didn't come out until Monday, some of us remember that).  In their next outing the Cornhuskers lost at home to PSU on September 26 and that dropped them out of the September 28 poll.  

Nebraska beat Auburn on October 3 and Colorado on October 10 and rejoined the AP Poll at #19 on October 12, 1981.  That was the first of their all-time record 348 straight AP Poll appearances.  The last of those came on September 22, 2002.  Specifically, the Cornhuskers started the 2002 season at #10 after finishing #8 in the 2001 season.  They opened with three straight wins (ASU, Troy, UtahSt) and climbed as high as #8 then lost back-to-back games badly.  First they got smoked in Happy Valley (40-7) which dropped them to #18 then a week later they lost 36-14 in Ames and thus the September 29, 2002 AP Poll was the first not to include Nebraska since the October 5, 1981 AP Poll (sometime during the intervening two decades the poll's release was moved up to Sunday and the number of teams increased to 25 from 20).  

Alabama's current streak became #2 a few years ago and they are now up to 295 straight AP Poll appearances.  Specifically, Alabama finished the 2007 season 7-6 and unranked.  You may remember that 2007 was the first year at Alabama for some coach named Nick Saban.  Alabama was #17 in the 2008 preseason AP Poll and that was the first of what is now 295 straight AP Poll appearances for the Crimson Tide.  For many years there have been either 16 or 17 polls per year and Alabama now trails Nebraska's all-time record by 53 appearances so they are withing striking distance but they will have to remain ranked for the entirety of the 2026, 2027, and 2028 seasons and then remain ranked for the first few polls of 2029 in order to catch the Cornhuskers.  

Anyway, here are the top-11* all-time AP Poll appearance streaks along with the top-10 active streaks (in bold):

  • #1 Nebraska 348; 1981-2002
  • #2 Alabama 295; 2008-2025
  • #3 Florida State 211; 1989-2001
  • #4 Florida 209; 1990-2002
  • #5 Texas 162; 2000-2010
  • #5 Miami, FL 162; 1985-1995
  • #7 Michigan 160; 1969-1980
  • #8 Oklahoma 158; 1970-1981
  • #9 Georgia 148; 2017-2025
  • #10 Colorado 143; 1989-1997
  • #11 Ohio State 132; 2012-2020
  • #24 Ohio State 96; 2020-2025
  • #57 Oregon 64; 2022-2025
  • #70 Notre Dame 56; 2022-2025
  • #85 Mississippi 50; 2023-2025
  • #148 Miami, FL 34; 2023-2025
  • #183 Indiana 29; 2024-2025
  • #373 Oklahoma 17; 2025
  • #373 aTm 17; 2025
  • #373 TxTech 17; 2025


*I went with 11 here to display something that irritates me.  Note that the 11th longest streak of all-time was Ohio State's 132 consecutive appearances from 2012-2020 and the third longest active steak is Ohio State's 96 consecutive appearances from 2020-2025.  Those two streaks were only broken by Ohio State's ineligibility due to the B1G's COVID pause during 2020.  Specifically, Ohio State was #2 in the 2020 preseason AP Poll then fell out for two weeks due to B1G inactivity then got back in at #6 and remained ranked for the rest of the season, finishing where they started, at #2.  Ohio State clearly would have been ranked in the 9/13/2020 and 9/20/2020 AP Polls if the B1G hadn't paused and if that had been the case the Buckeye's current streak would be the third longest of all-time at 230 consecutive appearances from 2012-2025.  


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FearlessF

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Re: AP Poll trivia and minutiae after 2025
« Reply #8 on: February 03, 2026, 06:02:44 PM »
because of a huge upset in the season opener for the Huskers in Iowa City (10-7) - Hayden's Hawks Rose Bowl season

the Huskers dropped out for 2 weeks

otherwise the streak would have run from 1969 to 2002
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medinabuckeye1

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Re: AP Poll trivia and minutiae after 2025
« Reply #9 on: February 03, 2026, 06:15:28 PM »
Top-10 appearance streaks:

For this one I'm going to list the top-10 of all-time and the two (there are only two, in bold) current streaks that extend beyond one season:

  • #1 Miami, FL 137; 1985-1993
  • #2 Alabama 128; 2015-2023
  • #3 Clemson 97; 2015-2023
  • #4 Nebraska 96; 1993-1998
  • #5 Florida 81; 1992-1997
  • #6 USC 79; 2002-2007
  • #7 Ohio State 77; 2021-2025
  • #8 Oklahoma 76; 1984-1988
  • #9 Ohio State 71; 1972-1976
  • #10 Alabama 70; 1010-2015
  • #33 Oregon 47; 2023-2025


Top-5 appearance streaks:

For this one there is only one that extends beyond one season so here are the top-10 of all time and that one (in bold):
  • #1 Alabama 68; 2015-2019
  • #2 Clemson 57; 2017-2021
  • #3 Miami, FL 55; 2000-2003
  • #4 Alabama 48; 2011-2013
  • #4 Ohio State 48; 1973-1976
  • #4 Oklahoma 48; 1953-1957
  • #7 Georgia 46; 2021-2023
  • #7 Miami, FL 46; 1990-1993
  • #9 Nebraska 45; 1993-1996
  • #10 Florida 43; 1995-1997
  • #58 Ohio State 18; 2024-2025
Interestingly, Ohio State is currently in a four-way tie with Army, themselves, and themselves as the Knights had 18 straight top-5 appearances in 1949-50 while Ohio State did it in 2024-25; 2022-23; and 2005-06.  


Finally, the Buckeyes extended their all-time and active leading streak of 58 seasons with an appearance in the AP Poll.  The last season in which the Buckeyes failed to appear in the AP Poll was 1967 and it should be noted that the AP Poll only included 10 teams in 1967.  Specifically, the AP Poll included 20 teams from 1936-1960 and again from 1968-1988.  There were only 10 from 1961-1967 and there have been 25 since 1989.  

Here are the top-10 all-time and top-10 current (in bold) streaks:
  • #1 Ohio State 58; 1968-2025
  • #2 Alabama 45; 1959-2003
  • #3 Notre Dame 43; 1064-2006
  • #4 Florida State 42; 1977-2018
  • #5 Nebraska 41; 1963-2003
  • #6 Michigan 40; 1968-2007
  • #7 USC 39; 1962-2000
  • #8 Florida 34; 1980-2013
  • #8 Penn State 34; 1967-2000
  • #10 UCLA 31; 1965-1995
  • #12 Georgia 29; 1997-2025
  • #13 Oregon 28; 1998-2025
  • #14 Oklahoma 27; 1999-2025
  • #18 LSU 26; 1999-2025
  • #20 USC 24; 2002-2025
  • #26 Alabama 19; 2007-2025
  • #36 Clemson 15; 2011-2025
  • #36 Notre Dame 15; 2011-2025
  • #43 Utah 12; 2014-2025


FWIW:  Ohio State has made at least one AP Poll appearance in 87 of the first 90 years of AP Polls with two of the three misses coming during the ten-team era.  They made appearances in each of the first 11 years (1936-1946) then missed in 1947 then made appearances in each of the 18 seasons from 1948-1965 and they have appeared in each of the 58 seasons starting with 1968.  
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medinabuckeye1

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Re: AP Poll trivia and minutiae after 2025
« Reply #10 on: February 03, 2026, 07:01:17 PM »
Quote from: FearlessF on February 03, 2026, 06:02:44 PM
because of a huge upset in the season opener for the Huskers in Iowa City (10-7) - Hayden's Hawks Rose Bowl season

the Huskers dropped out for 2 weeks
I thought I covered that pretty well.  
Quote from: FearlessF on February 03, 2026, 06:02:44 PM
otherwise the streak would have run from 1969 to 2002
Not quite.  
Immediately prior to the two week break in 1981 the Huskers had a streak of 62 straight appearances from 1977-1981 and prior to the break in 1977 the Huskers had a streak of 112 straight appearances from 1969-1977.  Starting with 1969:

Nebraska finished 1968 6-4 and unranked and they were unranked to start the 1969 season.  They opened the season with a 31-21 home loss to USC and remained unranked.  They beat aTm at home on September 27 and Minnesota on the road on October 4 and snuck into the October 6 AP Poll at #20 (remember it was only 20 teams then) but then they lost to Mizzou and fell back out.  As it turned out the loss to Mizzou was their last loss of the season and on November 3, 1969 the Cornhuskers got back into the AP Poll at #20 to eventually finish #11.  They made 112 consecutive AP Poll appearances from 1969-1977.  

Nebraska was #15 in the preseason 1977 AP Poll and opened with a home loss to WSU which dropped them out for a week.  They must have been looking ahead because in week two they beat #4 Alabama.  That was Bama's only loss of 1977.  Anyway, the win over the Tide got the Cornhuskers back into the poll at #14 on September 19, 1977 and they made 62 straight appearances from then until the aforementioned two week break in 1981.  

All together, from the time that Nebraska reentered the poll on November 3, 1969 through the September 22, 2002 poll the Cornhuskers appeared in 522 of 525 AP Polls.  Nebraska's three longest AP Poll appearance streaks are those three:
  • 348 from 1981-2002
  • 112 from 1969-1977
  • 62 from 1977-1981 

Those three steaks are the first, sixteenth, and and sixty-first longest streaks of all-time.  
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FearlessF

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Re: AP Poll trivia and minutiae after 2025
« Reply #11 on: February 03, 2026, 08:01:44 PM »
how did I forget about 1977?

Damn - first game of the season upsets in 77 & 81 cost 3 weeks outside the top 20

Cougars feast on fumbles, pull off upset
Former Nebraska assistant Warren Powers launched his head coaching career at Washington State by spoiling the Huskers’ 1977 debut, 19-10, before 75,922 fans.

Nebraska dominated the game, but the Cougars were the beneficiaries of numerous Nebraska turnovers and capitalized on them to pull off a major upset.

The Huskers fumbled inside the Cougar 10-yard line three times and also fumbled a punt at the NU 25 to set up Washington State’s first TD.

Despite two fumbles and a missed field goal, Nebraska pulled out a 7-7 tie at halftime. A third-quarter march ended in futility again when the Huskers fumbled at the WSU goal line. The Cougars drove to a 14-7 lead – both TDs on passes from Jack Thompson to Brian Kelly – and Nebraska closed the gap to 14-10 on a Billy Todd field goal.

However, the Cougars countered with a field goal, nabbed Husker quarterback Randy Garcia in the end zone for a safety, and recovered another fumble at the WSU six to clinch the upset.

Nebraska had 470 yards but only 10 points, and the result was a disappointing start for 1977, with a date with Alabama on TV the next week.
« Last Edit: February 03, 2026, 08:07:57 PM by FearlessF »
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FearlessF

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Re: AP Poll trivia and minutiae after 2025
« Reply #12 on: February 03, 2026, 08:14:12 PM »
The Associated Press (AP) poll expanded from ranking 20 teams to 25 teams starting with the 1989-1990 athletic season. 
1936–1960: Top 20
1961–1967: Top 10
1968–1988: Top 20
1989–Present: Top 25


_________________________________________________ __

Since Bama's streak started after 1989 - it would be interesting to learn if they dropped out of the top 20
and if I could find a source of AP week by week polls that included "others receiving votes" to learn if Nebraska would have been out of the top 25
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OrangeAfroMan

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Re: AP Poll trivia and minutiae after 2025
« Reply #13 on: February 03, 2026, 09:12:44 PM »
Quote from: medinabuckeye1 on February 03, 2026, 05:46:44 PM


Anyway, here are the top-11* all-time AP Poll appearance streaks along with the top-10 active streaks (in bold):

  • #1 Nebraska 348; 1981-2002
  • #2 Alabama 295; 2008-2025
  • #3 Florida State 211; 1989-2001
  • #4 Florida 209; 1990-2002


Boy, Spurrier.  

Fun fact:  Florida began 1992 with a 1-2 record, but ranked #23, thanks to a #4 preseason ranking.
We lost @ Tennessee by a normal score, and the Vols were ranked as well.  But then we went on the road to Starkville and got blown out my MS ST.  I couldn't watch, because I was grounded.  I literally found an old-ass radio, plugged it in, and listened in horror as my mighty Gators got demolished 30-6.  

That was Spurrier's only close call.  12 years of badassery.  Florida did lose their last 3 games in 1999, but they were all top-10 teams.
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