AP Poll tid-bits and trivia, 1936-2018

[medinabuckeye1]

Back in November @rolltidefan created a thread to commemroate Ohio State's 900th appearance in the AP Poll.  

I am currently waiting for College Poll Archive to update for the final 2018 poll but the major moves for 2018 appear to be:

• Bama passed Ohio State to take over #1 in appearances at #1
• Ohio State became the first school to pass 900 AP appearances

Once it updates I'll add a more complete report but:

• Bama is #1 in appearances at #1 with 118.  Ohio State (105), Oklahoma (101), Notre Dame (98), and USC (91) round out the top-5.  
• Oklahoma is #1 in top-5 appearances.  
• Ohio State is #1 in top-10 appearances.  
• Ohio State is #1 in total appearances.  

[medinabuckeye1]

I got tired of waiting (I know that is ridiculous) so I manually updated the #1, top-5, and top-10.  

Here is appearances at #1 (for each of these I have listed the top-25 and all B1G schools):

1936-2017 #1	2018	1936-2018 Appearances
Rank	Team	App	Pct	App	Rank	App	Pct
2	Alabama	103	9.1%	15	1	118	10.3%
1	Ohio State	105	9.3%	0	2	105	9.1%
3	Oklahoma	101	8.9%	0	3	101	8.8%
4	Notre Dame	98	8.6%	0	4	98	8.5%
5	USC	91	8.0%	0	5	91	7.9%
6	Florida State	72	6.3%	0	6	72	6.3%
7	Nebraska	70	6.2%	0	7	70	6.1%
8	Miami, FL	68	6.0%	0	8	68	5.9%
9	Texas	45	4.0%	0	9	45	3.9%
10	Florida	41	3.6%	0	10	41	3.6%
11	Michigan	34	3.0%	0	11	34	3.0%
12	LSU	30	2.6%	0	12	30	2.6%
13	Michigan State	29	2.6%	0	13	29	2.5%
14	Army	27	2.4%	0	14	27	2.3%
15	Penn State	21	1.9%	0	15	21	1.8%
16	Pitt	21	1.9%	0	16	21	1.8%
17	Minnesota	18	1.6%	0	17	18	1.6%
18	Tennessee	18	1.6%	0	18	18	1.6%
19	Georgia	15	1.3%	0	19	15	1.3%
20	Washington	15	1.3%	0	20	15	1.3%
22	Clemson	10	0.9%	1	21	11	1.0%
21	Iowa	11	1.0%	0	22	11	1.0%
23	Auburn	9	0.8%	0	23	9	0.8%
24	Oregon	8	0.7%	0	24	8	0.7%
25	Colorado	7	0.6%	0	25	7	0.6%
29	Maryland	6	0.5%	0	26	6	0.5%
30	Northwestern	5	0.4%	0	27	5	0.4%
30	Purdue	5	0.4%	0	28	5	0.4%
41	Wisconsin	1	0.1%	0	29	1	0.1%

Illinois (highest ever rank was #2), Indiana (highest ever rank was #4), and Rutgers (highest ever rank was #7) are not listed because they have never been ranked #1.  

Alabama passed Ohio State to claim the most ever appearances at #1.  Clemson moved into a tie with Iowa for 21st most appearances with 11.  Nothing else changed because no other teams were ranked #1 this year.  

[medinabuckeye1]

Here are appearances in the top-5:
   

1936-2017 Top-5	2018	1936-2018 Appearances
Rank	Team	App	Pct	App	Rank	App	Pct
1	Oklahoma	406	35.8%	5	1	411	35.7%
2	Alabama	381	33.6%	16	2	397	34.5%
3	Ohio State	362	31.9%	10	3	372	32.3%
5	Notre Dame	291	25.6%	10	4	301	26.2%
4	Nebraska	296	26.1%	0	5	296	25.7%
6	Michigan	286	25.2%	5	6	291	25.3%
7	USC	282	24.8%	0	7	282	24.5%
8	Texas	267	23.5%	0	8	267	23.2%
9	Florida State	243	21.4%	0	9	243	21.1%
10	Miami, FL	204	18.0%	0	10	204	17.7%
11	Florida	184	16.2%	0	11	184	16.0%
12	Penn State	168	14.8%	0	12	168	14.6%
13	Auburn	130	11.5%	0	13	130	11.3%
14	Tennessee	122	10.7%	0	14	122	10.6%
15	LSU	115	10.1%	5	15	120	10.4%
18	Georgia	108	9.5%	11	16	119	10.3%
16	UCLA	110	9.7%	0	17	110	9.6%
17	Michigan State	108	9.5%	0	18	108	9.4%
24	Clemson	66	5.8%	16	19	82	7.1%
19	Washington	76	6.7%	0	20	76	6.6%
20	Army	75	6.6%	0	21	75	6.5%
21	aTm	73	6.4%	0	22	73	6.3%
22	Pitt	70	6.2%	0	23	70	6.1%
23	Oregon	69	6.1%	0	24	69	6.0%
25	Mississippi	61	5.4%	0	25	61	5.3%
28	Iowa	53	4.7%	0	28	53	4.6%
29	Wisconsin	47	4.1%	2	29	49	4.3%
32	Minnesota	46	4.1%	0	32	46	4.0%
34	Maryland	45	4.0%	0	34	45	3.9%
37	Illinois	37	3.3%	0	37	37	3.2%
42	Purdue	27	2.4%	0	42	27	2.3%
44	Northwestern	25	2.2%	0	44	25	2.2%
65	Indiana	7	0.6%	0	65	7	0.6%

The big news here is that Notre Dame passed Nebraska for 4th most top-5 appearances.  

The big mover was Clemson moving from #24 with 66 top-5 appearances to #19 with 82 top-5 appearances.  They will not move up any more for a while though because #18 is MSU with 108 top-5 appearances which is 22 more than Clemson and there are only ~16 polls per year.  

Here is a fun statistical oddity:

• Michigan is #6, they started the year five spots behind #5 Notre Dame and ended the year five spots behind #5 Nebraska.  
• Michigan started the year 10 spots behind #4 Nebraska and ended the year 10 spots behind #4 Notre Dame.  

[medinabuckeye1]

Here are appearances in the top-10:

1936-2017 Top-10	2018	1936-2018 Appearances
Rank	Team	App	Pct	App	Rank	App	Pct
1	Ohio State	607	53.5%	15	1	622	54.0%
2	Oklahoma	572	50.4%	15	2	587	51.0%
3	Alabama	534	47.0%	16	3	550	47.8%
4	Notre Dame	533	47.0%	15	4	548	47.6%
6	Michigan	510	44.9%	8	5	518	45.0%
5	Nebraska	518	45.6%	0	6	518	45.0%
7	USC	473	41.7%	0	7	473	41.1%
8	Texas	443	39.0%	5	8	448	38.9%
9	Penn State	371	32.7%	4	9	375	32.6%
10	Florida State	368	32.4%	0	10	368	32.0%
11	Florida	323	28.5%	3	11	326	28.3%
12	Tennessee	321	28.3%	0	12	321	27.9%
14	LSU	293	25.8%	10	13	303	26.3%
13	Miami, FL	302	26.6%	1	14	303	26.3%
16	Georgia	276	24.3%	16	15	292	25.4%
15	Auburn	280	24.7%	6	16	286	24.8%
17	UCLA	222	19.6%	0	17	222	19.3%
18	Arkansas	198	17.4%	0	18	198	17.2%
19	aTm	193	17.0%	0	19	193	16.8%
20	Michigan State	182	16.0%	0	20	182	15.8%
21	Washington	168	14.8%	8	21	176	15.3%
22	Wisconsin	162	14.3%	3	22	165	14.3%
23	Clemson	146	12.9%	16	23	162	14.1%
24	GaTech	146	12.9%	0	24	146	12.7%
25	Colorado	143	12.6%	0	25	143	12.4%
29	Iowa	123	10.8%	0	29	123	10.7%
37	Purdue	83	7.3%	0	37	83	7.2%
39	Minnesota	79	7.0%	0	39	79	6.9%
39	Maryland	79	7.0%	0	39	79	6.9%
41	Illinois	77	6.8%	0	41	77	6.7%
45	Northwestern	73	6.4%	0	45	73	6.3%
74	Indiana	15	1.3%	0	74	15	1.3%
100	Rutgers	2	0.2%	0	100	2	0.2%

Not much movement here because the top four teams were all in the top-10 in at least 15 of the 16 polls.  Alabama gained by one on the Buckeyes, Sooners, and Irish.  Michigan moved into a tie with Nebraska for 5th most top-10 appearances with 518.  

LSU moved into a tie with Miami, FL for 13th most top-10 appearances.  Georgia passed Auburn to move into the top-15.  

Clemson didn't pass anybody (they did break out of their tie with GaTech) but they are now nipping at the heels of Wisconsin for 22nd.  

[TyphonInc]

I was pretty upset last year when OSU entered the bowls ranked 5th, easily won their game, and two teams above them lost and they remained 5th. 
I am stoked this year that OSU entered the bowls 6th, 3 teams ahead of them got beat soundly, and they moved up to 3rd. 

[medinabuckeye1]

The Poll Archive site updated to include the final 2018 poll so here is the update for total appearances:

1936-2017 Appearances	2018	1936-2018 Appearances
Rank	Team	App	Pct	App	Rank	App	Pct
1	Ohio State	886	78.1%	16	1	902	78.4%
2	Michigan	833	73.4%	16	2	849	73.8%
3	Oklahoma	814	71.7%	16	3	830	72.1%
4	Notre Dame	783	69.0%	16	4	799	69.4%
5	Alabama	775	68.3%	16	5	791	68.7%
6	USC	764	67.3%	3	6	767	66.6%
7	Nebraska	728	64.1%	0	7	728	63.2%
8	Texas	707	62.3%	13	8	720	62.6%
9	Penn State	614	54.1%	16	9	630	54.7%
10	LSU	601	53.0%	16	10	617	53.6%
11	Florida	588	51.8%	12	11	600	52.1%
12	Tennessee	582	51.3%	0	12	582	50.6%
13	Georgia	563	49.6%	16	13	579	50.3%
15	Auburn	559	49.3%	7	14	566	49.2%
14	Florida State	559	49.3%	1	15	560	48.7%
16	UCLA	532	46.9%	0	16	532	46.2%
17	Miami, FL	483	42.6%	7	17	490	42.6%
19	Washington	432	38.1%	15	18	447	38.8%
18	aTm	436	38.4%	8	19	444	38.6%
20	Clemson	419	36.9%	16	20	435	37.8%
21	Arkansas	417	36.7%	0	21	417	36.2%
22	Michigan State	390	34.4%	8	22	398	34.6%
23	Wisconsin	367	32.3%	9	23	376	32.7%
24	Iowa	314	27.7%	4	24	318	27.6%
30	West Virginia	290	25.6%	16	25	306	26.6%
25	GaTech	306	27.0%	0	25	306	26.6%
39	Purdue	236	20.8%	0	39	236	20.5%
45	Maryland	192	16.9%	0	46	192	16.7%
48	Illinois	181	15.9%	0	48	181	15.7%
49	Northwestern	176	15.5%	4	49	180	15.6%
54	Minnesota	160	14.1%	0	55	160	13.9%
73	Indiana	55	4.8%	0	74	55	4.8%
87	Rutgers	37	3.3%	0	88	37	3.2%

There was very little movement in this one and that is typical from year to year.  Alabama started the year #5 in total appearance and was ranked every week but did not gain at all on the four teams ahead of them because the Buckeyes, Wolverines, Sooners, and Fighting Irish were also ranked in each of the 16 polls this year.  

Within the top-10 the big losers were #6 USC and #7 Nebraska.  They held their respective spots but the #6 Trojans started the year just 11 spots behind the Alabama and they now trail the Tide by 24 spots.  Similarly, the Cornhuskers started the year 21 spots ahead of #8 Texas and they now lead the Longhorns by only eight appearances (728-720).  

Auburn now holds #14 alone, they were previously tied with FSU.  

Washington passed aTm for 18th.  

#20 Clemson didn't move any spots but they went from barely ahead of #21 and way behind #19 to barely behind #19 and way ahead of #21.  

West Virginia was the big mover, moving from #30 and not on the list to tied for #25 with their 16 appearances this year.  

[medinabuckeye1]

There have now been 1,151 AP Polls released.  Looking just at the top few schools in each category:

If you picked up a random AP Poll:

• There is a nearly 4-in-5 chance that Ohio State will be ranked
• There is a nearly 3-in-4 chance that Michigan will be ranked
• There is better than 7-in-10 chance that Oklahoma will be ranked
• There is a nearly 11-in-20 chance that Ohio State will be ranked in the top-10
• There is a better than 50/50 chance that Oklahoma will be ranked in the top-10
• There is a nearly 50/50 chance that Alabama will be ranked in the top-10
• There is a better than 7-in-20 chance that Oklahoma will be ranked in the top-5
• There is a better than 1-in-3 chance that Alabama will be ranked in the top-5
• There is a nearly 1-in-3 chance that Ohio State will be ranked in the top-5
• There is a better than 1-in-10 chance that Alabama will be #1
• There is a nearly 1-in-10 chance that Ohio State will be #1
• There is almost a 1-in-10 chance that Oklahoma will be #1

Combining the top teams, there is a better than 50/50 chance that #1 will be either Bama, tOSU, OU, ND, USC, or FSU and a better than 2-in-3 chance that it will be one of those or UNL, Miami, or Texas.  

[OrangeAfroMan]

It’s always weird seeing Florida above UM for times ranked #1, when we’re so far behind them in top 5 and top 10.  

No offense, but the more you study college football history, the more apparent it is that Michigan is the king of falling short, all-time.

[SFBadger96]

It’s always weird seeing Florida above UM for times ranked #1, when we’re so far behind them in top 5 and top 10.  

No offense, but the more you study college football history, the more apparent it is that Michigan is the king of falling short, all-time.

I think I just heard every Ohio State fan everywhere smile at the same time...and fans of several other Big Ten universities, too.

Maybe this should be added to "the Speech." 

[OrangeAfroMan]

Michigan is sort of the un-Miami, so to speak.  
It's not a dig, the Wolverines are on this all-time list and that all-time list and you see it over and over and you're left wondering....where are the championships?

[Brutus Buckeye]

It’s always weird seeing Florida above UM for times ranked #1, when we’re so far behind them in top 5 and top 10.  

No offense, but the more you study college football history, the more apparent it is that Michigan is the king of falling short, all-time.

Hey, c'mon now. They were awesome, clear back before the Civil War. 

[Benthere2]

Weird  I am copying a tweet by local reporters

The only Big Ten team to ever beat Clemson in football is the 1985 Golden #Gophers in the Independence Bowl!! (h/t @SamRichter) Gopher great and fan favorite @RFoggie was named MVP after going 9-of-12 for 123 yards and 60 yards rushing on 18 carries.

Since 2000, the only Big Ten teams to beat the Alabama #RollTide are the 2014 #Buckeyes and the 2004 Golden #Gophers!! Led by @BTNGlenMason, Minnesota rushed for 276 yards and Alabama rushed for 21 in the 2004 Music City Bowl.

[FearlessF]

Nebraska wasn't in the Big Ten in 2008, but Bo beat Dabo on New year's day in 2009

[Hawkinole]

It’s always weird seeing Florida above UM for times ranked #1, when we’re so far behind them in top 5 and top 10.  

One of my FSU law school professors in the early 1980s would tell a riddle during rivalry week.
"What do the University of Florida, and Ohio State University football have in common?"
And so, like you, it surprises me Florida is ranked #1 more times than UM, the all-time leader in wins in D-1.
And the answer to the riddle, in the early 1980s was, that neither team had ever won the SEC conference championship.