Rankings Command Center

College Football Rankings Intelligence

Track how every No. 1 shifts across the archive, then drop into the exact week, poll, and conference slice you need.

Seasons Archived
90

1936 – 2025

Polls Tracked
1

AP, Coaches & more

Weeks Available
1256

Postseason

Tune Rankings ViewOpen Orbit ChartCommunity Top 25

Active Board

AP Top 25

1981 • Postseason

Current No. 1

1

Clemson

ACC

Points

—

1st Place Votes

—

Top Five Snapshot

  1. Clemson

    ACC

    1

  2. Texas

    Southwest

    2

  3. Penn State

    FBS Independents

    3

  4. Pittsburgh

    FBS Independents

    4

  5. SMU

    Southwest

    5

Selection

1981 • AP Top 25

Postseason

Archive Scope

1936 to 2025

Poll coverage varies by season and source.

View State

All conferences

Week-over-week movement enabled. Entries and exits visible.

Filters

Tune the board

Change season, poll, and conference context without losing the current route or shareable state.

Canonical Weekly PageShareable URL

Top Team

Clemson

AP Top 25 • Postseason • ACC

Ranked Teams

20

Teams currently listed after any conference filtering.

Avg Points

0.0

Average poll points for teams in the current view.

First-Place Votes

0

Combined first-place votes in the selected week.

Biggest Riser

Pittsburgh ▲6

Pittsburgh moved from No. 10 to No. 4.

Biggest Faller

Nebraska ▼7

Nebraska moved from No. 4 to No. 11.

Most Consistent

Washington State

Lowest rank variance across 7 ranked weeks.

Most Volatile

Oklahoma

Range of 18 ranking spots across 9 ranked weeks.

Chaos Index

82

Chaos

AP Top 25 — 1981 (Postseason)

Hover rows to compare the current ranking, previous spot, and movement context.

RankChangeLogoSchoolConferencePoints1st PlaceStatus
1—ClemsonACC——Steady
2▲4TexasSouthwest——Rising
3▲4Penn StateFBS Independents——Rising
4▲6PittsburghFBS Independents——Rising
5—SMUSouthwest——Steady
6▼4GeorgiaSEC——Falling
7▼4AlabamaSEC——Falling
8▲1MiamiFBS Independents——Rising
9▲2North CarolinaACC——Rising
10▲2WashingtonPac-10——Rising
11▼7NebraskaBig 8——Falling
12▲4MichiganBig Ten——Rising
13▲1BYUWestern Athletic——Rising
14▼6USCPac-10——Falling
15—Ohio StateBig Ten——Steady
16▲1Arizona StatePac-10——Rising
17NEWWest VirginiaFBS Independents——New
18▼5IowaBig Ten——Falling
19NEWMissouriBig 8——New
20NEWOklahomaBig 8——New

Dropped Out

  • Southern Miss (was No. 18)
  • UCLA (was No. 19)
  • Washington State (was No. 20)

Conference Snapshot

Representation within the selected poll and week.

FBS Independents4 • Avg rank 8.0

Average points —

Big 83 • Avg rank 16.7

Average points —

Big Ten3 • Avg rank 15.0

Average points —

Pac-103 • Avg rank 13.3

Average points —

ACC2 • Avg rank 5.0

Average points —

SEC2 • Avg rank 6.5

Average points —

Southwest2 • Avg rank 3.5

Average points —

Western Athletic1 • Avg rank 13.0

Average points —

Stability & Volatility

Identify which teams stayed steady and which teams had the wildest ranking swings.

Most Consistent

Washington State

Lowest rank variance across 7 ranked weeks.

Most Volatile

Oklahoma

Range of 18 ranking spots across 9 ranked weeks.

Season Ranking Movement

Compare how teams climbed, fell, or stayed steady week by week.

#1#5#10#15#20#25Clemson • Regular • Week 1 • UnrankedClemson • Regular • Week 2 • UnrankedClemson • Regular • Week 3 • UnrankedClemson • Regular • Week 4 • No. 19Clemson • Regular • Week 5 • No. 14Clemson • Regular • Week 6 • No. 9Clemson • Regular • Week 7 • No. 6Clemson • Regular • Week 8 • No. 4Clemson • Regular • Week 9 • No. 3Clemson • Regular • Week 10 • No. 2Clemson • Regular • Week 11 • No. 2Clemson • Regular • Week 12 • No. 2Clemson • Regular • Week 13 • No. 2Clemson • Regular • Week 14 • No. 1Clemson • Postseason • No. 1Texas • Regular • Week 1 • UnrankedTexas • Regular • Week 2 • No. 8Texas • Regular • Week 3 • No. 6Texas • Regular • Week 4 • No. 4Texas • Regular • Week 5 • No. 3Texas • Regular • Week 6 • No. 3Texas • Regular • Week 7 • No. 1Texas • Regular • Week 8 • No. 10Texas • Regular • Week 9 • No. 6Texas • Regular • Week 10 • No. 5Texas • Regular • Week 11 • No. 10Texas • Regular • Week 12 • No. 8Texas • Regular • Week 13 • No. 7Texas • Regular • Week 14 • No. 6Texas • Postseason • No. 2Penn State • Regular • Week 1 • UnrankedPenn State • Regular • Week 2 • No. 9Penn State • Regular • Week 3 • No. 5Penn State • Regular • Week 4 • No. 3Penn State • Regular • Week 5 • No. 2Penn State • Regular • Week 6 • No. 2Penn State • Regular • Week 7 • No. 2Penn State • Regular • Week 8 • No. 1Penn State • Regular • Week 9 • No. 1Penn State • Regular • Week 10 • No. 6Penn State • Regular • Week 11 • No. 5Penn State • Regular • Week 12 • No. 13Penn State • Regular • Week 13 • No. 11Penn State • Regular • Week 14 • No. 7Penn State • Postseason • No. 3Pittsburgh • Regular • Week 1 • UnrankedPittsburgh • Regular • Week 2 • No. 10Pittsburgh • Regular • Week 3 • No. 7Pittsburgh • Regular • Week 4 • No. 5Pittsburgh • Regular • Week 5 • No. 4Pittsburgh • Regular • Week 6 • No. 4Pittsburgh • Regular • Week 7 • No. 3Pittsburgh • Regular • Week 8 • No. 2Pittsburgh • Regular • Week 9 • No. 2Pittsburgh • Regular • Week 10 • No. 1Pittsburgh • Regular • Week 11 • No. 1Pittsburgh • Regular • Week 12 • No. 1Pittsburgh • Regular • Week 13 • No. 1Pittsburgh • Regular • Week 14 • No. 10Pittsburgh • Postseason • No. 4SMU • Regular • Week 1 • UnrankedSMU • Regular • Week 2 • UnrankedSMU • Regular • Week 3 • UnrankedSMU • Regular • Week 4 • No. 20SMU • Regular • Week 5 • No. 15SMU • Regular • Week 6 • No. 14SMU • Regular • Week 7 • No. 10SMU • Regular • Week 8 • No. 8SMU • Regular • Week 9 • No. 13SMU • Regular • Week 10 • No. 10SMU • Regular • Week 11 • No. 8SMU • Regular • Week 12 • No. 6SMU • Regular • Week 13 • No. 6SMU • Regular • Week 14 • No. 5SMU • Postseason • No. 5

Chaos Meter

This score estimates how turbulent each week was across the rankings.

Peak Chaos Week

Regular • Week 7

100 points (Chaos)

Season Chaos Average

72.2

Average weekly turbulence for this season.

Regular • Week 13 • Calm

Ranked losses 1 • Top-10 losses 0 • New teams 0 • Movement 0

Regular • Week 261 • Wild

Ranked losses 4 • Top-10 losses 3 • New teams 15 • Movement 4

Regular • Week 387 • Chaos

Ranked losses 4 • Top-10 losses 2 • New teams 1 • Movement 63

Regular • Week 484 • Chaos

Ranked losses 6 • Top-10 losses 2 • New teams 2 • Movement 52

Regular • Week 575 • Wild

Ranked losses 4 • Top-10 losses 2 • New teams 3 • Movement 47

Regular • Week 693 • Chaos

Ranked losses 6 • Top-10 losses 3 • New teams 2 • Movement 56

Regular • Week 7100 • Chaos

Ranked losses 6 • Top-10 losses 3 • New teams 4 • Movement 60

Regular • Week 8100 • Chaos

Ranked losses 6 • Top-10 losses 3 • New teams 2 • Movement 83

Regular • Week 992 • Chaos

Ranked losses 5 • Top-10 losses 2 • New teams 2 • Movement 63

Regular • Week 1062 • Wild

Ranked losses 5 • Top-10 losses 1 • New teams 3 • Movement 36

Regular • Week 1176 • Chaos

Ranked losses 6 • Top-10 losses 3 • New teams 3 • Movement 37

Regular • Week 1283 • Chaos

Ranked losses 5 • Top-10 losses 2 • New teams 3 • Movement 52

Regular • Week 1363 • Wild

Ranked losses 1 • Top-10 losses 1 • New teams 1 • Movement 53

Regular • Week 1422 • Calm

Ranked losses 0 • Top-10 losses 0 • New teams 0 • Movement 22

Postseason82 • Chaos

Ranked losses 5 • Top-10 losses 2 • New teams 3 • Movement 51

Ratings Systems

No ratings data is available yet for 1981.

Weekly Leaders

Track which program held the top spot throughout the selected season.

Most Weeks at No. 1

Pittsburgh

4 weeks at No. 1.

WeekLeaderConferencePoints1st Place
Regular • Week 1Notre DameFBS Independents——
Regular • Week 2MichiganBig Ten——
Regular • Week 3Notre DameFBS Independents——
Regular • Week 4USCPac-10——
Regular • Week 5Streak 2USCPac-10——
Regular • Week 6Streak 3USCPac-10——
Regular • Week 7TexasSouthwest——
Regular • Week 8Penn StateFBS Independents——
Regular • Week 9Streak 2Penn StateFBS Independents——
Regular • Week 10PittsburghFBS Independents——
Regular • Week 11Streak 2PittsburghFBS Independents——
Regular • Week 12Streak 3PittsburghFBS Independents——
Regular • Week 13Streak 4PittsburghFBS Independents——
Regular • Week 14ClemsonACC——
PostseasonStreak 2ClemsonACC——

Poll Dominance

Show which teams controlled the No. 1 ranking the most.

Pittsburgh4 weeks • streak 4

Single No. 1 run • Most recent season 1981

USC3 weeks • streak 3

Single No. 1 run • Most recent season 1981

Penn State2 weeks • streak 2

Single No. 1 run • Most recent season 1981

Clemson2 weeks • streak 1

Multiple No. 1 runs • Most recent season 1981

Michigan1 weeks • streak 1

Single No. 1 run • Most recent season 1981

Notre Dame1 weeks • streak 1

Single No. 1 run • Most recent season 1981

Texas1 weeks • streak 1

Single No. 1 run • Most recent season 1981

Entries & Exits

Show when teams entered the rankings, dropped out, and returned.

WeekTeamEventRank
Regular • Week 2MichiganEntered rankings1
Regular • Week 2AlabamaEntered rankings2
Regular • Week 2OklahomaEntered rankings3
Regular • Week 2USCEntered rankings5
Regular • Week 2GeorgiaEntered rankings6
Regular • Week 2NebraskaEntered rankings7
Regular • Week 2TexasEntered rankings8
Regular • Week 2Penn StateEntered rankings9
Regular • Week 2PittsburghEntered rankings10
Regular • Week 2Ohio StateEntered rankings11
Regular • Week 2North CarolinaEntered rankings13
Regular • Week 2BYUEntered rankings15
Regular • Week 2MiamiEntered rankings16
Regular • Week 2WashingtonEntered rankings17
Regular • Week 2Arizona StateEntered rankings20
Regular • Week 2FloridaDropped out17
Regular • Week 3WisconsinEntered rankings20
Regular • Week 3StanfordDropped out19
Regular • Week 4ClemsonEntered rankings19
Regular • Week 4SMUEntered rankings20
Regular • Week 4Florida StateDropped out19
Regular • Week 4WisconsinDropped out20
Regular • Week 5IowaEntered rankings18
Regular • Week 5ArkansasEntered rankings19
Regular • Week 5Iowa StateEntered rankings20
Regular • Week 5Notre DameDropped out13
Regular • Week 5NebraskaDropped out15
Regular • Week 5Arizona StateDropped out18
Regular • Week 6MissouriEntered rankings13
Regular • Week 6Florida StateEntered rankings20
Regular • Week 6WashingtonDropped out12
Regular • Week 6ArkansasDropped out19
Regular • Week 7WisconsinEntered rankings14
Regular • Week 7Washington StateEntered rankings18
Regular • Week 7NebraskaEntered rankings19
Regular • Week 7Arizona StateEntered rankings20
Regular • Week 7OklahomaDropped out10
Regular • Week 7Iowa StateDropped out12
Regular • Week 7UCLADropped out17
Regular • Week 7Ohio StateDropped out18
Regular • Week 8ArkansasEntered rankings12
Regular • Week 8Iowa StateEntered rankings14
Regular • Week 8MiamiDropped out13
Regular • Week 8WisconsinDropped out14
Regular • Week 9WashingtonEntered rankings18
Regular • Week 9OklahomaEntered rankings19
Regular • Week 9BYUDropped out13
Regular • Week 9MissouriDropped out19
Regular • Week 10MiamiEntered rankings13
Regular • Week 10Ohio StateEntered rankings18
Regular • Week 10Southern MissEntered rankings20
Regular • Week 10Iowa StateDropped out11
Regular • Week 10Washington StateDropped out14
Regular • Week 10IowaDropped out16
Regular • Week 11Washington StateEntered rankings17
Regular • Week 11UCLAEntered rankings18
Regular • Week 11Hawai'iEntered rankings19
Regular • Week 11Mississippi StateDropped out15
Regular • Week 11WashingtonDropped out16
Regular • Week 11Ohio StateDropped out18
Regular • Week 12WashingtonEntered rankings17
Regular • Week 12BYUEntered rankings18
Regular • Week 12IowaEntered rankings19
Regular • Week 12OklahomaDropped out15
Regular • Week 12Hawai'iDropped out19
Regular • Week 12Florida StateDropped out20
Regular • Week 13Ohio StateEntered rankings15
Regular • Week 13ArkansasDropped out16
PostseasonWest VirginiaEntered rankings17
PostseasonMissouriEntered rankings19
PostseasonOklahomaEntered rankings20
PostseasonSouthern MissDropped out18
PostseasonUCLADropped out19
PostseasonWashington StateDropped out20