Two human polls comprised the
1978 National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges ...
(NCAA)
Division I-A
The NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), formerly known as Division I-A, is the highest level of college football in the United States. The FBS consists of the largest schools in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). A ...
football rankings. Unlike most sports, college football's governing body, the NCAA, does not bestow a
national championship
A national championship(s) is the top achievement for any sport or contest within a league of a particular nation or nation state. The title is usually awarded by contests, ranking systems, stature, ability, etc. This determines the best team, indi ...
, 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
The Associated Press poll (AP poll) provides weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling 62 sportswriters and broad ...
and the
Coaches' Poll.
Legend
AP Poll
Coaches' Poll
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:1978 Ncaa Division I-A Football Rankings
*
NCAA Division I FBS football rankings