The Battle for the Top: NCAA Football Rankings
Every fall, the excitement of college football grips the nation as teams from various conferences battle head-to-head for a coveted spot in the top tiers of the NCAA rankings. These rankings, a linchpin for both individual teams and the sport as a whole, are determined by a complex interplay of metrics, subjective assessments, and competitive outcomes. Understanding how these rankings are calculated, their historical context, and their broader implications can provide fans with deeper insights into the sport they love.
## Understanding the Ranking Systems
The NCAA football rankings are primarily determined through polls and computer-generated algorithms. The two major polls are the Associated Press (AP) Poll and the Coaches Poll, each contributing to the College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings. However, the CFP rankings, which ultimately decide the participants in the playoff games, also consider a selection committee’s evaluations.
### Polls
The AP Poll is created by gathering votes from sportswriters and broadcasters from across the nation, while the Coaches Poll is derived from votes by a panel of active head coaches at the FBS level. Each poll ranks teams based on a points system, with higher-ranked teams receiving more points. Both polls are released weekly during the season, spar