Overview
Since 1950, the AFCA has conducted a weekly Top 20/Top 25 poll during the college football season. The AFCA awards the AFCA Coaches’ Trophy to the No. 1-ranked team in the final FBS Coaches Poll each season.
Format
The FBS Coaches Poll is conducted weekly throughout the regular season using a panel of head coaches at FBS schools. The panel is chosen by random draw, conference by conference plus independents, from a pool of coaches who have indicated to the AFCA their willingness to participate. Each coach submits a Top 25 with a first-place vote worth 25 points, second place 24, and so on down to one point for 25th.
The US LBM Board of Coaches for the 2026 season:
- 1950
- Oklahoma
- Bud Wilkinson
- 1951
- Tennessee
- Robert Neyland
- 1952
- Michigan State
- Biggie Munn
- 1953
- Maryland
- Jim Tatum
- 1954
- UCLA
- Red Sanders
- 1955
- Oklahoma
- Bud Wilkinson
- 1956
- Oklahoma
- Bud Wilkinson
- 1957
- Ohio State
- Woody Hayes
- 1958
- LSU
- Paul Dietzel
- 1959
- Syracuse
- Ben Schwartzwalder
- 1960
- Minnesota
- Murray Warmath
- 1961
- Alabama
- Bear Bryant
- 1962
- USC
- John McKay
- 1963
- Texas
- Darrell Royal
- 1964
- Alabama
- Bear Bryant
- 1965
- Michigan State
- Duffy Daugherty
- 1966
- Notre Dame
- Ara Parseghian
- 1967
- USC
- John McKay
- 1968
- Ohio State
- Woody Hayes
- 1969
- Texas
- Darrell Royal
- 1970
- Texas
- Darrell Royal
- 1971
- Nebraska
- Bob Devaney
- 1972
- USC
- John McKay
- 1973
- Alabama
- Bear Bryant
- 1974
- USC
- John McKay
- 1975
- Oklahoma
- Barry Switzer
- 1976
- Pittsburgh
- Johnny Majors
- 1977
- Notre Dame
- Dan Devine
- 1978
- USC
- John Robinson
- 1979
- Alabama
- Bear Bryant
- 1980
- Georgia
- Vince Dooley
- 1981
- Clemson
- Danny Ford
- 1982
- Penn State
- Joe Paterno
- 1983
- Miami (FL)
- Howard Schnellenberger
- 1984
- BYU
- LaVell Edwards
- 1985
- Oklahoma
- Barry Switzer
- 1986
- Penn State
- Joe Paterno
- 1987
- Miami (FL)
- Jimmy Johnson
- 1988
- Notre Dame
- Lou Holtz
- 1989
- Miami (FL)
- Dennis Erickson
- 1990
- Georgia Tech
- Bobby Ross
- 1991
- Washington
- Don James
- 1992
- Alabama
- Gene Stallings
- 1993
- Florida State
- Bobby Bowden
- 1994
- Nebraska
- Tom Osborne
- 1995
- Nebraska
- Tom Osborne
- 1996
- Florida
- Steve Spurrier
- 1997
- Nebraska
- Tom Osborne
- 1998
- Tennessee
- Phil Fulmer
- 1999
- Florida State
- Bobby Bowden
- 2000
- Oklahoma
- Bob Stoops
- 2001
- Miami (FL)
- Larry Coker
- 2002
- Ohio State
- Jim Tressel
- 2003
- LSU
- Nick Saban
- 2004
- USC
- Pete Carroll
- 2005
- Texas
- Mack Brown
- 2006
- Florida
- Urban Meyer
- 2007
- LSU
- Les Miles
- 2008
- Florida
- Urban Meyer
- 2009
- Alabama
- Nick Saban
- 2010
- Auburn
- Gene Chizik
- 2011
- Alabama
- Nick Saban
- 2012
- Alabama
- Nick Saban
- 2013
- Florida State
- Jimbo Fisher
- 2014
- Ohio State
- Urban Meyer
- 2015
- Alabama
- Nick Saban
- 2016
- Clemson
- Dabo Swinney
- 2017
- Alabama
- Nick Saban
- 2018
- Clemson
- Dabo Swinney
- 2019
- LSU
- Ed Orgeron
- 2020
- Alabama
- Nick Saban
- 2021
- Georgia
- Kirby Smart
- 2022
- Georgia
- Kirby Smart
- 2023
- Michigan
- Jim Harbaugh
- 2024
- Ohio State
- Ryan Day
- 2025
- Indiana
- Curt Cignetti
Overview
In response to overwhelming support by NCAA FCS coaches, the American Football Coaches Association began publishing a FCS Top 25 Coaches’ Poll in 2018. Prior to 2018, the NCAA FCS Coaches Poll was administered by the Southern Conference.
Format
The FCS poll follows the same basic format as the US LBM Coaches Poll. The FCS Board of Coaches will have 26 voters representing all FCS football-playing conferences, as well as independent schools. The FCS Coaches’ Poll will be released on Mondays beginning with a preseason poll in August and will run through the final week of the regular season in November. A final poll will be released on the Monday following the NCAA FCS championship game.
Overview
In response to overwhelming support by NCAA Division II coaches, the American Football Coaches Association began publishing a Division II Top 25 Coaches’ Poll in 2000. Prior to 2000, there was no coaches’ polls for NCAA Division II. The regional poll had been used to rank teams for consideration for the NCAA playoffs.
Format
The Division II poll follows the same basic format as the US LBM Coaches Poll. The Division II Board of Coaches will have 2 voters from each Division II conference, as well as independent schools. The Division II Coaches’ Poll will be released on Mondays beginning with a preseason poll in August and will run through the final week of the regular season in November. A final poll will be released the Monday following the NCAA Division II championship game.
Overview
In response to overwhelming support by NCAA Division III coaches, the American Football Coaches Association began publishing a Division III Top 25 Coaches’ Poll in 1999.
Prior to 1999, there were no coaches’ polls for any NCAA divisions other than the Football Bowl Subdivision. The NCAA had published a regional poll for Division III prior to 1999, but discontinued the poll because of changes in the selection process for the Division III playoffs that took effect in 1999.
Format
The Division III poll follows the same basic format as the US LBM Coaches’ Poll. The Division III Board of Coaches will have 2 voters representing each Division III conference. The Division III Coaches’ Poll will be released on Mondays beginning with a preseason poll in August and will run through the final week of the regular season in November. A final poll will be released the Monday following the NCAA Division III championship game.
