1972 AP Rankings
| Final Poll For 1972 Season |
| Rank |
Team |
Record |
Votes |
| 1972 AP |
| 1 | Southern California | 12-0-0 | | | 2 | Oklahoma | 11-1-0 | |
| 3 | Texas | 10-1-0 | | | 4 | Nebraska | 9-2-1 | |
| 5 | Auburn | 10-1-0 | | | 6 | Michigan | 10-1-0 | |
| 7 | Alabama | 10-2-0 | | | 8 | Tennessee | 10-2-0 | |
| 9 | Ohio State | 9-2-0 | | | 10 | Penn State | 10-1-0 | |
| 11 | Louisiana State | 9-2-1 | | | 12 | North Carolina | 11-1-0 | |
| 13 | Arizona State | 10-2-0 | | | 14 | Notre Dame | 8-3-0 | |
| 15 | UCLA | 8-3-0 | | | 16 | Colorado | 8-4-0 | |
| 17 | North Carolina State | 8-3-1 | | | 18 | Louisville | 9-1-0 | |
| 19 | Washington State | 7-4-0 | | | 20 | Georgia Tech | 7-4-1 | |
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Great Moments in College Football History
The most popular names for four-year college mascots are Eagles and Tigers.
