2002 Final College Football Team Rankings
2002 rankings calculated with the Classic formula (Ken's 2016-based hybrid, applied retroactively); records, NOW and game results come from official ESPN scores.
| Rank | Change | Rating | Team | Conf | Record | Win % | Place | NOW | Game Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 0.750 |  USC |  PAC | 11–2 | 0.846 | 6 | +81 | Beat Iowa 38–17 |
| 2 | 1 | 0.798 |  Ohio State (OHIO STATE) |  B10 | 14–0 | 1.000 | 1 | +100 | Beat Miami 31–24 |
| 3 | -2 | 0.867 |  Miami (MIAMI) | IND BE | 12–1 | 0.923 | 3 | +77 | Lost to Ohio State 24–31 |
| 4 | 0 | 0.928 |  Georgia (GEORGIA) |  SEC | 13–1 | 0.929 | 2 | +82 | Beat Florida State 26–13 |
| 5 | 0 | 0.964 |  Oklahoma (OKLAHOMA) |  B12 | 12–2 | 0.857 | 5 | +74 | Beat Washington State 34–14 |
| 6 | 1 | 1.050 |  Texas (TEXAS) | B12 | 11–2 | 0.846 | 6 | +67 | Beat LSU 35–20 |
| 7 | -1 | 1.236 |  Iowa (IOWA) | B10 | 11–2 | 0.846 | 6 | +58 | Lost to USC 17–38 |
| 8 | 0 | 1.244 |  Alabama (ALABAMA) | SEC | 10–3 | 0.769 | 15 | +59 | BYE |
| 9 | 1 | 1.287 |  Kansas State (KANSAS STATE) | B12 | 11–2 | 0.846 | 6 | +47 | BYE |
| 10 | 1 | 1.325 |  Boise State (BOISE STATE) | IND WAC | 12–1 | 0.923 | 3 | +51 | Beat Iowa State 34–16 |
| 11 | 1 | 1.329 |  Michigan (MICHIGAN) | B10 | 10–3 | 0.769 | 15 | +60 | Beat Florida 38–30 |
| 12 | -3 | 1.446 |  Notre Dame (NOTRE DAME) | IND FBSI | 10–3 | 0.769 | 15 | +54 | Lost to NC State 6–28 |
| 13 | 4 | 1.512 |  Maryland (MARYLAND) |  ACC | 11–3 | 0.786 | 13 | +48 | Beat Tennessee 30–3 |
| 14 | 2 | 1.525 |  South Florida (SOUTH FLORIDA) |  USA | 9–2 | 0.818 | 12 | +37 | BYE |
| 15 | 3 | 1.560 |  Virginia Tech (VIRGINIA TECH) | IND BE | 10–4 | 0.714 | 20 | +49 | Beat Air Force 20–13 |
| 16 | -3 | 1.632 |  Washington State (WASHINGTON STATE) | PAC | 10–3 | 0.769 | 15 | +46 | Lost to Oklahoma 14–34 |
| 17 | -3 | 1.645 |  Penn State (PENN STATE) | B10 | 9–4 | 0.692 | 23 | +41 | Lost to Auburn 9–13 |
| 18 | 5 | 1.668 |  NC State (NORTH CAROLINA STATE) | ACC | 11–3 | 0.786 | 13 | +42 | Beat Notre Dame 28–6 |
| 19 | 0 | 1.678 |  Marshall (MARSHALL) |  MAC | 11–2 | 0.846 | 6 | +40 | BYE |
| 20 | -5 | 1.694 |  Florida State (FLORIDA STATE) | ACC | 9–5 | 0.643 | 29 | +47 | Lost to Georgia 13–26 |
| 21 | 4 | 1.708 |  TCU | USA | 10–2 | 0.833 | 11 | +40 | Beat Colorado State 17–3 |
| 22 | -2 | 1.766 |  Pittsburgh (PITTSBURGH) | IND BE | 9–4 | 0.692 | 23 | +40 | BYE |
| 23 | 1 | 1.798 |  Arkansas (ARKANSAS) | SEC | 9–5 | 0.643 | 29 | +41 | BYE |
| 24 | 7 | 1.822 |  Auburn (AUBURN) | SEC | 9–4 | 0.692 | 23 | +33 | Beat Penn State 13–9 |
| 25 | -4 | 1.879 |  Colorado State (COLORADO STATE) |  MWC | 10–4 | 0.714 | 20 | +42 | Lost to TCU 3–17 |
| 26 | 2 | 1.883 |  Texas Tech (TEXAS TECH) | B12 | 9–5 | 0.643 | 29 | +40 | BYE |
| 27 | 2 | 1.920 |  Colorado (COLORADO) | B12 | 9–5 | 0.643 | 29 | +40 | BYE |
| 28 | -2 | 1.923 |  West Virginia (WEST VIRGINIA) | IND BE | 9–4 | 0.692 | 23 | +33 | BYE |
| 29 | 1 | 1.969 |  Virginia (VIRGINIA) | ACC | 9–5 | 0.643 | 29 | +36 | BYE |
| 30 | -3 | 1.970 |  Boston College (BOSTON COLLEGE) | IND BE | 9–4 | 0.692 | 23 | +29 | BYE |
| 31 | -9 | 2.050 |  Florida (FLORIDA) | SEC | 8–5 | 0.615 | 36 | +33 | Lost to Michigan 30–38 |
| 32 | 2 | 2.091 |  Toledo (TOLEDO) | MAC | 9–5 | 0.643 | 29 | +26 | BYE |
| 33 | 0 | 2.108 |  Bowling Green (BOWLING GREEN) | MAC | 9–3 | 0.750 | 19 | +20 | BYE |
| 34 | -2 | 2.216 |  LSU | SEC | 8–5 | 0.615 | 36 | +22 | Lost to Texas 20–35 |
| 35 | 1 | 2.217 |  UCLA | PAC | 8–5 | 0.615 | 36 | +29 | BYE |
| 36 | 1 | 2.271 |  Hawai'i (HAWAII) | IND WAC | 10–4 | 0.714 | 20 | +25 | BYE |
| 37 | 2 | 2.359 |  Wisconsin (WISCONSIN) | B10 | 8–6 | 0.571 | 51 | +31 | BYE |
| 38 | 0 | 2.368 |  Northern Illinois (NORTHERN ILLINOIS) | MAC | 8–4 | 0.667 | 28 | +30 | BYE |
| 39 | -4 | 2.417 |  Tennessee (TENNESSEE) | SEC | 8–5 | 0.615 | 36 | +20 | Lost to Maryland 3–30 |
| 40 | 0 | 2.431 |  Oregon State (OREGON STATE) | PAC | 8–5 | 0.615 | 36 | +15 | BYE |
| 41 | 9 | 2.501 |  Fresno State (FRESNO STATE) | IND WAC | 9–5 | 0.643 | 29 | +22 | Beat Georgia Tech 30–21 |
| 42 | 0 | 2.505 |  Oklahoma State (OKLAHOMA STATE) | B12 | 8–5 | 0.615 | 36 | +18 | BYE |
| 43 | 2 | 2.556 |  Minnesota (MINNESOTA) | B10 | 8–5 | 0.615 | 36 | +17 | BYE |
| 44 | -3 | 2.563 |  California (CALIFORNIA) | PAC | 7–5 | 0.583 | 46 | +16 | BYE |
| 45 | 2 | 2.662 |  North Texas (NORTH TEXAS) |  SUN | 8–5 | 0.615 | 36 | +15 | BYE |
| 46 | 2 | 2.745 |  Miami (OH) (MIAMI (OH)) | MAC | 7–5 | 0.583 | 46 | +13 | BYE |
| 47 | -3 | 2.843 |  Air Force (AIR FORCE) | MWC | 8–5 | 0.615 | 36 | +5 | Lost to Virginia Tech 13–20 |
| 48 | 4 | 2.856 |  Clemson (CLEMSON) | ACC | 7–6 | 0.538 | 53 | +12 | BYE |
| 49 | -6 | 2.872 |  Washington (WASHINGTON) | PAC | 7–6 | 0.538 | 53 | +12 | Lost to Purdue 24–34 |
| 50 | -4 | 2.898 |  Georgia Tech (GEORGIA TECH) | ACC | 7–6 | 0.538 | 53 | +12 | Lost to Fresno State 21–30 |
| 51 | -2 | 2.906 |  Iowa State (IOWA STATE) | B12 | 7–7 | 0.500 | 62 | +15 | Lost to Boise State 16–34 |
| 52 | 9 | 2.935 |  Purdue (PURDUE) | B10 | 7–6 | 0.538 | 53 | +8 | Beat Washington 34–24 |
| 53 | -2 | 2.939 |  Kentucky (KENTUCKY) | SEC | 7–5 | 0.583 | 46 | +7 | BYE |
| 54 | -1 | 2.964 |  Ole Miss (MISSISSIPPI) | SEC | 7–6 | 0.538 | 53 | +9 | BYE |
| 55 | 0 | 2.974 |  Tulane (TULANE) | USA | 8–5 | 0.615 | 36 | +7 | BYE |
| 56 | -2 | 2.989 |  Arizona State (ARIZONA STATE) | PAC | 8–6 | 0.571 | 51 | +11 | BYE |
| 57 | -1 | 3.000 |  Cincinnati (CINCINNATI) | USA | 7–7 | 0.500 | 62 | +9 | BYE |
| 58 | -1 | 3.022 |  Wake Forest (WAKE FOREST) | ACC | 7–6 | 0.538 | 53 | +6 | BYE |
| 59 | -1 | 3.139 |  UCF (CENTRAL FLORIDA) | MAC | 7–5 | 0.583 | 46 | -2 | BYE |
| 60 | -1 | 3.163 |  Louisville (LOUISVILLE) | USA | 7–6 | 0.538 | 53 | +4 | BYE |
| 61 | -1 | 3.188 |  Texas A&M (TEXAS A & M) | B12 | 6–6 | 0.500 | 62 | +3 | BYE |
| 62 | 0 | 3.194 |  Southern Miss (SOUTHERN MISS) | USA | 7–6 | 0.538 | 53 | +2 | BYE |
| 63 | 0 | 3.221 |  Oregon (OREGON) | PAC | 7–6 | 0.538 | 53 | 0 | BYE |
| 64 | 0 | 3.372 |  Nebraska (NEBRASKA) | B12 | 7–7 | 0.500 | 62 | -2 | BYE |
| 65 | 0 | 3.409 |  New Mexico State (NEW MEXICO STATE) | SUN | 7–5 | 0.583 | 46 | +2 | BYE |
| 66 | 0 | 3.713 |  Missouri (MISSOURI) | B12 | 5–7 | 0.417 | 72 | -8 | BYE |
| 67 | 1 | 3.787 |  New Mexico (NEW MEXICO) | MWC | 7–7 | 0.500 | 62 | -10 | BYE |
| 68 | -1 | 3.803 |  South Carolina (SOUTH CAROLINA) | SEC | 5–7 | 0.417 | 72 | -9 | BYE |
| 69 | 0 | 3.804 |  Illinois (ILLINOIS) | B10 | 5–7 | 0.417 | 72 | -5 | BYE |
| 70 | 0 | 3.852 |  Ball State (BALL STATE) | MAC | 6–6 | 0.500 | 62 | -9 | BYE |
| 71 | 1 | 4.078 |  Nevada (NEVADA) | IND WAC | 5–7 | 0.417 | 72 | -12 | BYE |
| 72 | -1 | 4.124 |  UConn (CONNECTICUT) | IND FBSI | 6–6 | 0.500 | 62 | -18 | BYE |
| 73 | 1 | 4.248 |  San José State (SAN JOSE STATE) | IND WAC | 6–7 | 0.462 | 69 | -11 | BYE |
| 74 | -1 | 4.282 |  Utah (UTAH) | MWC | 5–6 | 0.455 | 71 | -17 | BYE |
| 75 | 0 | 4.373 |  Houston (HOUSTON) | USA | 5–7 | 0.417 | 72 | -15 | BYE |
| 76 | 1 | 4.557 |  UNLV | MWC | 5–7 | 0.417 | 72 | -19 | BYE |
| 77 | -1 | 4.580 |  BYU | MWC | 5–7 | 0.417 | 72 | -18 | BYE |
| 78 | 0 | 4.603 |  Michigan State (MICHIGAN STATE) | B10 | 4–8 | 0.333 | 82 | -21 | BYE |
| 79 | 0 | 4.721 |  Syracuse (SYRACUSE) | IND BE | 4–8 | 0.333 | 82 | -23 | BYE |
| 80 | 1 | 4.780 |  Temple (TEMPLE) | IND BE | 4–8 | 0.333 | 82 | -25 | BYE |
| 81 | 1 | 4.782 |  Western Michigan (WESTERN MICHIGAN) | MAC | 4–8 | 0.333 | 82 | -28 | BYE |
| 82 | -2 | 4.788 |  UAB | USA | 5–7 | 0.417 | 72 | -25 | BYE |
| 83 | 0 | 4.872 |  East Carolina (EAST CAROLINA) | USA | 4–8 | 0.333 | 82 | -24 | BYE |
| 84 | 0 | 4.923 |  Arizona (ARIZONA) | PAC | 4–8 | 0.333 | 82 | -26 | BYE |
| 85 | 0 | 4.984 |  Arkansas State (ARKANSAS STATE) | SUN | 6–7 | 0.462 | 69 | -33 | BYE |
| 86 | 0 | 5.119 |  Akron (AKRON) | MAC | 4–8 | 0.333 | 82 | -30 | BYE |
| 87 | 0 | 5.196 |  Ohio (OHIO) | MAC | 4–8 | 0.333 | 82 | -19 | BYE |
| 88 | 0 | 5.208 |  Utah State (UTAH STATE) | SUN | 4–7 | 0.364 | 80 | -22 | BYE |
| 89 | 1 | 5.284 |  San Diego State (SAN DIEGO STATE) | MWC | 4–9 | 0.308 | 94 | -33 | BYE |
| 90 | 1 | 5.290 |  Louisiana Tech (LOUISIANA TECH) | IND WAC | 4–8 | 0.333 | 82 | -29 | BYE |
| 91 | -2 | 5.302 |  Central Michigan (CENTRAL MICHIGAN) | MAC | 4–8 | 0.333 | 82 | -32 | BYE |
| 92 | 0 | 5.324 |  North Carolina (NORTH CAROLINA) | ACC | 3–9 | 0.250 | 95 | -27 | BYE |
| 93 | 0 | 5.387 |  Rice (RICE) | IND WAC | 4–7 | 0.364 | 80 | -32 | BYE |
| 94 | 0 | 5.604 |  Middle Tennessee (MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE) | SUN | 4–8 | 0.333 | 82 | -28 | BYE |
| 95 | 0 | 5.630 |  Stanford (STANFORD) | PAC | 2–9 | 0.182 | 106 | -29 | BYE |
| 96 | 0 | 5.724 |  Mississippi State (MISSISSIPPI STATE) | SEC | 3–9 | 0.250 | 95 | -39 | BYE |
| 97 | 0 | 5.842 |  Northwestern (NORTHWESTERN) | B10 | 3–9 | 0.250 | 95 | -32 | BYE |
| 98 | 2 | 5.980 |  Baylor (BAYLOR) | B12 | 3–9 | 0.250 | 95 | -36 | BYE |
| 99 | 0 | 6.000 |  Memphis (MEMPHIS) | USA | 3–9 | 0.250 | 95 | -43 | BYE |
| 100 | -2 | 6.045 |  Troy (TROY) | IND FBSI | 4–8 | 0.333 | 82 | -51 | BYE |
| 101 | 0 | 6.149 |  Indiana (INDIANA) | B10 | 3–9 | 0.250 | 95 | -35 | BYE |
| 102 | 0 | 6.273 |  Louisiana (LOUISIANA LAFAYETTE) | SUN | 3–9 | 0.250 | 95 | -42 | BYE |
| 103 | 0 | 6.314 |  Kent State (KENT STATE) | MAC | 3–9 | 0.250 | 95 | -40 | BYE |
| 104 | 1 | 6.373 |  SMU | IND WAC | 3–9 | 0.250 | 95 | -45 | BYE |
| 105 | -1 | 6.411 |  Vanderbilt (VANDERBILT) | SEC | 2–10 | 0.167 | 107 | -44 | BYE |
| 106 | 0 | 6.478 |  UL Monroe (LOUISIANA MONROE) | SUN | 3–9 | 0.250 | 95 | -33 | BYE |
| 107 | 0 | 6.785 |  Duke (DUKE) | ACC | 2–10 | 0.167 | 107 | -52 | BYE |
| 108 | 0 | 6.863 |  Eastern Michigan (EASTERN MICHIGAN) | MAC | 3–9 | 0.250 | 95 | -49 | BYE |
| 109 | 0 | 7.099 |  Wyoming (WYOMING) | MWC | 2–10 | 0.167 | 107 | -52 | BYE |
| 110 | 0 | 7.151 |  Navy (NAVY) | IND FBSI | 2–10 | 0.167 | 107 | -54 | BYE |
| 111 | 0 | 7.314 |  Idaho (IDAHO) | SUN | 2–10 | 0.167 | 107 | -43 | BYE |
| 112 | 0 | 7.553 |  Kansas (KANSAS) | B12 | 2–10 | 0.167 | 107 | -57 | BYE |
| 113 | 0 | 7.678 |  UTEP | IND WAC | 2–10 | 0.167 | 107 | -55 | BYE |
| 114 | 0 | 7.871 |  Rutgers (RUTGERS) | IND BE | 1–11 | 0.083 | 114 | -51 | BYE |
| 115 | 0 | 8.398 |  Tulsa (TULSA) | IND WAC | 1–11 | 0.083 | 114 | -67 | BYE |
| 116 | 0 | 8.887 |  Buffalo (BUFFALO) | MAC | 1–11 | 0.083 | 114 | -61 | BYE |
| 117 | 0 | 9.230 |  Army (ARMY) | USA | 1–11 | 0.083 | 114 | -63 | BYE |