2002 Regular Season 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 | 0 | 0.730 |  USC |  PAC | 10–2 | 0.833 | 7 | +69 | BYE |
| 2 | 0 | 0.777 |  Miami (MIAMI) | IND BE | 12–0 | 1.000 | 1 | +74 | Beat Virginia Tech 56–45 |
| 3 | 0 | 0.892 |  Ohio State (OHIO STATE) |  B10 | 13–0 | 1.000 | 1 | +83 | BYE |
| 4 | 0 | 0.925 |  Georgia (GEORGIA) |  SEC | 12–1 | 0.923 | 3 | +72 | Beat Arkansas 30–3 |
| 5 | 0 | 1.064 |  Oklahoma (OKLAHOMA) |  B12 | 11–2 | 0.846 | 6 | +62 | Beat Colorado 29–7 |
| 6 | 1 | 1.156 |  Iowa (IOWA) | B10 | 11–1 | 0.917 | 4 | +57 | BYE |
| 7 | -1 | 1.157 |  Texas (TEXAS) | B12 | 10–2 | 0.833 | 7 | +55 | BYE |
| 8 | 0 | 1.222 |  Alabama (ALABAMA) | SEC | 10–3 | 0.769 | 15 | +57 | BYE |
| 9 | 1 | 1.297 |  Notre Dame (NOTRE DAME) | IND FBSI | 10–2 | 0.833 | 7 | +53 | BYE |
| 10 | -1 | 1.320 |  Kansas State (KANSAS STATE) | B12 | 10–2 | 0.833 | 7 | +38 | BYE |
| 11 | 0 | 1.362 |  Boise State (BOISE STATE) | IND WAC | 11–1 | 0.917 | 4 | +44 | BYE |
| 12 | 4 | 1.389 |  Washington State (WASHINGTON STATE) | PAC | 10–2 | 0.833 | 7 | +47 | Beat UCLA 48–27 |
| 13 | -1 | 1.448 |  Michigan (MICHIGAN) | B10 | 9–3 | 0.750 | 20 | +51 | BYE |
| 14 | 4 | 1.502 |  Florida State (FLORIDA STATE) |  ACC | 9–4 | 0.692 | 24 | +48 | BYE |
| 15 | -1 | 1.518 |  South Florida (SOUTH FLORIDA) |  USA | 9–2 | 0.818 | 13 | +37 | BYE |
| 16 | -1 | 1.535 |  Penn State (PENN STATE) | B10 | 9–3 | 0.750 | 20 | +44 | BYE |
| 17 | -4 | 1.592 |  Arkansas (ARKANSAS) | SEC | 9–4 | 0.692 | 24 | +44 | Lost to Georgia 3–30 |
| 18 | 1 | 1.598 |  Maryland (MARYLAND) | ACC | 10–3 | 0.769 | 15 | +40 | BYE |
| 19 | -2 | 1.705 |  Colorado (COLORADO) | B12 | 9–4 | 0.692 | 24 | +44 | Lost to Oklahoma 7–29 |
| 20 | 0 | 1.717 |  Virginia Tech (VIRGINIA TECH) | IND BE | 9–4 | 0.692 | 24 | +40 | Lost to Miami 45–56 |
| 21 | 0 | 1.736 |  Colorado State (COLORADO STATE) |  MWC | 10–3 | 0.769 | 15 | +43 | BYE |
| 22 | 6 | 1.761 |  Marshall (MARSHALL) |  MAC | 10–2 | 0.833 | 7 | +33 | Beat Toledo 49–45 |
| 23 | -1 | 1.786 |  West Virginia (WEST VIRGINIA) | IND BE | 9–3 | 0.750 | 20 | +36 | BYE |
| 24 | 2 | 1.846 |  NC State (NORTH CAROLINA STATE) | ACC | 10–3 | 0.769 | 15 | +31 | BYE |
| 25 | 0 | 1.851 |  Florida (FLORIDA) | SEC | 8–4 | 0.667 | 29 | +37 | BYE |
| 26 | -2 | 1.859 |  TCU | USA | 9–2 | 0.818 | 13 | +29 | BYE |
| 27 | -4 | 1.927 |  Toledo (TOLEDO) | MAC | 9–4 | 0.692 | 24 | +30 | Lost to Marshall 45–49 |
| 28 | -1 | 1.956 |  Pittsburgh (PITTSBURGH) | IND BE | 8–4 | 0.667 | 29 | +33 | BYE |
| 29 | 0 | 2.026 |  Auburn (AUBURN) | SEC | 8–4 | 0.667 | 29 | +25 | BYE |
| 30 | 0 | 2.059 |  LSU | SEC | 8–4 | 0.667 | 29 | +24 | BYE |
| 31 | 4 | 2.087 |  Hawai'i (HAWAII) | IND WAC | 10–3 | 0.769 | 15 | +29 | Beat San Diego State 41–40 |
| 32 | 0 | 2.115 |  Bowling Green (BOWLING GREEN) | MAC | 9–3 | 0.750 | 20 | +21 | BYE |
| 33 | 0 | 2.136 |  Texas Tech (TEXAS TECH) | B12 | 8–5 | 0.615 | 38 | +32 | BYE |
| 34 | 0 | 2.139 |  Oregon State (OREGON STATE) | PAC | 8–4 | 0.667 | 29 | +20 | BYE |
| 35 | 1 | 2.171 |  Tennessee (TENNESSEE) | SEC | 8–4 | 0.667 | 29 | +25 | BYE |
| 36 | 2 | 2.224 |  Boston College (BOSTON COLLEGE) | IND BE | 8–4 | 0.667 | 29 | +22 | BYE |
| 37 | 0 | 2.224 |  Virginia (VIRGINIA) | ACC | 8–5 | 0.615 | 38 | +28 | BYE |
| 38 | -7 | 2.242 |  UCLA | PAC | 7–5 | 0.583 | 42 | +24 | Lost to Washington State 27–48 |
| 39 | 0 | 2.364 |  California (CALIFORNIA) | PAC | 7–5 | 0.583 | 42 | +18 | BYE |
| 40 | 1 | 2.404 |  Washington (WASHINGTON) | PAC | 7–5 | 0.583 | 42 | +19 | BYE |
| 41 | -1 | 2.412 |  Northern Illinois (NORTHERN ILLINOIS) | MAC | 8–4 | 0.667 | 29 | +30 | BYE |
| 42 | 0 | 2.546 |  Clemson (CLEMSON) | ACC | 7–5 | 0.583 | 42 | +17 | BYE |
| 43 | 0 | 2.595 |  Air Force (AIR FORCE) | MWC | 8–4 | 0.667 | 29 | +11 | BYE |
| 44 | 1 | 2.620 |  Miami (OH) (MIAMI (OH)) | MAC | 7–5 | 0.583 | 42 | +15 | BYE |
| 45 | -1 | 2.623 |  Arizona State (ARIZONA STATE) | PAC | 8–5 | 0.615 | 38 | +15 | BYE |
| 46 | 0 | 2.639 |  Georgia Tech (GEORGIA TECH) | ACC | 7–5 | 0.583 | 42 | +17 | BYE |
| 47 | 0 | 2.662 |  Wisconsin (WISCONSIN) | B10 | 7–6 | 0.538 | 58 | +22 | BYE |
| 48 | 6 | 2.707 |  Fresno State (FRESNO STATE) | IND WAC | 8–5 | 0.615 | 38 | +18 | Beat Louisiana Tech 45–13 |
| 49 | 3 | 2.720 |  Cincinnati (CINCINNATI) | USA | 7–6 | 0.538 | 58 | +16 | Beat East Carolina 42–26 |
| 50 | 0 | 2.755 |  Oregon (OREGON) | PAC | 7–5 | 0.583 | 42 | +8 | BYE |
| 51 | -3 | 2.762 |  Kentucky (KENTUCKY) | SEC | 7–5 | 0.583 | 42 | +10 | BYE |
| 52 | -1 | 2.786 |  Iowa State (IOWA STATE) | B12 | 7–6 | 0.538 | 58 | +17 | BYE |
| 53 | -4 | 2.786 |  Oklahoma State (OKLAHOMA STATE) | B12 | 7–5 | 0.583 | 42 | +10 | BYE |
| 54 | 1 | 2.848 |  Louisville (LOUISVILLE) | USA | 7–5 | 0.583 | 42 | +8 | BYE |
| 55 | -2 | 2.867 |  Southern Miss (SOUTHERN MISS) | USA | 7–5 | 0.583 | 42 | +8 | BYE |
| 56 | 0 | 2.878 |  North Texas (NORTH TEXAS) |  SUN | 7–5 | 0.583 | 42 | +8 | BYE |
| 57 | 0 | 2.928 |  Minnesota (MINNESOTA) | B10 | 7–5 | 0.583 | 42 | +9 | BYE |
| 58 | 0 | 2.999 |  UCF (CENTRAL FLORIDA) | MAC | 7–5 | 0.583 | 42 | +1 | BYE |
| 59 | 0 | 3.079 |  Nebraska (NEBRASKA) | B12 | 7–6 | 0.538 | 58 | +7 | BYE |
| 60 | 0 | 3.254 |  Ole Miss (MISSISSIPPI) | SEC | 6–6 | 0.500 | 63 | +4 | BYE |
| 61 | 0 | 3.290 |  Texas A&M (TEXAS A & M) | B12 | 6–6 | 0.500 | 63 | +2 | BYE |
| 62 | 0 | 3.312 |  Purdue (PURDUE) | B10 | 6–6 | 0.500 | 63 | +2 | BYE |
| 63 | 0 | 3.330 |  Tulane (TULANE) | USA | 7–5 | 0.583 | 42 | -3 | BYE |
| 64 | 0 | 3.348 |  New Mexico State (NEW MEXICO STATE) | SUN | 7–5 | 0.583 | 42 | +2 | BYE |
| 65 | 0 | 3.380 |  Wake Forest (WAKE FOREST) | ACC | 6–6 | 0.500 | 63 | 0 | BYE |
| 66 | 0 | 3.577 |  New Mexico (NEW MEXICO) | MWC | 7–6 | 0.538 | 58 | -3 | BYE |
| 67 | 0 | 3.657 |  South Carolina (SOUTH CAROLINA) | SEC | 5–7 | 0.417 | 72 | -4 | BYE |
| 68 | 0 | 3.717 |  Missouri (MISSOURI) | B12 | 5–7 | 0.417 | 72 | -5 | BYE |
| 69 | 0 | 3.822 |  Ball State (BALL STATE) | MAC | 6–6 | 0.500 | 63 | -7 | BYE |
| 70 | 0 | 3.857 |  Illinois (ILLINOIS) | B10 | 5–7 | 0.417 | 72 | -5 | BYE |
| 71 | 0 | 4.044 |  Nevada (NEVADA) | IND WAC | 5–7 | 0.417 | 72 | -9 | BYE |
| 72 | 0 | 4.103 |  UConn (CONNECTICUT) | IND FBSI | 6–6 | 0.500 | 63 | -16 | BYE |
| 73 | 1 | 4.226 |  San José State (SAN JOSE STATE) | IND WAC | 6–7 | 0.462 | 69 | -9 | BYE |
| 74 | -1 | 4.233 |  Utah (UTAH) | MWC | 5–6 | 0.455 | 71 | -14 | BYE |
| 75 | 0 | 4.356 |  Houston (HOUSTON) | USA | 5–7 | 0.417 | 72 | -14 | BYE |
| 76 | 1 | 4.446 |  BYU | MWC | 5–7 | 0.417 | 72 | -14 | BYE |
| 77 | -1 | 4.469 |  UNLV | MWC | 5–7 | 0.417 | 72 | -15 | BYE |
| 78 | 1 | 4.655 |  Michigan State (MICHIGAN STATE) | B10 | 4–8 | 0.333 | 82 | -18 | BYE |
| 79 | 1 | 4.699 |  UAB | USA | 5–7 | 0.417 | 72 | -21 | BYE |
| 80 | 1 | 4.757 |  Arizona (ARIZONA) | PAC | 4–8 | 0.333 | 82 | -22 | BYE |
| 81 | 1 | 4.782 |  Syracuse (SYRACUSE) | IND BE | 4–8 | 0.333 | 82 | -22 | BYE |
| 82 | 1 | 4.785 |  Temple (TEMPLE) | IND BE | 4–8 | 0.333 | 82 | -21 | BYE |
| 83 | -5 | 4.822 |  East Carolina (EAST CAROLINA) | USA | 4–8 | 0.333 | 82 | -22 | Lost to Cincinnati 26–42 |
| 84 | 0 | 4.843 |  Western Michigan (WESTERN MICHIGAN) | MAC | 4–8 | 0.333 | 82 | -27 | BYE |
| 85 | 1 | 5.044 |  Arkansas State (ARKANSAS STATE) | SUN | 6–7 | 0.462 | 69 | -33 | BYE |
| 86 | 3 | 5.128 |  Akron (AKRON) | MAC | 4–8 | 0.333 | 82 | -30 | BYE |
| 87 | 1 | 5.147 |  Utah State (UTAH STATE) | SUN | 4–7 | 0.364 | 80 | -20 | BYE |
| 88 | 2 | 5.168 |  Ohio (OHIO) | MAC | 4–8 | 0.333 | 82 | -18 | BYE |
| 89 | -4 | 5.179 |  San Diego State (SAN DIEGO STATE) | MWC | 4–9 | 0.308 | 94 | -28 | Lost to Hawai'i 40–41 |
| 90 | 1 | 5.225 |  North Carolina (NORTH CAROLINA) | ACC | 3–9 | 0.250 | 95 | -24 | BYE |
| 91 | -4 | 5.302 |  Louisiana Tech (LOUISIANA TECH) | IND WAC | 4–8 | 0.333 | 82 | -28 | Lost to Fresno State 13–45 |
| 92 | 0 | 5.326 |  Central Michigan (CENTRAL MICHIGAN) | MAC | 4–8 | 0.333 | 82 | -31 | BYE |
| 93 | 0 | 5.398 |  Stanford (STANFORD) | PAC | 2–9 | 0.182 | 106 | -24 | BYE |
| 94 | 0 | 5.412 |  Rice (RICE) | IND WAC | 4–7 | 0.364 | 80 | -31 | BYE |
| 95 | 0 | 5.562 |  Middle Tennessee (MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE) | SUN | 4–8 | 0.333 | 82 | -27 | BYE |
| 96 | 0 | 5.630 |  Mississippi State (MISSISSIPPI STATE) | SEC | 3–9 | 0.250 | 95 | -35 | BYE |
| 97 | 0 | 5.874 |  Northwestern (NORTHWESTERN) | B10 | 3–9 | 0.250 | 95 | -29 | BYE |
| 98 | 0 | 5.961 |  Memphis (MEMPHIS) | USA | 3–9 | 0.250 | 95 | -41 | BYE |
| 99 | 1 | 5.989 |  Troy (TROY) | IND FBSI | 4–8 | 0.333 | 82 | -48 | BYE |
| 100 | -1 | 6.011 |  Baylor (BAYLOR) | B12 | 3–9 | 0.250 | 95 | -34 | BYE |
| 101 | 0 | 6.187 |  Indiana (INDIANA) | B10 | 3–9 | 0.250 | 95 | -34 | BYE |
| 102 | 0 | 6.258 |  Louisiana (LOUISIANA LAFAYETTE) | SUN | 3–9 | 0.250 | 95 | -40 | BYE |
| 103 | 0 | 6.293 |  Kent State (KENT STATE) | MAC | 3–9 | 0.250 | 95 | -40 | BYE |
| 104 | 0 | 6.348 |  Vanderbilt (VANDERBILT) | SEC | 2–10 | 0.167 | 107 | -41 | BYE |
| 105 | 0 | 6.482 |  SMU | IND WAC | 3–9 | 0.250 | 95 | -44 | BYE |
| 106 | 0 | 6.608 |  UL Monroe (LOUISIANA MONROE) | SUN | 3–9 | 0.250 | 95 | -33 | BYE |
| 107 | 0 | 6.700 |  Duke (DUKE) | ACC | 2–10 | 0.167 | 107 | -48 | BYE |
| 108 | 1 | 6.863 |  Eastern Michigan (EASTERN MICHIGAN) | MAC | 3–9 | 0.250 | 95 | -48 | BYE |
| 109 | -1 | 6.914 |  Wyoming (WYOMING) | MWC | 2–10 | 0.167 | 107 | -48 | BYE |
| 110 | 0 | 7.160 |  Idaho (IDAHO) | SUN | 2–10 | 0.167 | 107 | -40 | BYE |
| 111 | 3 | 7.208 |  Navy (NAVY) | IND FBSI | 2–10 | 0.167 | 107 | -52 | Beat Army 58–12 |
| 112 | -1 | 7.530 |  Kansas (KANSAS) | B12 | 2–10 | 0.167 | 107 | -54 | BYE |
| 113 | -1 | 7.615 |  UTEP | IND WAC | 2–10 | 0.167 | 107 | -54 | BYE |
| 114 | -1 | 7.846 |  Rutgers (RUTGERS) | IND BE | 1–11 | 0.083 | 114 | -47 | BYE |
| 115 | 0 | 8.435 |  Tulsa (TULSA) | IND WAC | 1–11 | 0.083 | 114 | -66 | BYE |
| 116 | 1 | 8.893 |  Buffalo (BUFFALO) | MAC | 1–11 | 0.083 | 114 | -61 | BYE |
| 117 | -1 | 9.097 |  Army (ARMY) | USA | 1–11 | 0.083 | 114 | -61 | Lost to Navy 12–58 |