2012 Final College Football Team Rankings
2012 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 | 2 | 0.890 |  Oregon (OREGON) |  PAC | 12–1 | 0.923 | 3 | +74 | Beat Kansas State 35–17 |
| 2 | 3 | 0.897 |  Alabama (ALABAMA) |  SEC | 13–1 | 0.929 | 2 | +82 | Beat Notre Dame 42–14 |
| 3 | -2 | 0.924 |  Notre Dame (NOTRE DAME) | IND FBSI | 12–1 | 0.923 | 3 | +85 | Lost to Alabama 14–42 |
| 4 | -2 | 0.929 |  Florida (FLORIDA) | SEC | 11–2 | 0.846 | 9 | +78 | Lost to Louisville 23–33 |
| 5 | -1 | 1.056 |  Ohio State (OHIO STATE) |  B10 | 12–0 | 1.000 | 1 | +73 | BYE |
| 6 | 1 | 1.134 |  Stanford (STANFORD) | PAC | 12–2 | 0.857 | 5 | +79 | Beat Wisconsin 20–14 |
| 7 | 2 | 1.173 |  Texas A&M (TEXAS A & M) | SEC | 11–2 | 0.846 | 9 | +61 | Beat Oklahoma 41–13 |
| 8 | -2 | 1.255 |  Kansas State (KANSAS STATE) |  B12 | 11–2 | 0.846 | 9 | +61 | Lost to Oregon 17–35 |
| 9 | 1 | 1.258 |  South Carolina (SOUTH CAROLINA) | SEC | 11–2 | 0.846 | 9 | +62 | Beat Michigan 33–28 |
| 10 | 3 | 1.285 |  Georgia (GEORGIA) | SEC | 12–2 | 0.857 | 5 | +63 | Beat Nebraska 45–31 |
| 11 | -3 | 1.312 |  San José State (SAN JOSE STATE) | IND WAC | 11–2 | 0.846 | 9 | +56 | BYE |
| 12 | 4 | 1.351 |  Florida State (FLORIDA STATE) |  ACC | 12–2 | 0.857 | 5 | +56 | Beat Northern Illinois 31–10 |
| 13 | -1 | 1.376 |  Clemson (CLEMSON) | ACC | 11–2 | 0.846 | 9 | +56 | BYE |
| 14 | -3 | 1.505 |  Oklahoma (OKLAHOMA) | B12 | 10–3 | 0.769 | 20 | +52 | Lost to Texas A&M 13–41 |
| 15 | 2 | 1.518 |  LSU | SEC | 10–3 | 0.769 | 20 | +51 | BYE |
| 16 | -1 | 1.542 |  Utah State (UTAH STATE) | IND WAC | 11–2 | 0.846 | 9 | +43 | BYE |
| 17 | -3 | 1.641 |  Northern Illinois (NORTHERN ILLINOIS) |  MAC | 12–2 | 0.857 | 5 | +41 | Lost to Florida State 10–31 |
| 18 | 1 | 1.682 |  Boise State (BOISE STATE) |  MWC | 11–2 | 0.846 | 9 | +42 | BYE |
| 19 | 4 | 1.700 |  Louisville (LOUISVILLE) | IND BE | 11–2 | 0.846 | 9 | +44 | Beat Florida 33–23 |
| 20 | 4 | 1.749 |  Arkansas State (ARKANSAS STATE) |  SUN | 10–3 | 0.769 | 20 | +43 | Beat Kent State 17–13 |
| 21 | -3 | 1.776 |  Nebraska (NEBRASKA) | B10 | 10–4 | 0.714 | 26 | +48 | Lost to Georgia 31–45 |
| 22 | -1 | 1.857 |  Oregon State (OREGON STATE) | PAC | 9–4 | 0.692 | 28 | +39 | BYE |
| 23 | 7 | 1.893 |  Northwestern (NORTHWESTERN) | B10 | 10–3 | 0.769 | 20 | +37 | Beat Mississippi State 34–20 |
| 24 | -2 | 1.909 |  Cincinnati (CINCINNATI) | IND BE | 10–3 | 0.769 | 20 | +33 | BYE |
| 25 | -5 | 1.926 |  Kent State (KENT STATE) | MAC | 11–3 | 0.786 | 18 | +37 | Lost to Arkansas State 13–17 |
| 26 | 0 | 1.969 |  Tulsa (TULSA) |  USA | 11–3 | 0.786 | 18 | +39 | BYE |
| 27 | 1 | 1.977 |  Texas (TEXAS) | B12 | 9–4 | 0.692 | 28 | +38 | BYE |
| 28 | -1 | 2.018 |  Louisiana Tech (LOUISIANA TECH) | IND WAC | 9–3 | 0.750 | 25 | +28 | BYE |
| 29 | 0 | 2.069 |  Ball State (BALL STATE) | MAC | 9–4 | 0.692 | 28 | +33 | BYE |
| 30 | -5 | 2.102 |  Michigan (MICHIGAN) | B10 | 8–5 | 0.615 | 43 | +34 | Lost to South Carolina 28–33 |
| 31 | 0 | 2.109 |  UCF (CENTRAL FLORIDA) | USA | 10–4 | 0.714 | 26 | +30 | BYE |
| 32 | 2 | 2.137 |  Vanderbilt (VANDERBILT) | SEC | 9–4 | 0.692 | 28 | +26 | BYE |
| 33 | 0 | 2.143 |  Fresno State (FRESNO STATE) | MWC | 9–4 | 0.692 | 28 | +26 | BYE |
| 34 | 9 | 2.173 |  Oklahoma State (OKLAHOMA STATE) | B12 | 8–5 | 0.615 | 43 | +25 | Beat Purdue 58–14 |
| 35 | -3 | 2.183 |  Penn State (PENN STATE) | B10 | 8–4 | 0.667 | 38 | +30 | BYE |
| 36 | -1 | 2.203 |  Toledo (TOLEDO) | MAC | 9–4 | 0.692 | 28 | +27 | BYE |
| 37 | -1 | 2.286 |  UCLA | PAC | 9–5 | 0.643 | 42 | +32 | BYE |
| 38 | -1 | 2.326 |  San Diego State (SAN DIEGO STATE) | MWC | 9–4 | 0.692 | 28 | +22 | BYE |
| 39 | 2 | 2.345 |  Arizona (ARIZONA) | PAC | 8–5 | 0.615 | 43 | +27 | BYE |
| 40 | 0 | 2.369 |  Baylor (BAYLOR) | B12 | 8–5 | 0.615 | 43 | +26 | BYE |
| 41 | -2 | 2.380 |  Rutgers (RUTGERS) | IND BE | 9–4 | 0.692 | 28 | +20 | BYE |
| 42 | 2 | 2.423 |  Louisiana (LOUISIANA LAFAYETTE) | SUN | 9–4 | 0.692 | 28 | +20 | BYE |
| 43 | -1 | 2.424 |  BYU | IND FBSI | 8–5 | 0.615 | 43 | +19 | BYE |
| 44 | 1 | 2.539 |  North Carolina (NORTH CAROLINA) | ACC | 8–4 | 0.667 | 38 | +15 | BYE |
| 45 | -7 | 2.596 |  Wisconsin (WISCONSIN) | B10 | 8–6 | 0.571 | 57 | +22 | Lost to Stanford 14–20 |
| 46 | 1 | 2.610 |  Ohio (OHIO) | MAC | 9–4 | 0.692 | 28 | +10 | BYE |
| 47 | 2 | 2.619 |  Syracuse (SYRACUSE) | IND BE | 8–5 | 0.615 | 43 | +18 | BYE |
| 48 | 0 | 2.656 |  Michigan State (MICHIGAN STATE) | B10 | 7–6 | 0.538 | 58 | +24 | BYE |
| 49 | 1 | 2.679 |  Texas Tech (TEXAS TECH) | B12 | 8–5 | 0.615 | 43 | +16 | BYE |
| 50 | -4 | 2.687 |  Mississippi State (MISSISSIPPI STATE) | SEC | 8–5 | 0.615 | 43 | +14 | Lost to Northwestern 20–34 |
| 51 | 1 | 2.794 |  Arizona State (ARIZONA STATE) | PAC | 8–5 | 0.615 | 43 | +7 | BYE |
| 52 | -1 | 2.805 |  USC | PAC | 7–6 | 0.538 | 58 | +14 | BYE |
| 53 | 1 | 2.850 |  Navy (NAVY) | IND FBSI | 8–5 | 0.615 | 43 | +15 | BYE |
| 54 | -1 | 2.871 |  Bowling Green (BOWLING GREEN) | MAC | 8–5 | 0.615 | 43 | +5 | BYE |
| 55 | 9 | 2.927 |  Ole Miss (MISSISSIPPI) | SEC | 7–6 | 0.538 | 58 | +10 | Beat Pittsburgh 38–17 |
| 56 | 0 | 2.931 |  UL Monroe (LOUISIANA MONROE) | SUN | 8–5 | 0.615 | 43 | +8 | BYE |
| 57 | -2 | 2.977 |  Miami (MIAMI) | ACC | 7–5 | 0.583 | 56 | +15 | BYE |
| 58 | -1 | 2.981 |  Middle Tennessee (MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE) | SUN | 8–4 | 0.667 | 38 | +22 | BYE |
| 59 | -1 | 2.999 |  Virginia Tech (VIRGINIA TECH) | ACC | 7–6 | 0.538 | 58 | +13 | BYE |
| 60 | -1 | 3.003 |  Washington (WASHINGTON) | PAC | 7–6 | 0.538 | 58 | +13 | BYE |
| 61 | -1 | 3.018 |  TCU | B12 | 7–6 | 0.538 | 58 | +8 | BYE |
| 62 | -1 | 3.078 |  East Carolina (EAST CAROLINA) | USA | 8–5 | 0.615 | 43 | +3 | BYE |
| 63 | -1 | 3.114 |  West Virginia (WEST VIRGINIA) | B12 | 7–6 | 0.538 | 58 | +7 | BYE |
| 64 | -1 | 3.177 |  UTSA (TEXAS-SAN ANTONIO) | IND WAC | 8–4 | 0.667 | 38 | -5 | BYE |
| 65 | 1 | 3.245 |  Missouri (MISSOURI) | SEC | 5–7 | 0.417 | 78 | +7 | BYE |
| 66 | -1 | 3.297 |  Georgia Tech (GEORGIA TECH) | ACC | 7–7 | 0.500 | 71 | +5 | BYE |
| 67 | 0 | 3.358 |  SMU | USA | 7–6 | 0.538 | 58 | -1 | BYE |
| 68 | 0 | 3.374 |  Iowa State (IOWA STATE) | B12 | 6–7 | 0.462 | 72 | +3 | BYE |
| 69 | 0 | 3.480 |  NC State (NORTH CAROLINA STATE) | ACC | 7–6 | 0.538 | 58 | 0 | BYE |
| 70 | 0 | 3.523 |  Western Kentucky (WESTERN KENTUCKY) | SUN | 7–6 | 0.538 | 58 | -5 | BYE |
| 71 | 1 | 3.655 |  Rice (RICE) | USA | 7–6 | 0.538 | 58 | -6 | BYE |
| 72 | 4 | 3.722 |  Duke (DUKE) | ACC | 6–7 | 0.462 | 72 | -3 | BYE |
| 73 | 0 | 3.738 |  Nevada (NEVADA) | MWC | 7–6 | 0.538 | 58 | -11 | BYE |
| 74 | 0 | 3.750 |  Central Michigan (CENTRAL MICHIGAN) | MAC | 7–6 | 0.538 | 58 | -10 | BYE |
| 75 | -4 | 3.792 |  Pittsburgh (PITTSBURGH) | IND BE | 6–7 | 0.462 | 72 | +3 | Lost to Ole Miss 17–38 |
| 76 | 1 | 3.841 |  Tennessee (TENNESSEE) | SEC | 5–7 | 0.417 | 78 | -8 | BYE |
| 77 | -2 | 4.054 |  Purdue (PURDUE) | B10 | 6–7 | 0.462 | 72 | -11 | Lost to Oklahoma State 14–58 |
| 78 | 0 | 4.178 |  Minnesota (MINNESOTA) | B10 | 6–7 | 0.462 | 72 | -15 | BYE |
| 79 | 0 | 4.243 |  Utah (UTAH) | PAC | 5–7 | 0.417 | 78 | -18 | BYE |
| 80 | 0 | 4.247 |  Arkansas (ARKANSAS) | SEC | 4–8 | 0.333 | 87 | -12 | BYE |
| 81 | 0 | 4.446 |  Wake Forest (WAKE FOREST) | ACC | 5–7 | 0.417 | 78 | -14 | BYE |
| 82 | 0 | 4.462 |  Troy (TROY) | SUN | 5–7 | 0.417 | 78 | -18 | BYE |
| 83 | 0 | 4.468 |  UConn (CONNECTICUT) | IND BE | 5–7 | 0.417 | 78 | -16 | BYE |
| 84 | 0 | 4.494 |  Air Force (AIR FORCE) | MWC | 6–7 | 0.462 | 72 | -23 | BYE |
| 85 | 0 | 4.529 |  Marshall (MARSHALL) | USA | 5–7 | 0.417 | 78 | -22 | BYE |
| 86 | 0 | 4.531 |  Houston (HOUSTON) | USA | 5–7 | 0.417 | 78 | -18 | BYE |
| 87 | 0 | 4.672 |  Iowa (IOWA) | B10 | 4–8 | 0.333 | 87 | -19 | BYE |
| 88 | 0 | 4.736 |  Miami (OH) (MIAMI (OH)) | MAC | 4–8 | 0.333 | 87 | -20 | BYE |
| 89 | 0 | 4.793 |  Buffalo (BUFFALO) | MAC | 4–8 | 0.333 | 87 | -25 | BYE |
| 90 | 0 | 4.892 |  North Texas (NORTH TEXAS) | SUN | 4–8 | 0.333 | 87 | -23 | BYE |
| 91 | 1 | 4.924 |  Temple (TEMPLE) | IND BE | 4–7 | 0.364 | 86 | -23 | BYE |
| 92 | -1 | 4.995 |  Indiana (INDIANA) | B10 | 4–8 | 0.333 | 87 | -28 | BYE |
| 93 | 1 | 5.007 |  Auburn (AUBURN) | SEC | 3–9 | 0.250 | 101 | -24 | BYE |
| 94 | -1 | 5.043 |  Texas State (TEXAS STATE) | IND WAC | 4–8 | 0.333 | 87 | -29 | BYE |
| 95 | 0 | 5.129 |  Virginia (VIRGINIA) | ACC | 4–8 | 0.333 | 87 | -26 | BYE |
| 96 | 2 | 5.222 |  South Florida (SOUTH FLORIDA) | IND BE | 3–9 | 0.250 | 101 | -27 | BYE |
| 97 | 0 | 5.229 |  Wyoming (WYOMING) | MWC | 4–8 | 0.333 | 87 | -20 | BYE |
| 98 | -2 | 5.267 |  Western Michigan (WESTERN MICHIGAN) | MAC | 4–8 | 0.333 | 87 | -35 | BYE |
| 99 | 2 | 5.281 |  California (CALIFORNIA) | PAC | 3–9 | 0.250 | 101 | -25 | BYE |
| 100 | -1 | 5.285 |  Maryland (MARYLAND) | ACC | 4–8 | 0.333 | 87 | -31 | BYE |
| 101 | -1 | 5.316 |  Colorado State (COLORADO STATE) | MWC | 4–8 | 0.333 | 87 | -19 | BYE |
| 102 | 0 | 5.477 |  Memphis (MEMPHIS) | USA | 4–8 | 0.333 | 87 | -24 | BYE |
| 103 | 0 | 5.670 |  Florida International (FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL) | SUN | 3–9 | 0.250 | 101 | -36 | BYE |
| 104 | 1 | 5.891 |  Florida Atlantic (FLORIDA ATLANTIC) | SUN | 3–9 | 0.250 | 101 | -37 | BYE |
| 105 | -1 | 5.899 |  Kentucky (KENTUCKY) | SEC | 2–10 | 0.167 | 110 | -34 | BYE |
| 106 | 0 | 6.018 |  UTEP | USA | 3–9 | 0.250 | 101 | -43 | BYE |
| 107 | 0 | 6.018 |  New Mexico (NEW MEXICO) | MWC | 4–9 | 0.308 | 100 | -47 | BYE |
| 108 | 0 | 6.101 |  UAB | USA | 3–9 | 0.250 | 101 | -41 | BYE |
| 109 | 0 | 6.137 |  Washington State (WASHINGTON STATE) | PAC | 3–9 | 0.250 | 101 | -40 | BYE |
| 110 | 0 | 6.471 |  Boston College (BOSTON COLLEGE) | ACC | 2–10 | 0.167 | 110 | -45 | BYE |
| 111 | 2 | 6.561 |  Hawai'i (HAWAII) | MWC | 3–9 | 0.250 | 101 | -47 | BYE |
| 112 | -1 | 6.574 |  Eastern Michigan (EASTERN MICHIGAN) | MAC | 2–10 | 0.167 | 110 | -35 | BYE |
| 113 | -1 | 6.604 |  Illinois (ILLINOIS) | B10 | 2–10 | 0.167 | 110 | -44 | BYE |
| 114 | 0 | 6.797 |  Army (ARMY) | IND FBSI | 2–10 | 0.167 | 110 | -38 | BYE |
| 115 | 0 | 6.834 |  Tulane (TULANE) | USA | 2–10 | 0.167 | 110 | -47 | BYE |
| 116 | 0 | 6.940 |  Kansas (KANSAS) | B12 | 1–11 | 0.083 | 118 | -51 | BYE |
| 117 | 0 | 7.370 |  South Alabama (SOUTH ALABAMA) | SUN | 2–11 | 0.154 | 116 | -61 | BYE |
| 118 | 0 | 7.450 |  UNLV | MWC | 2–11 | 0.154 | 116 | -48 | BYE |
| 119 | 0 | 7.560 |  Akron (AKRON) | MAC | 1–11 | 0.083 | 118 | -63 | BYE |
| 120 | 0 | 7.721 |  Idaho (IDAHO) | IND WAC | 1–11 | 0.083 | 118 | -43 | BYE |
| 121 | 0 | 7.954 |  Colorado (COLORADO) | PAC | 1–11 | 0.083 | 118 | -46 | BYE |
| 122 | 0 | 8.352 |  New Mexico State (NEW MEXICO STATE) | IND WAC | 1–11 | 0.083 | 118 | -66 | BYE |
| 123 | 0 | 8.382 |  Massachusetts (MASSACHUSETTS) | MAC | 1–11 | 0.083 | 118 | -64 | BYE |
| 124 | 0 | 8.438 |  Southern Miss (SOUTHERN MISS) | USA | 0–12 | 0.000 | 124 | -68 | BYE |