2012 Regular Season 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 | 0 | 0.790 |  Notre Dame (NOTRE DAME) | IND FBSI | 12–0 | 1.000 | 1 | +82 | BYE |
| 2 | 0 | 0.840 |  Florida (FLORIDA) |  SEC | 11–1 | 0.917 | 5 | +75 | BYE |
| 3 | 2 | 0.972 |  Alabama (ALABAMA) | SEC | 12–1 | 0.923 | 3 | +68 | Beat Georgia 32–28 |
| 4 | 0 | 0.983 |  Oregon (OREGON) |  PAC | 11–1 | 0.917 | 5 | +60 | BYE |
| 5 | -2 | 1.033 |  Ohio State (OHIO STATE) |  B10 | 12–0 | 1.000 | 1 | +71 | BYE |
| 6 | 0 | 1.107 |  Stanford (STANFORD) | PAC | 11–2 | 0.846 | 8 | +70 | Beat UCLA 27–24 |
| 7 | 2 | 1.121 |  Kansas State (KANSAS STATE) |  B12 | 11–1 | 0.917 | 5 | +59 | Beat Texas 42–24 |
| 8 | -1 | 1.294 |  Texas A&M (TEXAS A & M) | SEC | 10–2 | 0.833 | 12 | +50 | BYE |
| 9 | 6 | 1.319 |  Oklahoma (OKLAHOMA) | B12 | 10–2 | 0.833 | 12 | +52 | Beat TCU 24–17 |
| 10 | 0 | 1.321 |  South Carolina (SOUTH CAROLINA) | SEC | 10–2 | 0.833 | 12 | +53 | BYE |
| 11 | 1 | 1.352 |  LSU | SEC | 10–2 | 0.833 | 12 | +51 | BYE |
| 12 | 1 | 1.417 |  San José State (SAN JOSE STATE) | IND WAC | 10–2 | 0.833 | 12 | +46 | BYE |
| 13 | -2 | 1.441 |  Georgia (GEORGIA) | SEC | 11–2 | 0.846 | 8 | +50 | Lost to Alabama 28–32 |
| 14 | 2 | 1.503 |  Florida State (FLORIDA STATE) |  ACC | 11–2 | 0.846 | 8 | +43 | Beat Georgia Tech 21–15 |
| 15 | 3 | 1.504 |  Northern Illinois (NORTHERN ILLINOIS) |  MAC | 12–1 | 0.923 | 3 | +42 | Beat Kent State 44–37 |
| 16 | -2 | 1.509 |  Clemson (CLEMSON) | ACC | 10–2 | 0.833 | 12 | +44 | BYE |
| 17 | -9 | 1.589 |  Nebraska (NEBRASKA) | B10 | 10–3 | 0.769 | 21 | +49 | Lost to Wisconsin 31–70 |
| 18 | 2 | 1.687 |  Oregon State (OREGON STATE) | PAC | 9–3 | 0.750 | 23 | +41 | Beat Nicholls State 77–3 |
| 19 | 0 | 1.695 |  Utah State (UTAH STATE) | IND WAC | 10–2 | 0.833 | 12 | +34 | BYE |
| 20 | -3 | 1.701 |  Kent State (KENT STATE) | MAC | 11–2 | 0.846 | 8 | +40 | Lost to Northern Illinois 37–44 |
| 21 | 4 | 1.765 |  Boise State (BOISE STATE) |  MWC | 10–2 | 0.833 | 12 | +35 | Beat Nevada 27–21 |
| 22 | 0 | 1.832 |  Fresno State (FRESNO STATE) | MWC | 9–3 | 0.750 | 23 | +32 | BYE |
| 23 | -2 | 1.880 |  Ball State (BALL STATE) | MAC | 9–3 | 0.750 | 23 | +37 | BYE |
| 24 | 9 | 1.891 |  Louisville (LOUISVILLE) | IND BE | 10–2 | 0.833 | 12 | +32 | Beat Rutgers 20–17 |
| 25 | -1 | 1.895 |  Michigan (MICHIGAN) | B10 | 8–4 | 0.667 | 35 | +36 | BYE |
| 26 | 8 | 1.896 |  Arkansas State (ARKANSAS STATE) |  SUN | 9–3 | 0.750 | 23 | +33 | Beat Middle Tennessee 45–0 |
| 27 | 9 | 1.997 |  Cincinnati (CINCINNATI) | IND BE | 9–3 | 0.750 | 23 | +27 | Beat UConn 34–17 |
| 28 | -5 | 2.026 |  UCLA | PAC | 9–4 | 0.692 | 33 | +35 | Lost to Stanford 24–27 |
| 29 | -1 | 2.030 |  Louisiana Tech (LOUISIANA TECH) | IND WAC | 9–3 | 0.750 | 23 | +27 | BYE |
| 30 | -1 | 2.044 |  San Diego State (SAN DIEGO STATE) | MWC | 9–3 | 0.750 | 23 | +28 | BYE |
| 31 | -4 | 2.045 |  Northwestern (NORTHWESTERN) | B10 | 9–3 | 0.750 | 23 | +28 | BYE |
| 32 | -2 | 2.055 |  Toledo (TOLEDO) | MAC | 9–3 | 0.750 | 23 | +29 | BYE |
| 33 | 5 | 2.098 |  Tulsa (TULSA) |  USA | 10–3 | 0.769 | 21 | +31 | Beat UCF 33–27 |
| 34 | -8 | 2.120 |  Rutgers (RUTGERS) | IND BE | 9–3 | 0.750 | 23 | +26 | Lost to Louisville 17–20 |
| 35 | -4 | 2.136 |  Penn State (PENN STATE) | B10 | 8–4 | 0.667 | 35 | +29 | BYE |
| 36 | -4 | 2.191 |  Texas (TEXAS) | B12 | 8–4 | 0.667 | 35 | +29 | Lost to Kansas State 24–42 |
| 37 | 0 | 2.366 |  Oklahoma State (OKLAHOMA STATE) | B12 | 7–5 | 0.583 | 50 | +19 | Lost to Baylor 34–41 |
| 38 | 1 | 2.367 |  Vanderbilt (VANDERBILT) | SEC | 8–4 | 0.667 | 35 | +19 | BYE |
| 39 | -4 | 2.382 |  UCF (CENTRAL FLORIDA) | USA | 9–4 | 0.692 | 33 | +20 | Lost to Tulsa 27–33 |
| 40 | 5 | 2.386 |  Wisconsin (WISCONSIN) | B10 | 8–5 | 0.615 | 49 | +25 | Beat Nebraska 70–31 |
| 41 | 1 | 2.450 |  USC | PAC | 7–5 | 0.583 | 50 | +21 | BYE |
| 42 | -1 | 2.468 |  North Carolina (NORTH CAROLINA) | ACC | 8–4 | 0.667 | 35 | +15 | BYE |
| 43 | -3 | 2.485 |  Mississippi State (MISSISSIPPI STATE) | SEC | 8–4 | 0.667 | 35 | +18 | BYE |
| 44 | -1 | 2.489 |  Arizona (ARIZONA) | PAC | 7–5 | 0.583 | 50 | +21 | BYE |
| 45 | 14 | 2.593 |  Baylor (BAYLOR) | B12 | 7–5 | 0.583 | 50 | +18 | Beat Oklahoma State 41–34 |
| 46 | 9 | 2.664 |  Louisiana (LOUISIANA LAFAYETTE) | SUN | 8–4 | 0.667 | 35 | +13 | Beat Florida Atlantic 35–21 |
| 47 | 1 | 2.687 |  Navy (NAVY) | IND FBSI | 7–4 | 0.636 | 48 | +18 | BYE |
| 48 | -1 | 2.692 |  Bowling Green (BOWLING GREEN) | MAC | 8–4 | 0.667 | 35 | +9 | BYE |
| 49 | 0 | 2.703 |  UL Monroe (LOUISIANA MONROE) | SUN | 8–4 | 0.667 | 35 | +12 | BYE |
| 50 | -4 | 2.731 |  TCU | B12 | 7–5 | 0.583 | 50 | +14 | Lost to Oklahoma 17–24 |
| 51 | 0 | 2.761 |  BYU | IND FBSI | 7–5 | 0.583 | 50 | +10 | BYE |
| 52 | 0 | 2.806 |  Washington (WASHINGTON) | PAC | 7–5 | 0.583 | 50 | +16 | BYE |
| 53 | -3 | 2.817 |  Michigan State (MICHIGAN STATE) | B10 | 6–6 | 0.500 | 65 | +18 | BYE |
| 54 | 6 | 2.819 |  West Virginia (WEST VIRGINIA) | B12 | 7–5 | 0.583 | 50 | +13 | Beat Kansas 59–10 |
| 55 | 2 | 2.825 |  Syracuse (SYRACUSE) | IND BE | 7–5 | 0.583 | 50 | +13 | BYE |
| 56 | 2 | 2.838 |  Texas Tech (TEXAS TECH) | B12 | 7–5 | 0.583 | 50 | +12 | BYE |
| 57 | -4 | 2.855 |  Ohio (OHIO) | MAC | 8–4 | 0.667 | 35 | +5 | BYE |
| 58 | -4 | 2.871 |  Miami (MIAMI) | ACC | 7–5 | 0.583 | 50 | +15 | BYE |
| 59 | -3 | 2.896 |  East Carolina (EAST CAROLINA) | USA | 8–4 | 0.667 | 35 | +8 | BYE |
| 60 | -16 | 2.901 |  Middle Tennessee (MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE) | SUN | 8–4 | 0.667 | 35 | +23 | Lost to Arkansas State 0–45 |
| 61 | 0 | 3.098 |  Arizona State (ARIZONA STATE) | PAC | 7–5 | 0.583 | 50 | +1 | BYE |
| 62 | 1 | 3.170 |  UTSA (TEXAS-SAN ANTONIO) | IND WAC | 8–4 | 0.667 | 35 | -5 | BYE |
| 63 | -1 | 3.194 |  Ole Miss (MISSISSIPPI) | SEC | 6–6 | 0.500 | 65 | +5 | BYE |
| 64 | 1 | 3.194 |  Iowa State (IOWA STATE) | B12 | 6–6 | 0.500 | 65 | +7 | BYE |
| 65 | 1 | 3.222 |  Western Kentucky (WESTERN KENTUCKY) | SUN | 7–5 | 0.583 | 50 | +1 | BYE |
| 66 | -2 | 3.247 |  NC State (NORTH CAROLINA STATE) | ACC | 7–5 | 0.583 | 50 | +3 | BYE |
| 67 | 2 | 3.316 |  Virginia Tech (VIRGINIA TECH) | ACC | 6–6 | 0.500 | 65 | +4 | BYE |
| 68 | -1 | 3.380 |  Missouri (MISSOURI) | SEC | 5–7 | 0.417 | 78 | +6 | BYE |
| 69 | 1 | 3.445 |  Nevada (NEVADA) | MWC | 7–5 | 0.583 | 50 | -3 | Lost to Boise State 21–27 |
| 70 | 4 | 3.505 |  Pittsburgh (PITTSBURGH) | IND BE | 6–6 | 0.500 | 65 | +9 | Beat South Florida 27–3 |
| 71 | 0 | 3.583 |  Duke (DUKE) | ACC | 6–6 | 0.500 | 65 | 0 | BYE |
| 72 | -4 | 3.600 |  Georgia Tech (GEORGIA TECH) | ACC | 6–7 | 0.462 | 77 | -2 | Lost to Florida State 15–21 |
| 73 | -1 | 3.646 |  Purdue (PURDUE) | B10 | 6–6 | 0.500 | 65 | -2 | BYE |
| 74 | -1 | 3.823 |  Tennessee (TENNESSEE) | SEC | 5–7 | 0.417 | 78 | -6 | BYE |
| 75 | 1 | 3.897 |  SMU | USA | 6–6 | 0.500 | 65 | -10 | BYE |
| 76 | -1 | 3.906 |  Minnesota (MINNESOTA) | B10 | 6–6 | 0.500 | 65 | -8 | BYE |
| 77 | 0 | 3.985 |  Rice (RICE) | USA | 6–6 | 0.500 | 65 | -12 | BYE |
| 78 | 0 | 4.112 |  Air Force (AIR FORCE) | MWC | 6–6 | 0.500 | 65 | -12 | BYE |
| 79 | 0 | 4.129 |  Central Michigan (CENTRAL MICHIGAN) | MAC | 6–6 | 0.500 | 65 | -13 | BYE |
| 80 | 0 | 4.197 |  Arkansas (ARKANSAS) | SEC | 4–8 | 0.333 | 87 | -9 | BYE |
| 81 | 0 | 4.217 |  Utah (UTAH) | PAC | 5–7 | 0.417 | 78 | -15 | BYE |
| 82 | 1 | 4.423 |  Wake Forest (WAKE FOREST) | ACC | 5–7 | 0.417 | 78 | -11 | BYE |
| 83 | -1 | 4.441 |  UConn (CONNECTICUT) | IND BE | 5–7 | 0.417 | 78 | -15 | Lost to Cincinnati 17–34 |
| 84 | 0 | 4.444 |  Troy (TROY) | SUN | 5–7 | 0.417 | 78 | -17 | BYE |
| 85 | 1 | 4.525 |  Houston (HOUSTON) | USA | 5–7 | 0.417 | 78 | -17 | BYE |
| 86 | 1 | 4.531 |  Marshall (MARSHALL) | USA | 5–7 | 0.417 | 78 | -20 | BYE |
| 87 | -2 | 4.575 |  Iowa (IOWA) | B10 | 4–8 | 0.333 | 87 | -16 | BYE |
| 88 | 0 | 4.695 |  Buffalo (BUFFALO) | MAC | 4–8 | 0.333 | 87 | -20 | BYE |
| 89 | 0 | 4.720 |  Miami (OH) (MIAMI (OH)) | MAC | 4–8 | 0.333 | 87 | -18 | BYE |
| 90 | 0 | 4.796 |  North Texas (NORTH TEXAS) | SUN | 4–8 | 0.333 | 87 | -20 | BYE |
| 91 | 4 | 4.914 |  Temple (TEMPLE) | IND BE | 4–7 | 0.364 | 86 | -21 | BYE |
| 92 | 0 | 4.964 |  Indiana (INDIANA) | B10 | 4–8 | 0.333 | 87 | -24 | BYE |
| 93 | 1 | 5.010 |  Auburn (AUBURN) | SEC | 3–9 | 0.250 | 101 | -22 | BYE |
| 94 | -1 | 5.029 |  Virginia (VIRGINIA) | ACC | 4–8 | 0.333 | 87 | -24 | BYE |
| 95 | 7 | 5.065 |  Texas State (TEXAS STATE) | IND WAC | 4–8 | 0.333 | 87 | -27 | Beat New Mexico State 66–28 |
| 96 | 0 | 5.140 |  Wyoming (WYOMING) | MWC | 4–8 | 0.333 | 87 | -15 | BYE |
| 97 | -6 | 5.152 |  South Florida (SOUTH FLORIDA) | IND BE | 3–9 | 0.250 | 101 | -24 | Lost to Pittsburgh 3–27 |
| 98 | 0 | 5.158 |  California (CALIFORNIA) | PAC | 3–9 | 0.250 | 101 | -21 | BYE |
| 99 | -2 | 5.175 |  Western Michigan (WESTERN MICHIGAN) | MAC | 4–8 | 0.333 | 87 | -31 | BYE |
| 100 | -1 | 5.258 |  Maryland (MARYLAND) | ACC | 4–8 | 0.333 | 87 | -29 | BYE |
| 101 | -1 | 5.281 |  Colorado State (COLORADO STATE) | MWC | 4–8 | 0.333 | 87 | -16 | BYE |
| 102 | -1 | 5.505 |  Memphis (MEMPHIS) | USA | 4–8 | 0.333 | 87 | -23 | BYE |
| 103 | 0 | 5.641 |  Florida International (FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL) | SUN | 3–9 | 0.250 | 101 | -33 | BYE |
| 104 | 1 | 5.851 |  Kentucky (KENTUCKY) | SEC | 2–10 | 0.167 | 111 | -31 | BYE |
| 105 | -1 | 5.880 |  Florida Atlantic (FLORIDA ATLANTIC) | SUN | 3–9 | 0.250 | 101 | -35 | Lost to Louisiana 21–35 |
| 106 | 0 | 6.005 |  New Mexico (NEW MEXICO) | MWC | 4–9 | 0.308 | 100 | -44 | BYE |
| 107 | 0 | 6.057 |  UTEP | USA | 3–9 | 0.250 | 101 | -40 | BYE |
| 108 | 1 | 6.125 |  Washington State (WASHINGTON STATE) | PAC | 3–9 | 0.250 | 101 | -38 | BYE |
| 109 | -1 | 6.131 |  UAB | USA | 3–9 | 0.250 | 101 | -40 | BYE |
| 110 | 7 | 6.448 |  Hawai'i (HAWAII) | MWC | 3–9 | 0.250 | 101 | -42 | Beat South Alabama 23–7 |
| 111 | 1 | 6.493 |  Illinois (ILLINOIS) | B10 | 2–10 | 0.167 | 111 | -40 | BYE |
| 112 | -1 | 6.511 |  Eastern Michigan (EASTERN MICHIGAN) | MAC | 2–10 | 0.167 | 111 | -29 | BYE |
| 113 | -3 | 6.527 |  Boston College (BOSTON COLLEGE) | ACC | 2–10 | 0.167 | 111 | -42 | BYE |
| 114 | -1 | 6.616 |  Army (ARMY) | IND FBSI | 2–9 | 0.182 | 110 | -28 | BYE |
| 115 | 1 | 6.908 |  Tulane (TULANE) | USA | 2–10 | 0.167 | 111 | -45 | BYE |
| 116 | -2 | 6.928 |  Kansas (KANSAS) | B12 | 1–11 | 0.083 | 118 | -45 | Lost to West Virginia 10–59 |
| 117 | -2 | 7.269 |  South Alabama (SOUTH ALABAMA) | SUN | 2–11 | 0.154 | 116 | -58 | Lost to Hawai'i 7–23 |
| 118 | 0 | 7.337 |  UNLV | MWC | 2–11 | 0.154 | 116 | -45 | BYE |
| 119 | 0 | 7.536 |  Akron (AKRON) | MAC | 1–11 | 0.083 | 118 | -59 | BYE |
| 120 | 0 | 7.656 |  Idaho (IDAHO) | IND WAC | 1–11 | 0.083 | 118 | -41 | BYE |
| 121 | 0 | 7.889 |  Colorado (COLORADO) | PAC | 1–11 | 0.083 | 118 | -42 | BYE |
| 122 | 2 | 8.400 |  Massachusetts (MASSACHUSETTS) | MAC | 1–11 | 0.083 | 118 | -61 | BYE |
| 123 | -1 | 8.440 |  New Mexico State (NEW MEXICO STATE) | IND WAC | 1–11 | 0.083 | 118 | -66 | Lost to Texas State 28–66 |
| 124 | -1 | 8.477 |  Southern Miss (SOUTHERN MISS) | USA | 0–12 | 0.000 | 124 | -65 | BYE |