The Associated Press has been ranking the best teams in college football since 1936. Over 82 years and 1,135 polls, a total of 166 schools have been ranked and 44 of them have been ranked No. 1 (Minnesota was the first).

To determine the all-time Top 25, the AP formula counted poll appearances (one point) to mark consistency, No. 1 rankings (two points) to acknowledge elite programs and gave a bonus for AP championships (10 points).

2017 RECAP

By appearing in all of the season’s polls and winning the National Championship, Alabama jumped past Notre Dame and Oklahoma to take the No. 2 spot in the all-time poll. Other changes in the All-Time AP Top 100 from the 2017 season included:

Michigan moved up one spot to No. 6, knocking Nebraska down to No. 7 after the Huskers failed to appear in a single poll.

Washington jumped past Michigan State and Texas A&M to take the No. 18 spot after the Spartans struggled later in the year and the Aggies failed to appear in a single poll.

Clemson’s two No. 1s and appearances in all polls helped the Tigers climb from No. 21 to a tie with Texas A&M for No. 19, also passing Michigan State.

Wisconsin moved up to No. 23, knocking down Pittsburgh to No. 24.

Virginia Tech moved up to tie Mississippi at No. 28.

Stanford passed Pac-12 rival Arizona State to take the No. 30 spot.

TCU jumped from No. 39 to No. 36, passing North Carolina, Purdue and Minnesota.

Syracuse moved up to No. 40, dropping Maryland to No. 41.

Washington State jumped from No. 61 to No. 57, passing Boston College, Texas Tech, Boise State and Louisville.

Fresno State moved up one spot into a tie at No. 71 with Wyoming.

USF jumped from No. 91 to No. 77 thanks to its program-record 15 poll appearances during the season. The Bulls leapfrogged Santa Clara, Tulsa, Colorado State, Wake Forest, Cincinnati, Miami (Ohio), Fordham, Iowa State, Holy Cross, Rutgers, Dartmouth, East Carolina, Vanderbilt, Yale, Princeton and Marshall.

Iowa State moved up from No. 83 to a four-way tie at No. 78 with Santa Clara, Tulsa and Colorado State.

UCF jumped into the Top 100 at No. 97, thanks to its 11 poll appearances, which in one season doubled the program’s all-time total.