1972 season · final
Polls
AP Top 25
20 ranked
- SEC4
- Big 83
- FBS Independents3
- Other10
- 1–USCPac-8—
- 2–OklahomaBig 8—
- 3▲4TexasSouthwest—
- 4▲5NebraskaBig 8—
- 5▲1AuburnSEC—
- 6▲2MichiganBig Ten—
- 7▼3AlabamaSEC—
- 8▲3TennesseeSEC—
- 9▼6Ohio StateBig Ten—
- 10▼5Penn StateFBS Independents—
- 11▼1LSUSEC—
- 12▲4North CarolinaACC—
- 13▲2Arizona StateWestern Athletic—
- 14▼2Notre DameFBS Independents—
- 15▼1UCLAPac-8—
- 16▼3ColoradoBig 8—
- 17NewNC StateACC—
- 18▼1LouisvilleMissouri Valley—
- 19–Washington StatePac-8—
- 20NewGeorgia TechFBS Independents—