Understanding College Football Rankings

College football rankings are an integral part of the sport, providing a benchmark for team performance, influencing bowl game selections, and generating excitement among fans. These rankings are compiled through a combination of human polls and computer-based metrics, designed to assess and compare the relative strength of college football teams. Understanding how these rankings work can seem daunting, but breaking it down can help demystify the process.

The Major Polls and Rankings Systems

Among the various ranking systems, the Associated Press (AP) Poll, the Coaches Poll, and the College Football Playoff (CFP) Rankings are the most prominent. Each uses different methodologies and is released at different times during the season.

1. **The AP Poll**: Conducted by polling a panel of journalists, the AP Poll is one of the oldest and most recognized ranking systems. Voters rank teams from 1 to 25 based on their performance, with points assigned to each ranking that are then tallied for a composite score.

2. **The Coaches Poll**: Similar to the AP Poll, the Coaches Poll surveys NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) coaches. Each coach ranks their top 25