Alderson System (1994-98), a mathematical rating system based strictly on a point value system reflecting competition as well as won-lost record. Developed by Bob Alderson of Muldrow, Oklahoma.

Associated Press (1936-present), the first major nationwide poll for ranking college football teams was voted on by sportswriters and broadcasters. It continues to this day and is probably the most well-known and widely circulated among all of history's polls. The Associated Press annual national champions were awarded the Williams Trophy and the Reverend J. Hugh O'Donnell Trophy. In 1947, Notre Dame retired the Williams Trophy (named after Henry L. Williams, Minnesota coach, and sponsored by the M Club of Minnesota). In 1956, Oklahoma retired the O'Donnell Trophy (named for Notre Dame's president and sponsored by Notre Dame alumni). Beginning with the 1957 season, the award was known as the AP Trophy, and since 1983, has been known as the Paul "Bear" Bryant Trophy.

Berryman (QPRS) (1990-present), a mathematical rating system based on a quality point rating formula developed by Clyde P. Berryman of Washington, D. C. Predated national champions from 1940-1989.

Billingsley Report (1970-present), a mathematically based power rating system developed by Richard Billingsley of Nashville, Tennessee. His work is published annually as the Billingsley Report through his own company, the College Football Research Center. In 1996, he finished his three-year research project ranking the national champions from 1869-95. The research is located on the World Wide Web at www.CFRC.com. Predated national champions from 1869-1970.

Boand System (1930-60), known as the Azzi Ratem System developed by William Boand> of Tucson, Arizona. He moved to Chicago in 1932. Appeared in many newspapers as well as Illustrated Football Annual (1932-42) and weekly in Football News (1942-44, 1951-60). Predated national champions from 1919-29.

Bowl Championship Series (BCS)(1998-present),operated jointly by the ACC, Southeastern, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten and Pacific-10 Conferences. The BCS was launched in 1998 to match the number one and number two teams in a bowl game to determine the national champion.

Colley (1992-present), a mathmatically based power rating developed by Wes Colley of Virginia. His work is published in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Colley is a graduate of Princeton University with a doctorate in astrophysical sciences. Member of the the 2002 BCS. The rankings are available at www.colleyrankings.com/.

College Football Researchers Association (1982-92), founded by Anthony Cusher of Reeder, North Dakota, and Robert Kirlin of Spokane, Washington. Announced its champion in its monthly bulletin and No. 1 team determined by top-10 vote of membership on a point system. Predated national champions from 1919-81, conducted on a poll by Harry Carson Frye.

DeVold System (1945-present), a mathematical rating system developed by Harry DeVold from Minneapolis, Minnesota, a former football player at Cornell. He eventually settled in the Detroit, Michigan, area and worked in the real estate business. The ratings have appeared in The Football News since 1962. Predated national champions from 1939-44.

Dickinson System (1926-40), a mathematical point system devised by Frank Dickinson, a professor of economics at Illinois. The annual Dickinson ratings were emblematic of the national championship and the basis for awarding the Rissman National Trophy and the Knute K. Rockne Intercollegiate Memorial Trophy. Notre Dame gained permanent possession of the Rissman Trophy (named for Jack F. Rissman, a Chicago clothing manufacturer) after its third victory in 1930. Minnesota retired the Rockne Trophy (named in honor of the famous Notre Dame coach) after winning it for a third time in 1940.

Dunkel System (1929-present), a power index system devised by Dick Dunkel Sr. (1929-71); by Dick Dunkel Jr. (1972-95); and by John Duck (1996-present), systems director of the Daytona (Fla.) Beach News-Journal. More information can be found at www.dunkelindex.com.

Eck Ratings System (1987-present), a mathmatical point system developed by Steve Eck, an aerospace worker with a master's degree from UCLA. The factors in the poll are game outcome, strength of opponent and location of game.

FACT (1968-present), a computerized mathematical ranking system developed by David Rothman of Hawthorne, California. FACT is the Foundation for the Analysis of Competitions and Tournaments, which began selecting a national champion in 1968. Rothman is a semiretired defense and aerospace statistician and was cochair of the Committee on Statistics in Sports and Competition of the American Statistical Association in the 1970s.

Football News (1958-present), weekly poll of its staff writers has named a national champion since 1958.

Football Writers Association of America (1954-present), the No. 1 team of the year is determined by a five-person panel representing the nation's football writers. The national championship team named receives the Grantland Rice Award. More information can be found at www.footballwriters.com.

Helms Athletic Foundation (1941-82), originally known by this name from 1936-69 and established by the founding sponsor, Paul H. Helms, Los Angeles sportsman and philanthropist. After Helms' death in 1957, United Savings & Loan Association became its benefactor during 1970-72. A merger of United Savings and Citizen Savings was completed in 1973, and the Athletic Foundation became known as Citizens Savings Athletic Foundation. In 1982, First Interstate Bank assumed sponsorship for its final rankings. In 1941, Bill Schroeder, managing director of the Helms Athletic Foundation, retroactively selected the national football champions for the period beginning in 1883 (the first year of a scoring system) through 1940. Thereafter, Schroeder, who died in 1988, then chose, with the assistance of a Hall Board, the annual national champion after the bowl games.

Houlgate System (1927-58), a mathematical rating system developed by Deke Houlgate of Los Angeles, California. His ratings were syndicated in newspapers and published in Illustrated Football and the Football Thesaurus (1946-58).

International News Service (1952-57), a poll conducted for six years by members of the International News Service (INS) before merger with United Press in 1958.

Litkenhous (1934-84), a difference-by-score formula developed by Edward E. Litkenhous, a professor of chemical engineering at Vanderbilt, and his brother, Frank.

Massey College Football Ratings (1995-present), a mathematical rating system developed by Kenneth Massey, a graduate student at Virginia Tech in mathematics. His ratings, which account for homefield advantage, joined the BCS panel in 1999. More information can be found at www.masseyratings.com.

Matthews Grid Ratings (1966-present), a mathematical rating system developed by college mathematics professor Herman Matthews of Middlesboro, Kentucky. Has appeared in newspapers and The Football News.

National Championship Foundation (1980-present), established by Mike Riter of Hudson, New York . Issues annual report. Predated national champions from 1869-1979.

National Football Foundation (1959-present), the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame named its first national champion in 1959. Headquartered in Larchmont, New York, the present National Football Foundation was established in 1947 to promote amateur athletics in America. The national champion was awarded the MacArthur Bowl from 1959-90. In 1991 and 1992, the NFF/HOF joined with UPI to award the MacArthur Bowl, and in 1993, the NFF/HOF joined with USA Today to award the MacArthur Bowl. More information can be found at www.footballfoundation.com/.

New York Times (1979-present), a mathematical rating system introduced by this major newspaper. More information can be found at www.nytimes.com/pages/sports/index.html.

Parke Davis (1933), a noted college football historian and former Princeton lineman, Parke H. Davis went back and named the championship teams from 1869 through the 1932 season. He also named a national champion at the conclusion of the 1933 season. Interestingly, the years 1869-75 were identified by Davis as the Pioneer Period; the years 1876-93 were called the Period of the American Intercollegiate Football Association, and the years 1894-1933 were referred to as the Period of Rules Committees and Conferences. He also coached at Wisconsin, Amherst and Lafayette.

Poling System (1935-84), a mathematical rating system for college football teams developed by Richard Poling from Mansfield, Ohio, a former football player at Ohio Wesleyan. Poling's football ratings were published annually in the Football Review Supplement and in various newspapers. Predated national champions from 1924-34.

Sagarin Ratings (1978-present), a mathematical rating system developed by Jeff Sagarin of Bloomington, Indiana, a 1970 MIT mathematics graduate. Runs annually in USA Today newspaper. Predated national champions from 1938 and 1956-1977.

Seattle Times (1997-present), a mathematical rating system developed by Jeff Anderson and Chris Hester. Runs weekly in The Seattle Times. Published since 1993. More information can be found at www.seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sports/.

Sporting News (1975-present), voted on annually by the staff of this St. Louis-based nationally circulated sports publication. More information can be found at www.sportingnews.com.

United Press International (1950-90, 1993-95), in 1950, the United Press news service began its poll of football coaches (replaced as coaches' poll after 1990 season). When the United Press merged with the International News Service in 1958, it became known as United Press International. The weekly UPI rankings were featured in newspapers and on radio and television nationwide. UPI and the National Football Foundation formed a coalition for 1991 and 1992 to name the MacArthur Bowl national champion. Returned to single poll in 1994-95.

USA TODAY/Cable News Network and ESPN (1982-1996; 1997-present), introduced a weekly poll of sportswriters in 1982 and ranked the top 25 teams in the nation with a point system. The poll results were featured in USA Today, a national newspaper, and on the Cable News Network, a national cable television network. Took over as the coaches' poll in 1991. USA Today also formed a coalition with the National Football Foundation in 1993 to name the MacArthur Bowl national champion. Combined with ESPN in 1997 to distribute the coaches' poll nationally. More information can be found at www.usatoday.com, sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/college/ or sports.espn.go.com/ncf/index.

Williamson System (1932-63), a power rating system chosen by Paul Williamson of New Orleans, Louisiana, a geologist and member of the Sugar Bowl committee .

Wolfe (1992-present), a mathmatically based power rating matrix developed by Peter Wolfe and Ross Baker. Member of the 2002 BCS.