They're sort of flawed, they don't tell the whole story, and they have way too much influence - college is what you make of it. But they're also the ones everyone who cares about these things live for. They're the U.S. News & World Report rankings of the best colleges , and for our purposes, the rankings of the top national universities. Fine, so Princeton is No. 1, MIT No. 2, and Harvard No. 3. But can they ball like Stanford? There are 134 colleges and universities who play football at the FBS level. From the U.S. News & World Report rankings , how do all of the top football school rankings shake out? Out of the 134, 128 are considered national universities, and six are ranked among the regional schools - those are near the bottom, only because they aren't included in the big overall rankings.
Sep 6, 2024; Evanston, Illinois, USA; Northwestern Wildcats tight end Thomas Gordon (87) gestures after a first down against the Duke Blue Devils during the first half at Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium © David Banks-Imagn Images
U.S. News & World Report Rankings By College Football Schools - All football schools ranked by conference - U.S. News & World Reports Best National University Rankings
134 Jacksonville State Overall National Ranking: NR Conference Ranking: 10 *Ranked 55 as a Regional University
133 Troy Overall National Ranking: NR Conference Ranking: 14 *Ranked 45 as a Regional University
132 Coastal Carolina Overall National Ranking: 416* Conference Ranking: 13 *Ranked 34 as a Regional University
131 San Jose State Overall National Ranking: NR Conference Ranking: 12 *Ranked 4 as a Regional University
130 Appalachian State Overall National Ranking: 414 Conference Ranking: 12 *Ranked 3 as a Regional University
T128 Liberty Overall National Ranking: 413 Conference Ranking: T8
T128 Kennesaw State
Overall National Ranking: 413 Conference Ranking: T8
T123 WKU Overall National Ranking: 377 Conference Ranking: 7
T123 Louisiana Overall National Ranking: 377 Conference Ranking: T10
T123 Eastern Michigan Overall National Ranking: 377 Conference Ranking: T11
T123 Akron Overall National Ranking: 377 Conference Ranking: T11
T123 South Alabama Overall National Ranking: 371 Conference Ranking: T10
122 ULM Overall National Ranking: 352 Conference Ranking: 9
T119 Southern Miss Overall National Ranking: 342 Conference Ranking: T6
T119 Georgia Southern Overall National Ranking: 342 Conference Ranking: T6
T119 Arkansas State Overall National Ranking: 342 Conference Ranking: T6
118 Marshall Overall National Ranking: 315 Conference Ranking: 5
T114 Toledo Overall National Ranking: 296 Conference Ranking: 10
T114 Old Dominion Overall National Ranking: 296 Conference Ranking: 4
T114 Louisiana Tech
Overall National Ranking: 296 Conference Ranking: 6
T114 Boise State Overall National Ranking: 296 Conference Ranking: 11
113 Western Michigan Overall National Ranking: 289 Conference Ranking: 9
T109 Texas State Overall National Ranking: 273 Conference Ranking: 3
T109 Northern Illinois Overall National Ranking: 273 Conference Ranking: T7
T109 Middle Tennessee Overall National Ranking: 273 Conference Ranking: 5
T109 Bowling Green Overall National Ranking: 273 Conference Ranking: T7
T107 UTEP Overall National Ranking: 266 Conference Ranking: 4
T107 Memphis Overall National Ranking: 266 Conference Ranking: 14
T105 Utah State Overall National Ranking: 259 Conference Ranking: 10
T105 Central Michigan Overall National Ranking: 259 Conference Ranking: 6
T103 UNLV Overall National Ranking: 244 Conference Ranking: 9
T103 New Mexico State Overall National Ranking: 244 Conference Ranking: 3
T99 UTSA Overall National Ranking: 231 Conference Ranking: 13
T99 Sam Houston Overall National Ranking: 231 Conference Ranking: 2
T99 New Mexico Overall National Ranking: 231 Conference Ranking: 8
T99 Kent State Overall National Ranking: 231 Conference Ranking: 5
T96 Wyoming Overall National Ranking: 220 Conference Ranking: 7
T96 West Virginia Overall National Ranking: 220 Conference Ranking: 16
T96 North Texas Overall National Ranking: 220 Conference Ranking: 12
T94 Texas Tech Overall National Ranking: 214 Conference Ranking: 15
T94 Mississippi State Overall National Ranking: 214 Conference Ranking: 16
T92 Nevada Overall National Ranking: 204 Conference Ranking: 6
T92 Ball State Overall National Ranking: 204 Conference Ranking: 4
T90 Oklahoma State Overall National Ranking: 196 Conference Ranking: 14
T90 Georgia State Overall National Ranking: 196 Conference Ranking: 2
T86 Washington State Overall National Ranking: 189 Conference Ranking: 5
T86 Florida Atlantic Overall National Ranking: 189 Conference Ranking: T10
T86 East Carolina Overall National Ranking: 189 Conference Ranking: T10
T86 Arkansas Overall National Ranking: 189 Conference Ranking: 15
T81 Tulsa Overall National Ranking: 179 Conference Ranking: 9
T81 Ohio Overall National Ranking: 179 Conference Ranking: 3
T81 LSU Overall National Ranking: 179 Conference Ranking: 14
T81 Louisville Overall National Ranking: 179 Conference Ranking: 17
T81 Fresno State Overall National Ranking: 179 Conference Ranking: 5
T78 Ole Miss Overall National Ranking: 171 Conference Ranking: T12
T78 Hawaii Overall National Ranking: 171 Conference Ranking: 4
T78 Alabama Overall National Ranking: 171 Conference Ranking: T12
77 Kansas State Overall National Ranking: 165 Conference Ranking: 13
T72 Nebraska Overall National Ranking: 152 Conference Ranking: 18
T72 Kentucky Overall National Ranking: 152 Conference Ranking: 11
T72 Kansas Overall National Ranking: 152 Conference Ranking: T11
T72 Cincinnati Overall National Ranking: 152 Conference Ranking: T11
T72 Charlotte Overall National Ranking: 152 Conference Ranking: 8
T68 James Madison Overall National Ranking: 148 Conference Ranking: 1
T68 Colorado State Overall National Ranking: 148 Conference Ranking: 3
T68 Oregon State Overall National Ranking: 144 Conference Ranking: 4
T68 Houston Overall National Ranking: 144 Conference Ranking: 10
T65 Utah Overall National Ranking: 136 Conference Ranking: 9
T65 UAB Overall National Ranking: 136 Conference Ranking: 7
T65 Miami University Overall National Ranking: 136 Conference Ranking: 2
64 Oklahoma Overall National Ranking: 132 Conference Ranking: 10
T60 UCF Overall National Ranking: 121 Conference Ranking: T6
T60 South Carolina Overall National Ranking: 121 Conference Ranking: 9
T60 Iowa State Overall National Ranking: 121 Conference Ranking: T6
T60 Arizona State Overall National Ranking: 121 Conference Ranking: T6
T54 Tennessee Overall National Ranking: 109 Conference Ranking: T7
T54 San Diego State Overall National Ranking: 109 Conference Ranking: 2
T54 Oregon Overall National Ranking: 109 Conference Ranking: 17
T54 Missouri Overall National Ranking: 109 Conference Ranking: T7
T54 BYU Overall National Ranking: 109 Conference Ranking: T4
T54 Arizona Overall National Ranking: 109 Conference Ranking: T4
T52 TCU Overall National Ranking: 105 Conference Ranking: 3
T52 Auburn Overall National Ranking: 105 Conference Ranking: 6
T48 Temple Overall National Ranking: 98 Conference Ranking: 6
T48 Iowa Overall National Ranking: 98 Conference Ranking: 16
T48 FIU Overall National Ranking: 98 Conference Ranking: 1
T48 Colorado Overall National Ranking: 98 Conference Ranking: 2
T45 USF Overall National Ranking: 91 Conference Ranking: 5
T45 SMU Overall National Ranking: 91 Conference Ranking: 16
T45 Baylor Overall National Ranking: 91 Conference Ranking: 1
44 Clemson Overall National Ranking: 80 Conference Ranking: 15
43 Buffalo Overall National Ranking: 76 Conference Ranking: 1
T41 Syracuse Overall National Ranking: 73 Conference Ranking: 14
T41 Indiana Overall National Ranking: 73 Conference Ranking: 15
T39 UConn Overall National Ranking: 70 Conference Ranking: 3
T39 Pitt Overall National Ranking: 70 Conference Ranking: 13
T35 Tulane Overall National Ranking: 63 Conference Ranking: 4
T35 Penn State Overall National Ranking: 63 Conference Ranking: T13
T35 Michigan State Overall National Ranking: 63 Conference Ranking: T13
T35 Miami Overall National Ranking: 63 Conference Ranking: 12
T33 UMass Overall National Ranking: 58 Conference Ranking: 2
T33 NC State Overall National Ranking: 58 Conference Ranking: 11
T31 Minnesota Overall National Ranking: 54 Conference Ranking: 12
T31 Florida State Overall National Ranking: 54 Conference Ranking: 10
T29 Virginia Tech Overall National Ranking: 51 Conference Ranking: 9
T29 Texas A&M Overall National Ranking: 51 Conference Ranking: 5 - All football schools ranked by conference - U.S. News & World Reports Best National University Rankings
T25 Washington Overall National Ranking: 46 Conference Ranking: 11
T25 Wake Forest Overall National Ranking: 46 Conference Ranking: 8
T25 Purdue Overall National Ranking: 46 Conference Ranking: T10
T25 Georgia Overall National Ranking: 46 Conference Ranking: 4
24 Maryland Overall National Ranking: 44 Conference Ranking: 9
T22 Rutgers Overall National Ranking: 41 Conference Ranking: T7
T22 Ohio State Overall National Ranking: 41 Conference Ranking: T7
21 Wisconsin Overall National Ranking: 39 Conference Ranking: 6
20 Boston College Overall National Ranking: 37 Conference Ranking: 7
T18 Illinois Overall National Ranking: 33 Conference Ranking: 5
T18 Georgia Tech Overall National Ranking: 33 Conference Ranking: 6
T16 Texas Overall National Ranking: 30 Conference Ranking: T2
T16 Florida Overall National Ranking: 30 Conference Ranking: T2
T14 USC Overall National Ranking: 27 Conference Ranking: 4
T14 North Carolina Overall National Ranking: 27 Conference Ranking: 5
13 Virginia Overall National Ranking: 24 Conference Ranking: 4
12 Michigan Overall National Ranking: 21 Conference Ranking: 3
T9 Vanderbilt Overall National Ranking: 18 Conference Ranking: 1
T9 Rice Overall National Ranking: 18 Conference Ranking: 3
T9 Notre Dame Overall National Ranking: 18 Conference Ranking: 1
8 Cal Overall National Ranking: 17 Conference Ranking: 3
7 UCLA Overall National Ranking: 15 Conference Ranking: 2
T5 Army Overall National Ranking: 8 Conference Ranking: 2
T5 Air Force Overall National Ranking: 8 Conference Ranking: 1
T3 Northwestern Overall National Ranking: 6 Conference Ranking: 1
T3 Duke Overall National Ranking: 6 Conference Ranking: 2
T1 Stanford Overall National Ranking: 4 Conference Ranking: 1
T1 Navy Overall National Ranking: 4 Conference Ranking: 1
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