Where Notre Dame and USC Football Ranked in the First Ever AP Poll Almost 90 Years Ago

Marquette had a football team?

19. SMU (3-1)

How much were they paying players back then?

18. Tulane (3-0-1)

That was SEC powerhouse Tulane back at that time.

17. Holy Cross (4-0)

The Crusaders have one of the most interesting football pasts in the history of the sport. Seriously, they were a powerhouse until a Hepatitis breakout ruined their 1969 season.

16. Fordham (3-0)

How long ago was 1936? Vince Lombardi starred on this Fordham outfit.

15. Nebraska (2-1)

Overrated as usual.

14. Texas A&M (4-0)

The Aggies were actually living up to the hype for a change.

13. LSU (3-0-1)

Between Tulane and LSU, the SEC used to set up shop in the state of Louisiana.

12. St. Mary's (3-0-1)

Gonzaga's biggest basketball rival hasn't fielded a football team since 1993.

11. Duquense (4-0)

Duquense was unbeaten and fresh off a win over city-rival Pittsburgh when this first poll was released. At least voters made little sense from the very start.

10. Yale (3-0)

Yale was led by eventual Heisman Trophy winner Larry Kelly in that 1936 season. The Bulldogs last appeared in an AP Poll in 1972.

9. Pittsburgh (3-1)

Pitt was fresh off a 7-0 home loss to Duquense that week in 1936, but still ranked two spots ahead of their rival.

8. Washington (3-1)

Washington would go on to win the Pacific Coast Conference (eventually the Pac 8, 10, 12) that season and play in the Rose Bowl.

7. Notre Dame (3-0)

Notre Dame was fresh off putting it on Wisconsin 27-0 when the first AP Poll was released back in 1936.

6. USC (3-0-1) (1)

At least one pollster was making no sense as he voted USC No. 1 in the week following a Trojans scoreless tie against Washington State.

5. Purdue (3-0)

The Boilermakers were fresh off a 35-7 drubbing of Western Conference rival Chicago when it debuted at No. 5 in the AP Poll.

4. Northwestern (3-0)

Northwestern was off to a hot start and would be ranked No. 1 a few weeks later after upsetting then-No. 1 Minnesota.

3. Army (3-0) (1)

The Cadets had just whooped Colgate 32-7 en-route to their high debut ranking.

2. Duke (5-0) (1)

Contrarty to popular belief, long snapping legend Patrick Mannelly did not play for this Duke team, but eventual Major League Baseball and NFL star Ace Parker did.

1. Minnesota (3-0) (32)

This Minnesota team would lose a couple weeks later to Northwestern but run win each game besides that and capture the national championship, one of five the Golden Gophers won from 1934 to 1941.

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