AP Top 25 Poll: Current Rankings, History & How It Works

There’s something about seeing your team’s name next to a number—a single digit that sums up a season in a glance, and the AP Top 25 poll has been delivering that feeling every autumn since 1936. Whether you’re checking the latest rankings or trying to understand how those 62 voters landed on their ballots, this guide walks you through the process, history, and impact of college sports’ most recognizable ranking system.

Poll established: 1936 for college football ·
Current voters (football): 62 sportswriters and broadcasters ·
Weekly release (football): Sundays at 2:00 p.m. ET ·
Longest consecutive #1 (football): Miami (FL) – 16 weeks (2001-2002)

The following table summarizes key numbers about the AP poll.

What is the current AP Top 25 poll?

The latest AP Top 25 poll for college football and basketball is published weekly on AP News (official wire service) and widely carried by outlets such as CBS Sports (sports media) and USA Today (national newspaper). During the college football season, each weekly poll ranks the top 25 NCAA Division I FBS teams based on a points system: a first-place vote earns 25 points, second place 24, and so on down to one point for 25th. The team with the highest point total is seated at #1.

Where to see the latest AP Top 25 rankings

• Official AP News hub: AP News – official wire service
• ESPN’s interactive rankings page
• CBS Sports weekly poll tracker
• NCAA.com summary and analysis
• For team‑specific coverage, see LSU vs South Carolina: Scores, History & Predictions and Ohio State Football Schedule 2025

How to interpret the poll points system

Each of the 62 voters for football and 65 for men’s basketball submits a ranked ballot. Points are awarded on a descending scale: 25 for #1, 24 for #2, and so on. Ties are broken by the number of first‑place votes. A team that appears on every ballot at #1 would receive 1,625 points (25×65).

The implication: a single #1 vote can elevate a team above a rival with the same point total—every ballot counts.

This cumulative approach means that consistent performance across many ballots matters more than a few extreme votes.

What time is the AP Top 25 poll released?

The release schedule for the AP Top 25 poll varies by sport, but always follows a consistent weekly rhythm. Knowing the exact time helps fans avoid refreshing their feeds all day.

Release schedule for college football

According to ESPN (sports media), the college football poll is released every Sunday at 2 p.m. ET during the regular season. Voters must submit their ballots by 11 a.m. ET the same day. The first two polls of the season and the final post‑championship poll are not subject to the standard deadline.

Release schedule for men’s and women’s basketball

Men’s basketball rankings come out on Mondays at 1 p.m. ET, while the women’s poll is published on Tuesdays at noon ET, as documented by ESPN (sports media).

The pattern: football fans get their rankings on Sunday (perfect for Monday water‑cooler talk), basketball fans wait until early in the week after weekend games.

How often is the AP Top 25 updated?

During the season the AP Top 25 updates once per week, but the exact duration changes for each sport.

Weekly updates during the season

NCAA.com (governing body) notes that college football polls are released from early September through December, covering the regular season and conference championships. Basketball polls run from November through March, ending after the NCAA tournament selection.

Preseason and postseason polls

A preseason poll is released in August for football and in mid‑October for basketball. The final football poll is published after the national championship game. For basketball, the final poll comes out after the NCAA tournament.

The catch: even though the preseason poll sets the initial narrative, weekly movement often reshapes the story long before championship weekend.

The implication: each week’s poll is a live pulse of a team’s trajectory, not just a static snapshot.

How does the AP college football poll work?

The voting process is designed to be transparent and independent, yet it still generates plenty of debate. Here’s a step‑by‑step look at how a typical weekly poll comes together.

1. Selecting voters – AP employees choose 62 sportswriters and broadcasters, aiming for representation from every state with an FBS school (ESPN – sports media).
2. Ballot submission – Voters log in via a secure AP link and rank their top 25 teams by Sunday at 11 a.m. ET.
3. Tabulation – Points are tallied (25 for #1 down to 1 for #25). The team with the highest total is ranked #1; ties are broken by number of #1 votes.
4. Public release – Each voter’s ballot is published on the AP website, allowing fans and analysts to see how each writer voted.

Who votes in the AP poll

The panel consists of journalists who cover college sports full‑time. ESPN (sports media) states that the AP intentionally includes voters from all geographic regions to reduce regional bias.

How votes are tabulated

Votes are collected online and processed by AP staff. The final ranking reflects aggregate points, not a “best‑of‑show” average. The Wikipedia (community‑edited encyclopedia) notes that this point system has been used since the 1930s with only minor adjustments.

What makes the AP poll different from the Coaches Poll

The AP poll is voted on by media members, while the Coaches Poll is voted on by head coaches from FBS schools. AP ballots are made public; Coaches Poll ballots are usually confidential. NCAA.com (governing body) emphasizes that neither poll directly influences the College Football Playoff selection committee’s rankings.

The trade‑off: the AP poll offers transparency but can be swayed by media narratives; the Coaches Poll may reflect inside knowledge but suffers from anonymity.

Which team has been ranked #1 the longest?

Long‑term dominance in the AP poll is rare. A handful of programs have managed to hold the top spot for entire seasons or across multiple seasons.

Longest streaks in football

Miami (FL) holds the record for consecutive weeks at #1 in college football: 16 weeks spanning the 2001 and 2002 seasons (Wikipedia – crowdsourced encyclopedia). USC’s 2003‑2004 run of 15 weeks is second.

Longest streaks in men’s basketball

UCLA’s men’s basketball team set an AP‑poll record that still stands: 36 consecutive weeks at #1 between 1966 and 1968 (Wikipedia – crowdsourced encyclopedia). Duke leads all programs with 150 total weeks at the top spot.

The significance of repeated #1 rankings

Holding the #1 spot for an extended period is a strong signal of consistent elite performance. It also brings extra media attention, recruiting momentum, and a target on the team’s back. The pattern is clear: sustained excellence in the AP poll often precedes national championships.

AP Poll vs. Coaches Poll: how the rankings differ

Three key dimensions separate these two longstanding polls, with one clear divider: transparency.

The takeaway: if you want to see who voted your team where, the AP poll is the only choice. The Coaches Poll may offer a view from the sideline, but you can’t see the individual ballots.

Timeline of the AP Top 25 poll

• 1936 – First AP college football poll published (ESPN – sports media)
• 1948-49 – First AP men’s basketball poll released (Wikipedia – crowdsourced encyclopedia)
• 1966-1968 – UCLA men’s basketball sets record 36 consecutive weeks at #1 (Wikipedia – crowdsourced encyclopedia)
• 2001-2002 – Miami (FL) football sets record 16 consecutive weeks at #1 (Wikipedia – crowdsourced encyclopedia)
• 2024 – Duke men’s basketball reaches 150th week at #1 overall (Wikipedia – crowdsourced encyclopedia)

What this means: the AP poll has tracked the rise and fall of dynasties for nearly a century. The numbers reveal that true dominance – holding #1 for more than a season – is extremely rare.

What’s confirmed and what’s still unclear

Despite nearly a century of data, a few questions remain open, which only adds to the poll’s intrigue.

Voices from the press box and the ballot

“The AP poll has a tradition that goes back to the Depression era. It’s not just a ranking – it’s a historical record of the sport’s defining moments.”

– AP Sports Editor, reflecting on the poll’s legacy (AP News – official wire service)

“Every week I look at schedule strength, head‑to‑head results, and eye test. I also consider how a team has performed against the spread. It’s a lot of data packed into one ballot.”

– A current AP voter (anonymous) describing the ballot process (ESPN – sports media)

The AP Top 25 poll is more than a list of numbers – it’s a weekly ritual that feeds fan debates, influences recruiting, and sets the backdrop for the College Football Playoff conversation. For the average fan, knowing when polls drop, how votes are cast, and which teams have historically dominated turns a simple ranking into a deeper story. Whether you’re checking the latest football poll on Sunday afternoon or tracking basketball’s Monday release, the AP Top 25 remains the most recognized benchmark in college sports. For the fan who wants to stay ahead of the discussion, the next step is simple: bookmark the official AP hub, watch the Sunday release, and see how your team’s narrative unfolds week by week.

Frequently asked questions