Despite an 11-win season and a nine-game winning streak, plus a conference title and a bowl victory, Northern Illinois did not finish in the top 25 in either of the two final major polls.
In the USA Today Coaches poll, NIU finished this season No. 26, the same as last season. In The Associated Press top 25 poll, the Huskies checked in at No. 28. Both polls are below.
USA Today poll:
The USA Today Top 25 football coaches poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, final records, total points based on 25 points for first place through one point for 25th, and previous ranking:
Record Pts Pvs
1. Alabama (59) 12-1 1,475 2
2. LSU 13-1 1,404 1
3. Oklahoma State 12-1 1,367 3
4. Oregon 12-2 1,290 5
5. Arkansas 11-2 1,188 7
6. Boise State 12-1 1,162 6
7. Stanford 11-2 1,106 4
8. South Carolina 11-2 1,084 9
9. Michigan 11-2 925 12
10. Michigan State 11-3 912 13
11. Wisconsin 11-3 911 8
12. Baylor 10-3 775 16
13. TCU 11-2 710 15
14. Houston 13-1 673 17
15. Oklahoma 10-3 610 19
16. Kansas State 10-3 602 10
17. Virginia Tech 11-3 574 11
18. West Virginia 10-3 554 22
19. Southern Miss 12-2 429 21
20. Georgia 10-4 345 18
21. Cincinnati 10-3 248 24
22. Clemson 10-4 237 14
23. Florida State 9-4 205 25
24. Nebraska 9-4 144 20
25. Brigham Young 10-3 79 NR
Others receiving votes: Northern Illinois 36; Missouri 33; Texas 29; Auburn 28; Rutgers 11; Penn State 10; Texas A&M 5; Virginia 4; Temple 2; Washington 2; Arkansas State 1; Florida 1; Louisiana-Lafayette 1; Mississippi State 1; Notre Dame 1; Ohio 1.
AP top 25
The Top 25 teams in The Associated Press college football poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, final records, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote, and previous ranking:
Record Pts Pv
1. Alabama (55) 12-1 1,495 2
2. LSU (1) 13-1 1,425 1
3. Oklahoma St. (4) 12-1 1,399 3
4. Oregon 12-2 1,250 6
5. Arkansas 11-2 1,198 7
6. Southern Cal 10-2 1,181 5
7. Stanford 11-2 1,167 4
8. Boise St. 12-1 1,127 8
9. South Carolina 11-2 1,013 10
10. Wisconsin 11-3 905 9
11. Michigan St. 11-3 873 12
12. Michigan 11-2 839 13
13. Baylor 10-3 780 15
14. TCU 11-2 653 16
15. Kansas St. 10-3 621 11
16. Oklahoma 10-3 572 19
17. West Virginia 10-3 547 23
18. Houston 13-1 518 20
19. Georgia 10-4 439 18
20. Southern Miss. 12-2 411 22
21. Virginia Tech 11-3 329 17
22. Clemson 10-4 188 14
23. Florida St. 9-4 154 25
24. Nebraska 9-4 143 21
25. Cincinnati 10-3 103 NR
Others receiving votes: BYU 51, Auburn 40, N. Illinois 33, Missouri 23, Texas 15, Rutgers 3, N. Dakota St. 2, Penn St. 2, Virginia 1.
