Two human polls comprised the 1962 NCAA University Division football rankings. Unlike most sports, college football's governing body, the NCAA, does not bestow a national championship, instead that title is bestowed by one or more different polling agencies. There are two main weekly polls that begin in the preseason—the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll.
Legend Increase in ranking Decrease in ranking Not ranked previous week National champion Win–loss record Number of first place votes Tied with team above or below also with this symbol
AP Poll The final AP Poll was released on December 4, at the end of the 1962 regular season, weeks before the bowls. The poll ranked only the top ten teams from 1962 through 1967.
Final Coaches Poll The final UPI Coaches Poll was released prior to the bowl games, on USC received 31 of the 35 first-place votes; Wisconsin received two, Ole Miss one, and Texas one. Ranking Team Conference Record Bowl 1 USC AAWU 11–0 Won Rose, 42–37 2 Wisconsin Big Ten 8–2 Lost Rose, 37–42 3 Ole Miss SEC 10–0 Won Sugar, 17–13 4 Texas Southwest 9–1–1 Lost Cotton, 0–13 5 Alabama SEC 10–1 Won Orange, 17–0 6 Arkansas Southwest 9–2 Lost Sugar, 13–17 7 Oklahoma Big Eight 8–3 Lost Orange, 0–17 8 LSU SEC 9–1–1 Won Cotton, 13–0 9 Penn State Independent 9–2 Lost Gator, 7–17 10 Minnesota Big Ten 6–2–1 none 11 Georgia Tech SEC 7–3–1 Lost Bluebonnet, 10–14 12 Missouri Big Eight 8–1–2 Won Bluebonnet, 14–10 13 Ohio State Big Ten 6–3none14 Duke ACC 8–2 Washington AAWU 7–1–216 Northwestern Big Ten 7–2 Oregon State Independent 9–2 Won Liberty, 6–018 Arizona State WAC 7–2–1none Illinois Big Ten 2–7 Miami (FL) Independent 7–4 Lost Gotham, 34–36
Prior to the 1975 season, the Big Ten and AAWU (later Pac-8) conferences allowed only one postseason participant each, for the Rose Bowl.
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