The 1934 college football rankings included a poll of leading newspapers conducted by the Associated Press (AP), a poll of 250 sports writers conducted by the committee responsible for awarding the Toledo Cup to the nation's top college football team, and the Boand and Dickinson Systems, mathematical systems operated by William F. Boand and Frank G. Dickinson. The four ranking systems were unanimous in selecting the undefeated Minnesota Golden Gophers as the national champion.
Champions (by ranking) All major rankings (both contemporary and retroactive) have identified either Alabama or Minnesota to have been the season's champion. AP poll: Minnesota Berryman QPRS: Alabama Billingsley Report: Minnesota Boand System: Minnesota College Football Researchers Association: Minnesota Dickinson System: Minnesota Dunkel System: Alabama Helms Athletic Foundation: Minnesota Houlgate System: Alabama Litkenhous Ratings: Minnesota National Championship Foundation: Minnesota Poling System: Alabama Toledo Cup: Minnesota Sagarin Ratings Elo chess method: Minnesota Sagarin Ratings Predictor method: Minnesota Williamson System: Alabama Note: AP poll, Boand System, Dickinson System, Dunkel System, Houlgate System, Litkenhous Ratings, Toledo Cup, and Williamson System were given contemporarily. All other methods were given retroactively.
Associated Press poll In mid-November 1934, the Associated Press published the results of its poll of the country's leading newspapers. The results of the poll were as follows:
Rank Team Points 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 1 Minnesota (8–0) 6355015000000002Stanford (9–1–1)4688.59.516.512.56620123Alabama (10–0)438.55.511.51398744104Pittsburgh (8–1)4201201199221205Princeton (7–1)300.54798678855-1/26Illinois (7–1)183.505238766113-1/27Navy (8–1)18200038968768Colgate (7–1)181.500237106553-1/29Ohio State (7–1)170.5032.54.544724610Syracuse (6–2)130.500022410795-1/211Santa Clara (7–2–1)119004623112312Rice (9–1–1)1060101317651113LSU (7–2–2)52001110163314Army (7–3)44001011232415Temple (7–1–2)210000020132
Toledo Cup The Toledo Cup was based on ballots submitted by a national committee of 250 sports writers. The process was overseen by a committee including Westbrook Pegler, Avery Brundage, Gustavus Kirby, Lynn St. John, Wilbur C. Smith, Stewart Edward White, and Theodore Roosevelt Jr. In preliminary polling in December 1934, the results were as follows:
1. Minnesota (8–0) - 840 points 2. Alabama (10–0) - 361-1/4 points 3. Pittsburgh (8–1) - 281 points 4. Stanford (9–1–1) - 134-1/2 points 5. Ohio State (7–1) - 62 points 6. Temple (7–1–2) - 7 points 7. Colgate (7–1) - 6 points 8. LSU (7–2–2) - 4 points 9. Wisconsin (4–4) - 3 points 10. (tie) Princeton (7–1), Washington (6–1–1) - 1 point each
In final polling in January 1935, the results were as follows:
1. Minnesota - 224 votes 2. Alabama - 23 votes
Boand System The Boand System was a mathematical ranking system developed by William F. Boand and sometimes billed as the "Azzi Ratem" (as I rate 'em) system. Boand typically updated his rankings after the bowl games, but his post-bowl rankings have not been found. His final pre-bowl rankings released in mid-December 1934 were as follows:
1. Minnesota - 150 points 2. Pittsburgh - 147 points 3. Stanford - 137 points 3. Alabama - 137 points 5. Navy - 135 points 6. Ohio State - 132 points 6. Rice - 132 points 8. Temple - 127 points 9. Colgate - 125 points 10. Tennessee - 123 points 11. Columbia - 122 points 12. Tulane - 121 points 13. Illinois - 120 points 13. Texas - 120 points 15. Notre Dame - 118 points 15. LSU - 118 points 17. Washington - 117 points
Dickinson System The Dickinson System was a mathematical rating system devised by University of Illinois economics professor Frank G. Dickinson. For the first time, Professor Dickinson declared a team as national champion even though it did not receive the highest point total in his mathematical calculations. Minnesota qualified under a section of Dickinson's code providing that an undefeated team is ranked above a team it has defeated, regardless of the point standing. Minnesota had defeated Pittsburgh at Pitt Stadium, 13–7. Dickinson's final ratings were as follows:
1. Minnesota (8–0) - 23.51 points 2. Pittsburgh (8–1) - 24.19 points 3. Navy (8–1) - 23.00 points 4. Illinois (7–1) - 22.01 points 5. Rice (9–1–1) - 21.97 points 6. Alabama (10–0) - 21.70 points 7. Columbia (7–1) - 21.67 points 8. Ohio State (7–1) - 21.51 points 9. Colgate (7–1) - 21.06 points 10. Stanford (9–1–1) - 20.34 points 11. Tulane (10–1) - 20.03 points
Houlgate System The Houlgate System rankings for 1934 were as follows:
1. Stanford (9–1–1) - 32.5 2. Navy (8–1) 3. Alabama (10–0) 4. Pittsburgh (8–1) 5. Minnesota (8–0)
See also 1934 College Football All-America Team
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