What is a college football “top 25”? Why 25 teams?
The Associated Press has been ranking college football teams since 1936, and it wasn’t until 1989 that they even ranked 25 teams. For much of its existence, the AP ranked 20 teams...except for that weird little seven year gap from 1961 to 1967 where they ranked 10...the ‘60’s were experimental for all it seems.
The AP Poll is comprised of 63 voters, all being sportswriters and broadcasters from across the country, and their importance and influence on college football had been as powerful and influential as anyone’s.