The McComas Power Index for 1971 NCAA Football. These ratings were lasted updated on June 16, 2011, 5:56 p.m.
| Rank | Team | W | L | T | MPI | Sched (Rk) | Conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nebraska | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0.9801 | 0.6074 (16) | Big 8 |
| 2 | Alabama | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0.8954 | 0.6565 (2) | SEC |
| 3 | Toledo | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0.8852 | 0.4961 (80) | MAC |
| 4 | Oklahoma | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0.8814 | 0.6090 (15) | Big 8 |
| 5 | Georgia | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0.8561 | 0.5429 (42) | SEC |
| 6 | Colorado | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0.8256 | 0.6329 (4) | Big 8 |
| 7 | Penn State | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0.8201 | 0.4980 (78) | Eastern Independent |
| 8 | Arizona State | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0.8198 | 0.5146 (62) | WAC |
| 9 | Michigan | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0.8070 | 0.4597 (100) | Big Ten |
| 10 | Dartmouth | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0.7910 | 0.4343 (107) | Ivy |
| 11 | Boston College | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0.7721 | 0.4679 (94) | Eastern Independent |
| 12 | Auburn | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0.7707 | 0.5984 (17) | SEC |
| 13 | Tennessee | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0.7703 | 0.5675 (28) | SEC |
| 14 | Mississippi | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0.7688 | 0.5717 (25) | SEC |
| 15 | Cornell | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0.7535 | 0.4944 (82) | Ivy |
| 16 | Houston | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0.7463 | 0.5853 (23) | South/West Independent |
| 17 | Louisiana State | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0.7456 | 0.5680 (27) | SEC |
| 18 | Stanford | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0.7371 | 0.5526 (35) | Pac 8 |
| 19 | North Carolina | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0.7087 | 0.5023 (74) | ACC |
| 20 | Notre Dame | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0.7042 | 0.5346 (49) | Eastern Independent |
| 21 | Washington | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0.6844 | 0.5216 (57) | Pac 8 |
| 22 | Miami (Ohio) | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0.6819 | 0.4992 (76) | MAC |
| 23 | Texas | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0.6639 | 0.5330 (52) | SWC |
| 24 | Utah State | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0.6580 | 0.4904 (84) | South/West Independent |
| 25 | Idaho | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0.6514 | 0.2656 (124) | South/West Independent |
| 26 | Florida State | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0.6511 | 0.5148 (61) | South/West Independent |
| 27 | Iowa State | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0.6488 | 0.6250 (8) | Big 8 |
| 28 | Arkansas | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0.6441 | 0.4829 (90) | SWC |
| 29 | Temple | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0.6432 | 0.3138 (120) | Eastern Independent |
| 30 | Northwestern | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0.6422 | 0.4978 (79) | Big Ten |
| 31 | Southern California | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0.6286 | 0.6308 (5) | Pac 8 |
| 32 | Citadel | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0.6208 | 0.2467 (125) | Southern |
| 33 | Western Michigan | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0.6183 | 0.4310 (108) | MAC |
| 34 | West Virginia | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0.6159 | 0.5462 (40) | Eastern Independent |
| 35 | Long Beach State | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0.6149 | 0.4153 (111) | PCAA |
| 36 | Cincinnati | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0.6007 | 0.4779 (93) | Eastern Independent |
| 37 | Columbia | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0.5954 | 0.4514 (101) | Ivy |
| 38 | Hawaii | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0.5934 | 0.3526 (115) | South/West Independent |
| 39 | Ohio State | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0.5767 | 0.5397 (44) | Big Ten |
| 40 | Louisville | 6 | 3 | 1 | 0.5699 | 0.4289 (109) | MVC |
| 41 | California | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.5659 | 0.5900 (21) | Pac 8 |
| 42 | New Mexico | 6 | 3 | 2 | 0.5653 | 0.5237 (56) | WAC |
| 43 | Air Force | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0.5567 | 0.5570 (31) | South/West Independent |
| 44 | Drake | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0.5548 | 0.2182 (127) | MVC |
| 45 | Villanova | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0.5511 | 0.4408 (105) | Eastern Independent |
| 46 | South Carolina | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.5471 | 0.5424 (43) | ACC |
| 47 | Colgate | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0.5452 | 0.2899 (122) | Eastern Independent |
| 48 | Bowling Green State | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0.5406 | 0.4887 (85) | MAC |
| 49 | Harvard | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0.5396 | 0.4622 (97) | Ivy |
| 50 | Georgia Tech | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0.5395 | 0.6251 (7) | South/West Independent |
| 51 | Michigan State | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.5383 | 0.5303 (53) | Big Ten |
| 52 | Texas Christian | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0.5363 | 0.5094 (68) | SWC |
| 53 | Duke | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.5324 | 0.5336 (50) | ACC |
| 54 | Army | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0.5300 | 0.5007 (75) | Eastern Independent |
| 55 | Southern Mississippi | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.5292 | 0.5061 (72) | South/West Independent |
| 56 | Kansas State | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.5277 | 0.6121 (12) | Big 8 |
| 57 | Wake Forest | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.5238 | 0.4450 (103) | ACC |
| 58 | Oregon | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.5227 | 0.6199 (9) | Pac 8 |
| 59 | San Diego State | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.5155 | 0.5135 (67) | PCAA |
| 60 | Tampa | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.5081 | 0.3982 (113) | South/West Independent |
| 61 | Ohio | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0.5049 | 0.5247 (55) | MAC |
| 62 | Fresno State | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.4987 | 0.2773 (123) | PCAA |
| 63 | Oregon State | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4981 | 0.5872 (22) | Pac 8 |
| 64 | Syracuse | 5 | 5 | 1 | 0.4898 | 0.5152 (60) | Eastern Independent |
| 65 | Richmond | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4874 | 0.5546 (33) | Southern |
| 66 | Northern Illinois | 5 | 5 | 1 | 0.4748 | 0.4651 (95) | Eastern Independent |
| 67 | Clemson | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4629 | 0.5436 (41) | ACC |
| 68 | Illinois | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4622 | 0.5545 (34) | Big Ten |
| 69 | Memphis | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4592 | 0.5700 (26) | MVC |
| 70 | Dayton | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4585 | 0.4635 (96) | Eastern Independent |
| 71 | Oklahoma State | 4 | 6 | 1 | 0.4577 | 0.6102 (14) | Big 8 |
| 72 | Vanderbilt | 4 | 6 | 1 | 0.4567 | 0.5664 (29) | SEC |
| 73 | Yale | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0.4560 | 0.4851 (88) | Ivy |
| 74 | New Mexico State | 5 | 5 | 1 | 0.4551 | 0.4484 (102) | South/West Independent |
| 75 | San Jose State | 5 | 6 | 1 | 0.4547 | 0.5904 (20) | PCAA |
| 76 | William & Mary | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4545 | 0.4882 (86) | Southern |
| 77 | Brigham Young | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4535 | 0.4983 (77) | WAC |
| 78 | Princeton | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0.4451 | 0.5286 (54) | Ivy |
| 79 | Furman | 5 | 5 | 1 | 0.4444 | 0.1980 (128) | Southern |
| 80 | Wyoming | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4435 | 0.5141 (64) | WAC |
| 81 | Texas A&M | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4417 | 0.5521 (37) | SWC |
| 82 | Arizona | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4392 | 0.5043 (73) | WAC |
| 83 | East Carolina | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0.4346 | 0.5366 (46) | Southern |
| 84 | Texas-El Paso | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4289 | 0.4805 (92) | WAC |
| 85 | Holy Cross | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0.4231 | 0.3818 (114) | Eastern Independent |
| 86 | Florida | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.4217 | 0.6193 (10) | SEC |
| 87 | Washington State | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.4215 | 0.5351 (48) | Pac 8 |
| 88 | Kansas | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.4212 | 0.5912 (19) | Big 8 |
| 89 | Wisconsin | 4 | 6 | 1 | 0.4115 | 0.4923 (83) | Big Ten |
| 90 | Southern Methodist | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.4105 | 0.5144 (63) | SWC |
| 91 | Texas Tech | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.3957 | 0.5135 (66) | SWC |
| 92 | Miami (Florida) | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.3921 | 0.5572 (30) | South/West Independent |
| 93 | Minnesota | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.3841 | 0.5364 (47) | Big Ten |
| 94 | Rutgers | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.3811 | 0.3292 (117) | Eastern Independent |
| 95 | UCLA | 2 | 7 | 1 | 0.3773 | 0.6109 (13) | Pac 8 |
| 96 | Navy | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.3727 | 0.5977 (18) | Eastern Independent |
| 97 | Tulsa | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.3687 | 0.5331 (51) | MVC |
| 98 | Pittsburgh | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.3650 | 0.6260 (6) | Eastern Independent |
| 99 | Virginia Tech | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.3584 | 0.4820 (91) | South/West Independent |
| 100 | Rice | 3 | 7 | 1 | 0.3578 | 0.5482 (39) | SWC |
| 101 | Santa Barbara | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.3476 | 0.4095 (112) | PCAA |
| 102 | Tulane | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.3426 | 0.5834 (24) | South/West Independent |
| 103 | Pacific | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.3328 | 0.5213 (58) | PCAA |
| 104 | Kentucky | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.3296 | 0.6126 (11) | SEC |
| 105 | North Texas | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.3212 | 0.4404 (106) | MVC |
| 106 | Kent | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.3201 | 0.5486 (38) | MAC |
| 107 | North Carolina State | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.3184 | 0.5086 (69) | ACC |
| 108 | Purdue | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0.3114 | 0.5394 (45) | Big Ten |
| 109 | Mississippi State | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0.3098 | 0.6475 (3) | SEC |
| 110 | Utah | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.2993 | 0.5553 (32) | WAC |
| 111 | Virginia | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.2936 | 0.5140 (65) | ACC |
| 112 | Indiana | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.2935 | 0.4598 (99) | Big Ten |
| 113 | Pennsylvania | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0.2851 | 0.4435 (104) | Ivy |
| 114 | Colorado State | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.2806 | 0.5068 (71) | WAC |
| 115 | Marshall | 2 | 8 | 0 | 0.2705 | 0.4945 (81) | Eastern Independent |
| 116 | Wichita State | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.2628 | 0.3258 (118) | MVC |
| 117 | Tennessee-Chattanooga | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0.2576 | 0.3244 (119) | South/West Independent |
| 118 | Texas-Arlington | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0.2525 | 0.3084 (121) | South/West Independent |
| 119 | Missouri | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0.2500 | 0.6641 (1) | Big 8 |
| 120 | Maryland | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0.2308 | 0.5073 (70) | ACC |
| 121 | West Texas A&M | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0.2174 | 0.4198 (110) | MVC |
| 122 | Los Angeles State | 2 | 8 | 0 | 0.2101 | 0.2353 (126) | PCAA |
| 123 | Davidson | 1 | 9 | 0 | 0.1923 | 0.3378 (116) | Southern |
| 124 | Iowa | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0.1682 | 0.5522 (36) | Big Ten |
| 125 | Xavier | 1 | 9 | 0 | 0.1621 | 0.4840 (89) | Eastern Independent |
| 126 | Baylor | 1 | 9 | 0 | 0.1468 | 0.4855 (87) | SWC |
| 127 | Brown | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0.1420 | 0.5200 (59) | Ivy |
| 128 | Virginia Military Institute | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0.1143 | 0.4610 (98) | Southern |