The McComas Power Index for 1978 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 | Penn State | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0.9311 | 0.5686 (30) | Eastern Independent |
| 2 | Southern California | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0.9170 | 0.6497 (2) | Pac 10 |
| 3 | Alabama | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0.8863 | 0.6224 (6) | SEC |
| 4 | Oklahoma | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0.8803 | 0.5594 (36) | Big 8 |
| 5 | Clemson | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0.8194 | 0.5057 (75) | ACC |
| 6 | Ball State | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0.7998 | 0.4592 (100) | MAC |
| 7 | Nebraska | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0.7894 | 0.6079 (7) | Big 8 |
| 8 | Notre Dame | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0.7577 | 0.6559 (1) | Eastern Independent |
| 9 | Michigan | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0.7546 | 0.5295 (56) | Big Ten |
| 10 | Arkansas | 9 | 2 | 1 | 0.7479 | 0.5343 (53) | SWC |
| 11 | Georgia | 9 | 2 | 1 | 0.7360 | 0.5246 (59) | SEC |
| 12 | Tulsa | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0.7333 | 0.4893 (86) | MVC |
| 13 | East Carolina | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0.7222 | 0.4877 (88) | South/West Independent |
| 14 | North Texas | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0.7151 | 0.4960 (82) | South/West Independent |
| 15 | Purdue | 9 | 2 | 1 | 0.7125 | 0.4698 (95) | Big Ten |
| 16 | Texas | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0.7101 | 0.5914 (13) | SWC |
| 17 | UCLA | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0.7095 | 0.5277 (58) | Pac 10 |
| 18 | Maryland | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0.7093 | 0.5405 (49) | ACC |
| 19 | Arizona State | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0.7088 | 0.5174 (65) | Pac 10 |
| 20 | Central Michigan | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0.7071 | 0.4191 (116) | MAC |
| 21 | Houston | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0.7001 | 0.5743 (24) | SWC |
| 22 | North Carolina State | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0.6995 | 0.5381 (50) | ACC |
| 23 | Miami (Ohio) | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0.6902 | 0.4296 (114) | MAC |
| 24 | Brown | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0.6872 | 0.4947 (83) | Ivy |
| 25 | Rutgers | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0.6853 | 0.4479 (106) | Eastern Independent |
| 26 | Stanford | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0.6848 | 0.6075 (8) | Pac 10 |
| 27 | Navy | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0.6835 | 0.4338 (113) | Eastern Independent |
| 28 | Furman | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0.6757 | 0.3157 (135) | Southern |
| 29 | Missouri | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0.6756 | 0.6014 (10) | Big 8 |
| 30 | Dartmouth | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0.6639 | 0.4973 (81) | Ivy |
| 31 | Yale | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0.6639 | 0.5102 (73) | Ivy |
| 32 | Texas Tech | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0.6592 | 0.5739 (25) | SWC |
| 33 | Florida State | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0.6582 | 0.5374 (51) | South/West Independent |
| 34 | Michigan State | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0.6533 | 0.5187 (63) | Big Ten |
| 35 | Iowa State | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0.6427 | 0.5124 (72) | Big 8 |
| 36 | Brigham Young | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0.6409 | 0.4988 (79) | WAC |
| 37 | Louisiana State | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0.6399 | 0.5091 (74) | SEC |
| 38 | Southern Mississippi | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0.6388 | 0.5656 (32) | South/West Independent |
| 39 | Temple | 7 | 3 | 1 | 0.6357 | 0.4175 (117) | Eastern Independent |
| 40 | Tennessee-Chattanooga | 7 | 3 | 1 | 0.6319 | 0.3418 (132) | Southern |
| 41 | Utah | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0.6248 | 0.3870 (123) | WAC |
| 42 | Pittsburgh | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0.6217 | 0.5449 (43) | Eastern Independent |
| 43 | Washington | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0.6110 | 0.5679 (31) | Pac 10 |
| 44 | Arkansas State | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0.6074 | 0.5134 (70) | Southland |
| 45 | Texas A&M | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0.6072 | 0.4900 (85) | SWC |
| 46 | Louisville | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0.5900 | 0.4402 (111) | South/West Independent |
| 47 | Western Michigan | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0.5861 | 0.4464 (108) | MAC |
| 48 | Georgia Tech | 7 | 5 | 0 | 0.5826 | 0.5473 (40) | South/West Independent |
| 49 | Ohio State | 7 | 4 | 1 | 0.5821 | 0.5217 (61) | Big Ten |
| 50 | Cornell | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0.5807 | 0.4743 (92) | Ivy |
| 51 | McNeese State | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0.5807 | 0.4192 (115) | Southland |
| 52 | Appalachian State | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0.5784 | 0.3829 (124) | Southern |
| 53 | Utah State | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0.5754 | 0.3988 (120) | PCAA |
| 54 | Nevada-Las Vegas | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0.5696 | 0.3308 (134) | South/West Independent |
| 55 | Holy Cross | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0.5685 | 0.3021 (137) | Eastern Independent |
| 56 | Western Carolina | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.5609 | 0.3513 (130) | Southern |
| 57 | Colorado | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.5554 | 0.5219 (60) | Big 8 |
| 58 | Auburn | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0.5512 | 0.5148 (68) | SEC |
| 59 | Hawaii | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.5377 | 0.5445 (45) | South/West Independent |
| 60 | Mississippi State | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.5340 | 0.5913 (14) | SEC |
| 61 | Louisiana Tech | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.5305 | 0.5730 (26) | Southland |
| 62 | Louisiana-Monroe | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0.5298 | 0.4153 (118) | South/West Independent |
| 63 | Harvard | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0.5172 | 0.4814 (90) | Ivy |
| 64 | Southern Illinois | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0.5171 | 0.3792 (125) | MVC |
| 65 | Miami (Florida) | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.5135 | 0.5182 (64) | South/West Independent |
| 66 | South Carolina | 5 | 5 | 1 | 0.5128 | 0.5420 (47) | South/West Independent |
| 67 | San Jose State | 7 | 5 | 0 | 0.5113 | 0.3377 (133) | PCAA |
| 68 | California | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.5094 | 0.5751 (23) | Pac 10 |
| 69 | New Mexico | 7 | 5 | 0 | 0.5076 | 0.4890 (87) | WAC |
| 70 | New Mexico State | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.4996 | 0.4797 (91) | MVC |
| 71 | William & Mary | 5 | 5 | 1 | 0.4940 | 0.4405 (110) | South/West Independent |
| 72 | Wisconsin | 5 | 4 | 2 | 0.4850 | 0.4612 (98) | Big Ten |
| 73 | Tennessee | 5 | 5 | 1 | 0.4827 | 0.5448 (44) | SEC |
| 74 | Citadel | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4746 | 0.4084 (119) | Southern |
| 75 | Arizona | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4685 | 0.5373 (52) | Pac 10 |
| 76 | Mississippi | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4616 | 0.5470 (41) | SEC |
| 77 | Columbia | 3 | 5 | 1 | 0.4532 | 0.5337 (54) | Ivy |
| 78 | Cincinnati | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4525 | 0.5607 (34) | Eastern Independent |
| 79 | Southern Methodist | 4 | 6 | 1 | 0.4521 | 0.5964 (11) | SWC |
| 80 | Memphis | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.4468 | 0.5469 (42) | South/West Independent |
| 81 | Kansas State | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.4458 | 0.5837 (16) | Big 8 |
| 82 | Texas-Arlington | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4385 | 0.5136 (69) | Southland |
| 83 | North Carolina | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4337 | 0.5694 (29) | ACC |
| 84 | Florida | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.4209 | 0.6028 (9) | SEC |
| 85 | Northern Illinois | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4206 | 0.4497 (104) | MAC |
| 86 | Northwestern State | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4166 | 0.3762 (127) | South/West Independent |
| 87 | Villanova | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4161 | 0.3663 (129) | Eastern Independent |
| 88 | Kentucky | 4 | 6 | 1 | 0.4096 | 0.5565 (37) | SEC |
| 89 | Tulane | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.4064 | 0.5041 (77) | South/West Independent |
| 90 | Princeton | 2 | 5 | 2 | 0.4033 | 0.5702 (28) | Ivy |
| 91 | Minnesota | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4025 | 0.4667 (97) | Big Ten |
| 92 | Drake | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.4011 | 0.5214 (62) | MVC |
| 93 | Duke | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.3991 | 0.5820 (18) | ACC |
| 94 | Wyoming | 5 | 7 | 0 | 0.3972 | 0.5023 (78) | WAC |
| 95 | Long Beach State | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.3953 | 0.3739 (128) | PCAA |
| 96 | Colorado State | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.3919 | 0.4492 (105) | WAC |
| 97 | Indiana | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.3894 | 0.5296 (55) | Big Ten |
| 98 | Bowling Green State | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.3798 | 0.4862 (89) | MAC |
| 99 | Army | 4 | 6 | 1 | 0.3788 | 0.3908 (122) | Eastern Independent |
| 100 | Wichita State | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.3747 | 0.4502 (103) | MVC |
| 101 | Kent | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.3736 | 0.4599 (99) | MAC |
| 102 | Oregon State | 3 | 7 | 1 | 0.3697 | 0.5933 (12) | Pac 10 |
| 103 | Richmond | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.3660 | 0.5159 (67) | South/West Independent |
| 104 | Fullerton State | 5 | 7 | 0 | 0.3654 | 0.2460 (138) | PCAA |
| 105 | Pennsylvania | 2 | 6 | 1 | 0.3654 | 0.4673 (96) | Ivy |
| 106 | Oklahoma State | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.3653 | 0.6350 (4) | Big 8 |
| 107 | Virginia Tech | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.3552 | 0.5281 (57) | South/West Independent |
| 108 | San Diego State | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.3547 | 0.4714 (94) | WAC |
| 109 | Washington State | 3 | 7 | 1 | 0.3499 | 0.5056 (76) | Pac 10 |
| 110 | Pacific | 4 | 8 | 0 | 0.3433 | 0.4544 (101) | PCAA |
| 111 | Baylor | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.3377 | 0.5881 (15) | SWC |
| 112 | Syracuse | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.3370 | 0.5752 (22) | Eastern Independent |
| 113 | Eastern Michigan | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0.3226 | 0.3772 (126) | MAC |
| 114 | West Texas A&M | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.3148 | 0.5126 (71) | MVC |
| 115 | Virginia Military Institute | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.3135 | 0.4399 (112) | Southern |
| 116 | Rice | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0.3067 | 0.6304 (5) | SWC |
| 117 | Louisiana-Lafayette | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.3050 | 0.5409 (48) | Southland |
| 118 | Indiana State | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.2881 | 0.4420 (109) | MVC |
| 119 | Ohio | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.2851 | 0.5169 (66) | MAC |
| 120 | Fresno State | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.2801 | 0.3104 (136) | PCAA |
| 121 | Colgate | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.2789 | 0.3489 (131) | Eastern Independent |
| 122 | Texas Christian | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0.2689 | 0.5827 (17) | SWC |
| 123 | Lamar | 2 | 8 | 1 | 0.2679 | 0.4477 (107) | Southland |
| 124 | Illinois | 1 | 8 | 2 | 0.2659 | 0.5564 (38) | Big Ten |
| 125 | Virginia | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0.2635 | 0.4975 (80) | ACC |
| 126 | Oregon | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0.2627 | 0.5613 (33) | Pac 10 |
| 127 | Air Force | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.2590 | 0.4508 (102) | South/West Independent |
| 128 | Vanderbilt | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0.2464 | 0.5774 (20) | SEC |
| 129 | Iowa | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0.2412 | 0.5599 (35) | Big Ten |
| 130 | Toledo | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0.2400 | 0.4941 (84) | MAC |
| 131 | Illinois State | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0.2241 | 0.3912 (121) | Eastern Independent |
| 132 | West Virginia | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0.2208 | 0.5709 (27) | Eastern Independent |
| 133 | Kansas | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0.2116 | 0.6440 (3) | Big 8 |
| 134 | Marshall | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0.1791 | 0.5763 (21) | Southern |
| 135 | Wake Forest | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0.1714 | 0.5804 (19) | ACC |
| 136 | Texas-El Paso | 1 | 11 | 0 | 0.1597 | 0.5435 (46) | WAC |
| 137 | Northwestern | 0 | 10 | 1 | 0.1545 | 0.5490 (39) | Big Ten |
| 138 | Boston College | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0.0814 | 0.4730 (93) | Eastern Independent |