The McComas Power Index for 1986 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 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0.9388 | 0.5792 (13) | Eastern Independent |
| 2 | Oklahoma | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0.8621 | 0.5551 (29) | Big 8 |
| 3 | Miami (Florida) | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0.8432 | 0.5632 (25) | South/West Independent |
| 4 | Michigan | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0.8006 | 0.5465 (36) | Big Ten |
| 5 | Arizona State | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0.7966 | 0.5306 (42) | Pac 10 |
| 6 | Auburn | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0.7628 | 0.4379 (88) | SEC |
| 7 | Ohio State | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0.7589 | 0.5396 (38) | Big Ten |
| 8 | Alabama | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0.7585 | 0.5937 (8) | SEC |
| 9 | Louisiana State | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0.7573 | 0.6226 (2) | SEC |
| 10 | Nebraska | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0.7525 | 0.5205 (47) | Big 8 |
| 11 | Virginia Tech | 9 | 2 | 1 | 0.7348 | 0.4149 (94) | South/West Independent |
| 12 | San Jose State | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0.7328 | 0.4407 (86) | PCAA |
| 13 | Texas A&M | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0.7280 | 0.5107 (50) | SWC |
| 14 | UCLA | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0.7148 | 0.5968 (7) | Pac 10 |
| 15 | Boston College | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0.7065 | 0.4955 (56) | Eastern Independent |
| 16 | Baylor | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0.6964 | 0.4784 (64) | SWC |
| 17 | Fresno State | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0.6963 | 0.3548 (102) | PCAA |
| 18 | Arkansas | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0.6921 | 0.5334 (40) | SWC |
| 19 | Arizona | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0.6920 | 0.5156 (48) | Pac 10 |
| 20 | Iowa | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0.6919 | 0.4976 (53) | Big Ten |
| 21 | Clemson | 8 | 2 | 2 | 0.6845 | 0.5088 (51) | ACC |
| 22 | Mississippi | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0.6788 | 0.4672 (70) | SEC |
| 23 | San Diego State | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0.6607 | 0.5290 (43) | WAC |
| 24 | Washington | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0.6560 | 0.5765 (16) | Pac 10 |
| 25 | North Carolina State | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0.6533 | 0.4745 (67) | ACC |
| 26 | Florida State | 7 | 4 | 1 | 0.6427 | 0.5656 (23) | South/West Independent |
| 27 | Stanford | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0.6387 | 0.5722 (19) | Pac 10 |
| 28 | Georgia | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0.6192 | 0.5309 (41) | SEC |
| 29 | North Carolina | 7 | 4 | 1 | 0.5986 | 0.5115 (49) | ACC |
| 30 | Toledo | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0.5879 | 0.4339 (91) | MAC |
| 31 | Hawaii | 7 | 5 | 0 | 0.5858 | 0.4915 (57) | WAC |
| 32 | Southern California | 7 | 5 | 0 | 0.5781 | 0.6052 (4) | Pac 10 |
| 33 | Miami (Ohio) | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0.5769 | 0.4869 (59) | MAC |
| 34 | Brigham Young | 8 | 5 | 0 | 0.5742 | 0.4956 (55) | WAC |
| 35 | Tulsa | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0.5733 | 0.3941 (96) | South/West Independent |
| 36 | Temple | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.5713 | 0.5559 (28) | Eastern Independent |
| 37 | Florida | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.5515 | 0.5979 (5) | SEC |
| 38 | Notre Dame | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.5478 | 0.6163 (3) | Eastern Independent |
| 39 | Mississippi State | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.5433 | 0.5288 (44) | SEC |
| 40 | Tennessee | 7 | 5 | 0 | 0.5388 | 0.4910 (58) | SEC |
| 41 | Pittsburgh | 5 | 5 | 1 | 0.5382 | 0.5767 (15) | Eastern Independent |
| 42 | Southern Methodist | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.5345 | 0.5774 (14) | SWC |
| 43 | Iowa State | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.5336 | 0.4724 (68) | Big 8 |
| 44 | Texas Tech | 7 | 5 | 0 | 0.5323 | 0.5340 (39) | SWC |
| 45 | Oklahoma State | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.5205 | 0.4547 (78) | Big 8 |
| 46 | Michigan State | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.5193 | 0.5207 (46) | Big Ten |
| 47 | Rutgers | 5 | 5 | 1 | 0.5190 | 0.5676 (22) | Eastern Independent |
| 48 | Ball State | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.5169 | 0.3827 (99) | MAC |
| 49 | Maryland | 5 | 5 | 1 | 0.5164 | 0.5535 (33) | ACC |
| 50 | Long Beach State | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.5161 | 0.4426 (83) | PCAA |
| 51 | Syracuse | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.5154 | 0.5697 (20) | Eastern Independent |
| 52 | Colorado | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0.5150 | 0.5729 (18) | Big 8 |
| 53 | Air Force | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.5149 | 0.4838 (60) | WAC |
| 54 | Minnesota | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0.4995 | 0.5547 (31) | Big Ten |
| 55 | Louisiana-Lafayette | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.4951 | 0.3003 (105) | South/West Independent |
| 56 | Colorado State | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.4948 | 0.4669 (71) | WAC |
| 57 | Texas | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4934 | 0.5571 (27) | SWC |
| 58 | Army | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.4929 | 0.3761 (100) | Eastern Independent |
| 59 | Nevada-Las Vegas | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.4922 | 0.3509 (103) | PCAA |
| 60 | Eastern Michigan | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.4894 | 0.3577 (101) | MAC |
| 61 | Wyoming | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0.4864 | 0.4838 (61) | WAC |
| 62 | Cincinnati | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4829 | 0.5449 (37) | Eastern Independent |
| 63 | Southern Mississippi | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.4826 | 0.4556 (77) | South/West Independent |
| 64 | Kentucky | 5 | 5 | 1 | 0.4729 | 0.5622 (26) | SEC |
| 65 | Georgia Tech | 5 | 5 | 1 | 0.4706 | 0.4787 (63) | ACC |
| 66 | Indiana | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0.4690 | 0.4799 (62) | Big Ten |
| 67 | Oregon | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4676 | 0.5932 (9) | Pac 10 |
| 68 | Central Michigan | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0.4662 | 0.4265 (92) | MAC |
| 69 | Bowling Green State | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4434 | 0.4669 (72) | MAC |
| 70 | South Carolina | 3 | 6 | 2 | 0.4419 | 0.5643 (24) | South/West Independent |
| 71 | Wake Forest | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4267 | 0.4400 (87) | ACC |
| 72 | Illinois | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.4084 | 0.5551 (30) | Big Ten |
| 73 | Duke | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.4081 | 0.4750 (65) | ACC |
| 74 | Kent | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4064 | 0.4363 (89) | MAC |
| 75 | Rice | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.4027 | 0.4497 (79) | SWC |
| 76 | West Virginia | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.3993 | 0.5825 (11) | Eastern Independent |
| 77 | Northwestern | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.3799 | 0.4619 (74) | Big Ten |
| 78 | Tulane | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.3691 | 0.4624 (73) | South/West Independent |
| 79 | Washington State | 3 | 7 | 1 | 0.3651 | 0.5970 (6) | Pac 10 |
| 80 | Pacific | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.3359 | 0.3962 (95) | PCAA |
| 81 | Louisville | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.3226 | 0.4438 (82) | South/West Independent |
| 82 | Virginia | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.3220 | 0.4974 (54) | ACC |
| 83 | New Mexico | 4 | 8 | 0 | 0.3152 | 0.4611 (75) | WAC |
| 84 | Texas-El Paso | 4 | 8 | 0 | 0.3112 | 0.4574 (76) | WAC |
| 85 | Texas Christian | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.3074 | 0.4675 (69) | SWC |
| 86 | Oregon State | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.3054 | 0.5544 (32) | Pac 10 |
| 87 | Purdue | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.3029 | 0.5802 (12) | Big Ten |
| 88 | Western Michigan | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.3006 | 0.4988 (52) | MAC |
| 89 | Utah State | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.3002 | 0.4353 (90) | PCAA |
| 90 | Wichita State | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.2936 | 0.3853 (98) | South/West Independent |
| 91 | Kansas | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.2901 | 0.4424 (84) | Big 8 |
| 92 | Missouri | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.2862 | 0.5227 (45) | Big 8 |
| 93 | Navy | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.2842 | 0.3320 (104) | Eastern Independent |
| 94 | Wisconsin | 3 | 9 | 0 | 0.2784 | 0.5508 (34) | Big Ten |
| 95 | East Carolina | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0.2769 | 0.5748 (17) | South/West Independent |
| 96 | Fullerton State | 3 | 9 | 0 | 0.2613 | 0.3858 (97) | PCAA |
| 97 | Kansas State | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0.2458 | 0.4411 (85) | Big 8 |
| 98 | Northern Illinois | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0.2432 | 0.4746 (66) | Eastern Independent |
| 99 | California | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0.2414 | 0.6278 (1) | Pac 10 |
| 100 | Utah | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0.2291 | 0.5501 (35) | WAC |
| 101 | Houston | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0.1959 | 0.5841 (10) | SWC |
| 102 | Vanderbilt | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0.1607 | 0.5693 (21) | SEC |
| 103 | Memphis | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0.1506 | 0.4470 (80) | South/West Independent |
| 104 | Ohio | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0.1413 | 0.4264 (93) | MAC |
| 105 | New Mexico State | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0.1216 | 0.4459 (81) | PCAA |