The McComas Power Index for 1988 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 | Notre Dame | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0.9412 | 0.5680 (18) | Eastern Independent |
| 2 | Miami (Florida) | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0.8860 | 0.5948 (11) | South/West Independent |
| 3 | Florida State | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0.8600 | 0.5595 (22) | South/West Independent |
| 4 | Southern California | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0.8523 | 0.6172 (3) | Pac 10 |
| 5 | West Virginia | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0.8243 | 0.5001 (54) | Eastern Independent |
| 6 | UCLA | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0.8032 | 0.5853 (15) | Pac 10 |
| 7 | Syracuse | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0.7930 | 0.4917 (62) | Eastern Independent |
| 8 | Nebraska | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0.7916 | 0.5164 (45) | Big 8 |
| 9 | Clemson | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0.7790 | 0.5171 (42) | ACC |
| 10 | Wyoming | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0.7716 | 0.5245 (38) | WAC |
| 11 | Auburn | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0.7632 | 0.5363 (35) | SEC |
| 12 | Michigan | 9 | 2 | 1 | 0.7605 | 0.5668 (20) | Big Ten |
| 13 | Arkansas | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0.7558 | 0.5052 (51) | SWC |
| 14 | Southern Mississippi | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0.7409 | 0.4974 (57) | South/West Independent |
| 15 | Oklahoma State | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0.7304 | 0.4667 (69) | Big 8 |
| 16 | Washington State | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0.7247 | 0.5521 (25) | Pac 10 |
| 17 | Fresno State | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0.7224 | 0.3434 (103) | Big West |
| 18 | Alabama | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0.7068 | 0.5248 (37) | SEC |
| 19 | Georgia | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0.7027 | 0.4464 (82) | SEC |
| 20 | Western Michigan | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0.6852 | 0.4463 (83) | MAC |
| 21 | Hawaii | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0.6802 | 0.4650 (70) | WAC |
| 22 | Houston | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0.6782 | 0.5030 (52) | SWC |
| 23 | Oklahoma | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0.6749 | 0.5169 (43) | Big 8 |
| 24 | Brigham Young | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0.6701 | 0.5055 (50) | WAC |
| 25 | Ball State | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0.6699 | 0.4053 (98) | MAC |
| 26 | Texas-El Paso | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0.6627 | 0.4037 (99) | WAC |
| 27 | Army | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0.6558 | 0.3126 (105) | Eastern Independent |
| 28 | North Carolina State | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0.6542 | 0.4585 (74) | ACC |
| 29 | Arizona | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0.6418 | 0.6269 (2) | Pac 10 |
| 30 | Indiana | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0.6349 | 0.4595 (72) | Big Ten |
| 31 | Louisiana State | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0.6347 | 0.5879 (14) | SEC |
| 32 | Louisville | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0.6281 | 0.4587 (73) | South/West Independent |
| 33 | South Carolina | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0.6268 | 0.4552 (79) | South/West Independent |
| 34 | Texas A&M | 7 | 5 | 0 | 0.6101 | 0.5672 (19) | SWC |
| 35 | Duke | 7 | 3 | 1 | 0.6011 | 0.4456 (84) | ACC |
| 36 | Virginia | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0.5992 | 0.4831 (64) | ACC |
| 37 | Northern Illinois | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0.5946 | 0.3172 (104) | Eastern Independent |
| 38 | Eastern Michigan | 6 | 3 | 1 | 0.5925 | 0.4559 (78) | MAC |
| 39 | Colorado | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0.5803 | 0.4970 (59) | Big 8 |
| 40 | Central Michigan | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0.5789 | 0.4420 (85) | MAC |
| 41 | Florida | 7 | 5 | 0 | 0.5695 | 0.4811 (66) | SEC |
| 42 | Washington | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.5521 | 0.5894 (13) | Pac 10 |
| 43 | Illinois | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0.5471 | 0.4979 (56) | Big Ten |
| 44 | Pittsburgh | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.5392 | 0.5397 (33) | Eastern Independent |
| 45 | Arizona State | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.5376 | 0.5352 (36) | Pac 10 |
| 46 | Iowa | 6 | 4 | 3 | 0.5238 | 0.4672 (68) | Big Ten |
| 47 | Wake Forest | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0.5225 | 0.4255 (91) | ACC |
| 48 | Michigan State | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0.5190 | 0.5752 (17) | Big Ten |
| 49 | Louisiana-Lafayette | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.5126 | 0.4140 (96) | South/West Independent |
| 50 | Memphis | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.5122 | 0.4490 (81) | South/West Independent |
| 51 | Toledo | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.5120 | 0.4197 (93) | MAC |
| 52 | Kentucky | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4996 | 0.5508 (26) | SEC |
| 53 | Oregon | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0.4994 | 0.5431 (32) | Pac 10 |
| 54 | Utah | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.4980 | 0.4596 (71) | WAC |
| 55 | Baylor | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.4908 | 0.4072 (97) | SWC |
| 56 | Penn State | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4861 | 0.6089 (7) | Eastern Independent |
| 57 | Maryland | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4813 | 0.6084 (8) | ACC |
| 58 | California | 5 | 5 | 1 | 0.4807 | 0.5214 (41) | Pac 10 |
| 59 | Rutgers | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4749 | 0.4987 (55) | Eastern Independent |
| 60 | Oregon State | 4 | 6 | 1 | 0.4699 | 0.6159 (4) | Pac 10 |
| 61 | Tennessee | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4657 | 0.5948 (10) | SEC |
| 62 | Tulane | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4533 | 0.4797 (67) | South/West Independent |
| 63 | Texas Tech | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4453 | 0.4581 (75) | SWC |
| 64 | Air Force | 5 | 7 | 0 | 0.4369 | 0.5389 (34) | WAC |
| 65 | Mississippi | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4349 | 0.5086 (48) | SEC |
| 66 | Louisiana Tech | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.4170 | 0.4287 (90) | South/West Independent |
| 67 | Temple | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.4164 | 0.5005 (53) | Eastern Independent |
| 68 | Iowa State | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4110 | 0.4578 (76) | Big 8 |
| 69 | Kent | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4086 | 0.4574 (77) | MAC |
| 70 | Akron | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4068 | 0.3621 (101) | Eastern Independent |
| 71 | Fullerton State | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4008 | 0.4529 (80) | Big West |
| 72 | Ohio | 4 | 6 | 1 | 0.3955 | 0.4379 (87) | MAC |
| 73 | Stanford | 3 | 6 | 2 | 0.3896 | 0.6124 (5) | Pac 10 |
| 74 | Ohio State | 4 | 6 | 1 | 0.3845 | 0.5464 (30) | Big Ten |
| 75 | Boston College | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.3688 | 0.5833 (16) | Eastern Independent |
| 76 | Texas | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.3645 | 0.4827 (65) | SWC |
| 77 | Virginia Tech | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.3563 | 0.6109 (6) | South/West Independent |
| 78 | Texas Christian | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.3559 | 0.5240 (39) | SWC |
| 79 | Purdue | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.3558 | 0.4967 (60) | Big Ten |
| 80 | Tulsa | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.3395 | 0.5536 (23) | South/West Independent |
| 81 | San Diego State | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.3327 | 0.5498 (29) | WAC |
| 82 | Vanderbilt | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.3305 | 0.5534 (24) | SEC |
| 83 | Navy | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.3304 | 0.4248 (92) | Eastern Independent |
| 84 | Missouri | 3 | 7 | 1 | 0.3247 | 0.5610 (21) | Big 8 |
| 85 | Nevada-Las Vegas | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.3229 | 0.4147 (95) | Big West |
| 86 | Utah State | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.3188 | 0.4393 (86) | Big West |
| 87 | East Carolina | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.3161 | 0.5972 (9) | South/West Independent |
| 88 | Georgia Tech | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.3037 | 0.4971 (58) | ACC |
| 89 | Cincinnati | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.2895 | 0.4333 (88) | Eastern Independent |
| 90 | San Jose State | 4 | 8 | 0 | 0.2796 | 0.4320 (89) | Big West |
| 91 | Minnesota | 2 | 7 | 2 | 0.2728 | 0.4892 (63) | Big Ten |
| 92 | Bowling Green State | 2 | 8 | 1 | 0.2662 | 0.4953 (61) | MAC |
| 93 | Northwestern | 2 | 8 | 1 | 0.2639 | 0.5216 (40) | Big Ten |
| 94 | Long Beach State | 3 | 9 | 0 | 0.2454 | 0.4196 (94) | Big West |
| 95 | North Carolina | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0.2381 | 0.6270 (1) | ACC |
| 96 | Pacific | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0.2186 | 0.3532 (102) | Big West |
| 97 | New Mexico | 2 | 10 | 0 | 0.2171 | 0.5070 (49) | WAC |
| 98 | Mississippi State | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0.2005 | 0.5935 (12) | SEC |
| 99 | Wisconsin | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0.1662 | 0.5506 (27) | Big Ten |
| 100 | Miami (Ohio) | 0 | 10 | 1 | 0.1620 | 0.5150 (46) | MAC |
| 101 | Colorado State | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0.1552 | 0.5446 (31) | WAC |
| 102 | Rice | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0.1487 | 0.5502 (28) | SWC |
| 103 | Kansas | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0.1237 | 0.5168 (44) | Big 8 |
| 104 | New Mexico State | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0.0951 | 0.3802 (100) | Big West |
| 105 | Kansas State | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0.0786 | 0.5121 (47) | Big 8 |