The McComas Power Index for 1997 NCAA Football. These ratings were lasted updated on June 16, 2011, 11:37 p.m.
| Rank | Team | W | L | T | MPI | Sched (Rk) | Conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michigan | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0.9243 | 0.5322 (37) | Big Ten |
| 2 | Nebraska | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0.9184 | 0.5257 (44) | Big 12 |
| 3 | Florida State | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0.8776 | 0.5541 (25) | ACC |
| 4 | Florida | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0.8470 | 0.6162 (5) | SEC |
| 5 | Tennessee | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0.8381 | 0.6410 (1) | SEC |
| 6 | Kansas State | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0.8262 | 0.5154 (50) | Big 12 |
| 7 | North Carolina | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0.8082 | 0.4663 (78) | ACC |
| 8 | UCLA | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0.8012 | 0.5466 (29) | Pac 10 |
| 9 | Georgia | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0.7989 | 0.5793 (15) | SEC |
| 10 | Colorado State | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0.7975 | 0.4662 (79) | WAC |
| 11 | Washington State | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0.7878 | 0.5305 (39) | Pac 10 |
| 12 | Auburn | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0.7785 | 0.6393 (3) | SEC |
| 13 | Marshall | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0.7366 | 0.4353 (98) | MAC |
| 14 | Ohio State | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0.7274 | 0.5288 (40) | Big Ten |
| 15 | Penn State | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0.7244 | 0.5239 (45) | Big Ten |
| 16 | Purdue | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0.7125 | 0.4949 (60) | Big Ten |
| 17 | Southern Mississippi | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0.7124 | 0.4732 (71) | CUSA |
| 18 | Louisiana Tech | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0.7060 | 0.3792 (107) | Independent |
| 19 | Mississippi | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0.7038 | 0.6044 (8) | SEC |
| 20 | Louisiana State | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0.7036 | 0.5347 (35) | SEC |
| 21 | Arizona State | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0.6968 | 0.5063 (54) | Pac 10 |
| 22 | Air Force | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0.6968 | 0.4378 (96) | WAC |
| 23 | Toledo | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0.6965 | 0.4690 (76) | MAC |
| 24 | Miami (Ohio) | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0.6834 | 0.4713 (73) | MAC |
| 25 | Washington | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0.6715 | 0.5984 (9) | Pac 10 |
| 26 | Syracuse | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0.6659 | 0.4783 (67) | Big East |
| 27 | Western Michigan | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0.6516 | 0.4093 (103) | MAC |
| 28 | Ohio | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0.6495 | 0.4208 (101) | MAC |
| 29 | Texas A&M | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0.6453 | 0.4671 (77) | Big 12 |
| 30 | Virginia | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0.6323 | 0.5132 (52) | ACC |
| 31 | Cincinnati | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0.6268 | 0.4350 (99) | CUSA |
| 32 | Wisconsin | 8 | 5 | 0 | 0.6189 | 0.5186 (48) | Big Ten |
| 33 | Mississippi State | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0.6127 | 0.5565 (23) | SEC |
| 34 | Oregon | 7 | 5 | 0 | 0.6064 | 0.5943 (10) | Pac 10 |
| 35 | New Mexico | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0.6043 | 0.4172 (102) | WAC |
| 36 | Oklahoma State | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0.6024 | 0.4496 (89) | Big 12 |
| 37 | Arizona | 7 | 5 | 0 | 0.5945 | 0.5769 (17) | Pac 10 |
| 38 | Georgia Tech | 7 | 5 | 0 | 0.5914 | 0.5529 (26) | ACC |
| 39 | Missouri | 7 | 5 | 0 | 0.5837 | 0.5316 (38) | Big 12 |
| 40 | Southern California | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.5817 | 0.5819 (14) | Pac 10 |
| 41 | West Virginia | 7 | 5 | 0 | 0.5804 | 0.4589 (84) | Big East |
| 42 | Texas Tech | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.5709 | 0.5341 (36) | Big 12 |
| 43 | Navy | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0.5672 | 0.3195 (111) | Independent |
| 44 | Michigan State | 7 | 5 | 0 | 0.5644 | 0.5435 (33) | Big Ten |
| 45 | Virginia Tech | 7 | 5 | 0 | 0.5584 | 0.4833 (63) | Big East |
| 46 | Clemson | 7 | 5 | 0 | 0.5537 | 0.5003 (56) | ACC |
| 47 | Rice | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0.5497 | 0.4531 (85) | WAC |
| 48 | Notre Dame | 7 | 6 | 0 | 0.5459 | 0.5844 (13) | Independent |
| 49 | Iowa | 7 | 5 | 0 | 0.5442 | 0.4455 (92) | Big Ten |
| 50 | Colorado | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.5387 | 0.6283 (4) | Big 12 |
| 51 | North Carolina State | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.5287 | 0.5139 (51) | ACC |
| 52 | Tulane | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0.5248 | 0.4614 (81) | CUSA |
| 53 | Wyoming | 7 | 6 | 0 | 0.5170 | 0.4491 (90) | WAC |
| 54 | Brigham Young | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.5119 | 0.4631 (80) | WAC |
| 55 | Pittsburgh | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0.5073 | 0.4612 (82) | Big East |
| 56 | Central Florida | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.5058 | 0.5212 (47) | Independent |
| 57 | Utah | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.5053 | 0.4276 (100) | WAC |
| 58 | Fresno State | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0.4844 | 0.4483 (91) | WAC |
| 59 | Southern Methodist | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.4832 | 0.4758 (68) | WAC |
| 60 | Utah State | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0.4821 | 0.4353 (97) | Big West |
| 61 | Nevada | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4793 | 0.4986 (57) | Big West |
| 62 | Stanford | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4717 | 0.5876 (12) | Pac 10 |
| 63 | South Carolina | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4658 | 0.6044 (7) | SEC |
| 64 | Kentucky | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4602 | 0.5378 (34) | SEC |
| 65 | Kansas | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4533 | 0.5173 (49) | Big 12 |
| 66 | Northwestern | 5 | 7 | 0 | 0.4482 | 0.5492 (28) | Big Ten |
| 67 | Ball State | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4438 | 0.4381 (95) | MAC |
| 68 | San Diego State | 5 | 7 | 0 | 0.4415 | 0.5436 (31) | WAC |
| 69 | Alabama-Birmingham | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4387 | 0.3426 (109) | Independent |
| 70 | Alabama | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.4352 | 0.6056 (6) | SEC |
| 71 | Arkansas | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.4341 | 0.6403 (2) | SEC |
| 72 | Miami (Florida) | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4241 | 0.4710 (74) | Big East |
| 73 | East Carolina | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4240 | 0.4921 (61) | CUSA |
| 74 | Wake Forest | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4222 | 0.4985 (58) | ACC |
| 75 | Idaho | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.4191 | 0.2860 (112) | Big West |
| 76 | Louisiana-Monroe | 5 | 7 | 0 | 0.4074 | 0.4396 (94) | Independent |
| 77 | Oklahoma | 4 | 8 | 0 | 0.3872 | 0.5221 (46) | Big 12 |
| 78 | San Jose State | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.3707 | 0.4802 (65) | WAC |
| 79 | Texas | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.3688 | 0.5026 (55) | Big 12 |
| 80 | Eastern Michigan | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.3685 | 0.4788 (66) | MAC |
| 81 | Texas-El Paso | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.3666 | 0.4511 (87) | WAC |
| 82 | Memphis | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.3661 | 0.4507 (88) | CUSA |
| 83 | North Texas | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.3573 | 0.3798 (106) | Big West |
| 84 | Boise State | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.3562 | 0.3926 (104) | Big West |
| 85 | Boston College | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.3537 | 0.4822 (64) | Big East |
| 86 | Bowling Green State | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.3410 | 0.5888 (11) | MAC |
| 87 | Vanderbilt | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.3328 | 0.5435 (32) | SEC |
| 88 | Army | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.3318 | 0.3925 (105) | Independent |
| 89 | Temple | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.3173 | 0.4918 (62) | Big East |
| 90 | Houston | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.3170 | 0.4749 (69) | CUSA |
| 91 | California | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.3157 | 0.5791 (16) | Pac 10 |
| 92 | Minnesota | 3 | 9 | 0 | 0.3068 | 0.5259 (42) | Big Ten |
| 93 | Kent | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.3005 | 0.4593 (83) | MAC |
| 94 | Oregon State | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.2921 | 0.5465 (30) | Pac 10 |
| 95 | Akron | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0.2857 | 0.5549 (24) | MAC |
| 96 | Nevada-Las Vegas | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.2719 | 0.4408 (93) | WAC |
| 97 | Indiana | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0.2706 | 0.5707 (19) | Big Ten |
| 98 | Hawaii | 3 | 9 | 0 | 0.2611 | 0.4517 (86) | WAC |
| 99 | Tulsa | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0.2559 | 0.5265 (41) | WAC |
| 100 | Duke | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0.2428 | 0.5496 (27) | ACC |
| 101 | Baylor | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0.2415 | 0.5622 (22) | Big 12 |
| 102 | Arkansas State | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0.2272 | 0.3395 (110) | Independent |
| 103 | Maryland | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0.2218 | 0.5697 (20) | ACC |
| 104 | Iowa State | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0.2123 | 0.5673 (21) | Big 12 |
| 105 | New Mexico State | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0.2058 | 0.3683 (108) | Big West |
| 106 | Central Michigan | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0.2003 | 0.5096 (53) | MAC |
| 107 | Louisiana-Lafayette | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0.1741 | 0.4982 (59) | Independent |
| 108 | Texas Christian | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0.1558 | 0.4732 (72) | WAC |
| 109 | Northern Illinois | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0.1509 | 0.5259 (43) | MAC |
| 110 | Louisville | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0.1409 | 0.4741 (70) | CUSA |
| 111 | Illinois | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0.1042 | 0.5740 (18) | Big Ten |
| 112 | Rutgers | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0.0926 | 0.4690 (75) | Big East |