Williamson System

The Williamson System was a mathematical system used to rank college football teams. The system was created by Paul B. Williamson, a geologist and member of the Sugar Bowl committee.[1]

The NCAA college football records book includes the Williamson System as a "major selector" of national championships for the years 1932-1963.[1]

Paul Williamson died in 1955. His son Mitch Williamson subsequently took up his father's syndicated column for the 1955–1963 seasons.[2]

National champions

The following teams were ranked No. 1 by the Williamson System for the 1932–1963 college football seasons.

The NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records book contains five apparent errors in its listing of Williamson System champions. The following table contains the contemporary champions syndicated by Paul Williamson. The NCAA record book's errors are documented in the Notes column.

SeasonChampionRecordCoachNotes
1932[3]USC10–0Howard Jones
1933[4]USC10–1–1Howard Jones
1934[5]Alabama10–0Frank Thomas
1935[6]TCU12–1Dutch Meyer[7]
1936[8]Minnesota7–1Bernie Bierman[9]
1937[10]California10–0–1Stub Allison[11]
1938[12]TCU11–0Dutch Meyer[13]
Tennessee11–0Robert Neyland
1939[14]Texas A&M11–0Homer Norton
1940[15]Stanford10–0Clark Shaughnessy[16]
1941[17]Texas8–1–1Dana X. Bible
1942[18]Georgia10–1Wally Butts
1943[19]Notre Dame9–1Frank Leahy
1944[20]Army9–0Earl Blaik
1945[21]Army9–0Earl Blaik
1946[22]Georgia11–0Wally Butts
1947[23]Notre Dame9–0Frank Leahy
1948[24]Michigan9–0Bennie Oosterbaan
1949[25]Notre Dame10–0Frank Leahy
1950[26]Oklahoma10–1Bud Wilkinson
1951[27]Tennessee10–1Robert Neyland
1952[28]Michigan State9–0Clarence Munn
1953[29]Notre Dame9–0–1Frank Leahy
1954[30]Ohio State10–0Woody Hayes
1955[31]Oklahoma11–0Bud Wilkinson
1956[32]Oklahoma10–0Bud Wilkinson
1957[33]Auburn10–0Ralph Jordan
1958[34]LSU11–0Paul Dietzel
1959[35]Syracuse11–0Ben Schwartzwalder
1960[36]Ole Miss10–0–1Johnny Vaught
1961[37]Alabama11–0Bear Bryant
1962[38]USC11–0John McKay
1963[39]Texas11–0Darrell Royal

References
  1. "National Champion Major Selections (1896 to Present)". 2022 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records (PDF). Indianapolis: The National Collegiate Athletic Association. July 2022. pp. 112–114. Retrieved January 4, 2023. The criteria for being included in this historical list of poll selectors is that the poll be national in scope, either through distribution in newspaper, television, radio and/or computer online. The list includes both former selectors, who were instrumental in the sport of college football, and selectors who were among the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) selectors.
  2. "1964 Williamson Ratings". Lincoln Journal Star. October 1, 1964. Retrieved January 4, 2023. Mr. Williamson died and his son elected not to continue the rating system.
  3. Gould, Alan (January 17, 1933). "Sport Slants". The Dispatch. Moline, Illinois. Retrieved January 2, 2023. we find Southern California clearly on top, within two points of perfection, at 98.12, with the result of the Rose Bowl game considered.
  4. Morin, Relman (January 23, 1934). "Troy Given Title — '33 Grid Rankings Told". Los Angeles Evening Post–Record. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  5. Written at New Orleans. "Alabama Chosen National Champ – Williamson System Says Minnesota Should Have 'Jeopardized' Record". Chattanooga Daily Times. Chattanooga. United Press. January 11, 1935. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  6. Williamson, Paul B. (January 16, 1936). "Frogs Rated First In Final Grid Standings; S.M.U. Mustangs Placed Second By Williamson". Fort Worth Star–Telegram. Fort Worth, Texas. Retrieved January 2, 2023. No Undisputable National Champions Picked; Sugar Bowl Game One of Best
  7. The NCAA records book erroneously lists a co-championship between TCU and LSU.[1]
  8. Williamson, Paul B. (January 6, 1937). "P.B. Williamson Ranks Gophers at Top — Nation's Leading 24 Football Teams". The Knoxville News–Sentinel. United Features Syndicate. Retrieved January 2, 2023. At the curtain of the 1936 football season, again like for 1935, the Williamson Rating System does not name any team that could be consistently called the out and out national football champion.
  9. The NCAA records book erroneously lists LSU as champions.[1]
  10. "Williamson System Names Bears Champs". The Knoxville News–Sentinel. United Press. January 6, 1938. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  11. The NCAA records book erroneously lists Pittsburgh as champions.[1]
  12. Williamson, Paul B. (January 6, 1938). "Vols, T.C.U. Share Grid Laurels". The Oklahoma News. Oklahoma City. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  13. The NCAA records book erroneously omits co-champion Tennessee.[1]
  14. Williamson, Paul B. (January 7, 1940). "Williamson Places Aggies on Top in Final Rankings". Asheville Citizen–Times. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  15. Williamson, Paul B. (January 7, 1941). "Williamson Votes National Title to Stanford". Nasheville Banner. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  16. The NCAA records book erroneously lists Tennessee as champions.[1]
  17. Williamson, Paul B. (January 6, 1942). "Williamson Hails Steers As His National Champs". Tyler Morning Telegraph. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  18. Williamson, Paul B. (December 24, 1942). "Georgia and Tulsa One-Two in Final Williamson Ratings". The St. Louis Star and Times. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  19. Williamson, Paul B. (November 30, 1943). "Williamson System Has Big Season; Awards Irish College Championship". The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  20. Williamson, Paul B. (December 7, 1944). "Williamson Gives Final 1944 Ratings: Army Best Eleven". The Durham Sun. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  21. Williamson, Paul B. (December 5, 1945). "Williamson Rang Bell on Army–'Bama–U.S.C.–Mizzou". The Nebraska State Journal. Retrieved January 3, 2023. National football champions: Army
  22. Williamson, Paul B. (December 4, 1946). "Georgia Football King — Bulldogs Are Williamson's Choice as 1946 Grid Champs; Irish Second, Army Third". Nashville Banner. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  23. Williamson, Paul B. (December 12, 1946). "Williamson's Football Ratings and Predictions". The Times. Shreveport, Louisiana. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  24. Williamson, Paul B. (December 7, 1948). "Williamson Crowns Michigan King". The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  25. Williamson, Paul B. (December 7, 1949). "Williamson: Notre Dame Tops Final Rankings". The Boston Globe. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  26. Williamson, Paul B. (December 12, 1950). "Oklahoma No. 1 on P.B.'s Roll — Texas Second, then Princeton, Tenn". The Memphis Press–Scimitar. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  27. Williamson, Paul B. (December 4, 1951). "System Rates Vols Top Team Of 1951". The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  28. Williamson, Paul B. (December 16, 1952). "Spartans, Georgia Tech Atop Williamson Ratings". The Albuquerque Tribune. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  29. Williamson, Paul B. (December 16, 1953). "Williamson Votes irish Best Team". The Lawton Constitution. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  30. Williamson, Paul B. (December 8, 1954). "Ohio State Rated Best By System". The Austin American. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  31. Williamson, Mitch (December 7, 1955). "System Rates Sooners First". Austin American–Statesman. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  32. Williamson, Mitch (December 6, 1956). "The Williamson System: Pre-Season Dope on Okies Right; Iowa Big Surprise". Lincoln Journal Star. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  33. Williamson, Mitch (December 17, 1957). "The Williamson System: Auburn Ranked First In Final Grid Ratings". Lincoln Journal Star. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  34. Williamson, Mitch (December 2, 1958). "Williamson System: LSU Rated Tops In Nation". Lincoln Journal Star. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  35. Williamson, Mitch (December 1, 1959). "The Williamson System 1959". Lincoln Journal Star. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  36. Williamson, Mitch (December 13, 1960). "Final Grid Standings: Ole Miss The King on System's Throne". The Miami Herald. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  37. Williamson, Mitch (December 15, 1961). "In Final Williamson Ratings Alabama, Ohio State End Up 1–2". The Durham Sun. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  38. Williamson, Mitch (December 11, 1962). "Williamson Rates Troy No. 1 Club". The Durham Sun. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  39. Williamson, Mitch (December 3, 1963). "Texas Stays On Top In Williamson Poll". The Daily Herald. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
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