1931 college football rankings

The 1931 college football rankings ranked the best teams participating in the 1931 college football season. They included a mathematical system operated by Frank G. Dickinson.

Season1931

Bowl season1931â32 bowl games

End of season championsUSC^[a]
Pittsburgh^[b]
Purdue (not claimed)^[c]

Quick facts Season, Bowl season ...

1931 college football rankings
Season	1931
Bowl season	1931â32 bowl games
End of season champions	USC^[a] Pittsburgh^[b] Purdue (not claimed)^[c]
college football rankings â 1930 1932 â

Champions (by ranking)

All major rankings (both contemporary and retroactive) have identified the University of Southern California as the season's champions, with exception of Parke H. Davis's retroactive ranking for Spalding's Official Foot Ball Guide, which identified Pittsburgh and Purdue as co-champions.^[1]

Berryman QPRS: University of Southern California
Billingsley Report: University of Southern California
Boand System: University of Southern California
College Football Researchers Association: University of Southern California
Parke H. Davis^[d]: Pittsburgh and Purdue (co-champions)
Dickinson System: University of Southern California
Dunkel System: University of Southern California
Erskine Trophy poll: University of Southern California^[2]
Helms Athletic Foundation: University of Southern California
Houlgate System: University of Southern California
National Championship Foundation: University of Southern California
Poling System: University of Southern California
Sagarin Ratings Elo chess method: University of Southern California
Sagarin Ratings Predictor method: University of Southern California
Williamson System: University of Southern California

Note: Boand System, Dickinson System, Dunkel System, Houlgate System, Williamson System, and Erskine Trophy poll were given contemporarily. All other methods were given retroactively

Dickinson System

The Dickinson System was a mathematical rating system devised by University of Illinois economics professor Frank G. Dickinson. It ranked colleges based upon their records and the strength of their opposition. The system was originally designed to rank teams in the Big Nine (later the Big Ten) conference. Chicago clothing manufacturer Jack Rissman then persuaded Dickinson to rank the nation's teams under the system, and awarded the Rissman Trophy to the winning university.^[3] It awarded 30 points for a win over a "strong team", and 20 for a win over a "weak team". Losses were awarded points (15 for loss to a strong team, 10 for loss to a weak team). Ties were treated as half a win and half a loss (22.5 for a tie with a strong team, 15 for a tie with a weak team). An average was then derived by dividing the points by games played.^[4]

In 1931, although 11â0 Tulane was unbeaten and untied they were second to 9â1 USC in the final Dickinson System mathematical ratings.^[5]

The teams were set to face off in the 1932 Rose Bowl on New Year's Day. The Trojans requested that presentation of the Knute Rockne Memorial Trophy be delayed until after the game.^[6] During the delay, it was decided that the Dickinson System trophy would go to the winner of the Rose Bowl game.^[7] USC ultimately won the game.

More information Rank, Team ...

Rank	Team^[8]	Record	Rating
1	USC	9â1	26.25
2	Tulane	11â0	24.85
3	Tennessee	8â0â1	23.10
4	Northwestern	7â1â1	22.45
5	Saint Mary's	7â1	22.23
6	Georgia	8â2	21.25
7	Harvard	7â1	19.50
8	Yale	5â1â2	18.79
9	Pittsburgh	8â1	17.50
10	Purdue	7â1	16.58
11	Notre Dame	8â2â1	16.17

Notes

[a]
per Boand System, Dickinson System, Dunkel System, Houlgate System, Williamson System, Erskine Trophy poll, Berryman QPRS, Billingsley Report, College Football Researchers Association, Helms Athletic Foundation, National Championship Foundation, Poling System, Sagarin Ratings Elo chess method, Sagarin Ratings Predictor method
[b]
co-champion (alongside Pittsburgh) per Parke H. Davis
[c]
co-champion (alongside Pittsburgh) per Parke H. Davis
[d]
for Spalding's Official Foot Ball Guide

References

[1]
"Football Bowl Subdivision Records" (PDF). NCAA. 2017. p. 112. Retrieved July 29, 2025.
[2]
"Trojans Get Erskine 1931 Grid Award". Los Angeles Times. January 2, 1932. Retrieved May 17, 2022. Southern California's 21â12 victory over Tulane brought the Trojans the Albert Russell Erskine football trophy and the national grid championship for 1931. Presentation of the trophy was made in front of the Trojan rooting section following the game by William R. Moorehouse, member of the Erskine award board. The Erskine award brought a Studebaker President eight sedan to Coach Howard Jones, an engraved cup to the University of Southern California and a scroll signifying the national championship to the Trojan team.
[3]
Herschel Nissenson Tales From College Football's Sidelines (Sports Publishing LLC, 2001), p93.
[4]
"The Dickinson system awards 30 points for a victory over a strong team, and 20 for victory over a weak team. Defeats count half as much as victories, and ties are considered as games half won and half lost. Dividing this total by the number of games played gives the final rating, "ILLINOIS BEST FOOTBALL TEAM OF YEAR", The Syracuse Herald, Dec. 4, 1927, p23
[5]
"Dickinson Gives Title to Trojans". Monroe Morning World. December 13, 1931. p. 8 â via Newspapers.com.
[6]
Written at Champaign, Illinois. "Trojans Request Delay â Rockne Memorial Trophy to Be Accepted After Tulane Game". The Oregonian. Portland, Oregon. Associated Press. December 15, 1931. Retrieved October 17, 2024.
[7]
Written at Los Angeles. "USC Will Be Awarded Rockne Cup â Dr. Frank G. Dickinson to Present Trophy to Rose Bowl Winners". The Tacoma Daily Ledger. Tacoma, Washington. Associated Press. January 4, 2024. Retrieved October 17, 2024. The ratings made long in advance of the Tournament of Roses game New Year's day placed Southern California first and Tulane second but when these two teams met in a 'natural' Rose bowl game, it was decided that if Tulane could overrule Dickinson's rating, he would stand corrected and give the trophy to the New Orleans lads.
[8]
"Dickinson Gives Title to Trojans". Monroe Morning World. December 13, 1931. p. 8 â via Newspapers.com.