Litkenhous Ratings

Mathematical system for ranking sports teams From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Litkenhous Difference by Score Ratings system was a mathematical system used to rank football and basketball teams.[1][2][3] The Litrating system was developed by Vanderbilt University professor Edward Earl ("E.E.") Litkenhous Jr. (1907 – December 22, 1984)[2] and his brother, Francis H. Litkenhous (December 9, 1912 – June 22, 1996).[1][4]

Edward Litkenhous (1907-1984) received an undergraduate degree from the University of Louisville and a doctorate from the University of Minnesota. He began his career as a professor of chemical engineering at the Speed Scientific School of the University of Louisville.[5] He later became a professor at Vanderbilt University and served as head of that school's engineering department. He died in 1984.[6]

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) football records book includes the Litkenhous Ratings as a "major selector" of college football national championships for the seasons 1934 through 1984.[4]

College football national champions

Litkenhous Ratings Championship trophy, 1934–1962[7]

Teams in the following table were ranked No. 1 by the Litkenhous Difference by Score Ratings system.[8][9]

The NCAA records book credits Litkenhous as a "major selector" for the seasons 1934 through 1984, and credits the system with 51 total rankings.[4] However no selections are listed in the NCAA records book for six seasons: 1973, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, and 1980.[4]

More information Season, Champion ...
SeasonChampion[8][9]RecordLitratingNotes
1934Minnesota8–0103.0
1935Minnesota8–0100.0
1936Minnesota7–196.4
1937Pittsburgh9–0–1100.0
1938Tennessee11–0100.0
1939Cornell8–096.2
1940Minnesota8–0100.1
1941Minnesota8–0101.1
1942Georgia11–1112.2
1943Notre Dame9–1131.9
1944Army9–0141.8
1945[10]Army9–0133.0
1946Notre Dame8–0–1114.7
1947[11]Michigan10–0114.0
1948Michigan9–0114.1
1949Notre Dame10–0117.7
1950Oklahoma10–1105.6
1951Tennessee10–1114.0
1952Michigan State9–0115.1
1953Notre Dame9–0–1110.4
1954UCLA9–0115.3
1955[12]Oklahoma11–0109.2
1956Oklahoma10–0116.3
1957[8]Ohio State9–1106.7
1958LSU11–0109.9
1959Syracuse11–0111.0
1960[13]Iowa8–1112.8
1961[14]Alabama11–0113.5
1962[7]Ole Miss10–0107.3
1963[15]Texas11–0104.7
1964Alabama10–1104.9
1965Michigan State10–1114.0
1966[9]Notre Dame9–0–1113.8
1967[16]Tennessee9–2103.0
1968[17]Georgia8–1–2111.4
1969[18]Texas10–0117.3
1970[19]Texas10–1124.0
1971[20]Nebraska13–0120.6
1972[21]USC12–0119.2
1973[22] †Alabama11–1123.0
1974[23]Oklahoma11–0
1975[24] †Ohio State11–1114.3
1976[25] †Michigan10–2115.2
1977[26] †Texas11–1
1978Alabama 11-1
1979 †
1980 †
1981Clemson12-0
1982[27]Nebraska †
Penn St		 12–1
11-1		[28]
1983[29]Nebraska12–1145.8
1984Nebraska10-2
Close

† Years where Litkenhous selection is omitted from the NCAA records book.[4]

Litkenhous trophy

The No. 1 team in the year's final ranking was awarded the Litkenhous Ratings Championship trophy.[7][14] The traveling trophy took the form of a huge wooden plaque and bronze mural by artist Marion Junkin.[30][7]

The trophy plaque is engraved with the winners for 1934–1962. Ole Miss was evidently the last Litkenhous champion to receive the trophy; the trophy is still held today at the University of Mississippi.[7]

Further reading

References

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