Since 1950, the AFCA has conducted a weekly Top 20/Top 25 poll during the college football season. The AFCA awards the AFCA Coaches’ Trophy to the No. 1-ranked team in the final FBS Coaches Poll each season. The head coach of the No. 1-ranked team receives the trophy at the American Football Coaches Awards show in early January.
The FBS Coaches Poll is conducted weekly throughout the regular season using a panel of head coaches at FBS schools. The panel is chosen by random draw, conference by conference plus independents, from a pool of coaches who have indicated to the AFCA their willingness to participate. Each coach submits a Top 25 with a first-place vote worth 25 points, second place 24, and so on down to one point for 25th.
The AFCA USA Today FBS Coaches Poll is comprised of 65 head coaches at Bowl Subdivision schools. All are members of the American Football Coaches Association.
The USA TODAY Sports AFCA Board of Coaches is 66 head coaches at Bowl Subdivision schools. All are members of the American Football Coaches Association. The board for the 2022 season:
Tom Albin, Ohio; Tom Allen, Indiana; Blake Anderson, Utah State; Marcus Arroyo, UNLV; Dino Babers, Syracuse; Mike Bloomgren, Rice; Brent Brennan, San Jose State; Neal Brown, West Virginia; Troy Calhoun, Air Force; Jamey Chadwell, Coastal Carolina; Paul Chryst, Wisconsin; Dave Clawson, Wake Forest; Sonny Cumbie, Louisiana Tech; Kalen DeBoer, Washington; Jake Dickert, Washington State; Dana Dimel, Texas-El Paso; Dave Doeren, North Carolina State; Stan Drayton, Temple; Sonny Dykes, TCU; Herm Edwards, Arizona State; Mike Elko, Duke; Luke Fickell, Cincinnati; Jedd Fisch, Arizona; Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern; James Franklin, Penn State; Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame; Hugh Freeze, Liberty; Willie Fritz, Tulane; Scott Frost, Nebraska; Danny Gonzales, New Mexico; Jeff Hafley, Boston College; Will Hall, Southern Mississippi; Thomas Hammock, Northern Illinois; Tyson Helton, Western Kentucky; Brady Hoke, San Diego State; Dana Holgorsen; Houston; Butch Jones, Arkansas State; Chris Klieman, Kansas State; Rhett Lashlee, SMU; Lance Leipold, Kansas; Tim Lester, Western Michigan; Sean Lewis, Kent State; Mike Locksley, Maryland; Mike MacIntyre, Florida International; Chuck Martin, Miami (Ohio); Joey McGuire, Texas Tech; Jeff Monken, Army; Joe Moorhead, Akron; Jim Mora, Connecticut; Billy Napier, Florida; Pat Narduzzi, Pittsburgh; Ken Niumatalolo, Navy; Sam Pittman, Arkansas; Brent Pry, Virginia Tech; Nick Saban, Alabama; Scott Satterfield, Louisville; Greg Schiano, Rutgers; Kirby Smart, Georgia; Jake Spavital, Texas State; Rick Stockstill, Middle Tennessee; Jon Sumrall, Troy; Jeff Tedford, Fresno State; Jeff Traylor, Texas-San Antonio; Mel Tucker, Michigan State; Kyle Whittingham, Utah, Ken Wilson, Nevada.
In response to overwhelming support by NCAA FCS coaches, the American Football Coaches Association began publishing a FCS Top 25 Coaches’ Poll in 2018. Prior to 2018, the NCAA FCS Coaches Poll was administered by the Southern Conference. The regional poll had been used to rank teams for consideration for the NCAA playoffs.
The FCS poll follows the same basic format as the Amway Coaches Poll. The FCS Board of Coaches will have 30 voters representing all FCS football playing conferences, as well as independent schools. The FCS Coaches’ Poll will be released on Mondays beginning with a preseason poll in August and will run through the final week of the regular season in November. A final poll will be released the Monday following the NCAA FCS championship game.
2022 AFCA FCS Coaches Poll Voters:
Dewayne Alexander, Tennessee Tech; Colby Carthel, Stephen F. Austin; Dave Cecchini, Bucknell; Bernard Clark, Robert Morris (Pa.); Josh Conklin, Wofford; Stan Dakosty, Colgate; Jason Eck, Idaho; Steve Englehart, Presbyterian; Greg Gattuso, Albany; Clay Hendrix, Furman; Nick Hill, Southern Illinois; Tre Lamb, Gardner-Webb; Dale Lindsey, San Diego; Clarence McKinney, Texas Southern; Mark Nofri, Sacred Heart; Trei Oliver, North Carolina Central; James Perry, Brown; Buddy Pough, South Carolina State; Robert Prunty, Hampton; Charlie Ragle, Idaho State; Tim Rebowe, Nicholls; Tony Reno, Yale; Jerry Schmitt, Duquesne; Vic Shealy, Houston Baptist; Willie Simmons, Florida A&M; Jason Simpson, UT Martin; John Stiegelmeier, South Dakota State; Scotty Walden, Austin Peay
In response to overwhelming support by NCAA Division II coaches, the American Football Coaches Association began publishing a Division II Top 25 Coaches’ Poll in 2000. Prior to 2000, there was no coaches’ polls for NCAA Division II. The regional poll had been used to rank teams for consideration for the NCAA playoffs.
The Division II poll follows the same basic format as the Amway Coaches Poll. The Division II Board of Coaches will have 30 voters representing all Division II conferences, as well as independent schools. The Division II Coaches’ Poll will be released on Mondays beginning with a preseason poll in August and will run through the final week of the regular season in November. A final poll will be released the Monday following the NCAA Division II championship game.
2022 AFCA DII Coaches Poll Voters:
Mike Babcock, McKendree; Robert Clardy, Southwest Baptist; Jim Clements, Kutztown; Shannon Currier, Concordia-St. Paul; Jeff Farrington, North Greenville; Rich Freeman, Morehouse; Jeff Girsch, Angelo State; Marcus Hilliard, Elizabeth City State; Todd Hoffner, Minnesota State; Hunter Hughes, West Texas A&M; Chris Jensen, Oklahoma Baptist; Teddy Keaton, Allen; Jay Long, Chadron State; Shawn Lutz, Slippery Rock; Josh Lynn, Nebraska-Kearney; Scott Maxfield, Henderson State; Andy McKenzie, Assumption; Matt Mitchell, Grand Valley State; Keith Otterbein, Hillsdale; Lee Owens, Ashland; Alvin Parker, Virginia Union; Chris Pincince, New Haven; Joe Reich, Wingate; Craig Schurig, Washburn; Pete Shinnick, West Florida; Roger Waialae, West Liberty; Curtis Walker, Catawba; Paul Winters, Wayne State (Mich.); Jason Woodman, Fairmont State; John Wristen, Colorado State-Pueblo
In response to overwhelming support by NCAA Division III coaches, the American Football Coaches Association began publishing a Division III Top 25 Coaches’ Poll in 1999.
Prior to 1999, there were no coaches’ polls for any NCAA divisions other than Football Bowl Subdivision. The NCAA had published a regional poll for Division III prior to 1999, but discontinued the poll because of changes in the selection process for the Division III playoffs that took effect in 1999.
The regional poll had been used to rank teams for consideration for the 16-team playoff tournament. But in 1999, the Division III playoffs expanded to 28 teams and the regional format was no longer used.
The Division III poll follows the same basic format as the USA Today Coaches’ Poll. The Division III Board of Coaches will have 42 voters, representing all Division III conferences. The Division III Coaches’ Poll will be released on Mondays beginning in September and will run through the completion of the regular season in mid-November. A final poll will be released on the Monday following the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl.