Return to the college football ratings index
Final power ratings for the 1938 season are listed below. Home field advantage for this year was .570 and the root for determining point spreads was 1.252.
The average home field advantage for this year is 2.67 points.
Some game locations are unknown and have been estimated. Research continues.
KEY: PR=Final power rating, PS=Pre-season power rating, SOS=strength of schedule.
| Rank | Team | PR | PS | SOS | PF | PA | Wins | Losses | Ties | Pct | Conference |
| 1 | Tennessee | .980 | .759 | .721 | 26.64 | 1.45 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | SEC |
| 2 | Texas Christian | .938 | .768 | .683 | 24.45 | 5.45 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | SWC |
| 3 | Duke | .929 | .811 | .697 | 11.70 | 0.70 | 9 | 1 | 0 | .900 | Southern |
| 4 | Southern California | .901 | .614 | .950 | 15.64 | 5.91 | 9 | 2 | 0 | .818 | PCC |
| 5 | Notre Dame | .892 | .743 | .800 | 16.56 | 4.33 | 8 | 1 | 0 | .889 | Eastern Independent |
| 6 | Oklahoma | .889 | .627 | .635 | 16.82 | 2.64 | 10 | 1 | 0 | .909 | Big 6 |
| 7 | California | .872 | .787 | .601 | 19.91 | 4.00 | 10 | 1 | 0 | .909 | PCC |
| 8 | Alabama | .844 | .863 | .636 | 16.56 | 4.44 | 7 | 1 | 1 | .833 | SEC |
| 9 | Clemson | .839 | .570 | .610 | 16.11 | 6.22 | 7 | 1 | 1 | .833 | Southern |
| 10 | Pittsburgh | .829 | .889 | .709 | 21.30 | 5.90 | 8 | 2 | 0 | .800 | Eastern Independent |
| 11 | Villanova | .797 | .775 | .324 | 26.89 | 5.56 | 8 | 0 | 1 | .944 | Eastern Independent |
| 12 | Tulane | .793 | .687 | .661 | 21.10 | 5.30 | 7 | 2 | 1 | .750 | SEC |
| 13 | Fordham | .788 | .766 | .529 | 20.67 | 3.33 | 6 | 1 | 2 | .778 | Northeast Independent |
| 14 | Texas Tech | .784 | .608 | .312 | 26.09 | 5.00 | 10 | 1 | 0 | .909 | Border |
| 15 | Carnegie Tech | .769 | .500 | .564 | 19.67 | 7.11 | 7 | 2 | 0 | .778 | Eastern Independent |
| 16 | Holy Cross | .769 | .616 | .328 | 25.00 | 5.67 | 8 | 1 | 0 | .889 | Northeast Independent |
| 17 | North Carolina | .766 | .784 | .662 | 13.00 | 4.11 | 6 | 2 | 1 | .722 | Southern |
| 18 | Mississippi | .748 | .594 | .511 | 21.09 | 10.91 | 9 | 2 | 0 | .818 | SEC |
| 19 | Iowa State | .747 | .389 | .545 | 13.89 | 7.11 | 7 | 1 | 1 | .833 | Big 6 |
| 20 | Georgetown | .743 | .482 | .192 | 23.13 | 3.25 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | South/West Independent |
| 21 | Santa Clara | .738 | .818 | .617 | 12.13 | 3.25 | 6 | 2 | 0 | .750 | South/West Independent |
| 22 | St. Mary's | .735 | .648 | .624 | 13.25 | 5.13 | 6 | 2 | 0 | .750 | South/West Independent |
| 23 | Louisiana State | .727 | .862 | .614 | 16.00 | 8.30 | 6 | 4 | 0 | .600 | SEC |
| 24 | Minnesota | .723 | .717 | .632 | 12.13 | 4.75 | 6 | 2 | 0 | .750 | Western |
| 25 | Baylor | .718 | .693 | .526 | 16.50 | 8.90 | 7 | 2 | 1 | .750 | SWC |
| 26 | Utah | .697 | .565 | .261 | 18.70 | 3.60 | 7 | 1 | 2 | .800 | Mountain States |
| 27 | Michigan | .697 | .386 | .409 | 16.38 | 5.00 | 6 | 1 | 1 | .813 | Western |
| 28 | Northwestern | .695 | .541 | .652 | 11.63 | 4.00 | 4 | 2 | 2 | .625 | Western |
| 29 | UCLA | .683 | .558 | .605 | 18.08 | 8.83 | 7 | 4 | 1 | .625 | PCC |
| 30 | Vanderbilt | .680 | .669 | .672 | 9.56 | 5.44 | 6 | 3 | 0 | .667 | SEC |
| 31 | Missouri | .675 | .473 | .634 | 12.33 | 9.11 | 6 | 3 | 0 | .667 | Big 6 |
| 32 | Virginia Military Institute | .673 | .450 | .438 | 14.45 | 7.82 | 6 | 1 | 4 | .727 | Southern |
| 33 | Army | .666 | .678 | .251 | 24.30 | 9.50 | 8 | 2 | 0 | .800 | Northeast Independent |
| 34 | Purdue | .665 | .561 | .488 | 10.50 | 4.75 | 5 | 1 | 2 | .750 | Western |
| 35 | Oregon State | .663 | .558 | .667 | 8.00 | 5.67 | 5 | 3 | 1 | .611 | PCC |
| 36 | Dartmouth | .660 | .727 | .249 | 28.22 | 7.67 | 7 | 2 | 0 | .778 | Northeast Independent |
| 37 | Idaho | .654 | .429 | .540 | 13.30 | 9.40 | 6 | 3 | 1 | .650 | PCC |
| 38 | Miami (Florida) | .643 | .409 | .140 | 21.90 | 5.20 | 8 | 2 | 0 | .800 | South/West Independent |
| 39 | New Mexico | .637 | .397 | .305 | 18.09 | 6.55 | 8 | 3 | 0 | .727 | Border |
| 40 | Southern Methodist | .625 | .637 | .588 | 14.80 | 12.50 | 6 | 4 | 0 | .600 | SWC |
| 41 | Cornell | .621 | .485 | .400 | 15.71 | 6.43 | 5 | 1 | 1 | .786 | Northeast Independent |
| 42 | Michigan State | .620 | .717 | .429 | 14.78 | 6.56 | 6 | 3 | 0 | .667 | Eastern Independent |
| 43 | Auburn | .618 | .791 | .799 | 11.00 | 8.80 | 4 | 5 | 1 | .450 | SEC |
| 44 | Detroit Mercy | .612 | .654 | .435 | 14.90 | 8.20 | 6 | 4 | 0 | .600 | Eastern Independent |
| 45 | Texas A&M | .609 | .699 | .630 | 15.22 | 7.89 | 4 | 4 | 1 | .500 | SWC |
| 46 | South Carolina | .607 | .475 | .472 | 15.27 | 7.82 | 6 | 4 | 1 | .591 | Southern |
| 47 | New Mexico State | .604 | .555 | .204 | 18.44 | 8.33 | 7 | 2 | 0 | .778 | Border |
| 48 | Boston College | .598 | .356 | .160 | 20.67 | 9.67 | 6 | 1 | 2 | .778 | Northeast Independent |
| 49 | Rice | .595 | .711 | .920 | 9.10 | 13.30 | 4 | 6 | 0 | .400 | SWC |
| 50 | Wisconsin | .594 | .419 | .566 | 13.88 | 11.63 | 5 | 3 | 0 | .625 | Western |
| 51 | Drake | .581 | .551 | .533 | 19.40 | 11.80 | 5 | 4 | 1 | .550 | MVC |
| 52 | Navy | .579 | .584 | .475 | 14.00 | 6.67 | 4 | 3 | 2 | .556 | Eastern Independent |
| 53 | Georgia Tech | .570 | .661 | .788 | 7.20 | 8.40 | 3 | 4 | 3 | .450 | SEC |
| 54 | Creighton | .568 | .306 | .050 | 22.38 | 5.00 | 6 | 1 | 1 | .813 | MVC |
| 55 | Wake Forest | .565 | .410 | .657 | 16.10 | 9.80 | 4 | 5 | 1 | .450 | Southern |
| 56 | Texas-El Paso | .565 | .432 | .251 | 17.00 | 8.00 | 6 | 3 | 0 | .667 | Border |
| 57 | Washington | .559 | .719 | .838 | 7.56 | 9.22 | 3 | 5 | 1 | .389 | PCC |
| 58 | Ohio State | .558 | .683 | .490 | 14.88 | 8.13 | 4 | 3 | 1 | .563 | Western |
| 59 | Centenary | .558 | .620 | .382 | 14.00 | 10.55 | 7 | 4 | 0 | .636 | South/West Independent |
| 60 | Georgia | .555 | .687 | .519 | 14.50 | 14.30 | 5 | 4 | 1 | .550 | SEC |
| 61 | San Francisco | .543 | .481 | .228 | 11.63 | 3.25 | 5 | 2 | 1 | .688 | South/West Independent |
| 62 | Oregon | .543 | .488 | .853 | 7.67 | 15.33 | 4 | 5 | 0 | .444 | PCC |
| 63 | Montana | .537 | .558 | .286 | 9.11 | 5.67 | 5 | 3 | 1 | .611 | PCC |
| 64 | Washington (Missouri) | .535 | .432 | .226 | 24.20 | 9.40 | 6 | 3 | 1 | .650 | MVC |
| 65 | Kansas State | .525 | .487 | .620 | 12.00 | 14.89 | 4 | 4 | 1 | .500 | Big 6 |
| 66 | Syracuse | .523 | .452 | .415 | 17.13 | 12.75 | 5 | 3 | 0 | .625 | Northeast Independent |
| 67 | Manhattan | .523 | .547 | .366 | 10.33 | 7.78 | 5 | 4 | 0 | .556 | Northeast Independent |
| 68 | Arkansas | .514 | .739 | .678 | 12.80 | 12.50 | 2 | 7 | 1 | .250 | SWC |
| 69 | Brown | .513 | .365 | .283 | 25.38 | 16.13 | 5 | 3 | 0 | .625 | Northeast Independent |
| 70 | Tulsa | .508 | .644 | .639 | 11.50 | 14.80 | 4 | 5 | 1 | .450 | MVC |
| 71 | Nebraska | .497 | .744 | .684 | 7.56 | 9.33 | 3 | 5 | 1 | .389 | Big 6 |
| 72 | Richmond | .491 | .407 | .118 | 9.10 | 5.90 | 6 | 3 | 1 | .650 | Southern |
| 73 | Bucknell | .491 | .488 | .349 | 11.38 | 9.75 | 5 | 3 | 0 | .625 | Eastern Independent |
| 74 | George Washington | .484 | .560 | .373 | 9.11 | 9.11 | 5 | 4 | 0 | .556 | South/West Independent |
| 75 | Temple | .484 | .624 | .819 | 9.70 | 17.00 | 3 | 6 | 1 | .350 | Eastern Independent |
| 76 | Kansas | .483 | .433 | .749 | 14.67 | 18.78 | 3 | 6 | 0 | .333 | Big 6 |
| 77 | Stanford | .479 | .654 | .815 | 7.44 | 10.22 | 3 | 6 | 0 | .333 | PCC |
| 78 | Pennsylvania | .470 | .459 | .302 | 11.13 | 7.25 | 3 | 2 | 3 | .563 | Eastern Independent |
| 79 | Washburn | .466 | .145 | .086 | 17.78 | 17.78 | 6 | 3 | 0 | .667 | MVC |
| 80 | Virginia Tech | .464 | .457 | .600 | 7.50 | 8.60 | 3 | 5 | 2 | .400 | Southern |
| 81 | Citadel | .457 | .460 | .271 | 13.00 | 13.45 | 6 | 5 | 0 | .545 | Southern |
| 82 | Virginia | .456 | .282 | .459 | 12.56 | 18.78 | 4 | 4 | 1 | .500 | South/West Independent |
| 83 | Duquesne | .454 | .650 | .568 | 9.60 | 11.40 | 4 | 6 | 0 | .400 | Eastern Independent |
| 84 | Brigham Young | .444 | .488 | .199 | 11.63 | 6.13 | 4 | 3 | 1 | .563 | Mountain States |
| 85 | West Virginia | .443 | .612 | .503 | 9.80 | 11.70 | 4 | 5 | 1 | .450 | Eastern Independent |
| 86 | Denver | .442 | .551 | .355 | 7.22 | 9.56 | 4 | 4 | 1 | .500 | Mountain States |
| 87 | Mississippi State | .439 | .606 | .504 | 12.30 | 13.10 | 4 | 6 | 0 | .400 | SEC |
| 88 | Harvard | .438 | .516 | .303 | 19.63 | 13.25 | 4 | 4 | 0 | .500 | Northeast Independent |
| 89 | North Carolina State | .422 | .513 | .770 | 5.36 | 9.09 | 3 | 7 | 1 | .318 | Southern |
| 90 | Columbia | .421 | .486 | .466 | 17.11 | 16.00 | 3 | 6 | 0 | .333 | Northeast Independent |
| 91 | Penn State | .416 | .495 | .368 | 17.25 | 10.88 | 3 | 4 | 1 | .438 | Eastern Independent |
| 92 | Colorado | .414 | .665 | .385 | 9.75 | 9.75 | 3 | 4 | 1 | .438 | Mountain States |
| 93 | Washington State | .410 | .590 | .903 | 4.40 | 15.90 | 2 | 8 | 0 | .200 | PCC |
| 94 | Utah State | .409 | .484 | .317 | 10.63 | 10.88 | 4 | 4 | 0 | .500 | Mountain States |
| 95 | Washington & Lee | .405 | .416 | .200 | 7.44 | 6.33 | 4 | 4 | 1 | .500 | Southern |
| 96 | Davidson | .404 | .415 | .580 | 7.00 | 16.30 | 4 | 6 | 0 | .400 | Southern |
| 97 | Florida | .393 | .489 | .381 | 10.18 | 13.55 | 4 | 6 | 1 | .409 | SEC |
| 98 | New York University | .393 | .519 | .276 | 13.50 | 10.50 | 4 | 4 | 0 | .500 | Northeast Independent |
| 99 | Princeton | .392 | .535 | .319 | 14.63 | 13.38 | 3 | 4 | 1 | .438 | Eastern Independent |
| 100 | Loyola Marymount | .389 | .501 | .246 | 13.89 | 11.22 | 4 | 5 | 0 | .444 | South/West Independent |
| 101 | Illinois | .387 | .461 | .344 | 13.75 | 11.00 | 3 | 5 | 0 | .375 | Western |
| 102 | Arizona | .379 | .641 | .555 | 8.33 | 16.22 | 3 | 6 | 0 | .333 | Border |
| 103 | Texas | .376 | .557 | .903 | 5.78 | 18.00 | 1 | 8 | 0 | .111 | SWC |
| 104 | Colgate | .372 | .547 | .652 | 5.57 | 9.00 | 2 | 5 | 0 | .286 | Northeast Independent |
| 105 | Kentucky | .354 | .552 | .557 | 16.67 | 17.78 | 2 | 7 | 0 | .222 | SEC |
| 106 | St. Louis | .349 | .480 | .240 | 7.40 | 10.10 | 3 | 5 | 2 | .400 | MVC |
| 107 | Furman | .333 | .566 | .464 | 8.20 | 15.80 | 2 | 7 | 1 | .250 | Southern |
| 108 | Sewanee | .293 | .255 | .663 | 6.56 | 23.67 | 1 | 8 | 0 | .111 | SEC |
| 109 | Marquette | .293 | .542 | .754 | 4.38 | 15.25 | 1 | 7 | 0 | .125 | Eastern Independent |
| 110 | William & Mary | .292 | .312 | .316 | 10.50 | 15.40 | 3 | 7 | 0 | .300 | Southern |
| 111 | Wyoming | .291 | .311 | .406 | 8.25 | 18.38 | 2 | 5 | 1 | .313 | Mountain States |
| 112 | Yale | .290 | .669 | .440 | 8.63 | 16.88 | 2 | 6 | 0 | .250 | Northeast Independent |
| 113 | Arizona State | .290 | .231 | .153 | 9.89 | 10.89 | 3 | 6 | 0 | .333 | Border |
| 114 | Oklahoma State | .270 | .341 | .491 | 7.50 | 17.80 | 2 | 8 | 0 | .200 | MVC |
| 115 | Indiana | .263 | .541 | .555 | 2.63 | 8.38 | 1 | 6 | 1 | .188 | Western |
| 116 | Maryland | .258 | .614 | .416 | 9.56 | 26.11 | 2 | 7 | 0 | .222 | Southern |
| 117 | Gonzaga | .254 | .409 | .496 | 10.25 | 13.13 | 1 | 7 | 0 | .125 | South/West Independent |
| 118 | Colorado State | .247 | .306 | .370 | 4.63 | 12.88 | 1 | 5 | 2 | .250 | Mountain States |
| 119 | Wild Card U | .229 | .235 | .556 | 5.55 | 25.38 | 33 | 168 | 4 | .171 | |
| 120 | Iowa | .229 | .358 | .437 | 5.75 | 16.88 | 1 | 6 | 1 | .188 | Western |
| 121 | Northern Arizona | .225 | .356 | .171 | 12.67 | 20.22 | 2 | 6 | 1 | .278 | Border |
| 122 | Hampden-Sydney | .194 | .235 | .170 | 7.50 | 17.88 | 2 | 6 | 0 | .250 | South/West Independent |
| 123 | Chicago | .150 | .260 | .186 | 9.38 | 30.13 | 1 | 6 | 1 | .188 | Western |
| Conference | PR | PS | SOS | Wins | Losses | Ties | Pct | Teams |
| Big 6 | .636 | .526 | .645 | 33 | 20 | 3 | .616 | 6 |
| PCC | .630 | .596 | .706 | 54 | 40 | 5 | .571 | 10 |
| SWC | .625 | .686 | .704 | 35 | 31 | 3 | .529 | 7 |
| SEC | .615 | .652 | .618 | 69 | 52 | 8 | .566 | 13 |
| Eastern Independent | .569 | .618 | .515 | 73 | 52 | 10 | .578 | 15 |
| Northeast Independent | .541 | .552 | .366 | 70 | 43 | 5 | .614 | 14 |
| Southern | .527 | .511 | .485 | 71 | 65 | 14 | .520 | 15 |
| South/West Independent | .521 | .495 | .357 | 56 | 38 | 2 | .594 | 11 |
| Border | .498 | .460 | .279 | 39 | 27 | 1 | .590 | 7 |
| Western | .496 | .493 | .476 | 36 | 35 | 9 | .506 | 10 |
| MVC | .468 | .414 | .323 | 32 | 29 | 6 | .522 | 7 |
| Mountain States | .421 | .481 | .328 | 25 | 26 | 8 | .492 | 7 |
This page has been accessed times since May 21, 1999.
Last Updated on 09/15/13
By James Howell
Email: cfootball@jhowell.net