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.
The NCAA college football records book includes the Williamson System as a "major selector" of national championships for the years 1932-1963.
Paul Williamson died in 1955. His son Mitch Williamson subsequently took up his father's syndicated column for the 1955–1963 seasons.

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
1932USC10–0Howard Jones
1933USC10–1–1Howard Jones
1934Alabama10–0Frank Thomas
1935TCU12–1Dutch Meyer
1936Minnesota7–1Bernie Bierman
1937California10–0–1Stub Allison
1938TCU11–0Dutch Meyer
1938Tennessee11–0Robert Neyland
1939Texas A&M11–0Homer Norton
1940Stanford10–0Clark Shaughnessy
1941Texas8–1–1Dana X. Bible
1942Georgia10–1Wally Butts
1943Notre Dame9–1Frank Leahy
1944Army9–0Earl Blaik
1945Army9–0Earl Blaik
1946Georgia11–0Wally Butts
1947Notre Dame9–0Frank Leahy
1948Michigan9–0Bennie Oosterbaan
1949Notre Dame10–0Frank Leahy
1950Oklahoma10–1Bud Wilkinson
1951Tennessee10–1Robert Neyland
1952Michigan State9–0Biggie Munn
1953Notre Dame9–0–1Frank Leahy
1954Ohio State10–0Woody Hayes
1955Oklahoma11–0Bud Wilkinson
1956Oklahoma10–0Bud Wilkinson
1957Auburn10–0Ralph Jordan
1958LSU11–0Paul Dietzel
1959Syracuse11–0Ben Schwartzwalder
1960Ole Miss10–0–1Johnny Vaught
1961Alabama11–0Bear Bryant
1962USC11–0John McKay
1963Texas11–0Darrell Royal