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.{{cite book |url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2022/FBS.pdf |title=2022 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records |section=National Champion Major Selections (1896 to Present) |pages=112–114 |publisher=The National Collegiate Athletic Association |date=July 2022 |location=Indianapolis |access-date=January 4, 2023 |quote=The criteria for being included in this historical list of poll selectors is that the poll be national in scope, either through distribution in newspaper, television, radio and/or computer online. The list includes both former selectors, who were instrumental in the sport of college football, and selectors who were among the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) selectors.}}

Paul Williamson died in 1955. His son Mitch Williamson subsequently took up his father's syndicated column for the 1955–1963 seasons.{{cite news |date=October 1, 1964 |title=1964 Williamson Ratings |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115788584/mitch-williamson-retires-the-williamson/ |work=Lincoln Journal Star |access-date=January 4, 2023 |quote=Mr. Williamson died and his son elected not to continue the rating system.}}

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.

Season \|\| Champion \|\| Record \|\| Coach \|\| Notes
class="wikitable"
1932{{cite news \|last=Gould \|first=Alan \|date=January 17, 1933 \|title=Sport Slants \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115699507/williamson-system-1932/ \|work=The Dispatch \|publication-place=Moline, Illinois \|access-date=January 2, 2023 \|quote=we find Southern California clearly on top, within two points of perfection, at 98.12, with the result of the Rose Bowl game considered.}}	USC	10–0	Howard Jones
1933{{cite news \|last=Morin \|first=Relman \|date=January 23, 1934 \|title=Troy Given Title — '33 Grid Rankings Told \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115699281/williamson-system-1933/ \|work=Los Angeles Evening Post–Record \|access-date=January 2, 2023}}	USC	10–1–1	Howard Jones
1934{{cite news \|agency=United Press \|date=January 11, 1935 \|title=Alabama Chosen National Champ – Williamson System Says Minnesota Should Have 'Jeopardized' Record \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115699042/williamson-system-1934/ \|work=Chattanooga Daily Times \|place=New Orleans \|publication-place=Chattanooga \|access-date=January 2, 2023}}	Alabama	10–0	Frank Thomas
1935{{cite news \|last=Williamson \|first=Paul B. \|date=January 16, 1936 \|title=Frogs Rated First In Final Grid Standings; S.M.U. Mustangs Placed Second By Williamson \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115690941/1935-williamson-system-final-football/ \|work=Fort Worth Star–Telegram \|publication-place=Fort Worth, Texas \|access-date=January 2, 2023 \|quote=No Undisputable National Champions Picked; Sugar Bowl Game One of Best}}	TCU	12–1	Dutch Meyer	{{#tag:ref\|The NCAA records book erroneously lists a co-championship between TCU and LSU.}}
1936{{cite news \|last=Williamson \|first=Paul B. \|agency=United Features Syndicate \|date=January 6, 1937 \|title=P.B. Williamson Ranks Gophers at Top — Nation's Leading 24 Football Teams \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115698494/p-b-williamson-ranks-gophers-at-top/ \|work=The Knoxville News–Sentinel \|access-date=January 2, 2023 \|quote=At the curtain of the 1936 football season, again like for 1935, the Williamson Rating System does not name any team that could be consistently called the out and out national football champion.}}	Minnesota	7–1	Bernie Bierman	{{#tag:ref\|The NCAA records book erroneously lists LSU as champions.}}
1937{{cite news \|agency=United Press \|date=January 6, 1938 \|title=Williamson System Names Bears Champs \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115698786/williamson-system-1937/ \|work=The Knoxville News–Sentinel \|access-date=January 2, 2023}}	California	10–0–1	Stub Allison	{{#tag:ref\|The NCAA records book erroneously lists Pittsburgh as champions.}}
rowspan="2" \| 1938{{cite news \|last=Williamson \|first=Paul B. \|date=January 6, 1938 \|title=Vols, T.C.U. Share Grid Laurels \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115700400/williamson-system-1938/ \|work=The Oklahoma News \|publication-place=Oklahoma City \|access-date=January 2, 2023}}	TCU	11–0	Dutch Meyer	rowspan="2" \| {{#tag:ref\|The NCAA records book erroneously omits co-champion Tennessee.}}
Tennessee	11–0	Robert Neyland
1939{{cite news \|last=Williamson \|first=Paul B. \|date=January 7, 1940 \|title=Williamson Places Aggies on Top in Final Rankings \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115714453/williamson-system-1939/ \|work=Asheville Citizen–Times \|access-date=January 3, 2023}}	Texas A&M	11–0	Homer Norton
1940{{cite news \|last=Williamson \|first=Paul B. \|date=January 7, 1941 \|title=Williamson Votes National Title to Stanford \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115715254/williamson-system-1940/ \|work=Nasheville Banner \|access-date=January 3, 2023}}	Stanford	10–0	Clark Shaughnessy	{{#tag:ref\|The NCAA records book erroneously lists Tennessee as champions.}}
1941{{cite news \|last=Williamson \|first=Paul B. \|date=January 6, 1942 \|title=Williamson Hails Steers As His National Champs \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115720760/williamson-system-1941/ \|work=Tyler Morning Telegraph \|access-date=January 3, 2023}}	Texas	8–1–1	Dana X. Bible
1942{{cite news \|last=Williamson \|first=Paul B. \|date=December 24, 1942 \|title=Georgia and Tulsa One-Two in Final Williamson Ratings \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115722005/williamson-system-1942/ \|work=The St. Louis Star and Times \|access-date=January 3, 2023}}	Georgia	10–1	Wally Butts
1943{{cite news \|last=Williamson \|first=Paul B. \|date=November 30, 1943 \|title=Williamson System Has Big Season; Awards Irish College Championship \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115723520/williamson-system-1943/ \|work=The Charlotte Observer \|access-date=January 3, 2023}}	Notre Dame	9–1	Frank Leahy
1944{{cite news \|last=Williamson \|first=Paul B. \|date=December 7, 1944 \|title=Williamson Gives Final 1944 Ratings: Army Best Eleven \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115722998/williamson-system-1944/ \|work=The Durham Sun \|access-date=January 3, 2023}}	Army	9–0	Earl Blaik
1945{{cite news \|last=Williamson \|first=Paul B. \|date=December 5, 1945 \|title=Williamson Rang Bell on Army–'Bama–U.S.C.–Mizzou \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115725812/williamson-system-1945/ \|work=The Nebraska State Journal \|access-date=January 3, 2023 \|quote=National football champions: Army}}	Army	9–0	Earl Blaik
1946{{cite news \|last=Williamson \|first=Paul B. \|date=December 4, 1946 \|title=Georgia Football King — Bulldogs Are Williamson's Choice as 1946 Grid Champs; Irish Second, Army Third \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115739622/williamson-system-1946/ \|work=Nashville Banner \|access-date=January 2, 2023}}	Georgia	11–0	Wally Butts
1947{{cite news \|last=Williamson \|first=Paul B. \|date=December 12, 1946 \|title=Williamson's Football Ratings and Predictions \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115742746/williamson-system-1947/ \|work=The Times \|publication-place=Shreveport, Louisiana \|access-date=January 3, 2023}}	Notre Dame	9–0	Frank Leahy
1948{{cite news \|last=Williamson \|first=Paul B. \|date=December 7, 1948 \|title=Williamson Crowns Michigan King \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115742952/williamson-system-1948/ \|work=The Charlotte Observer \|access-date=January 3, 2023}}	Michigan	9–0	Bennie Oosterbaan
1949{{cite news \|last=Williamson \|first=Paul B. \|date=December 7, 1949 \|title=Williamson: Notre Dame Tops Final Rankings \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115747855/williamson-system-1949/ \|work=The Boston Globe \|access-date=January 3, 2023}}	Notre Dame	10–0	Frank Leahy
1950{{cite news \|last=Williamson \|first=Paul B. \|date=December 12, 1950 \|title=Oklahoma No. 1 on P.B.'s Roll — Texas Second, then Princeton, Tenn. \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115748197/williamson-system-1950/ \|work=The Memphis Press–Scimitar \|access-date=January 3, 2023}}	Oklahoma	10–1	Bud Wilkinson
1951{{cite news \|last=Williamson \|first=Paul B. \|date=December 4, 1951 \|title=System Rates Vols Top Team Of 1951 \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115754131/williamson-system-1951/ \|work=The Charlotte Observer \|access-date=January 3, 2023}}	Tennessee	10–1	Robert Neyland
1952{{cite news \|last=Williamson \|first=Paul B. \|date=December 16, 1952 \|title=Spartans, Georgia Tech Atop Williamson Ratings \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115755547/williamson-system-1952/ \|work=The Albuquerque Tribune \|access-date=January 3, 2023}}	Michigan State	9–0	Biggie Munn
1953{{cite news \|last=Williamson \|first=Paul B. \|date=December 16, 1953 \|title=Williamson Votes irish Best Team \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115755748/williamson-system-1953/ \|work=The Lawton Constitution \|access-date=January 3, 2023}}	Notre Dame	9–0–1	Frank Leahy
1954{{cite news \|last=Williamson \|first=Paul B. \|date=December 8, 1954 \|title=Ohio State Rated Best By System \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115755969/williamson-system-1954/ \|work=The Austin American \|access-date=January 3, 2023}}	Ohio State	10–0	Woody Hayes
1955{{cite news \|last=Williamson \|first=Mitch \|date=December 7, 1955 \|title=System Rates Sooners First \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115756228/williamson-system-1955/ \|work=Austin American–Statesman \|access-date=January 3, 2023}}	Oklahoma	11–0	Bud Wilkinson
1956{{cite news \|last=Williamson \|first=Mitch \|date=December 6, 1956 \|title=The Williamson System: Pre-Season Dope on Okies Right; Iowa Big Surprise \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115756659/williamson-system-1956/ \|work=Lincoln Journal Star \|access-date=January 3, 2023}}	Oklahoma	10–0	Bud Wilkinson
1957{{cite news \|last=Williamson \|first=Mitch \|date=December 17, 1957 \|title=The Williamson System: Auburn Ranked First In Final Grid Ratings \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115757104/williamson-system-1957/ \|work=Lincoln Journal Star \|access-date=January 3, 2023}}	Auburn	10–0	Ralph Jordan
1958{{cite news \|last=Williamson \|first=Mitch \|date=December 2, 1958 \|title=Williamson System: LSU Rated Tops In Nation \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115759650/williamson-system-1958/ \|work=Lincoln Journal Star \|access-date=January 3, 2023}}	LSU	11–0	Paul Dietzel
1959{{cite news \|last=Williamson \|first=Mitch \|date=December 1, 1959 \|title=The Williamson System 1959 \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115783158/williamson-system-1959/ \|work=Lincoln Journal Star \|access-date=January 4, 2023}}	Syracuse	11–0	Ben Schwartzwalder
1960{{cite news \|last=Williamson \|first=Mitch \|date=December 13, 1960 \|title=Final Grid Standings: Ole Miss The King on System's Throne \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115784990/williamson-system-1960/ \|work=The Miami Herald \|access-date=January 4, 2023}}	Ole Miss	10–0–1	Johnny Vaught
1961{{cite news \|last=Williamson \|first=Mitch \|date=December 15, 1961 \|title=In Final Williamson Ratings Alabama, Ohio State End Up 1–2 \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115786743/williamson-system-1961/ \|work=The Durham Sun \|access-date=January 4, 2023}}	Alabama	11–0	Bear Bryant
1962{{cite news \|last=Williamson \|first=Mitch \|date=December 11, 1962 \|title=Williamson Rates Troy No. 1 Club \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115787611/williamson-system-1962/ \|work=The Durham Sun \|access-date=January 4, 2023}}	USC	11–0	John McKay
1963{{cite news \|last=Williamson \|first=Mitch \|date=December 3, 1963 \|title=Texas Stays On Top In Williamson Poll \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115788071/williamson-system-1963/ \|work=The Daily Herald \|access-date=January 4, 2023}}	Texas	11–0	Darrell Royal

References

Category:College football rankings