Weekly Rankings · Rankings Only
1981 AP Football Polls
Follow the available weekly polls through the final rankings.
15Polls32Teams Ranked
SMU
Season Best: No. 5 · Ranked in 12 of 15 Polls · Final: No. 5
NR means outside the published Top 20. It does not mean the team received no votes.
1981 Season · Week 3
Week 3 AP Top 20
Source label: September 21 · Publication date unverified · 20 Ranked Teams
No. 1USC
| Rank | Team | Movement | Points | First Place |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ↑ 1 Previously No. 2 | — | 46 | |
| 2 | ↑ 1 Previously No. 3 | — | 15 | |
| 3 | ↑ 2 Previously No. 5 | — | 2 | |
| 4 | ↑ 2 Previously No. 6 | — | 1 | |
| 5 | ↑ 2 Previously No. 7 | — | — | |
| 6 | ↑ 3 Previously No. 9 | — | — | |
| 7 | ↑ 4 Previously No. 11 | — | 1 | |
| 8 | — Previously No. 8 | — | — | |
| 9 | ↑ 1 Previously No. 10 | — | — | |
| 10 | ↑ 2 Previously No. 12 | — | — | |
| 11 | ↑ 2 Previously No. 13 | — | — | |
| 12 | ↑ 2 Previously No. 14 | — | — | |
| 13 | ↓ 12 Previously No. 1 | — | — | |
| 14 | ↑ 2 Previously No. 16 | — | — | |
| 15 | ↑ 2 Previously No. 17 | — | — | |
| 16 | ↓ 1 Previously No. 15 | — | — | |
| 17 | ↓ 13 Previously No. 4 | — | — | |
| 18 | — Previously No. 18 | — | — | |
| 19 | New New to the Rankings | — | — | |
| 20 | New New to the Rankings | — | — |