Three polls and one formulaic ranking make up the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) football rankings, in addition to various publications' preseason polls.

Please copy/paste the following text to properly cite this HowStuffWorks article: "How are the college football rankings determined?"

Beginning in 2012, AP will issue a weekly pro football ranking, the AP Pro32 rankings.

How are the college football rankings determined?

The Buffalo Bills, despite slipping to an 11-2 record after losing to the Cincinnati Bengals last Sunday, remained on top of The New York Times's pro football rankings.

LEAD: The New York Times college football rankings on the sports statistics page in some editions on Tuesday gave an incorrect record for Notre Dame.

These violations are characterized by university coaches and administrators teaming with others in the civic and college football arena to purchase students whose only purpose was to bolster the schools football rankings.

The football rankings are compiled by the USA Today Board of Coaches which is made up of 59 head coaches at Division I FBS institutions.

"A ranking is easier to convey information to a large public, like a football ranking," said Mr. Lambsdorff, a professor at Gottingen University.

We interrupt the latest brawls to bring you the new college football rankings: A.P. - 1.