IRVING, Texas (July 27, 2015) – The Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and the National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame announced today that they will partner for the second consecutive year to conduct the FWAA-NFF Super 16 Poll, the organizations’ weekly major-college football poll. The results will be released by 11:30 a.m. ET each Sunday of the regular 2015 season, and the plans include a preseason poll. The first poll of the season will be released on Tuesday, Sept. 8, to account for the games that will be played on Labor Day. The final poll will be released Dec. 6, the day after the conference championship games.
“We are proud to continue our partnership with the FWAA on the Super 16 Poll,” said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. “We received lots of positive feedback during the 2014 season from fans on how much they enjoyed the poll’s release each week, and we’re looking to expand upon that momentum. We believe that our voters offer an extremely credible set of opinions, and we hope that the combined respect of both our organizations will continue to provide a compelling reference point for fans to follow during the season.”
The voters in the poll consist of FWAA writers, College Football Hall of Famers and NFF Board Members. The poll aims to draw on the vast knowledge of the nation’s top journalists with extensive experience covering college football in combination with some of the greatest legends to have ever played or coached the game as well as the perspectives of several of the gridiron’s most respected and influential administrators. Last year’s 41 voters included College Football Hall of Fame inductees CoachChris Ault, Don McPherson (Syracuse) and Coach Barry Switzer, and notable sportswriters, including the SEC Network’s Tony Barnhart and The Sporting News’ Matt Hayes.
“We are extremely excited to continue the Super 16 Poll, partnering with the National Football Foundation,” said 2015 FWAA President Lee Barfknecht, a voter in the poll. “We had a great first year, and we hope to make great strides in year two as the go-to poll for fans.
“Our poll includes of some of the most knowledgeable and objective college football minds in the country, and we believe the poll has developed into a compelling instrument for ranking the best teams in the country.”
The decision to conduct the new poll was made by the boards of both organizations at the conclusion of the 2013 season and the Bowl Championship Series, building on a relationship that stretches back to the 1940s when both groups were founded. The 2014 poll tallied the votes of 41 individuals (29 from the FWAA and 12 from the NFF) on a weekly basis, ranking the top 16 teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. The poll will utilized a similar-sized group of voters in 2015. Click here for an archive of last year’s votes.
The names and affiliations of the participants will be released to the general public in the near future, and their individual votes will again be made public each week during the season. The FWAA voters, all current or past writers of national stature, are selected to ensure balanced-geographical representation. The NFF voters, comprised of Hall of Fame players, coaches and administrators, also add to the diversity of perspectives, coming from different conferences and regions of the country.
FWAA-NFF Super 16 Poll Release Schedule
August Preseason Rankings
Sept. 8 Week 1 Rankings
Sept. 13 Week 2 Rankings
Sept. 20 Week 3 Rankings
Sept. 27 Week 4 Rankings
Oct. 4 Week 5 Rankings
Oct. 11 Week 6 Rankings
Oct. 18 Week 7 Rankings
Oct. 25 Week 8 Rankings
Nov. 1 Week 9 Rankings
Nov. 8 Week 10 Rankings
Nov. 15 Week 11 Rankings
Nov. 22 Week 12 Rankings
Nov. 29 Week 13 Rankings
Dec. 6 Final Rankings
About the Football Writers Association of America
The Football Writers Association of America, a non-profit organization founded in 1941, consists of 1,400 men and women who cover college football. The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key executives in all the areas that involve the game. The FWAA works to govern areas that include game day operations, major awards and its annual All- America team. For more information about the FWAA and its award programs, contact Steve Richardson at [email protected] or 214-870-6516 or visitwww.sportswriters.net/fwaa.
About the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame
Founded in 1947 with early leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl “Red” Blaik and immortal journalist Grantland Rice, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame is a non-profit educational organization that runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in young people. With 120 chapters and 12,000 members nationwide, NFF programs include the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, the NFF Leadership Hall of Fame, the NFF Scholar-Athlete Awards presented by Fidelity Investments, the NFF High School Showcases, the NFF Hampshire Honor Society, the NFF Faculty Salutes presented by Fidelity Investments, the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Alumni Association, and scholarships of more than $1.3 million for college and high school scholar-athletes. The NFF also collaborates with the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) to release the FWAA-NFF Super 16 Poll; awards The William V. Campbell Trophy presented by Fidelity Investments and prominently showcased at its official home inside the New York Athletic Club; and bestows several other major awards at the NFF Annual Awards Dinner. NFF corporate partners include the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, Fidelity Investments, Herff Jones, the Pasadena Tournament of Roses, the Sports Business Journal and Under Armour. Learn more at www.footballfoundation.org.
