2003 season
117 teams across 5 tiers · ingest from CFBD regular season
- National champion
- Michiganfrom Premier
- Biggest riser (1999 tiers)
- Boise State▲ 1 tier
- Biggest faller
- Arizona State▼ 1 tier
Regular season champions
Tier winners — the top finisher in each tier on points, before any promotion playoff or main-playoff games.
Tier standings
Final regular-season standings within each tier. Promoted rows tinted green, relegated rows tinted red, survival winners tinted amber.
Premier24 teams
| Team | Status | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | USC | 11 | 1 | 50 | 506 | 225 | +281 | |
| 2 | Oklahoma | 12 | 1 | 41 | 587 | 193 | +394 | |
| 3 | Florida State | 10 | 2 | 35 | 405 | 201 | +204 | |
| 4 | Washington State | 9 | 3 | 35 | 366 | 237 | +129 | |
| 5 | Michigan | 10 | 2 | 34 | 446 | 191 | +255 | |
| 6 | Ohio State | 10 | 2 | 34 | 287 | 201 | +86 | |
| 7 | Texas | 10 | 2 | 32 | 513 | 252 | +261 | |
| 8 | Tennessee | 10 | 2 | 32 | 351 | 212 | +139 | |
| 9 | Oregon | 8 | 4 | 32 | 326 | 317 | +9 | |
| 10 | Miami (FL) | 10 | 2 | 31 | 345 | 182 | +163 | |
| 11 | Georgia | 10 | 3 | 31 | 337 | 176 | +161 | |
| 12 | Kansas State | 11 | 3 | 26 | 489 | 188 | +301 | |
| 13 | Nebraska | 9 | 3 | 26 | 305 | 185 | +120 | |
| 14 | Washington | 6 | 6 | 24 | 312 | 316 | -4 | |
| 15 | UCLA | 6 | 6 | 24 | 239 | 288 | -49 | |
| 16 | Florida | 8 | 4 | 22 | 373 | 234 | +139 | |
| 17 | Arkansas | 8 | 4 | 22 | 409 | 291 | +118 | |
| 18 | Oregon State | 7 | 5 | 22 | 378 | 287 | +91 | |
| 19 | Virginia Tech | 8 | 4 | 18 | 411 | 247 | +164 | |
| 20 | Notre Dame | 5 | 7 | 18 | 243 | 315 | -72 | |
| 21 | Georgia Tech | 6 | 6 | 16 | 222 | 256 | -34 | Survived |
| 22 | Arizona State | 5 | 7 | 13 | 298 | 328 | -30 | Relegated |
| 23 | BYU | 4 | 8 | 12 | 196 | 310 | -114 | Relegated |
| 24 | Penn State | 3 | 9 | 5 | 233 | 255 | -22 | Relegated |
Tier 224 teams
| Team | Status | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boise State | 12 | 1 | 31 | 568 | 208 | +360 | Promoted |
| 2 | Purdue | 9 | 3 | 31 | 322 | 192 | +130 | Promoted |
| 3 | California | 7 | 6 | 30 | 384 | 260 | +124 | Promoted (playoff) |
| 4 | Miami (OH) | 12 | 1 | 27 | 553 | 244 | +309 | |
| 5 | Ole Miss | 9 | 3 | 26 | 411 | 257 | +154 | |
| 6 | Michigan State | 8 | 4 | 26 | 360 | 276 | +84 | |
| 7 | Wisconsin | 7 | 5 | 26 | 341 | 278 | +63 | |
| 8 | TCU | 11 | 1 | 24 | 349 | 242 | +107 | |
| 9 | Southern Miss | 9 | 3 | 23 | 293 | 209 | +84 | |
| 10 | Colorado State | 7 | 5 | 22 | 360 | 283 | +77 | |
| 11 | Fresno State | 8 | 5 | 21 | 305 | 308 | -3 | |
| 12 | Texas Tech | 7 | 5 | 20 | 514 | 428 | +86 | |
| 13 | Auburn | 7 | 5 | 19 | 314 | 198 | +116 | |
| 14 | Virginia | 7 | 5 | 19 | 341 | 249 | +92 | |
| 15 | Hawaii | 8 | 5 | 19 | 432 | 379 | +53 | |
| 16 | Stanford | 4 | 7 | 18 | 186 | 324 | -138 | |
| 17 | Syracuse | 6 | 6 | 17 | 320 | 301 | +19 | |
| 18 | Marshall | 8 | 4 | 15 | 350 | 278 | +72 | |
| 19 | Colorado | 5 | 7 | 15 | 319 | 398 | -79 | |
| 20 | Air Force | 7 | 5 | 14 | 322 | 242 | +80 | |
| 21 | Alabama | 4 | 9 | 12 | 331 | 333 | -2 | Relegated |
| 22 | Texas A&M | 4 | 8 | 6 | 304 | 465 | -161 | Survived |
| 23 | East Carolina | 1 | 11 | 1 | 217 | 428 | -211 | Relegated |
| 24 | Illinois | 1 | 11 | 0 | 203 | 398 | -195 | Relegated |
Tier 326 teams
| Team | Status | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LSU | 12 | 1 | 38 | 454 | 140 | +314 | Promoted |
| 2 | Iowa | 9 | 3 | 33 | 336 | 193 | +143 | Promoted |
| 3 | Utah | 9 | 2 | 31 | 327 | 229 | +98 | Promoted (playoff) |
| 4 | Minnesota | 9 | 3 | 23 | 472 | 255 | +217 | |
| 5 | Missouri | 8 | 4 | 23 | 385 | 260 | +125 | |
| 6 | West Virginia | 8 | 4 | 23 | 369 | 256 | +113 | |
| 7 | Louisville | 9 | 3 | 23 | 422 | 312 | +110 | |
| 8 | Clemson | 8 | 4 | 22 | 338 | 236 | +102 | |
| 9 | Oklahoma State | 9 | 3 | 21 | 439 | 295 | +144 | |
| 10 | Pittsburgh | 8 | 4 | 21 | 373 | 288 | +85 | |
| 11 | Maryland | 9 | 3 | 20 | 365 | 199 | +166 | |
| 12 | Boston College | 7 | 5 | 20 | 335 | 310 | +25 | |
| 13 | NC State | 7 | 5 | 16 | 433 | 359 | +74 | |
| 14 | Nevada | 6 | 6 | 16 | 282 | 338 | -56 | |
| 15 | Toledo | 8 | 4 | 15 | 389 | 285 | +104 | |
| 16 | Rice | 5 | 7 | 13 | 343 | 378 | -35 | |
| 17 | San Diego State | 6 | 6 | 10 | 224 | 207 | +17 | |
| 18 | Tulane | 5 | 7 | 10 | 337 | 424 | -87 | |
| 19 | Cincinnati | 5 | 7 | 9 | 303 | 319 | -16 | |
| 20 | Kentucky | 4 | 8 | 8 | 328 | 321 | +7 | |
| 21 | Arizona | 2 | 10 | 7 | 181 | 429 | -248 | |
| 22 | North Carolina | 2 | 10 | 6 | 317 | 459 | -142 | |
| 23 | San Jose State | 3 | 8 | 5 | 259 | 386 | -127 | Survived |
| 24 | Indiana | 2 | 10 | 4 | 177 | 388 | -211 | Relegated |
| 25 | Mississippi State | 2 | 10 | 3 | 225 | 471 | -246 | Relegated |
| 26 | SMU | 0 | 12 | 0 | 134 | 386 | -252 | Relegated |
Tier 426 teams
| Team | Status | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Mexico | 8 | 4 | 20 | 377 | 235 | +142 | Promoted |
| 2 | Memphis | 8 | 4 | 20 | 366 | 233 | +133 | Promoted |
| 3 | Northern Illinois | 10 | 2 | 19 | 386 | 258 | +128 | |
| 4 | UNLV | 6 | 6 | 18 | 256 | 272 | -16 | |
| 5 | Northwestern | 6 | 6 | 18 | 239 | 298 | -59 | |
| 6 | Bowling Green | 10 | 3 | 17 | 442 | 280 | +162 | Promoted (playoff) |
| 7 | Houston | 7 | 5 | 17 | 400 | 414 | -14 | |
| 8 | Wake Forest | 5 | 7 | 14 | 335 | 347 | -12 | |
| 9 | North Texas | 9 | 3 | 13 | 341 | 258 | +83 | |
| 10 | South Florida | 7 | 4 | 13 | 276 | 224 | +52 | |
| 11 | Louisiana Tech | 5 | 7 | 13 | 310 | 394 | -84 | |
| 12 | South Carolina | 5 | 7 | 11 | 268 | 314 | -46 | |
| 13 | Wyoming | 4 | 8 | 11 | 286 | 360 | -74 | |
| 14 | UAB | 5 | 7 | 9 | 245 | 287 | -42 | |
| 15 | Akron | 7 | 5 | 8 | 435 | 353 | +82 | |
| 16 | Western Michigan | 5 | 7 | 7 | 331 | 370 | -39 | |
| 17 | Ball State | 4 | 8 | 6 | 261 | 386 | -125 | |
| 18 | Utah State | 3 | 9 | 4 | 264 | 315 | -51 | |
| 19 | Middle Tennessee | 4 | 8 | 3 | 332 | 375 | -43 | |
| 20 | New Mexico State | 3 | 9 | 3 | 262 | 341 | -79 | |
| 21 | UCF | 3 | 9 | 3 | 224 | 373 | -149 | |
| 22 | Ohio | 2 | 10 | 2 | 263 | 372 | -109 | |
| 23 | Iowa State | 2 | 10 | 2 | 173 | 437 | -264 | Relegated |
| 24 | Central Michigan | 3 | 9 | 1 | 277 | 428 | -151 | Relegated |
| 25 | UTEP | 2 | 11 | 0 | 288 | 498 | -210 | Relegated |
| 26 | Idaho | 3 | 9 | -1 | 248 | 314 | -66 | Survived |
Tier 517 teams
| Team | Status | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tulsa | 8 | 4 | 18 | 390 | 309 | +81 | Promoted |
| 2 | UConn | 9 | 3 | 13 | 408 | 300 | +108 | Promoted |
| 3 | Navy | 8 | 4 | 12 | 382 | 245 | +137 | Promoted (playoff) |
| 4 | Duke | 4 | 8 | 11 | 211 | 343 | -132 | |
| 5 | Kansas | 6 | 6 | 10 | 358 | 340 | +18 | |
| 6 | Troy | 6 | 6 | 9 | 185 | 272 | -87 | |
| 7 | Rutgers | 5 | 7 | 8 | 329 | 354 | -25 | |
| 8 | Kent State | 5 | 7 | 7 | 321 | 396 | -75 | |
| 9 | Baylor | 3 | 9 | 7 | 191 | 455 | -264 | |
| 10 | Louisiana-Lafayette | 4 | 8 | 6 | 266 | 415 | -149 | |
| 11 | Arkansas State | 5 | 7 | 5 | 242 | 401 | -159 | |
| 12 | Vanderbilt | 2 | 10 | 3 | 235 | 358 | -123 | |
| 13 | Eastern Michigan | 3 | 9 | 1 | 205 | 371 | -166 | |
| 14 | Army | 0 | 13 | 0 | 206 | 476 | -270 | |
| 15 | Temple | 1 | 11 | -1 | 235 | 393 | -158 | |
| 16 | Buffalo | 1 | 11 | -1 | 177 | 445 | -268 | |
| 17 | Louisiana-Monroe | 1 | 11 | -5 | 239 | 467 | -228 |
Main playoff
Twelve-team championship bracket: top 8 from Premier (seeds 1–8), top 2 from Tier 2 (seeds 9–10), top 2 from Tier 3 (seeds 11–12). Seeds 1–4 receive first-round byes. Champion: Michigan.
Round 1
Quarterfinal
Semifinal
Promotion playoffs
Each lower tier sends two teams up automatically (ranks 1 and 2); ranks 3–6 contest a single-elimination playoff for the third promotion spot.
Tier 2→ up to Tier 1
Semifinal
Final
Tier 4→ up to Tier 3
Semifinal
Final
Relegation playoffs
Bottom 4 of each upper tier play a survival bracket. The Survival Final winner stays up; the other three drop down.
Premierbottom 4 · survivor: Georgia Tech
Semifinal
Survival Final· winner stays up
Tier 2bottom 4 · survivor: Texas A&M
Tier 3bottom 4 · survivor: San Jose State
Semifinal
Survival Final· winner stays up
Tier 4bottom 4 · survivor: Idaho
Semifinal
2004 starting tiers
Cascade from 2003: promoted teams move up, relegated teams move down, and FBS membership is reconciled against CFBD's roster for the next year.
Premier24
- USC1
- Oklahoma2
- Florida State3
- Washington State4
- Michigan5
- Ohio State6
- Texas7
- Tennessee8
- Oregon9
- Boise State10
- Miami (FL)11
- Georgia12
- Purdue13
- California14
- Kansas State15
- Nebraska16
- Washington17
- UCLA18
- Florida19
- Arkansas20
- Oregon State21
- Virginia Tech22
- Notre Dame23
- Georgia Tech24
Tier 224
- LSU1
- Iowa2
- Utah3
- Miami (OH)4
- Ole Miss5
- Michigan State6
- Wisconsin7
- TCU8
- Southern Miss9
- Colorado State10
- Fresno State11
- Texas Tech12
- Auburn13
- Virginia14
- Hawaii15
- Stanford16
- Syracuse17
- Marshall18
- Colorado19
- Air Force20
- Arizona State21
- BYU22
- Texas A&M23
- Penn State24
Tier 326
- Minnesota1
- Missouri2
- West Virginia3
- Louisville4
- Clemson5
- Oklahoma State6
- Pittsburgh7
- Maryland8
- New Mexico9
- Memphis10
- Boston College11
- Bowling Green12
- NC State13
- Nevada14
- Toledo15
- Rice16
- Alabama17
- San Diego State18
- Tulane19
- Cincinnati20
- Kentucky21
- Arizona22
- North Carolina23
- San Jose State24
- East Carolina25
- Illinois26
Tier 426
- Northern Illinois1
- Tulsa2
- UNLV3
- Northwestern4
- Houston5
- Wake Forest6
- UConn7
- North Texas8
- South Florida9
- Louisiana Tech10
- Navy11
- South Carolina12
- Wyoming13
- UAB14
- Akron15
- Western Michigan16
- Ball State17
- Utah State18
- Indiana19
- Middle Tennessee20
- New Mexico State21
- UCF22
- Mississippi State23
- Ohio24
- SMU25
- Idaho26
Tier 517
- Duke1
- Kansas2
- Troy3
- Rutgers4
- Kent State5
- Baylor6
- Louisiana-Lafayette7
- Arkansas State8
- Vanderbilt9
- Iowa State10
- Central Michigan11
- Eastern Michigan12
- UTEP13
- Army14
- Temple15
- Buffalo16
- Louisiana-Monroe17