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Polling has always had a shady history. I like looking at some of the odd cases and trying to figure them out. Here's a list of teams that finished that season with 3 wins or less, but still received some poll votes:
1943 New Mexico
Perhaps one of the more understandable cases, given the war. New Mexico was 3-1 at the time of the final AP poll voting. They lost their first game against Colorado College, who would finish 6-2 and ranked #18 in the AP poll. They played no other teams that finished with a winning record but managed to get a 10th place vote in the AP poll and finished tied for 31st on the list.
1947 Northwestern (3-6)
Northwestern finished their season on a high note, beating #12 Illinois. This upped their record to 3-6, with wins over 5-4 UCLA, and 5-3-1 Indiana. The schedule was pretty tough, as they suffered defeats to the eventual #1 and #2 teams and every team on their schedule finished with a winning record, except Ohio State. They finished with 3 points in the AP poll, putting them with the same amount as the last team they beat, Illinois, who dropped from the #12 spot into a tie with a 3-6 team in the 28th position.
1949 North Carolina State (3-7)
It's hard to figure what they were thinking here. I guess they figured that if they could put a 3-6 team in the poll, 3-7 teams would be fair game as well. N. C. State's whole season was dismal outside of a three game stretch where they beat a 1-7-2 Virginia Tech team, a 3-7 Richmond team, and a 4-6 Wake Forest team. The only noteworthy point about these teams is Wake Forest was ranked #18 at the time, at 4-4, coming off their own 3 game winning streak. Apparently 3 game winning streaks qualified you for the poll. N. C. State lost their last 2 games badly and still managed to get 3 points in the final AP poll which was the 30th position.
1950 Navy (3-6)
The newly formed United Press poll apparently took their cue from the AP and looked for a 3 win team to rank. Not to be outdone by the senior poll, the coaches put Navy in the top 20, giving them 3 points for a 4 way tie for the 19th position in the rankings. Navy finished their season with a win over #2 Army, handing the midshipmen their only loss of the year.
1951 Boston College (3-6)
The AP poll, apparently ashamed at missing a year and having the coaches outdo them, voted BC into their poll Not finishing high enough to be in the top 20, they did manage to be among the top 36 teams according to that poll. Starting the season at 1-6, they finished strong with wins over highly regarded Villanova and #19 Holy Cross.
1955 Iowa (3-5-1)
Though the team with the highest winning percentage on the list, Iowa finished the season without a decent win to their name. They started the season by beating Kansas, who finished 4-6 (and unranked), and then after a loss, beat Indiana who finished their season 3-6. Late in the season they picked up a win over a Minnesota team that finished 3-6. Their tie came against a Purdue team that finished 5-3-1 and may have been their best "win" of the year. Iowa finished the season ranked #19 in the coaches poll.
1962 Illinois (2-7)
Illinois finished their season at 2-7. They have the distinction of being the only 2 win team to finished ranked, with the coaches poll putting them in a tie for #18. Illinois' two wins came against Purdue and Michigan State who finished their seasons at 4-4-1 and 5-4 respectively. They also finished their seasons unranked, unlike Illinois, who gave Michigan one of their two wins of the season. Michigan also finished 2-7 and unranked. Every other team on their schedule finished ranked, included the #1 and #2 team, so it can be said that they played a quality schedule.
1986 Virginia (3-8)
Having broken the habit of voting in 3 win teams, the coaches got nostalgic in 1986, putting Virginia in the poll despite a 3-8 record. Virginia got their 3rd win of the season in their 9th game, beating a N. C. State team that finished 8-3-1 which was ranked #14. Their other wins were against South Carolina and Wake Forest who finished 3-6-2 and 5-6 respectively. Their only opponent who finished ranked was Clemson, coming in at #19. Virginia received no votes the entire year until the final poll.
1991 New Mexico (3-9)
New Mexico not only had 9 losses, they gave up 39.4 points per game, including 94 against Fresno State. The seasons high points were beating New Mexico, who finished 2-9 and Colorado State who finished 3-9, and their highest point was beating Air Force finished 10-3 and ranked in both polls. New Mexico had to points in the poll, perhaps receiving a #25 vote from their own coach and Air Force's coach. They hold the distinction of being the only 9 loss team to ever receive points in the polls.
1943 New Mexico
Perhaps one of the more understandable cases, given the war. New Mexico was 3-1 at the time of the final AP poll voting. They lost their first game against Colorado College, who would finish 6-2 and ranked #18 in the AP poll. They played no other teams that finished with a winning record but managed to get a 10th place vote in the AP poll and finished tied for 31st on the list.
1947 Northwestern (3-6)
Northwestern finished their season on a high note, beating #12 Illinois. This upped their record to 3-6, with wins over 5-4 UCLA, and 5-3-1 Indiana. The schedule was pretty tough, as they suffered defeats to the eventual #1 and #2 teams and every team on their schedule finished with a winning record, except Ohio State. They finished with 3 points in the AP poll, putting them with the same amount as the last team they beat, Illinois, who dropped from the #12 spot into a tie with a 3-6 team in the 28th position.
1949 North Carolina State (3-7)
It's hard to figure what they were thinking here. I guess they figured that if they could put a 3-6 team in the poll, 3-7 teams would be fair game as well. N. C. State's whole season was dismal outside of a three game stretch where they beat a 1-7-2 Virginia Tech team, a 3-7 Richmond team, and a 4-6 Wake Forest team. The only noteworthy point about these teams is Wake Forest was ranked #18 at the time, at 4-4, coming off their own 3 game winning streak. Apparently 3 game winning streaks qualified you for the poll. N. C. State lost their last 2 games badly and still managed to get 3 points in the final AP poll which was the 30th position.
1950 Navy (3-6)
The newly formed United Press poll apparently took their cue from the AP and looked for a 3 win team to rank. Not to be outdone by the senior poll, the coaches put Navy in the top 20, giving them 3 points for a 4 way tie for the 19th position in the rankings. Navy finished their season with a win over #2 Army, handing the midshipmen their only loss of the year.
1951 Boston College (3-6)
The AP poll, apparently ashamed at missing a year and having the coaches outdo them, voted BC into their poll Not finishing high enough to be in the top 20, they did manage to be among the top 36 teams according to that poll. Starting the season at 1-6, they finished strong with wins over highly regarded Villanova and #19 Holy Cross.
1955 Iowa (3-5-1)
Though the team with the highest winning percentage on the list, Iowa finished the season without a decent win to their name. They started the season by beating Kansas, who finished 4-6 (and unranked), and then after a loss, beat Indiana who finished their season 3-6. Late in the season they picked up a win over a Minnesota team that finished 3-6. Their tie came against a Purdue team that finished 5-3-1 and may have been their best "win" of the year. Iowa finished the season ranked #19 in the coaches poll.
1962 Illinois (2-7)
Illinois finished their season at 2-7. They have the distinction of being the only 2 win team to finished ranked, with the coaches poll putting them in a tie for #18. Illinois' two wins came against Purdue and Michigan State who finished their seasons at 4-4-1 and 5-4 respectively. They also finished their seasons unranked, unlike Illinois, who gave Michigan one of their two wins of the season. Michigan also finished 2-7 and unranked. Every other team on their schedule finished ranked, included the #1 and #2 team, so it can be said that they played a quality schedule.
1986 Virginia (3-8)
Having broken the habit of voting in 3 win teams, the coaches got nostalgic in 1986, putting Virginia in the poll despite a 3-8 record. Virginia got their 3rd win of the season in their 9th game, beating a N. C. State team that finished 8-3-1 which was ranked #14. Their other wins were against South Carolina and Wake Forest who finished 3-6-2 and 5-6 respectively. Their only opponent who finished ranked was Clemson, coming in at #19. Virginia received no votes the entire year until the final poll.
1991 New Mexico (3-9)
New Mexico not only had 9 losses, they gave up 39.4 points per game, including 94 against Fresno State. The seasons high points were beating New Mexico, who finished 2-9 and Colorado State who finished 3-9, and their highest point was beating Air Force finished 10-3 and ranked in both polls. New Mexico had to points in the poll, perhaps receiving a #25 vote from their own coach and Air Force's coach. They hold the distinction of being the only 9 loss team to ever receive points in the polls.
