Bleacher Report's Top 25 College Football Poll: Final

The 2011-2012 college football season has officially ended after last night's National Championship game, won by the Alabama Crimson Tide, 21-0 over the LSU Tigers.

The SEC continued its streak of producing a national champion for the sixth straight season.

Here is the final Bleacher Report official poll of the 2011-2012 season. Special thanks to all of the readers and all of those who contributed throughout the season.

(Voters: Amy Daughters, John Rozum, Brian Jones, Carl Stine, David Luther, Patrick Runge, Joe Penkala, Ian Berg, Jeremy Hillman, Lafe Peavler, Brian Jones, Kevin McGuire,Matt Shetler, Ryan Teeples, Joel Greer, Rich Thomaselli, Timothy Bielik and Johnathan Cace.)

Note: USC has been left out, by some voters, most of the season due to sanctions. After a vote between us voters, we have decided to include USC in the final poll.  Everyone voted, where they see fit, for the Trojans.

Others Receiving Votes

BYU - 32

Auburn - 16

Texas - 11

Missouri - 4

Penn State - 4

Northern Illinois - 4

No. 25: Nebraska Cornhuskers

Total Points: 33

Record: 9-4 (5-3, Big Ten)

Last Game: Jan. 2, lost to South Carolina 13-30

Previous Ranking: 22

Notes: Nebraska's Rex Burkhead ran for 89 yards, but it wasn't enough as the Gamecocks beat the Cornhuskers 30-13 in the Capital One Bowl.

Nebraska came into the game averaging 217 yards rushing (ranked 16th in the country) but were limited to just 137.

No. 24: Florida State Seminoles

Total Points: 36

Record: 9-4 (5-3, ACC)

Last Game: Dec. 29, beat Notre Dame 18-14

Previous Ranking: N/R

Notes: EJ Manuel threw for 249 yards and two touchdowns as Florida State beat Notre Dame 18-14 in the Champs Sports Bowl.

Rashad Greene caught five passes for 99 yards and a touchdown for the Seminoles.

The Seminoles defense forced three Irish turnovers—including two interceptions—in the victory.

No. 23: Cincinnati Bearcats

Total Points: 44

Record: 10-3 (5-2, Big East)

Last Game: Dec. 31, beat Vanderbilt 31-24

Previous Ranking: 25

Notes: Bearcat running back Isaiah Pead ran for 149 yards and a touchdown as Cincinnati beat Vanderbilt 31-24 in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl.

Vanderbilt was ahead by four points early in the fourth quarter, but Ralph David Abernathy IV's 90-yard kickoff return put Cincinnati up for good.

No. 22: Clemson Tigers

Total Points: 83

Record: 10-4 (6-2, ACC)

Last Game: Jan. 4, lost to West Virginia 33-70

Previous Ranking: 14

Notes: Tajh Boyd threw for 250 yards and two touchdowns but Clemson lost to West Virginia 33-70 in the Discover Orange Bowl.

Andre Ellington ran for 116 yards and a touchdown on just 10 carries for the Tigers.

No. 21 Virginia Tech Hokies

Total Points: 107

Record: 11-3 (7-1, ACC)

Last Game: Jan. 3, lost to Michigan 20-23

Previous Ranking: 11

Notes: Virginia Tech out-gained Michigan 377 yards to 188 yards but the Hokies still lost 20-23 in overtime in the Allstate Sugar Bowl.

Hokie quarterback Logan Thomas threw for 214 yards and ran for another 53 yards and a touchdown in the loss.

Third-string kicker Justin Myer missed a 37-yard field goal on the opening drive of overtime.

No. 20: Southern Miss Golden Eagles

Total Points: 109

Record: 12-2 (6-2, C-USA)

Last Game: Dec. 24, beat Nevada 24-17

Previous Ranking: 21

Notes: Golden Eagle quarterback Austin Davis threw for 165 yards and two touchdowns as Southern Miss beat Nevada 24-17 at the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl. Davis also ran the ball nine times for 20 yards.

Desmond Johnson rushed for 77 yards on 16 carries for the Golden Eagles.

No. 19: Georgia Bulldogs

Total Points: 133

Record: 10-4 (7-1, SEC)

Last Game: Jan. 2, lost to Michigan State 30-33

Previous Ranking: 18

Notes: Georgia led 16-0 at halftime but couldn't hold on to the lead as the Spartans beat the Bulldogs 33-30 in triple overtime of the Outback Bowl.

Georgia wide receiver Tavarres King caught six passes for 205 yards in the loss.

Bulldog kicker Blair Walsh missed a 42-yard field goal in the first overtime and had a 47-yarder blocked in the third overtime.

No. 18: West Virginia Mountaineers

Total Points:169

Record: 10-3 (5-2, Big East)

Last Game: Jan. 4, beat Clemson 70-33

Previous Ranking: 23

Notes: Geno Smith threw for 401 yards and six touchdowns as West Virginia hammered Clemson 70-33 in the Discover Orange Bowl.

Tavon Austin caught 11 passes for 117 yards and added a bowl-record four touchdowns for the Mountaineers. 

West Virginia's 70 points is the most ever scored in a bowl game.

No. 17: Oklahoma Sooners

Total Points: 174

Record: 10-3 (6-3, Big 12)

Last Game: Dec. 30, beat Iowa 31-14

Previous Ranking: 20

Notes: Blake Bell ran for 51 yards and scored three touchdowns as Oklahoma beat Iowa 31-14 in the Insight Bowl.

Landry Jones threw for just 161 yards and a touchdown for the Sooners. He had come into the bowl game with over 4,000 yards passing for the second straight season.

No. 16: TCU Horned Frogs

Total Points: 178

Record: 11-2 (7-0, MWC)

Last Game: Dec. 21, beat Louisiana Tech 31-24

Previous Ranking: 17

Notes: Horned Frogs running back Ed Wesley ran for 77 yards and a touchdown as TCU beat Louisiana Tech 31-24 in the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl.

Casey Pachall threw for 206 yards and a touchdown while running for 31 yards on eight carries for the Frogs.

No. 15: Houston Cougars

Total Points: 187

Record: 13-1 (8-0, C-USA)

Last Game: Jan. 2, beat Penn State 30-14

Previous Ranking: 19

Notes: Case Keenum threw for 532 yards and three touchdowns as Houston beat Penn State 30-14 in the TicketCity Bowl.

Partrick Edwards and Justin Johnson combined for 22 catches for 376 yards and three touchdowns for the Cougars.

Houston picked off Penn State QB Rob Bolden three times in the win.

No. 14: Kansas State Wildcats

Total Points: 189

Record: 10-3 (7-2, Big 12)

Last Game: Jan. 6, lost to Arkansas 16-29

Previous Ranking: 9

Notes: Collin Klein threw for a touchdown and ran for another, but Kansas State couldn't get past Arkansas, losing 16-29 in the AT&T Cotton Bowl.

Klein didn't get any help from his team as he combined for 215 total yards (173 yards passing and 42 yards rushing) of the team's 260 total yards.

It was the Wildcats' second-lowest-scoring game of the season.

No. 13: Baylor Bears

Total Points: 236

Record: 10-3 (6-3, Big 12)

Last Game: Dec. 29, beat Washington 67-56

Previous Ranking: 15

Notes: Terrance Ganaway stole the show from Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III with 200 yards rushing and five touchdowns as Baylor beat Washington 67-56 at the Valero Alamo Bowl.

Griffin had a solid game, throwing for 295 yards and a touchdown while running for 55 yards and a touchdown.

Baylor racked up 777 total yards in the highest-scoring regulation bowl game in history. The two teams came up just two points shy of breaking the record for the most combined points in bowl history (125).

No. 12: Wisconsin Badgers

Total Points: 244

Record: 11-3 (6-2, Big Ten)

Last Game: Jan. 2, lost to Oregon 38-45

Previous Ranking: 8

Notes: Montee Ball ran for 164 yards and a touchdown, but it wasn't enough as Oregon beat Wisconsin 45-38 in the Rose Bowl.

The Badgers took a 38-35 lead into the fourth quarter but could not stop the high-flying Ducks.

Wisconsin quarterback Russell Wilson threw for 296 yards and a touchdown while running for another score in the loss.

No. 11: Michigan State Spartans

Total Points: 259

Record: 11-3 (7-1, Big Ten)

Last Game: Jan. 2, beat Georgia 33-30

Previous Ranking: 12

Notes: Kirk Cousins threw for 300 yards and a touchdown as Michigan State beat Georgia 33-30 in three overtimes in the Outback Bowl.

Cousins struggled for most of the game, throwing three interceptions along the way. But with the Spartans down seven with just under two minutes remaining in the game, Cousins led Michigan State on an 85-yard scoring drive to force the game into overtime.

Georgia had a chance to tie the game in the third overtime but Michigan State blocked their field-goal attempt.

No. 10: Michigan Wolverines

Total Points: 260

Record: 11-2 (6-2, Big Ten)

Last Game: Jan. 3, beat Virginia Tech 23-20

Previous Ranking: 13

Notes: Junior Hemingway caught just two passes, but both went for touchdowns as Michigan beat Virginia Tech 23-20 in the Allstate Sugar Bowl.

Denard Robinson was held in check, passing for only 117 yards and running for only 13, but came through with two huge touchdown passes to Hemingway.

No. 9: South Carolina Gamecocks

Total Points: 311

Record: 11-2 (6-2, SEC)

Last Game: Jan. 2, beat Nebraska 30-13

Previous Ranking: 10

Notes: Connor Shaw threw for 230 yards and two touchdowns as South Carolina beat Nebraska 30-13 in the Capital One Bowl.

Alshon Jeffery caught four passes for 148 yards and a touchdown for the Gamecocks.

South Carolina held Nebraska's great rushing attack to just 137 yards.

No. 8 : Stanford Cardinal

Total Points: 329

Record: 11-2 (8-1, Pac-12)

Last Game: Jan. 2, lost to Oklahoma State 38-41

Previous Ranking: 4

Notes: Andrew Luck threw for 347 yards and two touchdowns but Stanford still lost to Oklahoma State 38-41 in overtime in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.

Stepfan Taylor added 177 rushing yards and two touchdowns as the Cardinal racked up 590 total yards against the Cowboys.

No. 7: USC Trojans

Total Points: 334

Record: 10-2 (7-2, Pac-12)

Last Game: Nov. 26, beat UCLA 50-0

Previous Ranking: 16*

Notes: Did not participate in a bowl game due to NCAA sanctions.

*Previous week's voting was based on a few Bleacher Report voters who did not include USC due to NCAA sanctions. After consideration, everyone voted on USC for their play on the field, not what happened off of it.

No. 6: Arkansas Razorbacks

Total Points: 354

Record: 11-2 (6-2, SEC)

Last Game: Jan. 6, beat Kansas State 29-16

Previous Ranking: 5

Notes: Tyler Wilson threw for 216 yards and two touchdowns as Arkansas defeated Kansas State 29-16 in the AT&T Cotton Bowl.

Razorback wide receiver Jarius Wright caught three passes for 88 yards, including a 45-yard touchdown reception that put Arkansas up 19-0 late in the second quarter.

Arkansas held Kansas State to just 16 points, half of their per-game average this season.

No. 5: Boise State Broncos

Total Points: 362

Record: 12-1 (6-1, MWC)

Last Game: Dec. 22, beat Arizona State 56-24

Previous Ranking: 7

Notes: Kellen Moore threw for 293 yards and two touchdowns as Boise State beat Arizona State 56-24 at the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas.

Doug Martin added 151 rushing yards and a touchdown for the Broncos. He also returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown.

The Broncos held the Sun Devils to -11 yards rushing.

No. 4: Oregon Ducks

Total Points: 380

Record: 12-2 (8-1, Pac-12)

Last Game: Jan. 2, beat Wisconsin 45-38

Previous Ranking: 6

Notes: De'Anthony Thomas ran the ball two times for 155 yards and two touchdowns as Oregon beat Wisconsin 45-38 in the Rose Bowl.

LaMichael James rushed for 159 yards and a touchdown as Oregon tallied 345 yards.

Oregon's win marked the first time in 95 years that they have won the Rose Bowl. It was also the highest-scoring Rose Bowl in history.

No. 3: LSU Tigers

Total Points: 419 (3)

Record: 13-1 (8-1, SEC)

Last Game: Jan. 9, lost to Alabama 0-21

Previous Ranking: 1

Notes: LSU couldn't get its offense going as they fell in the Allstate BCS National Championship game to Alabama 0-21.

The Tigers defense couldn't slow down Alabama, giving up 384 total yards while only able to gain 92 of their own.

Jordan Jefferson completed 65 percent of his passes, but they gained only 53 yards. He also threw an interception.

No. 2: Oklahoma State Cowboys

Total Points: 429 (3)

Record: 12-1 (8-1, Big 12)

Last Game: Jan. 2, beat Stanford 41-38

Previous Ranking: 2

Notes: Brandon Weeden threw for 399 yards and three touchdowns as Oklahoma State slipped past Stanford 41-38 in overtime in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.

Justin Blackmon caught eight passes for 186 yards and all three of Weeden's touchdown passes in the victory.

Blackmon would later declare that he would enter the 2012 NFL draft.

No. 1: Alabama Crimson Tide

Total Points: 445 (13)

Record: 12-1 (7-1, SEC)

Last Game: Jan. 9, beat LSU 21-0

Previous Ranking: 3

Notes: Trent Richardson ran for 96 yards and a touchdown as Alabama beat LSU in the Allstate BCS National Championship 21-0.

The Crimson Tide defense was the story of the game as they limited the Tigers to just 92 total yards.

Alabama has won the BCS title two out of the last three years.