The Houlgate System was a college football ranking method based on strength of schedule[1] that was syndicated nationally in the 1930s through 1950s.
The system was created by Carroll Everard "Deke" Houlgate (May 8, 1905—July 31, 1959), a Los Angeles-based college football statistician and historian.
Starting in 1945 Houlgate selected competitors for the Futility Bowl, a hypothetical post-season matchup between the nation's two lowest-ranked teams.
He served in the Air Force during World War II and died at the Wadsworth Veterans Administration Hospital in Los Angeles, California, on July 31, 1959, at age 54.
[9] The Houlgate System is listed as a "major selector" of national championships in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records book.