# 1994 NCAA Division I-A football rankings

Two human polls comprised the 1994 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I-A football rankings. Unlike most sports, college football's governing body, the NCAA, does not bestow a national championship, instead that title is bestowed by one or more different polling agencies. There are two main weekly polls that begin in the preseason—the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll.

## Legend

| | Increase in ranking |
| | Decrease in ranking |
| | Not ranked previous week |
| | National champion |
| (#–#) | Win–loss record |
| (Italics) | Number of first place votes |
| т | Tied with team above or below also with this symbol |

## AP Poll

| | Preseason Aug 21 | Week 1 Aug 31 | Week 2 Sep 6 | Week 3 Sep 13 | Week 4 Sep 20 | Week 5 Sep 27 | Week 6 Oct 4 | Week 7 Oct 11 | Week 8 Oct 18 | Week 9 Oct 25 | Week 10 Nov 1 | Week 11 Nov 8 | Week 12 Nov 15 | Week 13 Nov 22 | Week 14 Nov 29 | Week 15 Dec 6 | Week 16 (Final) Jan 3 | |
| 1. | Florida (15) | Florida (0–0) (14) | Nebraska (1–0) (23) | Florida (2–0) (27) | Florida (3–0) (33) | Florida (3–0) (31) | Florida (4–0) (39) | Florida (5–0) (44) | Penn State (6–0) (19) | Penn State (6–0) (19) | Nebraska (9–0) (33) | Nebraska (10–0) (39) | Nebraska (11–0) (39) | Nebraska (11–0) (39) | Nebraska (12–0) (38) | Nebraska (12–0) (38) | Nebraska (13–0) (51 1⁄2) | 1. |
| 2. | Notre Dame (13) | Nebraska (1–0) (23) | Florida (1–0) (15) | Nebraska (2–0) (22) | Nebraska (3–0) (20) | Nebraska (4–0) (22) | Nebraska (5–0) (13) | Nebraska (6–0) (12) | Colorado (6–0) (15) | Colorado (7–0) (16) | Penn State (7–0) (28) | Penn State (8–0) (22) | Penn State (9–0) (23) | Penn State (10–0) (22) | Penn State (11–0) (23) | Penn State (11–0) (24) | Penn State (12–0) (10 1⁄2) | 2. |
| 3. | Florida State (10) | Notre Dame (0–0) (12) | Notre Dame (1–0) (10) | Florida State (2–0) (5) | Florida State (3–0) (3) | Florida State (4–0) (4) | Florida State (4–0) (4) | Penn State (5–0) (2) | Nebraska (7–0) (25) | Nebraska (8–0) (24) | Auburn (8–0) (1) | Auburn (9–0) (1) | Florida (8–1) | Alabama (11–0) (1) | Alabama (11–0) (1) | Miami (FL) (10–1) | Colorado (11–1) | 3. |
| 4. | Nebraska (18) | Florida State (0–0) (8) | Florida State (1–0) (8) | Michigan (2–0) (2) | Michigan (2–0) (1) | Penn State (4–0) (3) | Penn State (5–0) (2) | Colorado (5–0) (4) | Auburn (7–0) (3) | Auburn (7–0) (3) | Florida (6–1) | Florida (7–1) | Alabama (10–0) | Florida (9–1) | Miami (FL) (10–1) | Colorado (10–1) | Florida State (10–1–1) | 4. |
| 5. | Michigan (2) | Michigan (0–0) (1) | Miami (FL) (1–0) (1) | Miami (FL) (2–0) (1) | Penn State (3–0) (3) | Colorado (3–0) (1) | Colorado (4–0) (3) | Michigan (4–1) | Florida (5–1) | Florida (5–1) | Miami (FL) (6–1) | Miami (FL) (7–1) | Miami (FL) (8–1) | Miami (FL) (9–1) | Colorado (10–1) | Florida (10–1–1) | Alabama (12–1) | 5. |
| 6. | Miami (FL) (1) | Miami (FL) (0–0) (1) | Michigan (1–0) (1) | Penn State (2–0) (2) | Miami (FL) (2–0) (1) | Arizona (3–0) (1) | Arizona (4–0) (1) | Auburn (6–0) | Texas A&M (6–0) | Miami (FL) (5–1) | Alabama (8–0) | Alabama (9–0) | Auburn (9–0–1) | Colorado (10–1) | Florida (9–1–1) | Alabama (11–1) | Miami (FL) (10–2) | 6. |
| 7. | Arizona (2) | Arizona (0–0) (2) | Colorado (1–0) | Colorado (1–0) | Colorado (2–0) | Michigan (2–1) | Michigan (3–1) | Texas A&M (5–0) | Miami (FL) (4–1) | Texas A&M (7–0) | Colorado (7–1) | Colorado (8–1) | Colorado (9–1) | Florida State (9–1) | Florida State (9–1–1) | Florida State (9–1–1) | Florida (10–2–1) | 7. |
| 8. | Colorado | Colorado (0–0) | Penn State (1–0) (1) | Notre Dame (1–1) | Arizona (2–0) (1) | Notre Dame (3–1) | Notre Dame (4–1) | Miami (FL) (4–1) | Alabama (7–0) | Alabama (8–0) | Florida State (6–1) | Florida State (7–1) | Florida State (8–1) | Texas A&M (10–0–1) | Texas A&M (10–0–1) | Texas A&M (10–0–1) | Texas A&M (10–0–1) | 8. |
| 9. | Penn State | Penn State (0–0) | Arizona (1–0) (2) | Arizona (2–0) (2) | Notre Dame (2–1) | Auburn (4–0) | Auburn (5–0) | Washington (4–1) | Washington (5–1) | Florida State (5–1) | Utah (8–0) | Texas A&M (8–0–1) | Texas A&M (9–0–1) | Auburn (9–1–1) | Auburn (9–1–1) | Auburn (9–1–1) | Auburn (9–1–1) | 9. |
| 10. | Wisconsin | Wisconsin (0–0) | Wisconsin (0–0) | Wisconsin (1–0) | Auburn (3–0) | Texas A&M (3–0) | Texas A&M (4–0) | Alabama (6–0) | Florida State (4–1) | Michigan (5–2) | Syracuse (6–1) | Colorado State (8–1) | Colorado State (9–1) | Colorado State (10–1) | Colorado State (10–1) | Colorado State (10–1) | Utah (10–2) | 10. |
| 11. | Auburn | Alabama (0–0) (1) | Alabama (1–0) (1) | Auburn (2–0) | Alabama (3–0) | Alabama (4–0) | Alabama (5–0) | Florida State (4–1) | Michigan (4–2) | Arizona (6–1) | Texas A&M (7–0–1) | Kansas State (6–2) | Kansas State (7–2) | Kansas State (8–2) | Kansas State (9–2) | Kansas State (9–2) | Oregon (9–4) | 11. |
| 12. | Alabama (1) | Auburn (0–0) | Auburn (1–0) | Alabama (2–0) (1) | Texas A&M (2–0) | Washington (2–1) | Washington (3–1) | Texas (4–1) | Colorado State (7–0) | Utah (7–0) | Washington (6–2) | Utah (8–1) | Oregon (8–3) | Oregon (9–3) | Oregon (9–3) | Oregon (9–3) | Michigan (9–4) | 12. |
| 13. | Tennessee | Tennessee (0–0) | UCLA (1–0) | UCLA (2–0) | North Carolina (2–0) | Miami (FL) (2–1) | Miami (FL) (3–1) | Colorado State (6–0) | Texas (4–1) | Virginia Tech (7–1) | Virginia (6–1) | Arizona (7–2) | USC (7–2) | Virginia (8–2) | Ohio State (9–3) | Ohio State (9–3) | USC (8–3–1) | 13. |
| 14. | UCLA | UCLA (0–0) | USC (1–0) | Texas A&M (2–0) | Virginia Tech (3–0) | Virginia Tech (4–0) | North Carolina (3–1) | Arizona (4–1) | Arizona (5–1) | Syracuse (6–1) | Colorado State (7–1) | Syracuse (6–2) | Virginia Tech (8–2) | Ohio State (9–3) | Utah (9–2) | Utah (9–2) | Ohio State (9–4) | 14. |
| 15. | Texas A&M | Texas A&M (0–0) | Oklahoma (1–0) | Tennessee (1–1) | Texas (2–0) | Wisconsin (2–1) | Texas (3–1) | North Carolina (4–1) | North Carolina (5–1) | Washington (5–2) | Kansas State (5–2) | Oregon (7–3) | Michigan (7–3) | Utah (9–2) | Arizona (8–3) | Arizona (8–3) | Virginia (8–3) | 15. |
| 16. | Oklahoma | Oklahoma (0–0) | Texas A&M (1–0) | North Carolina (1–0) | Wisconsin (1–1) | Texas (3–0) | Oklahoma (3–1) | Kansas State (4–0) | Syracuse (5–1) | Duke (7–0) | Washington State (6–2) | Virginia Tech (7–2) | Virginia (7–2) | Arizona (7–3) | Mississippi State (8–3) | Mississippi State (8–3) | Colorado State (10–2) | 16. |
| 17. | USC | USC (0–0) | North Carolina (1–0) | Texas (2–0) | Washington (1–1) | Washington State (3–0) | Ohio State (4–1) | Notre Dame (4–2) | Virginia Tech (6–1) | Colorado State (7–1) | Virginia Tech (7–2) | USC (6–2) | Boston College (6–2–1) | USC (7–3) | Virginia Tech (8–3) | Virginia Tech (8–3) | NC State (9–3) | 17. |
| 18. | Texas | North Carolina (0–0) | Ohio State (1–0) | Virginia Tech (2–0) | UCLA (2–1) | North Carolina (2–1) | NC State (4–0) | Syracuse (5–1) | Utah (6–0) | Virginia (6–1) | Arizona (6–2) | Duke (8–1) | Washington (7–3) | Virginia Tech (8–3) | North Carolina (8–3) | Virginia (8–3) | BYU (10–3) | 18. |
| 19. | North Carolina | Texas (0–0) | Tennessee (0–1) | Washington (1–1) | USC (1–1) | USC (2–1) | Kansas State (3–0) | Virginia Tech (5–1) | Kansas State (4–1) | Texas (5–2) | North Carolina (6–2) | Michigan (6–3) | Arizona (7–3) | Mississippi State (7–3) | Virginia (8–3) | North Carolina (8–3) | Kansas State (9–3) | 19. |
| 20. | Ohio State | Ohio State (1–0) | Texas (1–0) | USC (1–1) | Ohio State (2–1) | Ohio State (3–1) | Virginia Tech (4–1) | Washington State (4–1) | Duke (6–0) | BYU (7–1) | Michigan (5–3) | Mississippi State (7–2) | BYU (9–2) | Michigan (7–4) | Michigan (7–4) | Michigan (7–4) | Arizona (8–4) | 20. |
| 21. | Illinois | Virginia Tech (0–0) | Virginia Tech (1–0) | Oklahoma (1–1) | Oklahoma (2–1) | Oklahoma (2–1) | Syracuse (4–1) | Utah (5–0) | BYU (6–1) | Ohio State (6–2) | Oregon (6–3) | Virginia (6–2) | Utah (8–2) | North Carolina (8–3) | USC (7–3–1) | USC (7–3–1) | Washington State (8–4) | 21. |
| 22. | Virginia Tech | Illinois (0–0) | Clemson (1–0) | BYU (2–0) | Washington State (2–0) | NC State (3–0) | Washington State (3–1) | Oklahoma (3–2) | Boston College (3–2) | Washington State (5–2) | USC (5–2) | Washington (6–3) | Ohio State (8–3) | Syracuse (7–3) | BYU (9–3) | BYU (9–3) | Tennessee (8–4) | 22. |
| 23. | Washington | Washington (0–0) | Georgia (1–0) | Ohio State (1–1) | Tennessee (1–2) | Kansas State (3–0) | Colorado State (5–0) | Wisconsin (3–2) | Washington State (4–2) | Kansas State (4–2) | Duke (7–1) | BYU (8–2) | Mississippi State (7–3) | BYU (9–3) | NC State (8–3) | NC State (8–3) | Boston College (7–4–1) | 23. |
| 24. | West Virginia | Clemson (0–0) | Stanford (0–0) | Washington State (2–0) | NC State (2–0) | Colorado State (4–0) | Wisconsin (2–2) | Boston College (2–2) | Ohio State (5–2) | North Carolina (5–2) | Mississippi State (6–2) | Washington State (6–3) | Duke (8–2) | Washington State (7–4) | Washington State (7–4) | Washington State (7–4) | Mississippi State (8–4) | 24. |
| 25. | Clemson | Stanford (0–0) | Washington (0–1) | NC State (2–0) | Indiana (3–0) | Illinois (2–1) | Utah (4–0) | Duke (5–0) | Virginia (5–1) | USC (5–2) | BYU (7–2) | Boston College (5–2–1) | NC State (7–2) | Boston College (6–3–1) | Duke (8–3) | Duke (8–3) | Texas (8–4) | 25. |
| | Preseason Aug 21 | Week 1 Aug 31 | Week 2 Sep 6 | Week 3 Sep 13 | Week 4 Sep 20 | Week 5 Sep 27 | Week 6 Oct 4 | Week 7 Oct 11 | Week 8 Oct 18 | Week 9 Oct 25 | Week 10 Nov 1 | Week 11 Nov 8 | Week 12 Nov 15 | Week 13 Nov 22 | Week 14 Nov 29 | Week 15 Dec 6 | Week 16 (Final) Jan 3 | |
| | | Dropped: West Virginia | Dropped: Illinois | Dropped: ClemsonGeorgiaStanford | Dropped: BYU | Dropped: IndianaTennesseeUCLA | Dropped: IllinoisUSC | Dropped: NC StateOhio State | Dropped: Notre DameOklahomaWisconsin | Dropped: Boston College | Dropped: Ohio StateTexas | Dropped: North Carolina | Dropped: SyracuseWashington State | Dropped: DukeNC StateWashington | Dropped: Boston CollegeSyracuse | None | Dropped: Virginia TechNorth CarolinaDuke | |

## Coaches Poll

| | Preseason Aug 21 | Week 2 Sep 6 | Week 3 Sep 12 | Week 4 Sep 19 | Week 5 Sep 26 | Week 6 Oct 3 | Week 7 Oct 10 | Week 8 Oct 17 | Week 9 Oct 24 | Week 10 Oct 31 | Week 11 Nov 7 | Week 12 Nov 14 | Week 13 Nov 21 | Week 14 Nov 28 | Week 15 Dec 5 | Week 16 (Final) Jan 3 | |
| 1. | Florida (17) | Nebraska (1–0) (20) | Nebraska (2–0) (34) | Nebraska (3–0) (33) | Nebraska (4–0) (34) | Florida (4–0) (34) | Florida (5–0) (43) | Penn State (6–0) (22) | Penn State (6–0) (28) | Penn State (7–0) (32) | Nebraska (10–0) (42) | Nebraska (11–0) (41) | Nebraska (11–0) (39) | Nebraska (12–0) (44) | Nebraska (12–0) (44) | Nebraska (13–0) (54) | 1. |
| 2. | Florida State (13) | Florida (1–0) (23) | Florida (2–0) (18) | Florida (3–0) (20) | Florida (3–0) (22) | Nebraska (5–0) (23) | Nebraska (6–0) (13) | Nebraska (7–0) (31) | Nebraska (8–0) (25) | Nebraska (9–0) (30) | Penn State (8–0) (20) | Penn State (9–0) (21) | Penn State (10–0) (22) | Penn State (11–0) (18) | Penn State (11–0) (18) | Penn State (12–0) (8) | 2. |
| 3. | Nebraska (12) | Florida State (1–0) (6) | Michigan (2–0) (5) | Florida State (3–0) | Florida State (4–0) (2) | Florida State (4–0) (1) | Penn State (5–0) (5) | Colorado (6–0) (9) | Colorado (7–0) (9) | Miami (FL) (6–1) | Miami (FL) (7–1) | Alabama (10–0) | Alabama (11–0) | Alabama (11–0) | Miami (FL) (10–1) | Colorado (11–1) | 3. |
| 4. | Notre Dame (12) | Notre Dame (1–0) (7) | Florida State (2–0) (1) | Michigan (2–0) (4) | Penn State (4–0) (3) | Penn State (5–0) (3) | Colorado (5–0) (1) | Miami (FL) (4–1) | Miami (FL) (5–1) | Alabama (8–0) | Alabama (9–0) | Miami (FL) (8–1) | Florida (9–1) | Miami (FL) (10–1) | Florida (10–1–1) | Alabama (12–1) | 4. |
| 5. | Michigan (3) | Michigan (1–0) (3) | Penn State (2–0) (2) | Penn State (3–0) (3) | Colorado (3–0) (1) | Colorado (4–0) (1) | Michigan (4–1) | Alabama (7–0) | Alabama (8–0) | Florida (6–1) | Florida (7–1) | Florida (8–1) | Miami (FL) (9–1) | Colorado (10–1) | Colorado (10–1) | Florida State (10–1–1) | 5. |
| 6. | Miami (FL) (2) | Miami (FL) (1–0) (2) | Miami (FL) (2–0) (2) | Miami (FL) (2–0) (2) | Arizona (3–0) | Arizona (4–0) | Alabama (6–0) | Florida (5–1) | Florida (5–1) | Florida State (6–1) | Florida State (7–1) | Florida State (8–1) | Florida State (9–1) | Florida (9–1–1) | Alabama (11–1) | Miami (FL) (10–2) | 6. |
| 7. | Colorado | Colorado (1–0) | Colorado (1–0) | Colorado (2–0) | Notre Dame (3–1) | Notre Dame (4–1) | Miami (FL) (4–1) | Florida State (4–1) | Florida State (5–1) | Colorado (7–1) | Colorado (8–1) | Colorado (9–1) | Colorado (10–1) | Florida State (9–1–1) | Florida State (9–1–1) | Florida (10–2–1) | 7. |
| 8. | Arizona (2) | Penn State (1–0) | Arizona (2–0) | Arizona (2–0) | Michigan (2–1) | Michigan (3–1) | Florida State (4–1) | Arizona (5–1) | Arizona (6–1) | Utah (8–0) | Arizona (7–2) | Kansas State (7–2) | Kansas State (8–2) | Kansas State (9–2) | Kansas State (9–2) | Utah (10–2) | 8. |
| 9. | Penn State (1) | Arizona (1–0) (1) | Notre Dame (1–1) | Notre Dame (2–1) | Alabama (4–0) | Alabama (5–0) | Texas (4–1) | Texas (4–1) | Michigan (5–2) | Syracuse (6–1) | Kansas State (6–2) | Oregon (8–3) | Oregon (9–3) | Oregon (9–3) | Oregon (9–3) | Ohio State (9–4) | 9. |
| 10. | Alabama | Alabama (1–0) | Wisconsin (1–0) | Alabama (3–0) | Virginia Tech (4–0) | Miami (FL) (3–1) | Arizona (4–1) | North Carolina (5–1) | Virginia Tech (7–1) | Virginia (6–1) | Colorado State (8–1) | Colorado State (9–1) | Colorado State (10–1) | Colorado State (10–1) | Colorado State (10–1) | BYU (10–3) | 10. |
| 11. | Wisconsin | Wisconsin (0–0) | Alabama (2–0) | North Carolina (2–0) | Texas (3–0) | Ohio State (4–1) | Kansas State (4–0) | Colorado State (7–0) | Utah (7–0) | Colorado State (7–1) | Oregon (7–3) | Virginia Tech (8–2) | Virginia (8–2) | Ohio State (9–3) | Ohio State (9–3) | Oregon (8–4) | 11. |
| 12. | Tennessee | UCLA (1–0) | UCLA (2–0) | Virginia Tech (3–0) | Miami (FL) (2–1) | Oklahoma (3–1) | North Carolina (4–1) | Michigan (4–2) | Syracuse (6–1) | North Carolina (6–2) | Virginia Tech (7–2) | USC (7–2) | Ohio State (9–3) | Utah (9–2) | Utah (9–2) | Michigan (9–4) | 12. |
| 13. | Oklahoma | USC (1–0) | North Carolina (1–0) | Texas (2–0) | Ohio State (3–1) | Kansas State (3–0) | Colorado State (6–0) | Virginia Tech (6–1) | Duke (7–0) | Arizona (6–2) | Duke (8–1) | Michigan (7–3) | Utah (9–2) | Arizona (8–3) | Arizona (8–3) | Virginia (8–3) | 13. |
| 14. | USC | Ohio State (1–0) | Tennessee (1–1) | Ohio State (2–1) | Wisconsin (2–1) | North Carolina (3–1) | Virginia Tech (5–1) | Syracuse (5–1) | Ohio State (6–2) | Washington State (6–2) | Utah (8–1) | Virginia (7–2) | North Carolina (8–3) | North Carolina (8–3) | North Carolina (8–3) | Colorado State (10–2) | 14. |
| 15. | UCLA | Oklahoma (1–0) | Texas (2–0) | Wisconsin (1–1) | Washington State (3–0) | Texas (3–1) | Syracuse (5–1) | Utah (6–0) | Texas (5–2) | Kansas State (5–2) | Syracuse (6–2) | BYU (9–2) | Arizona (7–3) | Virginia Tech (8–3) | Virginia Tech (8–3) | USC (8–3–1) | 15. |
| 16. | Ohio State | North Carolina (1–0) | Virginia Tech (2–0) | Oklahoma (2–1) | Kansas State (3–0) | NC State (4–0) | Notre Dame (4–2) | Kansas State (4–1) | Virginia (6–1) | Virginia Tech (7–2) | USC (6–2) | Ohio State (8–3) | Virginia Tech (8–3) | Virginia (8–3) | Virginia (8–3) | Kansas State (9–3) | 16. |
| 17. | North Carolina | Texas (1–0) | BYU (2–0) | Kansas State (2–0) | Oklahoma (2–1) | Virginia Tech (4–1) | Washington State (4–1) | Duke (6–0) | BYU (7–1) | Oregon (6–3) | Michigan (6–3) | Boston College (6–2–1) | USC (7–3) | Mississippi State (8–3) | Mississippi State (8–3) | NC State (9–3) | 17. |
| 18. | Texas | Virginia Tech (1–0) | Ohio State (1–1) | Washington State (2–0) | North Carolina (2–1) | Colorado State (5–0) | Utah (5–0) | BYU (6–1) | Colorado State (7–1) | Michigan (5–3) | Virginia (6–2) | Arizona (7–3) | Mississippi State (7–3) | BYU (9–3) | Michigan (7–4) | Tennessee (8–4) | 18. |
| 19. | Virginia Tech | Tennessee (0–1) | Oklahoma (1–1) | USC (1–1) | USC (2–1) | Syracuse (4–1) | Baylor (5–1) | Ohio State (5–2) | Washington State (5–2) | Duke (7–1) | BYU (8–2) | Duke (8–2) | BYU (9–3) | Michigan (7–4) | BYU (9–3) | Washington State (8–4) | 19. |
| 20. | BYU | Clemson (1–0) | USC (1–1) | UCLA (2–1) | NC State (3–0) | Washington State (3–1) | Wisconsin (3–2) | Washington State (4–2) | North Carolina (5–2) | USC (5–2) | Mississippi State (7–2) | Utah (8–2) | Syracuse (7–3) | Duke (8–3) | NC State (8–3) | Arizona (8–4) | 20. |
| 21. | Clemson | BYU (1–0) | Kansas State (1–0) | Indiana (3–0) | Colorado State (4–0) | Utah (4–0) | Oklahoma (3–2) | NC State (5–1) | Kansas State (4–2) | BYU (7–2) | Ohio State (7–3) | North Carolina (7–3) | Michigan (7–4) | NC State (8–3) | Duke (8–3) | North Carolina (8–4) | 21. |
| 22. | Illinois | Georgia (1–0) | Washington State (2–0) | NC State (2–0) | Syracuse (3–1) | Wisconsin (2–2) | Ohio State (4–2) | Virginia (5–1) | NC State (5–1) | Mississippi State (6–2) | Washington State (6–3) | NC State (7–2) | Duke (8–3) | USC (7–3–1) | USC (7–3–1) | Boston College (7–4–1) | 22. |
| 23. | West Virginia | California (0–0) | Kansas (2–0) | Tennessee (1–2) | Utah (4–0) | Baylor (4–1) | Duke (5–0) | Boston College (3–2) | USC (5–2) | Illinois (5–3) | North Carolina (6–3) | Mississippi State (7–3) | Baylor (7–3) | Washington State (7–4) | Washington State (7–4) | Texas (8–4) | 23. |
| 24. | Georgia | Kansas State (1–0) | NC State (2–0) | Baylor (3–0) | Illinois (2–1) | Duke (5–0) | NC State (4–1) | Indiana (5–1) | Oregon (5–3) | Ohio State (6–3) | Boston College (5–2–1) | Syracuse (6–3) | Washington State (7–4) | Tennessee (7–4) | Tennessee (7–4) | Virginia Tech (8–4) | 24. |
| 25. | Virginia | Stanford (0–0) | Indiana (2–0) | Colorado State (3–0) | BYU (3–1) | BYU (4–1) | BYU (5–1) | Illinois (4–2) | Oklahoma (4–3) | Notre Dame (5–3) | Illinois (6–3) | Baylor (7–3) | Boston College (6–3–1) | Boston College (6–4–1) | Boston College (6–4–1) | Mississippi State (8–4) | 25. |
| | Preseason Aug 21 | Week 2 Sep 6 | Week 3 Sep 12 | Week 4 Sep 19 | Week 5 Sep 26 | Week 6 Oct 3 | Week 7 Oct 10 | Week 8 Oct 17 | Week 9 Oct 24 | Week 10 Oct 31 | Week 11 Nov 7 | Week 12 Nov 14 | Week 13 Nov 21 | Week 14 Nov 28 | Week 15 Dec 5 | Week 16 (Final) Jan 3 | |
| | | Dropped: IllinoisWest VirginiaVirginia | Dropped: ClemsonGeorgiaCaliforniaStanford | Dropped: BYUKansas | Dropped: UCLAIndianaTennesseeBaylor | Dropped: USCIllinois | None | Dropped: Notre DameBaylorWisconsinOklahoma | Dropped: Boston CollegeIndianaIllinois | Dropped: TexasNC StateOklahoma | Dropped: Notre Dame | Dropped: Washington StateIllinois | Dropped: NC State | Dropped: SyracuseBaylor | None | Dropped: Duke | |
Auburn, Texas A&M, and Washington were ineligible to be ranked in the Coaches' Poll due to NCAA sanctions.