# 2014 NCAA Division I FBS football rankings

Two human polls and a committee's selections comprised the 2014 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) football rankings, in addition to various publications' preseason polls. Unlike most sports, college football's governing body, the NCAA, does not bestow a national championship. Various unofficial titles are bestowed by different polling agencies. Two primary weekly polls began before the season—the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll. Midway through the season, the College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings were released after the eighth week.
2014 was the first season with the new College Football Playoff system which replaced the previous Bowl Championship Series. At the conclusion of the regular season, on December 7, the final CFP rankings determined who would play in the two bowl games designated as semifinals for the first College Football Playoff National Championship on January 12, 2015, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

## Legend

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

## AP Poll

| | Preseason Aug 17 | Week 1 Sep 2 | Week 2 Sep 7 | Week 3 Sep 14 | Week 4 Sep 21 | Week 5 Sep 28 | Week 6 Oct 5 | Week 7 Oct 12 | Week 8 Oct 19 | Week 9 Oct 26 | Week 10 Nov 2 | Week 11 Nov 9 | Week 12 Nov 16 | Week 13 Nov 23 | Week 14 Nov 30 | Week 15 Dec 7 | Week 16 (Final) Jan 13 | |
| 1. | Florida State (57) | Florida State (1–0) (46) | Florida State (2–0) (38) | Florida State (2–0) (37) | Florida State (3–0) (34) | Florida State (4–0) (27) | Florida State (5–0) (35) | Mississippi State (6–0) (45) | Mississippi State (6–0) (43) | Mississippi State (7–0) (46) | Mississippi State (8–0) (45) | Mississippi State (9–0) (48) | Florida State (10–0) (43) | Florida State (11–0) (37) | Alabama (11–1) (25) | Alabama (12–1) (27) | Ohio State (14–1) (59) | 1. |
| 2. | Alabama (1) | Alabama (1–0) (1) | Oregon (2–0) (16) | Oregon (3–0) (17) | Oregon (4–0) (12) | Oregon (4–0) (13) | Auburn (5–0) (23) | Florida State (6–0) (12) | Florida State (7–0) (14) | Florida State (7–0) (14) | Florida State (8–0) (15) | Florida State (9–0) (12) | Alabama (9–1) (16) | Alabama (10–1) (21) | Florida State (12–0) (29) | Florida State (13–0) (25) | Oregon (13–2) | 2. |
| 3. | Oregon (1) | Oregon (1–0) (5) | Alabama (2–0) (1) | Alabama (3–0) (1) | Alabama (4–0) (6) | Alabama (4–0) (13) | Mississippi State (5–0) (2) т | Ole Miss (6–0) (3) | Ole Miss (7–0) (3) | Alabama (7–1) | Auburn (7–1) | Oregon (9–1) | Oregon (9–1) (1) | Oregon (10–1) (2) | Oregon (11–1) (5) | Oregon (12–1) (8) | TCU (12–1) | 3. |
| 4. | Oklahoma (1) | Oklahoma (1–0) (2) | Oklahoma (2–0) (2) | Oklahoma (3–0) (2) | Oklahoma (4–0) (4) | Oklahoma (4–0) (7) | Ole Miss (5–0) т | Baylor (6–0) | Alabama (6–1) | Auburn (6–1) | Alabama (7–1) | Alabama (8–1) | Mississippi State (9–1) | Mississippi State (10–1) | TCU (10–1) | Baylor (11–1) | Alabama (12–2) | 4. |
| 5. | Ohio State | Auburn (1–0) | Auburn (2–0) | Auburn (2–0) | Auburn (3–0) | Auburn (4–0) | Baylor (5–0) | Notre Dame (6–0) | Auburn (5–1) | Oregon (7–1) | Oregon (8–1) | TCU (8–1) | TCU (9–1) | Baylor (9–1) | Baylor (10–1) | Ohio State (12–1) | Florida State (13–1) т | 5. |
| 6. | Auburn | Georgia (1–0) (2) | Georgia (1–0) (1) | Texas A&M (3–0) (3) | Texas A&M (4–0) (4) | Texas A&M (5–0) | Notre Dame (5–0) | Auburn (5–1) | Oregon (6–1) | Notre Dame (6–1) | TCU (7–1) | Baylor (8–1) | Baylor (8–1) | TCU (9–1) | Ohio State (11–1) | TCU (11–1) | Michigan State (11–2) т | 6. |
| 7. | UCLA | Michigan State (1–0) | Texas A&M (2–0) (2) | Baylor (3–0) | Baylor (3–0) | Baylor (4–0) | Alabama (4–1) | Alabama (5–1) | Notre Dame (6–1) | Ole Miss (7–1) | Michigan State (7–1) | Arizona State (8–1) | Ohio State (9–1) | Ohio State (10–1) | Michigan State (10–2) | Michigan State (10–2) | Baylor (11–2) | 7. |
| 8. | Michigan State | Ohio State (1–0) | Baylor (2–0) | LSU (3–0) | Notre Dame (3–0) | UCLA (4–0) | Michigan State (4–1) | Michigan State (5–1) | Michigan State (6–1) | Michigan State (7–1) | Notre Dame (7–1) | Ohio State (8–1) | Ole Miss (8–2) | Georgia (9–2) | Arizona (10–2) | Mississippi State (10–2) | Georgia Tech (11–3) | 8. |
| 9. | South Carolina | Texas A&M (1–0) (2) | USC (2–0) | Notre Dame (3–0) | Michigan State (2–1) | Notre Dame (4–0) | TCU (4–0) | Oregon (5–1) | Georgia (6–1) | Georgia (6–1) | Kansas State (7–1) | Auburn (7–2) | Georgia (8–2) | UCLA (9–2) | Kansas State (9–2) | Ole Miss (9–3) | Georgia (10–3) | 9. |
| 10. | Baylor | Baylor (1–0) | LSU (2–0) | Ole Miss (3–0) | Ole Miss (3–0) | Michigan State (3–1) | Arizona (5–0) | Georgia (5–1) | TCU (5–1) | TCU (6–1) | Baylor (7–1) | Ole Miss (8–2) | Michigan State (8–2) | Michigan State (9–2) | Mississippi State (10–2) | Georgia Tech (10–3) | UCLA (10–3) | 10. |
| 11. | Stanford | UCLA (1–0) | Notre Dame (2–0) | Michigan State (1–1) | UCLA (3–0) | Ole Miss (4–0) | Oklahoma (4–1) | Oklahoma (5–1) | Kansas State (5–1) | Kansas State (6–1) | Arizona State (7–1) | Nebraska (8–1) | UCLA (8–2) | Kansas State (8–2) | Wisconsin (10–2) | Kansas State (9–3) | Mississippi State (10–3) | 11. |
| 12. | Georgia | LSU (1–0) (1) | UCLA (2–0) | UCLA (3–0) | Georgia (2–1) | Mississippi State (4–0) | Oregon (4–1) | TCU (4–1) | Baylor (6–1) | Baylor (6–1) | Ole Miss (7–2) | Michigan State (7–2) | Kansas State (7–2) | Arizona (9–2) | Georgia Tech (10–2) | Arizona (10–3) | Arizona State (10–3) | 12. |
| 13. | LSU | Stanford (1–0) | Michigan State (1–1) | Georgia (1–1) | South Carolina (3–1) | Georgia (3–1) | Georgia (4–1) | Ohio State (4–1) | Ohio State (5–1) | Ohio State (6–1) | Ohio State (7–1) | Kansas State (7–2) | Arizona State (8–2) | Arizona State (9–2) | Ole Miss (9–3) | Georgia (9–3) | Wisconsin (11–3) | 13. |
| 14. | Wisconsin | USC (1–0) | Ole Miss (2–0) | South Carolina (2–1) | Mississippi State (4–0) | Stanford (3–1) | Texas A&M (5–1) | Kansas State (4–1) | Arizona State (5–1) | Arizona (6–1) | LSU (7–2) | UCLA (8–2) | Wisconsin (8–2) | Wisconsin (9–2) | Missouri (10–2) | UCLA (9–3) | Missouri (11–3) | 14. |
| 15. | USC | Ole Miss (1–0) | Stanford (1–1) | Arizona State (3–0) | Arizona State (3–0) | LSU (4–1) | Ohio State (4–1) | Oklahoma State (5–1) | Arizona (5–1) | Arizona State (6–1) | Nebraska (8–1) | Notre Dame (7–2) | Arizona (8–2) | Auburn (8–3) | Georgia (9–3) | Arizona State (9–3) | Clemson (10–3) | 15. |
| 16. | Clemson | Notre Dame (1–0) | Arizona State (2–0) | Stanford (2–1) | Stanford (2–1) | USC (3–1) | Oklahoma State (4–1) | Arizona (5–1) | Nebraska (6–1) | LSU (7–2) | Oklahoma (6–2) | Georgia (7–2) | Auburn (7–3) | Georgia Tech (9–2) | UCLA (9–3) | Missouri (10–3) | Boise State (12–2) | 16. |
| 17. | Notre Dame | Arizona State (1–0) | Virginia Tech (2–0) | USC (2–1) | LSU (3–1) | Wisconsin (3–1) | Kansas State (4–1) | Arizona State (4–1) | Oklahoma (5–2) | Nebraska (7–1) | Georgia (6–2) | Arizona (7–2) | Georgia Tech (9–2) | Missouri (9–2) | Arizona State (9–3) | Wisconsin (10–3) | Ole Miss (9–4) | 17. |
| 18. | Ole Miss | Wisconsin (0–1) | Wisconsin (1–1) | Missouri (3–0) | USC (2–1) | BYU (4–0) | UCLA (4–1) | East Carolina (5–1) | East Carolina (5–1) | Utah (6–1) | UCLA (7–2) | Clemson (7–2) | Marshall (10–0) | Ole Miss (8–3) | Oklahoma (8–3) | Clemson (9–3) | Kansas State (9–4) | 18. |
| 19. | Arizona State | Nebraska (1–0) | Kansas State (2–0) | Wisconsin (1–1) | Wisconsin (2–1) | Nebraska (5–0) | East Carolina (4–1) | Nebraska (5–1) | Utah (5–1) | Oklahoma (5–2) | Clemson (6–2) | Duke (8–1) | Missouri (8–2) | Marshall (11–0) | Clemson (9–3) | Auburn (8–4) | Arizona (10–4) | 19. |
| 20. | Kansas State | Kansas State (1–0) | Missouri (2–0) | Kansas State (2–0) | BYU (4–0) | Ohio State (3–1) | Arizona State (4–1) | Utah (4–1) | USC (5–2) | West Virginia (6–2) | Utah (6–2) | LSU (7–3) | Utah (7–3) | Oklahoma (8–3) | Auburn (8–4) | Louisville (9–3) | USC (9–4) | 20. |
| 21. | Texas A&M | North Carolina (1–0) т | Louisville (2–0) | BYU (3–0) | Nebraska (4–0) | Oklahoma State (3–1) | Nebraska (5–1) | Texas A&M (5–2) | Clemson (5–2) | East Carolina (6–1) | Arizona (6–2) | Marshall (9–0) | Nebraska (8–2) | Colorado State (10–1) | Louisville (9–3) | Boise State (11–2) | Utah (9–4) | 21. |
| 22. | Nebraska | South Carolina (0–1) т | Ohio State (1–1) | Clemson (1–1) | Ohio State (2–1) | East Carolina (3–1) | Georgia Tech (5–0) | USC (4–2) | West Virginia (5–2) | Clemson (6–2) | Duke (7–1) | Wisconsin (7–2) | Colorado State (9–1) | Minnesota (8–3) | Boise State (10–2) | LSU (8–4) | Auburn (8–5) | 22. |
| 23. | North Carolina | Clemson (0–1) | Clemson (1–1) | Ohio State (2–1) | East Carolina (3–1) | Kansas State (3–1) | Missouri (4–1) | Stanford (4–2) | Marshall (7–0) | Marshall (8–0) | Marshall (8–0) | Colorado State (9–1) | Oklahoma (7–3) | Clemson (8–3) | LSU (8–4) | Utah (8–4) | Marshall (13–1) | 23. |
| 24. | Missouri | Missouri (1–0) | South Carolina (1–1) | Nebraska (3–0) | Oklahoma State (2–1) | Missouri (4–1) | Utah (4–1) | Clemson (4–2) | LSU (6–2) | Duke (6–1) | West Virginia (6–3) | Georgia Tech (8–2) | USC (7–3) | Louisville (8–3) | Utah (8–4) | USC (8–4) | Louisville (9–4) | 24. |
| 25. | Washington | Louisville (1–0) | BYU (2–0) | Oklahoma State (2–1) | Kansas State (2–1) | TCU (3–0) | Stanford (3–2) | Marshall (6–0) | UCLA (5–2) | UCLA (6–2) | Wisconsin (6–2) | Utah (6–3) | Duke (8–2) | Boise State (9–2) | Nebraska (9–3) | Nebraska (9–3) | Memphis (10–3) | 25. |
| | Preseason Aug 17 | Week 1 Sep 2 | Week 2 Sep 7 | Week 3 Sep 14 | Week 4 Sep 21 | Week 5 Sep 28 | Week 6 Oct 5 | Week 7 Oct 12 | Week 8 Oct 19 | Week 9 Oct 26 | Week 10 Nov 2 | Week 11 Nov 9 | Week 12 Nov 16 | Week 13 Nov 23 | Week 14 Nov 30 | Week 15 Dec 7 | Week 16 (Final) Jan 13 | |
| | | Dropped: Washington | Dropped: NebraskaNorth Carolina | Dropped: Virginia TechLouisville | Dropped: MissouriClemson | Dropped: South CarolinaArizona State | Dropped: LSUUSCWisconsinBYU | Dropped: UCLAGeorgia TechMissouri | Dropped: Oklahoma StateTexas A&MStanford | Dropped: USC | Dropped: East Carolina | Dropped: OklahomaWest Virginia | Dropped: Notre DameClemsonLSU | Dropped: UtahNebraskaUSCDuke | Dropped: MarshallColorado StateMinnesota | Dropped: Oklahoma | Dropped: LSUNebraska | |

## Coaches Poll

| | Preseason Jul 31 | Week 1 Sep 2 | Week 2 Sep 7 | Week 3 Sep 14 | Week 4 Sep 21 | Week 5 Sep 28 | Week 6 Oct 5 | Week 7 Oct 12 | Week 8 Oct 19 | Week 9 Oct 26 | Week 10 Nov 2 | Week 11 Nov 9 | Week 12 Nov 16 | Week 13 Nov 23 | Week 14 Nov 30 | Week 15 Dec 7 | Week 16 (Final) Jan 13 | |
| 1. | Florida State (56) | Florida State (1–0) (57) | Florida State (2–0) (51) | Florida State (2–0) (50) | Florida State (3–0) (36) | Alabama (4–0) (15) | Florida State (5–0) (44) | Mississippi State (6–0) (26) | Mississippi State (6–0) (36) | Mississippi State (7–0) (41) | Mississippi State (8–0) (40) | Mississippi State (9–0) (41) | Florida State (10–0) (39) | Alabama (10–1) (25) | Alabama (11–1) (28) | Alabama (12–1) (28) | Ohio State (14–1) (64) | 1. |
| 2. | Alabama | Alabama (1–0) | Alabama (2–0) (1) | Alabama (3–0) (1) | Alabama (4–0) (11) | Florida State (4–0) (26) | Auburn (5–0) (16) | Florida State (6–0) (31) | Florida State (7–0) (22) | Florida State (7–0) (21) | Florida State (8–0) (22) | Florida State (9–0) (20) | Alabama (9–1) (17) | Florida State (11–0) (30) | Florida State (12–0) (28) | Florida State (13–0) (25) | Oregon (13–2) | 2. |
| 3. | Oklahoma (3) | Oklahoma (1–0) (2) | Oklahoma (2–0) (3) | Oregon (3–0) (6) | Oklahoma (4–0) (12) | Oklahoma (4–0) (14) | Baylor (5–0) (1) | Ole Miss (6–0) (5) | Ole Miss (7–0) (4) | Alabama (7–1) | Auburn (7–1) | Alabama (8–1) | Oregon (9–1) (6) | Oregon (10–1) (6) | Oregon (11–1) (6) | Oregon (12–1) (7) | TCU (12–1) | 3. |
| 4. | Oregon (1) | Oregon (1–0) (2) | Oregon (2–0) (6) | Oklahoma (3–0) (4) | Oregon (4–0) (3) | Oregon (4–0) (7) | Ole Miss (5–0) | Baylor (6–0) | Alabama (6–1) | Auburn (6–1) | Alabama (7–1) | Oregon (9–1) (1) | Mississippi State (9–1) | Mississippi State (10–1) | TCU (10–1) | Ohio State (12–1) | Alabama (12–2) | 4. |
| 5. | Auburn | Auburn (1–0) | Auburn (2–0) | Auburn (2–0) | Auburn (3–0) | Auburn (4–0) | Notre Dame (5–0) | Notre Dame (6–0) | Michigan State (6–1) | Michigan State (7–1) | Oregon (8–1) | TCU (8–1) | TCU (9–1) | TCU (9–1) | Baylor (10–1) | Baylor (11–1) | Michigan State (11–2) | 5. |
| 6. | Ohio State (1) | Michigan State (1–0) | Georgia (1–0) (1) | Baylor (2–0) | Baylor (3–0) | Baylor (4–0) | Mississippi State (5–0) | Michigan State (5–1) | Auburn (5–1) | Oregon (7–1) | Michigan State (7–1) | Baylor (8–1) | Baylor (8–1) | Baylor (9–1) | Ohio State (11–1) | TCU (11–1) (1) | Florida State (13–1) | 6. |
| 7. | UCLA | Ohio State (1–0) | Baylor (2–0) | Texas A&M (3–0) | Texas A&M (4–0) | Texas A&M (5–0) | Alabama (4–1) | Alabama (5–1) | Oregon (6–1) | Notre Dame (6–1) | TCU (7–1) | Ohio State (8–1) | Ohio State (9–1) | Ohio State (10–1) | Michigan State (10–2) | Michigan State (10–2) | Georgia Tech (11–3) | 7. |
| 8. | Michigan State | Georgia (1–0) (1) | Texas A&M (2–0) | LSU (3–0) | Notre Dame (3–0) | Notre Dame (4–0) | Michigan State (4–1) | Auburn (5–1) | Notre Dame (6–1) | Georgia (6–1) | Notre Dame (7–1) | Arizona State (8–1) | Ole Miss (8–2) | Michigan State (9–2) | Arizona (10–2) | Mississippi State (10–2) | Baylor (11–2) | 8. |
| 9. | South Carolina (1) | Baylor (1–0) | LSU (2–0) | Notre Dame (3–0) | Michigan State (2–1) | UCLA (4–0) | Oklahoma (4–1) | Oregon (5–1) | Georgia (6–1) | Ole Miss (7–1) | Kansas State (7–1) | Auburn (7–2) | Michigan State (8–2) | Georgia (9–2) | Kansas State (9–2) | Georgia Tech (10–3) | Georgia (10–3) | 9. |
| 10. | Baylor | Stanford (1–0) | USC (2–0) | UCLA (3–0) | UCLA (3–0) | Michigan State (3–1) | Georgia (4–1) | Georgia (5–1) | TCU (5–1) | TCU (6–1) | Baylor (7–1) | Ole Miss (8–2) | Georgia (8–2) | UCLA (9–2) | Mississippi State (10–2) | Kansas State (9–3) | UCLA (10–3) | 10. |
| 11. | Stanford | UCLA (1–0) | Notre Dame (2–0) | Michigan State (1–1) | Ole Miss (3–0) | Ole Miss (4–0) | Oregon (4–1) | Oklahoma (5–1) | Kansas State (5–1) | Kansas State (6–1) | Ohio State (7–1) | Nebraska (8–1) | Kansas State (7–2) | Kansas State (8–2) | Wisconsin (10–2) | Arizona (10–3) | Missouri (11–3) | 11. |
| 12. | Georgia | LSU (1–0) | UCLA (2–0) | Ole Miss (3–0) | Arizona State (3–0) | Georgia (3–1) | TCU (4–0) | TCU (4–1) | Ohio State (5–1) | Baylor (6–1) | Arizona State (7–1) | Michigan State (7–2) | UCLA (8–2) | Arizona (9–2) | Georgia Tech (10–2) | Ole Miss (9–3) | Mississippi State (10–3) | 12. |
| 13. | LSU | Texas A&M (1–0) | Michigan State (1–1) | Arizona State (3–0) | Georgia (2–1) | Stanford (3–1) | Arizona (5–0) | Ohio State (4–1) | Baylor (6–1) | Ohio State (6–1) | Ole Miss (7–2) | Kansas State (7–2) | Arizona (8–2) | Arizona State (9–2) | Missouri (10–2) | Georgia (9–3) | Wisconsin (11–3) | 13. |
| 14. | Wisconsin | USC (1–0) | Arizona State (2–0) | Georgia (1–1) | Stanford (2–1) | Mississippi State (4–0) | Texas A&M (5–1) | Kansas State (4–1) | Arizona State (5–1) | Arizona State (6–1) | Nebraska (8–1) | Georgia (7–2) | Arizona State (8–2) | Wisconsin (9–2) | Ole Miss (9–3) | Missouri (10–3) | Arizona State (10–3) | 14. |
| 15. | USC | Notre Dame (1–0) | Ole Miss (2–0) | Stanford (2–1) | South Carolina (3–1) | LSU (4–1) | Ohio State (4–1) | Oklahoma State (5–1) | Arizona (5–1) | Arizona (6–1) | LSU (7–2) | UCLA (8–2) | Wisconsin (8–2) | Georgia Tech (9–2) | Georgia (9–3) | UCLA (9–3) | Clemson (10–3) | 15. |
| 16. | Clemson | Arizona State (1–0) | Stanford (1–1) | South Carolina (2–1) | Mississippi State (4–0) | Wisconsin (3–1) | Kansas State (4–1) | East Carolina (5–1) | Nebraska (6–1) | Nebraska (7–1) | Oklahoma (6–2) | Notre Dame (7–2) | Georgia Tech (9–2) | Auburn (8–3) | Oklahoma (8–3) | Arizona State (9–3) | Boise State (12–2) | 16. |
| 17. | Notre Dame | Ole Miss (1–0) | Wisconsin (1–1) | Wisconsin (1–1) | Wisconsin (2–1) | Nebraska (5–0) | UCLA (4–1) | Arizona (5–1) | East Carolina (5–1) | LSU (7–2) | Georgia (6–2) | Clemson (7–2) | Auburn (7–3) | Missouri (9–2) | UCLA (9–3) | Wisconsin (10–3) | Arizona (10–4) | 17. |
| 18. | Arizona State | Nebraska (1–0) | Ohio State (1–1) | Ohio State (2–1) | LSU (3–1) | Ohio State (3–1) | Oklahoma State (4–1) | Arizona State (4–1) | Oklahoma (5–2) | Utah (6–1) | UCLA (7–2) | Arizona (7–2) | Marshall (10–0) | Oklahoma (8–3) | Arizona State (9–3) | Clemson (9–3) | Kansas State (9–4) | 18. |
| 19. | Ole Miss | Wisconsin (0–1) | Virginia Tech (2–0) | Missouri (3–0) | Nebraska (4–0) | BYU (4–0) | East Carolina (4–1) | Nebraska (5–1) | Utah (5–1) | East Carolina (6–1) | Clemson (6–2) | Duke (8–1) | Nebraska (8–2) | Ole Miss (8–3) | Clemson (9–3) | Auburn (8–4) | Ole Miss (9–4) | 19. |
| 20. | Texas A&M | Kansas State (1–0) | Kansas State (2–0) | Kansas State (2–0) | Ohio State (2–1) | USC (3–1) | Arizona State (4–1) | Stanford (4–2) | Clemson (5–2) | Oklahoma (5–2) | Duke (7–1) | LSU (7–3) | Missouri (8–2) | Marshall (11–0) | Louisville (9–3) | Louisville (9–3) | Utah (9–4) | 20. |
| 21. | Kansas State | South Carolina (0–1) | Nebraska (2–0) | USC (2–1) | BYU (4–0) | East Carolina (3–1) | Nebraska (5–1) | Texas A&M (5–2) | USC (5–2) | Clemson (6–2) | Arizona (6–2) | Marshall (9–0) | Utah (7–3) | Colorado State (10–1) | Auburn (8–4) | Boise State (11–2) | USC (9–4) | 21. |
| 22. | Nebraska | Missouri (1–0) | Missouri (2–0) | Nebraska (3–0) | USC (2–1) | Kansas State (3–1) | Stanford (3–2) | Clemson (4–2) | Marshall (7–0) | West Virginia (6–2) | Marshall (8–0) т | Wisconsin (7–2) | Oklahoma (7–3) | Minnesota (8–3) | Boise State (10–2) | Nebraska (9–3) | Marshall (13–1) | 22. |
| 23. | North Carolina | North Carolina (1–0) | South Carolina (1–1) | BYU (3–0) | Duke (4–0) | Oklahoma State (3–1) | Georgia Tech (5–0) | Utah (4–1) | LSU (6–2) | Marshall (8–0) | Utah (6–2) т | Georgia Tech (8–2) | Colorado State (9–1) | Louisville (8–3) | Nebraska (9–3) | LSU (8–4) | Auburn (8–5) | 23. |
| 24. | Texas | Clemson (0–1) | Clemson (1–1) | Clemson (1–1) | East Carolina (3–1) | Arizona State (3–1) | Missouri (4–1) | Marshall (6–0) | Minnesota (6–1) | Duke (6–1) | Wisconsin (6–2) | Oklahoma (6–3) | USC (7–3) | Clemson (8–3) | LSU (8–4) | Oklahoma (8–4) | Louisville (9–4) | 24. |
| 25. | Washington | Texas (1–0) | North Carolina (2–0) | North Carolina (2–0) | Kansas State (2–1) | TCU (3–0) | Clemson (3–2) | USC (4–2) | West Virginia (5–2) | UCLA (6–2) | West Virginia (6–3) | Colorado State (9–1) | Duke (8–2) | Boise State (9–2) | Minnesota (8–4) | Utah (8–4) | Memphis (10–3) | 25. |
| | Preseason Jul 31 | Week 1 Sep 2 | Week 2 Sep 7 | Week 3 Sep 14 | Week 4 Sep 21 | Week 5 Sep 28 | Week 6 Oct 5 | Week 7 Oct 12 | Week 8 Oct 19 | Week 9 Oct 26 | Week 10 Nov 2 | Week 11 Nov 9 | Week 12 Nov 16 | Week 13 Nov 23 | Week 14 Nov 30 | Week 15 Dec 7 | Week 16 (Final) Jan 13 | |
| | | Dropped: Washington | Dropped: Texas | Dropped: Virginia Tech | Dropped: MissouriClemsonNorth Carolina | Dropped: South CarolinaDuke | Dropped: LSUWisconsinBYUUSC | Dropped: UCLAGeorgia TechMissouri | Dropped: Oklahoma StateStanfordTexas A&M | Dropped: USCMinnesota | Dropped: East Carolina | Dropped: UtahWest Virginia | Dropped: Notre DameClemsonLSU | Dropped: NebraskaUtahUSCDuke | Dropped: MarshallColorado State | Dropped: Minnesota | Dropped: NebraskaLSUOklahoma | |

## CFP rankings

| | Week 9 Oct 28 | Week 10 Nov 4 | Week 11 Nov 11 | Week 12 Nov 18 | Week 13 Nov 25 | Week 14 Dec 2 | Week 15 (Final) Dec 7 | |
| 1. | Mississippi State (7–0) | Mississippi State (8–0) | Mississippi State (9–0) | Alabama (9–1) | Alabama (10–1) | Alabama (11–1) | Alabama (12–1) | 1. |
| 2. | Florida State (7–0) | Florida State (8–0) | Oregon (9–1) | Oregon (9–1) | Oregon (10–1) | Oregon (11–1) | Oregon (12–1) | 2. |
| 3. | Auburn (6–1) | Auburn (7–1) | Florida State (9–0) | Florida State (10–0) | Florida State (11–0) | TCU (10–1) | Florida State (13–0) | 3. |
| 4. | Ole Miss (7–1) | Oregon (8–1) | TCU (8–1) | Mississippi State (9–1) | Mississippi State (10–1) | Florida State (12–0) | Ohio State (12–1) | 4. |
| 5. | Oregon (7–1) | Alabama (7–1) | Alabama (8–1) | TCU (9–1) | TCU (9–1) | Ohio State (11–1) | Baylor (11–1) | 5. |
| 6. | Alabama (7–1) | TCU (7–1) | Arizona State (8–1) | Ohio State (9–1) | Ohio State (10–1) | Baylor (10–1) | TCU (11–1) | 6. |
| 7. | TCU (6–1) | Kansas State (7–1) | Baylor (8–1) | Baylor (8–1) | Baylor (9–1) | Arizona (10–2) | Mississippi State (10–2) | 7. |
| 8. | Michigan State (7–1) | Michigan State (7–1) | Ohio State (8–1) | Ole Miss (8–2) | UCLA (9–2) | Michigan State (10–2) | Michigan State (10–2) | 8. |
| 9. | Kansas State (6–1) | Arizona State (7–1) | Auburn (7–2) | UCLA (8–2) | Georgia (9–2) | Kansas State (9–2) | Ole Miss (9–3) | 9. |
| 10. | Notre Dame (6–1) | Notre Dame (7–1) | Ole Miss (8–2) | Georgia (8–2) | Michigan State (9–2) | Mississippi State (10–2) | Arizona (10–3) | 10. |
| 11. | Georgia (6–1) | Ole Miss (7–2) | UCLA (8–2) | Michigan State (8–2) | Arizona (9–2) | Georgia Tech (10–2) | Kansas State (9–3) | 11. |
| 12. | Arizona (6–1) | Baylor (7–1) | Michigan State (7–2) | Kansas State (7–2) | Kansas State (8–2) | Ole Miss (9–3) | Georgia Tech (10–3) | 12. |
| 13. | Baylor (6–1) | Nebraska (8–1) | Kansas State (7–2) | Arizona State (8–2) | Arizona State (9–2) | Wisconsin (10–2) | Georgia (9–3) | 13. |
| 14. | Arizona State (6–1) | Ohio State (7–1) | Arizona (7–2) | Auburn (7–3) | Wisconsin (9–2) | Georgia (9–3) | UCLA (9–3) | 14. |
| 15. | Nebraska (7–1) | Oklahoma (6–2) | Georgia (7–2) | Arizona (8–2) | Auburn (8–3) | UCLA (9–3) | Arizona State (9–3) | 15. |
| 16. | Ohio State (6–1) | LSU (7–2) | Nebraska (8–1) | Wisconsin (8–2) | Georgia Tech (9–2) | Missouri (10–2) | Missouri (10–3) | 16. |
| 17. | Utah (6–1) | Utah (6–2) | LSU (7–3) | Utah (7–3) | Missouri (9–2) | Arizona State (9–3) | Clemson (9–3) | 17. |
| 18. | Oklahoma (5–2) | UCLA (7–2) | Notre Dame (7–2) | Georgia Tech (9–2) | Minnesota (8–3) | Clemson (9–3) | Wisconsin (10–3) | 18. |
| 19. | LSU (7–2) | Arizona (6–2) | Clemson (7–2) | USC (7–3) | Ole Miss (8–3) | Auburn (8–4) | Auburn (8–4) | 19. |
| 20. | West Virginia (6–2) | Georgia (6–2) | Wisconsin (7–2) | Missouri (8–2) | Oklahoma (8–3) | Oklahoma (8–3) | Boise State (11–2) | 20. |
| 21. | Clemson (6–2) | Clemson (6–2) | Duke (8–1) | Oklahoma (7–3) | Clemson (8–3) | Louisville (9–3) | Louisville (9–3) | 21. |
| 22. | UCLA (6–2) | Duke (7–1) | Georgia Tech (8–2) | Clemson (7–3) | Louisville (8–3) | Boise State (10–2) | Utah (8–4) | 22. |
| 23. | East Carolina (6–1) | West Virginia (6–3) | Utah (6–3) | Nebraska (8–2) | Boise State (9–2) | Utah (8–4) | LSU (8–4) | 23. |
| 24. | Duke (6–1) | Georgia Tech (7–2) | Texas A&M (7–3) | Louisville (7–3) | Marshall (11–0) | LSU (8–4) | USC (8–4) | 24. |
| 25. | Louisville (6–2) | Wisconsin (6–2) | Minnesota (7–2) | Minnesota (7–3) | Utah (7–4) | USC (8–4) | Minnesota (8–4) | 25. |
| | Week 9 Oct 28 | Week 10 Nov 4 | Week 11 Nov 11 | Week 12 Nov 18 | Week 13 Nov 25 | Week 14 Dec 2 | Week 15 (Final) Dec 7 | |
| | | Dropped: East CarolinaLouisville | Dropped: OklahomaWest Virginia | Dropped: LSUNotre DameDukeTexas A&M | Dropped: USCNebraska | Dropped: MinnesotaMarshall | Dropped: Oklahoma | |