# 1996 NCAA Division I-A football rankings

Two human polls comprised the 1996 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 12 | Week 1 Aug 26 | Week 2 Sep 2 | Week 3 Sep 9 | Week 4 Sep 16 | Week 5 Sep 23 | Week 6 Sep 30 | Week 7 Oct 7 | Week 8 Oct 14 | Week 9 Oct 21 | Week 10 Oct 28 | Week 11 Nov 4 | Week 12 Nov 11 | Week 13 Nov 18 | Week 14 Nov 25 | Week 15 Dec 2 | Week 16 Dec 9 | Week 17 (Final) Jan 3 | |
| 1. | Nebraska (50) | Nebraska (0–0) (50) | Nebraska (0–0) | Nebraska (1–0) (57) | Nebraska (1–0) (58) | Florida (3–0) (52) | Florida (4–0) (57) | Florida (5–0) (38) | Florida (6–0) (54) | Florida (7–0) (57) | Florida (7–0) (59) | Florida (7–0) (59) | Florida (9–0) (46) | Florida (10–0) (54) | Florida (10–0) (59) | Florida State (11–0) (61) | Florida State (11–0) (62) | Florida (12–1) (65½) | 1. |
| 2. | Tennessee (7) | Tennessee (0–0) (8) | Tennessee (1–0) (8) | Tennessee (2–0) (4) | Tennessee (2–0) (5) | Florida State (2–0) (13) | Florida State (3–0) (8) | Ohio State (4–0) (24) | Ohio State (5–0) (7) | Ohio State (6–0) (4) | Ohio State (7–0) (4) | Ohio State (8–0) (5) | Ohio State (9–0) (17) | Ohio State (10–0) (7) | Florida State (10–0) (5) | Arizona State (11–0) (5) | Arizona State (11–0) (5) | Ohio State (11–1) (1½) | 2. |
| 3. | Florida State (5) | Florida State (0–0) (5) | Florida State (0–0) (5) | Florida State (1–0) (3) | Florida State (1–0) (4) | Penn State (4–0) (1) | Ohio State (3–0) (1) | Florida State (4–0) (4) | Florida State (5–0) (5) | Florida State (5–0) (5) | Florida State (6–0) (3) | Florida State (7–0) (2) | Florida State (8–0) (2) | Florida State (9–0) (4) | Arizona State (11–0) (3) | Nebraska (10–1) (1) | Florida (11–1) | Florida State (11–1) | 3. |
| 4. | Florida (1) | Florida (0–0) | Florida (1–0) (1) | Florida (2–0) | Florida (2–0) | Ohio State (2–0) | Penn State (5–0) | Arizona State (5–0) (1) | Arizona State (6–0) (1) | Arizona State (7–0) (1) | Arizona State (8–0) (1) | Arizona State (9–0) (1) | Arizona State (10–0) (2) | Arizona State (10–0) (2) | Nebraska (9–1) | Florida (10–1) | Ohio State (10–1) | Arizona State (11–1) | 4. |
| 5. | Colorado (3) | Colorado (0–0) (3) | Colorado (1–0) (3) | Colorado (2–0) (3) | Penn State (3–0) | Notre Dame (3–0) | Arizona State (4–0) (1) | Nebraska (3–1) | Nebraska (4–1) | Nebraska (5–1) | Nebraska (6–1) | Nebraska (7–1) | Nebraska (8–1) | Nebraska (9–1) | Colorado (9–1) | Ohio State (10–1) | BYU (13–1) | BYU (14–1) | 5. |
| 6. | Notre Dame (1) | Notre Dame (0–0) (1) | Notre Dame (0–0) (1) | Penn State (2–0) | Texas (2–0) | Arizona State (3–0) (1) | Michigan (4–0) | Miami (FL) (4–0) | Tennessee (4–1) | Tennessee (4–1) | Tennessee (5–1) | Tennessee (6–1) | Colorado (8–1) T | Colorado (9–1) | Ohio State (10–1) | BYU (12–1) | Nebraska (10–2) | Nebraska (11–2) | 6. |
| 7. | USC | Penn State (1–0) | Penn State (1–0) | Texas (2–0) | Ohio State (1–0) | Michigan (3–0) | Nebraska (2–1) | Tennessee (3–1) | Alabama (6–0) | Alabama (7–0) | Colorado (6–1) | Colorado (7–1) | North Carolina (8–1) T | Penn State (9–2) | BYU (12–1) | Colorado (9–2) | Penn State (10–2) | Penn State (11–2) | 7. |
| 8. | Texas | Texas (0–0) | Texas (1–0) | Ohio State (1–0) | Michigan (2–0) | Nebraska (1–1) | Miami (FL) (4–0) | Alabama (5–0) | Notre Dame (4–1) | Colorado (5–1) | North Carolina (6–1) | North Carolina (7–1) | Alabama (8–1) | BYU (11–1) | Penn State (10–2) | Penn State (10–2) | Colorado (9–2) | Colorado (10–2) | 8. |
| 9. | Ohio State | Ohio State (0–0) | Syracuse (0–0) | Notre Dame (1–0) (1) | Notre Dame (2–0) | Tennessee (2–1) | Tennessee (2–1) | Colorado (3–1) | Colorado (4–1) | North Carolina (5–1) | Michigan (6–1) | Michigan (7–1) | Kansas State (8–1) | Tennessee (7–2) | Tennessee (8–2) | Tennessee (9–2) | Tennessee (9–2) | Tennessee (10–2) | 9. |
| 10. | Syracuse | Syracuse (0–0) | Ohio State (0–0) | Miami (FL) (2–0) | Miami (FL) (3–0) | Miami (FL) (3–0) | Colorado (3–1) | Penn State (5–1) | Penn State (6–1) | Michigan (5–1) | Alabama (7–1) | Alabama (7–1) | BYU (10–1) | Notre Dame (7–2) | Notre Dame (8–2) | Northwestern (9–2) | Virginia Tech (10–1) | North Carolina (10–2) | 10. |
| 11. | Penn State | Miami (FL) (0–0) | Miami (FL) (1–0) | Michigan (1–0) | North Carolina (2–0) | North Carolina (3–0) | Notre Dame (3–1) | Notre Dame (3–1) | North Carolina (5–1) | Northwestern (6–1) | Northwestern (7–1) | LSU (7–1) | Penn State (8–2) | Northwestern (9–2) | Northwestern (9–2) | Alabama (9–2) | Northwestern (9–2) | Alabama (10–3) | 11. |
| 12. | Miami (FL) | Michigan (0–0) | Michigan (1–0) | North Carolina (2–0) | Colorado (2–1) | Colorado (2–1) | Virginia (4–0) | LSU (4–0) | Miami (FL) (4–1) | West Virginia (7–0) | LSU (6–1) | BYU (9–1) | Tennessee (6–2) | Washington (8–2) | Washington (9–2) | Washington (9–2) | North Carolina (9–2) | LSU (10–2) | 12. |
| 13. | Texas A&M | Alabama (0–0) | Northwestern (0–0) | Alabama (2–0) | Alabama (3–0) T | Texas (2–1) | Alabama (4–0) | North Carolina (4–1) | Michigan (4–1) | LSU (5–1) | BYU (8–1) | Kansas State (8–1) | Northwestern (8–2) | North Carolina (8–2) | North Carolina (9–2) | North Carolina (9–2) | Washington (9–2) | Virginia Tech (10–2) | 13. |
| 14. | Michigan | Virginia Tech (0–0) | Alabama (1–0) | BYU (2–0) | Auburn (3–0) T | Alabama (4–0) | LSU (3–0) | Michigan (4–1) | Northwestern (5–1) | Virginia (5–1) | Kansas State (7–1) | Penn State (8–2) | Notre Dame (6–2) | Kansas State (8–2) | Kansas State (9–2) | Kansas State (9–2) | Kansas State (9–2) | Miami (FL) (9–3) | 14. |
| 15. | Alabama | Northwestern (0–0) | Virginia Tech (0–0) | Auburn (2–0) | USC (2–1) | USC (3–1) | North Carolina (3–1) | Northwestern (4–1) | West Virginia (6–0) | BYU (7–1) | Penn State (7–2) | Virginia (6–2) | Washington (7–2) | Alabama (8–2) | Alabama (9–2) | Virginia Tech (9–2) | Michigan (8–3) | Northwestern (9–3) | 15. |
| 16. | Virginia Tech | Auburn (0–0) | BYU (2–0) | USC (1–1) | Kansas State (3–0) | Kansas State (4–0) | Kansas State (4–0) | Washington (3–1) | Auburn (5–1) | Kansas State (6–1) | Virginia (5–2) | Wyoming (9–0) | Michigan (7–2) | Syracuse (7–2) | Syracuse (8–2) | Michigan (8–3) | Alabama (9–3) | Washington (9–3) | 16. |
| 17. | Auburn | USC (0–1) | LSU (0–0) | Kansas State (2–0) | Arizona State (2–0) | LSU (2–0) | USC (3–1) | West Virginia (6–0) | LSU (4–1) | Penn State (6–2) | Wyoming (8–0) | Notre Dame (5–2) | LSU (6–2) | Virginia Tech (8–1) | Virginia Tech (9–1) | LSU (9–2) | LSU (9–2) | Kansas State (9–3) | 17. |
| 18. | Northwestern | LSU (0–0) | Auburn (1–0) | Arizona State (1–0) | Virginia Tech (2–0) | Virginia Tech (3–0) | Washington (2–1) | Auburn (4–1) | BYU (6–1) | Wyoming (8–0) | West Virginia (7–1) | Northwestern (7–2) | Miami (FL) (6–2) | LSU (7–2) | Michigan (8–3) | Notre Dame (8–3) | Notre Dame (8–3) | Iowa (9–3) | 18. |
| 19. | LSU | BYU (1–0) | USC (0–1) | Virginia Tech (1–0) | Iowa (2–0) | Virginia (3–0) | West Virginia (5–0) | BYU (5–1) | California (5–0) | Notre Dame (4–2) | Notre Dame (4–2) | Washington (6–2) | Syracuse (6–2) | Virginia (7–3) | LSU (8–2) | Miami (FL) (8–3) | Miami (FL) (8–3) | Notre Dame (8–3) | 19. |
| 20. | Arizona State | Arizona State (0–0) | Arizona State (0–0) | LSU (1–0) | Virginia (2–0) | Kansas (2–0) | Auburn (3–1) | Virginia (4–1) | Virginia (4–1) | Iowa (5–1) | Utah (7–1) | Southern Miss (8–2) | Auburn (7–2) | Wyoming (10–1) | Virginia (7–3) | Wyoming (10–1) | Texas (8–4) | Michigan (8–4) | 20. |
| 21. | Kansas State | Kansas State (0–0) | Kansas State (1–0) | Iowa (1–0) | LSU (1–0) | Washington (2–1) | BYU (4–1) | California (5–0) | Kansas State (5–1) | Utah (6–1) | Washington (5–2) | Miami (FL) (6–2) | Virginia Tech (7–1) | Michigan (7–3) | Wyoming (10–1) | Iowa (8–3) | Iowa (8–3) | Syracuse (9–3) | 21. |
| 22. | Iowa | Iowa (0–0) | Iowa (0–0) | Virginia (1–0) | Kansas (2–0) | Auburn (3–1) | Northwestern (3–1) | Kansas State (4–1) | Georgia Tech (4–1) | Auburn (5–2) | Miami (FL) (5–2) | Auburn (6–2) | Army (9–0) | Clemson (7–3) | Iowa (8–3) | Syracuse (8–3) | Wyoming (10–2) | Wyoming (10–2) | 22. |
| 23. | Virginia | Texas A&M (0–1) | Virginia (0–0) | Syracuse (0–1) | Syracuse (0–1) | West Virginia (4–0) | Texas (2–2) | Georgia Tech (4–1) | Wyoming (7–0) | Washington (4–2) | Southern Miss (7–1) | Iowa (6–2) | Wyoming (9–1) | West Virginia (8–2) | Miami (FL) (7–3) | Army (9–1) | Syracuse (8–3) | Texas (8–5) | 23. |
| 24. | Kansas | Virginia (0–0) | North Carolina (1–0) | Kansas (1–0) | Washington (1–1) | BYU (3–1) | Utah (4–1) | Wyoming (6–0) | Utah (5–1) | Southern Miss (6–1) | Auburn (5–2) | Syracuse (5–2) | Virginia (6–3) | Iowa (7–3) | Army (9–1) | West Virginia (8–3) | Army (10–1) | Auburn (8–4) | 24. |
| 25. | Clemson | Kansas (0–0) | Texas A&M (0–1) | Texas A&M (0–1) | Oregon (3–0) | Northwestern (2–1) | Wyoming (5–0) | Texas (3–2) | Washington (3–2) | Miami (FL) (4–2) | Iowa (5–2) | Virginia Tech (6–1) | Southern Miss (8–2) | Miami (FL) (6–3) | West Virginia (8–3) | Virginia (7–4) | West Virginia (8–3) | Army (10–2) | 25. |
| | Preseason Aug 12 | Week 1 Aug 26 | Week 2 Sep 2 | Week 3 Sep 9 | Week 4 Sep 16 | Week 5 Sep 23 | Week 6 Sep 30 | Week 7 Oct 7 | Week 8 Oct 14 | Week 9 Oct 21 | Week 10 Oct 28 | Week 11 Nov 4 | Week 12 Nov 11 | Week 13 Nov 18 | Week 14 Nov 25 | Week 15 Dec 2 | Week 16 Dec 9 | Week 17 (Final) Jan 3 | |
| | | Dropped: Clemson | Dropped: Kansas | Dropped: Northwestern | Dropped: BYUTexas A&M | Dropped: IowaSyracuseOregon | Dropped: Virginia TechKansas | Dropped: USCUtah | Dropped: Texas | Dropped: CaliforniaGeorgia Tech | None | Dropped: West VirginiaUtah | Dropped: Iowa | Dropped: AuburnArmySouthern Miss | Dropped: Clemson | None | Dropped: Virginia | Dropped: West Virginia | |

## Coaches Poll

| | Preseason Aug 12 | Week 2 Sep 3 | Week 3 Sep 9 | Week 4 Sep 16 | Week 5 Sep 23 | Week 6 Sep 30 | Week 7 Oct 7 | Week 8 Oct 14 | Week 9 Oct 21 | Week 10 Oct 28 | Week 11 Nov 4 | Week 12 Nov 11 | Week 13 Nov 18 | Week 14 Nov 25 | Week 15 Dec 2 | Week 16 Dec 9 | Week 17 (Final) Jan 3 | |
| 1. | Nebraska (47) | Nebraska (0–0) (51) | Nebraska (1–0) (57) | Nebraska (1–0) (58) | Florida (3–0) (38) | Florida (4–0) (48) | Florida (5–0) (36) | Florida (6–0) (53) | Florida (7–0) (56) | Florida (7–0) (53) | Florida (8–0) (53) | Florida (9–0) (37) | Florida (10–0) (46) | Florida (10–0) (52) | Florida State (11–0) (56) | Florida State (11–0) (57) | Florida (12–1) (58) | 1. |
| 2. | Tennessee (6) | Tennessee (1–0) (4) | Tennessee (2–0) (1) | Tennessee (2–0) (2) | Florida State (2–0) (22) | Florida State (3–0) (9) | Ohio State (4–0) (20) | Florida State (5–0) (7) | Florida State (5–0) (5) | Florida State (6–0) (5) | Florida State (7–0) (5) | Ohio State (9–0) (16) | Ohio State (10–0) (9) | Florida State (10–0) (7) | Arizona State (11–0) (6) | Arizona State (11–0) (5) | Ohio State (11–1) (4) | 2. |
| 3. | Florida State (6) | Florida State (0–0) (3) | Florida State (1–0) (1) | Florida State (1–0) (1) | Penn State (4–0) | Ohio State (3–0) (5) | Florida State (4–0) (6) | Ohio State (5–0) (2) | Ohio State (6–0) (1) | Ohio State (7–0) (4) | Ohio State (8–0) (4) | Florida State (8–0) (8) | Florida State (9–0) (7) | Arizona State (11–0) (3) | Nebraska (10–1) | Florida (11–1) | Florida State (11–1) | 3. |
| 4. | Florida (3) | Florida (1–0) (3) | Florida (2–0) (3) | Florida (2–0) (1) | Ohio State (2–0) (2) | Penn State (5–0) | Nebraska (3–1) | Nebraska (4–1) | Arizona State (7–0) | Arizona State (8–0) | Arizona State (9–0) | Arizona State (10–0) (1) | Arizona State (10–0) | Nebraska (9–1) | Florida (10–1) | Ohio State (10–1) | Arizona State (11–1) | 4. |
| 5. | Colorado | Colorado (1–0) | Colorado (2–0) | Penn State (3–0) | Notre Dame (3–0) | Michigan (4–0) | Arizona State (5–0) | Arizona State (6–0) | Nebraska (5–1) | Nebraska (6–1) | Nebraska (7–1) | Nebraska (8–1) | Nebraska (9–1) | Colorado (9–1) | Ohio State (10–1) | BYU (13–1) | BYU (14–1) | 5. |
| 6. | USC | Penn State (1–0) (1) | Penn State (2–0) | Ohio State (1–0) | Michigan (3–0) | Nebraska (2–1) | Miami (FL) (4–0) | Tennessee (4–1) | Alabama (7–0) | Tennessee (5–1) | Tennessee (6–1) | Colorado (8–1) | Colorado (9–1) | Ohio State (10–1) | BYU (12–1) | Nebraska (10–2) | Nebraska (11–2) | 6. |
| 7. | Notre Dame | Notre Dame (0–0) | Ohio State (1–0) | Michigan (2–0) | Nebraska (1–1) | Arizona State (4–0) | Tennessee (3–1) | Alabama (6–0) | Tennessee (4–1) | Colorado (6–1) | Colorado (7–1) | North Carolina (8–1) | BYU (11–1) | BYU (12–1) | Penn State (10–2) | Penn State (10–2) | Penn State (11–2) | 7. |
| 8. | Penn State | Texas (1–0) | Texas (2–0) | Texas (2–0) | Tennessee (2–1) | Miami (FL) (4–0) | Alabama (5–0) | Penn State (6–1) | Colorado (5–1) | North Carolina (6–1) | North Carolina (7–1) | Alabama (8–1) | Penn State (9–2) | Penn State (10–2) | Colorado (9–2) | Colorado (9–2) | Colorado (10–2) | 8. |
| 9. | Texas | Ohio State (0–0) | Michigan (1–0) | Notre Dame (2–0) | Miami (FL) (3–0) | Tennessee (2–1) | Penn State (5–1) | Notre Dame (4–1) | North Carolina (5–1) | Michigan (6–1) | Michigan (7–1) | Kansas State (8–1) | Virginia Tech (8–1) | Virginia Tech (9–1) | Virginia Tech (10–1) | Virginia Tech (10–1) | Tennessee (10–2) | 9. |
| 10. | Ohio State | Michigan (1–0) | Notre Dame (1–0) | Miami (FL) (3–0) | Alabama (4–0) | Alabama (4–0) | Colorado (3–1) | Colorado (4–1) | Michigan (5–1) | Northwestern (7–1) | Alabama (7–1) | BYU (10–1) | Tennessee (7–2) | Tennessee (8–2) | Tennessee (10–2) | Tennessee (9–2) | North Carolina (10–2) | 10. |
| 11. | Michigan | Syracuse (0–0) | Miami (FL) (2–0) | Alabama (3–0) | North Carolina (3–0) | Virginia (4–0) | LSU (4–0) | North Carolina (5–1) | West Virginia (7–0) | Alabama (7–1) | Kansas State (7–1) | Penn State (8–2) | Northwestern (9–2) | Northwestern (9–2) | Alabama (9–2) | Northwestern (9–2) | Alabama (10–3) | 11. |
| 12. | Texas A&M | Miami (FL) (1–0) | Alabama (2–0) | Colorado (2–1) | Arizona State (3–0) | Kansas State (4–0) | Notre Dame (3–1) | Michigan (4–1) | Northwestern (6–1) | Kansas State (7–1) | BYU (9–1) | Tennessee (6–2) | Alabama (8–2) | Alabama (9–2) | Northwestern (9–2) | Washington (9–2) | Virginia Tech (10–2) | 12. |
| 13. | Syracuse | Alabama (1–0) | North Carolina (2–0) | North Carolina (2–0) | Kansas State (4–0) | Colorado (3–1) | Michigan (4–1) | Miami (FL) (4–1) | Virginia (5–1) | LSU (6–1) | LSU (6–1) | Virginia Tech (7–1) | Notre Dame (7–2) | Notre Dame (8–2) | Washington (9–2) | North Carolina (9–2) | LSU (10–2) | 13. |
| 14. | Alabama | Virginia Tech (0–0) | Kansas State (2–0) | Kansas State (3–0) | Texas (2–1) | Notre Dame (3–1) | North Carolina (4–1) | West Virginia (6–0) | Kansas State (6–1) | BYU (8–1) | Penn State (8–2) | Northwestern (8–2) | North Carolina (8–2) | North Carolina (9–2) | North Carolina (9–2) | Kansas State (9–2) | Miami (FL) (9–3) | 14. |
| 15. | Virginia Tech | Kansas State (1–0) | BYU (2–0) | Auburn (3–0) | Colorado (2–1) | LSU (3–0) | West Virginia (6–0) | Northwestern (5–1) | LSU (5–1) | Penn State (7–2) | Wyoming (9–0) | Notre Dame (6–2) | Washington (8–2) | Washington (9–2) | Kansas State (9–2) | Alabama (9–3) | Washington (9–3) | 15. |
| 16. | Miami (FL) | BYU (2–0) | Auburn (2–0) | Virginia Tech (2–0) | Virginia Tech (3–0) | USC (3–1) | Washington (3–1) | Auburn (5–1) | BYU (7–1) | Wyoming (8–0) | Virginia (6–2) | Michigan (7–2) | Kansas State (8–2) | Kansas State (9–2) | LSU (9–2) | LSU (9–2) | Northwestern (9–3) | 16. |
| 17. | Auburn | Auburn (1–0) | Virginia (1–0) | Virginia (2–0) | Virginia (3–0) | North Carolina (3–1) | Virginia (4–1) | Virginia (4–1) | Penn State (6–2) | West Virginia (7–1) | Virginia Tech (6–1) | Washington (7–2) | Syracuse (7–2) | Syracuse (8–2) | Michigan (8–3) | Michigan (8–3) | Kansas State (9–3) | 17. |
| 18. | Kansas State | Northwestern (0–0) | USC (1–1) | USC (2–1) | USC (3–1) | Washington (2–1) | Northwestern (4–1) | LSU (4–1) | Wyoming (8–0) | Virginia (5–2) | Northwestern (7–2) | Miami (FL) (6–2) | LSU (7–2) | LSU (8–2) | Notre Dame (8–3) | Notre Dame (8–3) | Iowa (9–3) | 18. |
| 19. | Northwestern | LSU (0–0) | Virginia Tech (1–0) | Iowa (2–0) | LSU (2–0) | West Virginia (5–0) | Auburn (4–1) | Kansas State (5–1) | Iowa (5–1) | Utah (7–1) | Notre Dame (5–2) | Syracuse (6–2) | Virginia (7–3) т | Michigan (8–3) | Wyoming (10–1) | Miami (FL) (8–3) | Syracuse (9–3) | 19. |
| 20. | LSU | Virginia (0–0) | LSU (1–0) | Kansas (2–0) | Kansas (2–0) | Auburn (3–1) | BYU (5–1) | BYU (6–1) | Notre Dame (4–2) | Virginia Tech (5–1) | Washington (6–2) | LSU (6–2) | Wyoming (10–1) т | Wyoming (10–1) | Miami (FL) (8–3) | Texas (8–4) | Michigan (8–4) | 20. |
| 21. | Virginia | USC (0–1) | Iowa (1–0) | LSU (1–0) | Washington (2–1) | BYU (4–1) | Kansas State (4–1) | California (5–0) | Virginia Tech (4–1) | Notre Dame (4–2) | Miami (FL) (6–2) | Auburn (7–2) | West Virginia (8–2) | Virginia (7–3) | Iowa (8–3) | Iowa (8–3) | Notre Dame (8–3) | 21. |
| 22. | Washington | North Carolina (1–0) | Kansas (1–0) | Arizona State (2–0) | Auburn (3–1) | Virginia Tech (3–1) | California (5–0) | Wyoming (7–0) | Utah (6–1) | Miami (FL) (5–2) | Southern Miss (8–1) | Wyoming (9–1) | Michigan (7–3) | Iowa (8–3) | Syracuse (8–3) | Syracuse (8–3) | Wyoming (10–2) | 22. |
| 23. | Clemson | Washington (0–0) | Arizona State (1–0) | Washington (1–1) | West Virginia (4–0) | Texas (2–2) | Virginia Tech (3–1) | Virginia Tech (4–1) | Miami (FL) (4–2) | Washington (5–2) | Syracuse (5–2) | Army (9–0) | Iowa (7–3) | Miami (FL) (7–3) | Army (9–1) | Wyoming (10–2) | Texas (8–5) | 23. |
| 24. | Kansas | Kansas (1–0) | Syracuse (0–1) | Syracuse (0–1) | BYU (3–1) | Utah (4–1) | Wyoming (6–0) | Georgia Tech (4–1) | Washington (4–2) | Southern Miss (7–1) | Auburn (6–2) | West Virginia (8–2) | Clemson (7–3) | Army (9–1) | West Virginia (8–3) | Army (10–1) | Army (10–2) | 24. |
| 25. | Iowa | Texas A&M (0–1) | Texas A&M (0–1) | BYU (2–1) | Iowa (2–1) | Wyoming (5–0) | Texas (3–2) | Utah (5–1) | California (5–1) | Auburn (5–2) | Iowa (6–2) | Virginia (6–3) | Miami (FL) (6–3) | West Virginia (8–3) | Virginia (7–4) | West Virginia (8–3) | Auburn (8–4) | 25. |
| | Preseason Aug 12 | Week 2 Sep 3 | Week 3 Sep 9 | Week 4 Sep 16 | Week 5 Sep 23 | Week 6 Sep 30 | Week 7 Oct 7 | Week 8 Oct 14 | Week 9 Oct 21 | Week 10 Oct 28 | Week 11 Nov 4 | Week 12 Nov 11 | Week 13 Nov 18 | Week 14 Nov 25 | Week 15 Dec 2 | Week 16 Dec 9 | Week 17 (Final) Jan 3 | |
| | | Dropped: ClemsonIowa | Dropped: NorthwesternWashington | Dropped: Texas A&M | Dropped: Syracuse | Dropped: KansasIowa | Dropped: USCUtah | Dropped: WashingtonTexas | Dropped: AuburnGeorgia Tech | Dropped: IowaCalifornia | Dropped: West VirginiaUtah | Dropped: Southern MissIowa | Dropped: AuburnArmy | Dropped: Clemson | None | Dropped: Virginia | Dropped: West Virginia | |