# 1993 NCAA Division I-A football rankings

Two human polls comprised the 1993 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 24 | Week 1 Aug 31 | 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 3 | |
| 1. | Florida State (42) | Florida State (1–0) (47) | Florida State (2–0) (50) | Florida State (3–0) (59) | Florida State (4–0) (57) | Florida State (4–0) (58) | Florida State (5–0) (61) | Florida State (6–0) (61) | Florida State (7–0) (62) | Florida State (7–0) (62) | Florida State (8–0) (62) | Florida State (9–0) (62) | Notre Dame (10–0) (62) | Florida State (10–1) (33) | Florida State (11–1) (42) | Florida State (11–1) (42) | Florida State (12–1) (46) | 1. |
| 2. | Alabama (14) | Alabama (0–0) (11) | Alabama (1–0) (10) | Alabama (2–0) (3) | Alabama (3–0) (5) | Alabama (4–0) (4) | Alabama (5–0) (1) | Alabama (5–0) (1) | Notre Dame (7–0) | Notre Dame (8–0) | Notre Dame (9–0) | Notre Dame (9–0) | Florida State (9–1) | Nebraska (10–0) (20) | Nebraska (11–0) (17) | Nebraska (11–0) (15) | Notre Dame (11–1) (12) | 2. |
| 3. | Michigan (3) | Miami (FL) (0–0) (2) т | Michigan (1–0) (2) | Miami (FL) (1–0) | Miami (FL) (2–0) | Miami (FL) (3–0) | Miami (FL) (4–0) | Notre Dame (6–0) | Ohio State (6–0) | Ohio State (7–0) | Ohio State (8–0) | Miami (FL) (7–1) | Nebraska (10–0) | Auburn (11–0) (6) | West Virginia (11–0) | West Virginia (11–0) (3) | Nebraska (11–1) | 3. |
| 4. | Texas A&M | Michigan (0–0) (2) т | Miami (FL) (1–0) | Notre Dame (2–0) | Notre Dame (3–0) | Notre Dame (4–0) | Notre Dame (5–0) | Florida (5–0) | Alabama (5–0–1) | Miami (FL) (5–1) | Miami (FL) (6–1) | Nebraska (9–0) | Miami (FL) (8–1) | Notre Dame (10–1) (1) | Auburn (11–0) (2) | Notre Dame (10–1) (1) | Auburn (11–0) (4) | 4. |
| 5. | Miami (FL) | Texas A&M (0–0) | Texas A&M (1–0) | Tennessee (2–0) | Florida (3–0) | Florida (3–0) | Florida (4–0) | Ohio State (5–0) | Nebraska (6–0) | Alabama (6–0–1) | Alabama (7–0–1) | Ohio State (8–0–1) | Ohio State (9–0–1) | West Virginia (10–0) (1) | Notre Dame (10–1) | Auburn (11–0) (1) | Florida (11–2) | 5. |
| 6. | Syracuse | Syracuse (0–0) (1) | Syracuse (1–0) | Syracuse (2–0) | Nebraska (3–0) | Nebraska (4–0) | Ohio State (4–0) | Nebraska (5–0) | Miami (FL) (4–1) | Nebraska (7–0) | Nebraska (8–0) | Tennessee (7–1–1) | Auburn (10–0) | Tennessee (8–1–1) | Tennessee (9–1–1) | Tennessee (9–1–1) | Wisconsin (10–1–1) | 6. |
| 7. | Notre Dame | Notre Dame (0–0) | Florida (1–0) | Colorado (2–0) | Ohio State (3–0) | Ohio State (3–0) | Nebraska (4–0) | Penn State (5–0) | Arizona (6–0) | Arizona (7–0) | Tennessee (6–1–1) | Auburn (9–0) | Tennessee (7–1–1) | Florida (9–1) | Texas A&M (10–1) | Texas A&M (10–1) | West Virginia (11–1) | 7. |
| 8. | Nebraska | Florida (0–0) | Tennessee (1–0) | Nebraska (2–0) | Michigan (1–1) | Michigan (2–1) | Penn State (5–0) | Miami (FL) (4–1) | Tennessee (5–1–1) | Tennessee (5–1–1) | Auburn (8–0) | Florida (7–1) | Florida (8–1) | Texas A&M (9–1) | Miami (FL) (9–2) | Florida (10–2) | Penn State (10–2) | 8. |
| 9. | Florida | Nebraska (0–0) | Nebraska (1–0) | Florida (2–0) | Penn State (3–0) | Penn State (4–0) | Michigan (3–1) | Oklahoma (5–0) | Florida (5–1) | Auburn (7–0) | Florida (6–1) | West Virginia (8–0) | West Virginia (9–0) | Miami (FL) (8–2) | Florida (9–2) | Wisconsin (9–1–1) | Texas A&M (10–2) | 9. |
| 10. | Tennessee | Tennessee (0–0) | Colorado (1–0) | Michigan (1–1) | Oklahoma (2–0) | Oklahoma (3–0) | Oklahoma (4–0) | Tennessee (5–1) | Auburn (7–0) | Florida (5–1) | Texas A&M (7–1) | UCLA (7–2) | Texas A&M (8–1) | Wisconsin (8–1–1) | Wisconsin (8–1–1) | Miami (FL) (9–2) | Arizona (10–2) | 10. |
| 11. | Colorado | Colorado (0–0) | Notre Dame (1–0) | Ohio State (2–0) | Tennessee (2–1) | Tennessee (3–1) | Tennessee (4–1) | Arizona (5–0) | Texas A&M (5–1) | Texas A&M (6–1) | West Virginia (7–0) | Texas A&M (7–1) | Alabama (8–1–1) | Boston College (8–2) | Ohio State (9–1–1) | Ohio State (9–1–1) | Ohio State (10–1–1) | 11. |
| 12. | Washington | Washington (0–0) | Washington (1–0) | Oklahoma (2–0) | Syracuse (2–0–1) | Arizona (4–0) | Arizona (5–0) | Washington (4–1) | North Carolina (7–1) | Penn State (5–1) | UCLA (6–2) | Alabama (7–1–1) | Wisconsin (7–1–1) | Ohio State (9–1–1) | North Carolina (10–2) | North Carolina (10–2) | Tennessee (9–2–1) | 12. |
| 13. | Georgia | Arizona (0–0) | Arizona (1–0) | North Carolina (3–0) | Colorado (2–1) | Syracuse (3–0–1) | Washington (3–1) | Texas A&M (4–1) | Michigan (4–2) | West Virginia (6–0) | Louisville (7–1) | Arizona (8–1) | North Carolina (9–2) | North Carolina (9–2) | Penn State (9–2) | Penn State (9–2) | Boston College (9–3) | 13. |
| 14. | Arizona | Georgia (0–0) | North Carolina (2–0) | Penn State (2–0) | Texas A&M (2–1) | Texas A&M (2–1) | Texas A&M (3–1) | North Carolina (6–1) | Penn State (5–1) | Oklahoma (6–1) | Arizona (7–1) | Wisconsin (7–1–1) | Penn State (7–2) | Penn State (8–2) | UCLA (8–3) | UCLA (8–3) | Alabama (9–3–1) | 14. |
| 15. | Stanford (1) | Stanford (0–0) (1) | Penn State (1–0) | Arizona (2–0) | Arizona (3–0) | Washington (2–1) | North Carolina (5–1) | Virginia (5–0) | Wisconsin (6–0) | UCLA (5–2) | Wisconsin (7–1) | North Carolina (8–2) | Oklahoma (8–2) | UCLA (8–3) | Boston College (8–3) | Boston College (8–3) | Miami (FL) (9–3) | 15. |
| 16. | Penn State | North Carolina (1–0) | Ohio State (1–0) | Texas A&M (1–1) | Washington (1–1) | North Carolina (4–1) | California (5–0) | Wisconsin (5–0) | Colorado (4–2) | Virginia (6–1) | North Carolina (7–2) | Penn State (6–2) | UCLA (7–3) | Oklahoma (8–2) | Alabama (8–2–1) | Arizona (9–2) | Colorado (8–3–1) | 16. |
| 17. | Ohio State | Penn State (0–0) | Oklahoma (1–0) | NC State (2–0) | Stanford (2–1) | California (4–0) | Louisville (5–0) | West Virginia (5–0) | Oklahoma (5–1) | Louisville (7–1) | Indiana (7–1) | Oklahoma (7–2) | Boston College (7–2) | Alabama (8–2–1) | Arizona (9–2) | Colorado (7–3–1) | Oklahoma (9–3) | 17. |
| 18. | USC | Ohio State (0–0) | NC State (1–0) | Washington (1–1) | North Carolina (3–1) | Louisville (4–0) | Virginia (5–0) | Michigan (3–2) | West Virginia (5–0) | North Carolina (7–2) | Kansas State (6–1–1) | Virginia (7–2) | Colorado (6–3–1) | Colorado (7–3–1) | Colorado (7–3–1) | Alabama (8–3–1) | UCLA (8–4) | 18. |
| 19. | BYU | BYU (0–0) | South Carolina (1–0) | BYU (2–0) | NC State (2–0) | Colorado (2–2) | BYU (4–0) | Auburn (6–0) | UCLA (4–2) | Washington (5–2) | Penn State (5–2) | Indiana (7–2) | Arizona (8–2) | Arizona (8–2) | Oklahoma (8–3) | Oklahoma (8–3) | North Carolina (10–3) | 19. |
| 20. | North Carolina | Boston College (0–0) | BYU (1–0) | Stanford (1–1) | California (3–0) | BYU (4–0) | Colorado (2–2) | Colorado (3–2) | Louisville (6–1) | Colorado (4–2–1) | Oklahoma (6–2) | Louisville (7–2) | Kansas State (7–2–1) | Kansas State (8–2–1) | Kansas State (8–2–1) | Kansas State (8–2–1) | Kansas State (9–2–1) | 20. |
| 21. | Boston College | Oklahoma (0–0) | Clemson (1–0) | California (2–0) | BYU (3–0) | Virginia (4–0) | Wisconsin (4–0) | California (5–1) | Virginia (5–1) | Wisconsin (6–1) | Virginia (6–2) | Colorado (5–3–1) | Indiana (7–3) | Indiana (8–3) | Indiana (8–3) | Indiana (8–3) | Michigan (8–4) | 21. |
| 22. | Oklahoma | Clemson (0–0) | Georgia (0–1) | Boston College (0–1) | Virginia (3–0) | Wisconsin (4–0) | Auburn (5–0) | UCLA (3–2) | Washington (4–2) | Michigan State (4–2) | NC State (6–2) | Boston College (6–2) | USC (7–4) | Virginia Tech (8–3) | Virginia Tech (8–3) | Virginia Tech (8–3) | Virginia Tech (9–3) | 22. |
| 23. | Clemson | Mississippi State (0–0) | Stanford (0–1) | Arizona State (1–0) | Wisconsin (3–0) | Auburn (4–0) | Syracuse (3–1–1) | Louisville (5–1) | Syracuse (4–1–1) | Indiana (6–1) | Colorado (4–3–1) | Wyoming (7–1) | Virginia (7–3) | Michigan (7–4) | Michigan (7–4) | Michigan (7–4) | Clemson (9–3) | 23. |
| 24. | Mississippi State | NC State (0–0) | Baylor (1–0) | Wisconsin (2–0) | Louisville (3–0) | NC State (2–1) | West Virginia (4–0) | Syracuse (3–1–1) | Michigan State (3–2) | Michigan (4–3) | Wyoming (7–1) | Kansas State (6–2–1) | Clemson (7–3) | Clemson (8–3) | Clemson (8–3) | Clemson (8–3) | Louisville (9–3) | 24. |
| 25. | NC State | Fresno State (0–0) | Boston College (0–1) | Virginia (2–0) | Auburn (3–0) | West Virginia (3–0) | UCLA (2–2) | Michigan State (3–1) | Washington State (5–2) | Kansas State (5–1–1) | Virginia Tech (6–2) | Washington (6–3) | Virginia Tech (7–3) | Michigan State (6–3) | Michigan State (6–4) | Fresno State (8–3) тLouisville (8–3) т | California (9–4) | 25. |
| | Preseason Aug 24 | Week 1 Aug 31 | 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 3 | |
| | | Dropped: USC | Dropped: Fresno StateMississippi State | Dropped: BaylorClemsonGeorgiaSouth Carolina | Dropped: Boston CollegeArizona State | Dropped: Stanford | Dropped: NC State | Dropped: BYU | Dropped: California | Dropped: SyracuseWashington State | Dropped: MichiganMichigan StateWashington | Dropped: NC StateVirginia Tech | Dropped: LouisvilleWyomingWashington | Dropped: USCVirginia | None | Dropped: Michigan State | Dropped: IndianaFresno State | |

## Coaches Poll

| | Preseason Aug 20 | Week 1 Aug 30 | Week 2 Sep 7 | 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 State (47) | Florida State (1–0) (54) | Florida State (2–0) (56) | Florida State (3–0) (59) | Florida State (4–0) (59) | Florida State (4–0) (58) | Florida State (5–0) (57) | Florida State (6–0) (58) | Florida State (7–0) (59) | Florida State (7–0) (59) | Florida State (8–0) (59) | Florida State (9–0) (60) | Notre Dame (10–0) (60) | Nebraska (10–0) (43) | Nebraska (11–0) (43) | Nebraska (11–0) (41) | Florida State (12–1) (36) | 1. |
| 2. | Alabama (8) | Alabama (0–0) (4) | Michigan (1–0) (2) | Alabama (2–0) (1) | Alabama (3–0) (1) | Alabama (4–0) (2) | Alabama (5–0) (2) | Alabama (5–0) (2) | Notre Dame (7–0) (3) | Notre Dame (8–0) (3) | Notre Dame (9–0) (2) | Notre Dame (9–0) (2) | Nebraska (10–0) (2) | Florida State (10–1) (11) | West Virginia (11–0) (8) | West Virginia (11–0) (7) | Notre Dame (11–1) (25) | 2. |
| 3. | Michigan (5) | Michigan (0–0) (4) | Alabama (1–0) (2) | Miami (FL) (1–0) (2) | Miami (FL) (2–0) (2) | Miami (FL) (3–0) (2) | Miami (FL) (4–0) (2) | Notre Dame (6–0) (2) | Nebraska (6–0) | Ohio State (7–0) | Ohio State (8–0) (1) | Nebraska (9–0) | Florida State (9–1) | West Virginia (10–0) (7) | Florida State (11–1) (10) | Florida State (11–1) (13) | Nebraska (11–1) (1) | 3. |
| 4. | Miami (FL) | Miami (FL) (0–0) | Miami (FL) (1–0) (2) | Syracuse (2–0) | Notre Dame (3–0) | Notre Dame (4–0) | Notre Dame (4–0) (1) | Florida (5–0) | Ohio State (6–0) | Nebraska (7–0) | Nebraska (8–0) | Miami (FL) (7–1) | Miami (FL) (8–1) | Notre Dame (10–1) (1) | Notre Dame (10–1) (1) | Notre Dame (10–1) (1) | Florida (11–2) | 4. |
| 5. | Texas A&M (1) | Texas A&M (0–0) | Texas A&M (1–0) | Notre Dame (2–0) | Nebraska (3–0) | Nebraska (4–0) | Nebraska (4–0) | Nebraska (5–0) | Alabama (5–0–1) | Alabama (6–0–1) | Alabama (7–0–1) | Ohio State (8–0–1) | Ohio State (9–0–1) | Tennessee (8–1–1) | Tennessee (9–1–1) | Tennessee (9–1–1) | Wisconsin (10–1–1) | 5. |
| 6. | Notre Dame (1) | Notre Dame (0–0) | Syracuse (1–0) | Nebraska (2–0) | Florida (3–0) | Florida (3–0) | Florida (4–0) | Ohio State (5–0) | Miami (FL) (4–1) | Miami (FL) (5–1) | Miami (FL) (6–1) | Tennessee (7–1–1) | West Virginia (9–0) | Florida (9–1) т | Texas A&M (10–1) | Texas A&M (10–1) | West Virginia (11–1) | 6. |
| 7. | Syracuse | Syracuse (0–0) | Nebraska (1–0) | Tennessee (2–0) | Ohio State (3–0) | Ohio State (3–0) | Ohio State (4–0) | Penn State (5–0) | Arizona (6–0) | Arizona (7–0) | Tennessee (6–1–1) | West Virginia (8–0) | Tennessee (7–1–1) | Texas A&M (8–1) т | Wisconsin (8–1–1) | Wisconsin (9–1–1) | Penn State (10–2) | 7. |
| 8. | Nebraska | Nebraska (0–0) | Florida (1–0) | Colorado (2–0) | Penn State (3–0) | Penn State (4–0) | Penn State (5–0) | Oklahoma (5–0) | Tennessee (5–1–1) | Texas A&M (6–1) | Texas A&M (7–1) | Texas A&M (7–1) | Texas A&M (8–1) | Wisconsin (8–1–1) | Miami (FL) (9–2) | Florida (10–2) | Texas A&M (10–2) | 8. |
| 9. | Tennessee | Florida (0–0) | Colorado (1–0) | Florida (2–0) | Michigan (1–1) | Oklahoma (3–0) | Oklahoma (4–0) | Miami (FL) (4–1) | Texas A&M (5–1) | Tennessee (5–1–1) | West Virginia (7–0) | Florida (7–1) | Florida (8–1) | Miami (FL) (8–2) | Florida (9–2) | Miami (FL) (9–2) | Arizona (10–2) | 9. |
| 10. | Colorado | Colorado (0–0) | Notre Dame (1–0) | Michigan (1–1) | Oklahoma (2–0) | Michigan (2–1) | Michigan (3–1) | Arizona (5–0) | Florida (5–1) | Florida (5–1) | Florida (6–1) | UCLA (7–2) | Alabama (8–1–1) | Ohio State (9–1–1) | Ohio State (9–1–1) | Ohio State (9–1–1) | Ohio State (10–1–1) | 10. |
| 11. | Washington | Tennessee (0–0) | Tennessee (1–0) | Ohio State (2–0) | Syracuse (2–0–1) | Arizona (4–0) | Arizona (5–0) | Tennessee (5–1) | North Carolina (7–1) | West Virginia (6–0) | UCLA (6–2) | Alabama (7–1–1) | Wisconsin (7–1–1) | Penn State (8–2) | North Carolina (10–2) | North Carolina (10–2) | Tennessee (9–2–1) | 11. |
| 12. | Florida | Penn State (0–0) | Penn State (1–0) | Penn State (2–0) | Colorado (2–1) | Tennessee (3–1) | Tennessee (4–1) | Texas A&M (4–1) | Wisconsin (6–0) | Penn State (5–1) | Arizona (7–1) | Arizona (8–1) | Penn State (7–2) | Boston College (8–2) | Penn State (9–2) | Penn State (9–2) | Boston College (9–3) | 12. |
| 13. | Georgia | Georgia (0–0) | Arizona (1–0) | Oklahoma (2–0) | Tennessee (2–1) | Syracuse (3–0–1) | Texas A&M (3–1) | North Carolina (6–1) | Penn State (5–1) | Oklahoma (6–1) | Indiana (7–1) | Wisconsin (7–1–1) | North Carolina (9–2) | North Carolina (9–2) | UCLA (8–3) | UCLA (8–3) | Alabama (9–3–1) | 13. |
| 14. | Penn State | Stanford (0–0) | Ohio State (1–0) | North Carolina (3–0) | Arizona (3–0) | Texas A&M (2–1) | California (5–0) | Virginia (5–0) | Michigan (4–2) | Virginia (6–1) | Wisconsin (7–1) | Penn State (6–2) | Oklahoma (8–2) | UCLA (8–3) | Arizona (9–2) | Arizona (9–2) | Oklahoma (9–3) | 14. |
| 15. | Stanford | Arizona (0–0) | North Carolina (2–0) | Arizona (2–0) | Texas A&M (2–1) | California (4–0) | North Carolina (5–1) | West Virginia (5–0) | West Virginia (5–0) | UCLA (5–2) | Louisville (7–1) | North Carolina (8–2) | UCLA (7–3) | Oklahoma (8–2) | Alabama (8–2–1) | Boston College (8–3) | Miami (FL) (9–3) | 15. |
| 16. | Arizona | Ohio State (0–0) | Oklahoma (1–0) | Texas A&M (1–1) | NC State (2–0) | North Carolina (4–1) | Virginia (5-00 | Wisconsin (5–0) | Colorado (4–2) | Louisville (7–1) | Penn State (5–2) | Virginia (7–2) | Boston College (7–2) | Arizona (8–2) | Boston College (8–3) | Oklahoma (8–3) | Colorado (8–3–1) | 16. |
| 17. | Ohio State | USC (0–0) | Clemson (1–0) т | NC State (2–0) | BYU (3–0) | BYU (4–0) | Louisville (5–0) | Michigan (3–2) | Oklahoma (5–1) | Indiana (6–1) | Kansas State (6–1–1) | Oklahoma (7–2) | Arizona (8–2) | Alabama (8–2–1) | Oklahoma (8–3) | Colorado (7–3–1) | UCLA (8–4) | 17. |
| 18. | USC | North Carolina (0–0) | NC State (1–0) т | BYU (2–0) | California (3–0) | Virginia (4–0) | BYU (4–0) | Colorado (3–2) | UCLA (4–2) | Colorado (4–2–1) | North Carolina (7–2) | Indiana (7–2) | Colorado (6–3–1) | Colorado (7–3–1) | Colorado (7–3–1) | Alabama (8–3–1) | Kansas State (9–2–1) | 18. |
| 19. | North Carolina | Oklahoma (0–0) | BYU (1–0) | Stanford (1–1) | North Carolina (3–1) | Louisville (4–0) | Wisconsin (4–0) | Syracuse (3–1–1) | Louisville (6–1) | North Carolina (7–2) | Virginia (6–2) | Wyoming (7–1) | USC (7–4) | Kansas State (8–2–1) | Kansas State (8–2–1) | Kansas State (8–2–1) | Michigan (8–4) | 19. |
| 20. | Clemson | BYU (0–0) | South Carolina (1–0) | Arizona State (1–0) | Stanford (2–1) | Wisconsin (4–0) | West Virginia (4–0) | California (5–1) | Virginia (5–1) | Wisconsin (6–1) | Oklahoma (6–2) | Louisville (7–2) | Kansas State (7–2–1) | Virginia Tech (8–3) | Virginia Tech (8–3) | Indiana (8–3) | Virginia Tech (9–3) | 20. |
| 21. | Oklahoma | Clemson (0–0) | Georgia (0–1) | California (2–0) | Virginia (3–0) | Colorado (2–2) | Colorado (2–2) | Louisville (5–1) | Syracuse (4–1–1) | Michigan State (4–2) | Wyoming (7–1) | Boston College (6–2) | Indiana (7–3) | Indiana (8–3) | Indiana (8–3) | Virginia Tech (8–3) | North Carolina (10–3) | 21. |
| 22. | BYU | NC State (0–0) | Stanford (0–1) | Iowa (2–0) | Wisconsin (3–0) | West Virginia (3–0) | Syracuse (3–1–1) | Indiana (5–1) | Indiana (5–1) | Kansas State (5–1–1) | NC State (6–2) | Colorado (5–3–1) | Virginia (7–3) | Michigan (7–4) | Michigan (7–4) | Michigan (7–4) | Clemson (9–3) | 22. |
| 23. | NC State | Boston College (0–0) | USC (1–1) | Virginia (2–0) | Louisville (3–0) | NC State (2–1) | Fresno State (3–1) | UCLA (3–2) | Michigan State (3–2) | Michigan (4–3) | Virginia Tech (6–2) | Kansas State (6–2–1) | Virginia Tech (7–3) | Clemson (8–3) | Clemson (8–3) | Clemson (8–3) | Louisville (9–3) | 23. |
| 24. | Boston College | Texas (0–0) | Arizona State (1–0) | Boston College (0–1) | West Virginia (2–0) | Fresno State (3–1) | Clemson (3–1) | Kansas State (5–0) | Washington State (5–2) | Virginia Tech (5–2) | Colorado (4–3–1) | USC (6–4) | Michigan State (6–3) | Michigan State (6–3) | Fresno State (8–3) | Fresno State (8–3) | California (9–4) | 24. |
| 25. | Mississippi State | Mississippi State (0–0) | Baylor (1–0) | Wisconsin (2–0) | Fresno State (2–1) | Ole Miss (3–1) | Indiana (4–1) | Michigan State (3–1) | Kansas State (5–1) | Wyoming (6–1) | Boston College (5–2) | Michigan State (5–3) | Clemson (7–3) | USC (7–5) | Louisville (8–3) | Louisville (8–3) | USC (8–5) | 25. |
| | Preseason Aug 20 | Week 1 Aug 30 | Week 2 Sep 7 | 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: Washington | Dropped: Boston CollegeTexasMississippi State | Dropped: ClemsonSouth CarolinaGeorgiaUSCBaylor | Dropped: Arizona StateIowaBoston College | Dropped: Stanford | Dropped: NC StateOle Miss | Dropped: BYUFresno StateClemson | Dropped: California | Dropped: SyracuseWashington State | Dropped: Michigan StateMichigan | Dropped: NC StateVirginia Tech | Dropped: WyomingLouisville | Dropped: Virginia | Dropped: Michigan StateUSC | None | Dropped: IndianaFresno State | |
Auburn was ineligible to be ranked in the Coaches' Poll due to NCAA probation. Washington became ineligible after August 22.