2002 NCAA Division I-A football rankings AP poll AP poll

| Preseason | Week_1_Aug_26 | Week_2_Sept_2 | Week_3_Sept_8 | Week_4_Sept_15 | Week_5_Sept_22 | Week_6_Sept_29 | Week_7_Oct_6 | Week_8_Oct_13 | Week_9_Oct_20 | Week_10_Oct_27 | Week_11_Nov_3 | Week_12_Nov_10 | Week_13_Nov_17 | Week_14_Nov_24 | Week_15_Dec_1 | Week_16_Dec_8 | Week_17_Final_Jan_4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USC | USC (0-0) | Texas A&M (1-0) | Notre Dame (2-0) | UCLA (2-0) | Nebraska (3-1) | Penn State (3-1) | USC (3-2) | Penn State (4-2) | Kansas State (5-2) | Penn State (5-3) | Bowling Green (8-0) | Florida (7-3) | Colorado State (9-2) | Auburn (8-4) | Auburn (8-4) | Maryland (10-3) | Colorado (9-5) |
| Maryland | Maryland (0-0) | NC State (2-0) | Texas A&M (2-0) | Iowa State (3-1) | Wisconsin (5-0) | LSU (3-1) | Air Force (5-0) | Mississippi (5-1) | Colorado (5-2) | Bowling Green (7-0) | Iowa State (7-3) | Colorado State (8-2) | LSU (7-3) | NC State (10-3) | Maryland (10-3) | Virginia Tech (9-4) | Florida State (9-5) |
| South Carolina | South Carolina (0-0) | South Carolina (1-0) | Wisconsin (3-0) | Wisconsin (4-0) | LSU (2-1) | Alabama (4-1) | Washington (3-2) | Washington (4-2) | Air Force (6-1) | Iowa State (6-3) | Pittsburgh (7-2) | NC State (9-2) | TCU (8-1) | Virginia Tech (8-3) | Arkansas (9-3) | Florida (8-4) | Virginia (9-5) |