| AP Top 25 | Rec | Pts | Trend |
|---|
| 1. | Alabama (62) | 9-0 | 1550 | – |
| 2. | Notre Dame | 10-0 | 1482 | – |
| 3. | Ohio State | 5-0 | 1407 | – |
| 4. | Clemson | 9-1 | 1387 | – |
| 5. | Texas A&M | 7-1 | 1274 | – |
| 6. | Florida | 8-1 | 1233 | – |
| 7. | Cincinnati | 8-0 | 1204 | – |
| 8. | Indiana | 6-1 | 1047 | ↑2 |
| 9. | Miami | 8-1 | 1039 | – |
| 10. | Iowa State | 8-2 | 947 | ↑2 |
| 11. | Coastal Carolina | 10-0 | 923 | ↑3 |
| 12. | Georgia | 6-2 | 914 | ↓1 |
| 13. | Oklahoma | 7-2 | 837 | – |
| 14. | BYU | 9-1 | 713 | ↓6 |
| 15. | Northwestern | 5-1 | 647 | ↑1 |
| 16. | USC | 3-0 | 624 | ↑1 |
| 17. | Louisiana | 9-1 | 560 | ↑3 |
| 18. | Tulsa | 6-1 | 444 | ↑4 |
| 19. | Iowa | 5-2 | 424 | ↑5 |
| 20. | North Carolina | 7-3 | 306 | NR |
| 21. | Colorado | 4-0 | 253 | NR |
| 22. | Liberty | 9-1 | 191 | ↑3 |
| 23. | Texas | 6-3 | 164 | NR |
| 24. | Buffalo | 4-0 | 145 | NR |
| 25. | Wisconsin | 2-2 | 115 | ↓7 |
Others receiving votes: NC State 98, Marshall 66, San José State 66, Oklahoma State 33, UCF 11, Washington 10, Boise State 10, Auburn 9, Missouri 8, Nevada 5, Army 2, TCU 1, UCLA 1
Dropped out: No. 15 Marshall, No. 19 Oklahoma State, No. 21 Oregon, No. 23 Washington
| AFCA Coaches Poll | Rec | Pts | Trend |
|---|
| 1. | Alabama (59) | 9-0 | 1547 | – |
| 2. | Notre Dame (2) | 10-0 | 1479 | – |
| 3. | Clemson | 9-1 | 1395 | – |
| 4. | Ohio State (1) | 5-0 | 1387 | – |
| 5. | Texas A&M | 7-1 | 1266 | ↑1 |
| 6. | Florida | 8-1 | 1258 | ↓1 |
| 7. | Cincinnati | 8-0 | 1172 | – |
| 8. | Miami | 8-1 | 1050 | ↑1 |
| 9. | Indiana | 6-1 | 1000 | ↑2 |
| 10. | Georgia | 6-2 | 987 | – |
| 11. | Iowa State | 8-2 | 958 | ↑1 |
| 12. | Oklahoma | 7-2 | 860 | ↑1 |
| 13. | Coastal Carolina | 10-0 | 838 | ↑1 |
| 14. | Northwestern | 5-1 | 683 | ↑3 |
| 15. | USC | 3-0 | 615 | ↑1 |
| 16. | BYU | 9-1 | 598 | ↓8 |
| 17. | Louisiana | 9-1 | 500 | ↑4 |
| 18. | Iowa | 5-2 | 396 | ↑6 |
| 19. | Tulsa | 6-1 | 394 | ↑3 |
| 20. | North Carolina | 7-3 | 370 | NR |
| 21. | Liberty | 9-1 | 185 | ↑4 |
| 22. | Colorado | 4-0 | 178 | NR |
| 23. | Texas | 6-3 | 161 | NR |
| 24. | NC State | 8-3 | 154 | NR |
| 25. | Wisconsin | 2-2 | 124 | ↓6 |
Others receiving votes: Oklahoma State 100, Missouri 88, Marshall 77, San José State 68, Buffalo 59, Nevada 48, Auburn 42, Oregon 30, Boise State 26, Army 25, Washington 19, SMU 10, Appalachian State 3
Dropped out: No. 15 Marshall, No. 18 Oklahoma State, No. 20 Oregon, No. 23 Washington
| Playoff Committee Rankings | Rec | Trend |
|---|
| 1. | Alabama | 9-0 | – |
| 2. | Notre Dame | 10-0 | – |
| 3. | Clemson | 9-1 | – |
| 4. | Ohio State | 5-0 | – |
| 5. | Texas A&M | 7-1 | – |
| 6. | Florida | 8-1 | – |
| 7. | Iowa State | 8-2 | ↑2 |
| 8. | Cincinnati | 8-0 | ↓1 |
| 9. | Georgia | 6-2 | ↓1 |
| 10. | Miami | 8-1 | – |
| 11. | Oklahoma | 7-2 | – |
| 12. | Indiana | 6-1 | – |
| 13. | Coastal Carolina | 10-0 | ↑5 |
| 14. | Northwestern | 5-1 | – |
| 15. | USC | 4-0 | ↑5 |
| 16. | Iowa | 5-2 | ↑3 |
| 17. | North Carolina | 7-3 | – |
| 18. | BYU | 9-1 | ↓5 |
| 19. | Louisiana | 9-1 | ↑6 |
| 20. | Texas | 6-3 | NR |
| 21. | Colorado | 4-0 | NR |
| 22. | Oklahoma State | 6-3 | ↓7 |
| 23. | NC State | 8-3 | NR |
| 24. | Tulsa | 6-1 | – |
| 25. | Missouri | 5-3 | NR |
Dropped out: No. 16 Wisconsin, No. 21 Marshall, No. 22 Washington, No. 23 Oregon