Ralph Russo
AP Top 25 voter, 2025–2026 · The Athletic (opens in a new tab) · @ralphDrussoATH on X (opens in a new tab)
Each pick shows where AP’s poll ranked the team that week.
2026
| Week | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
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| Week 5September 27 |  1. Texas, No. 1 in the AP poll |  2. Notre Dame, No. 3 in the AP poll |  3. Georgia, No. 2 in the AP poll |  4. Ohio State, No. 5 in the AP poll |  5. Miami, No. 4 in the AP poll |  6. Florida, No. 8 in the AP poll |  7. Alabama, No. 7 in the AP poll |  8. Indiana, No. 6 in the AP poll |  9. Ole Miss, No. 9 in the AP poll |  10. LSU, No. 11 in the AP poll |  11. Texas Tech, No. 12 in the AP poll |  12. Mississippi State, No. 16 in the AP poll |  13. Utah, No. 13 in the AP poll |  14. Oklahoma State, No. 19 in the AP poll |  15. Oregon, No. 15 in the AP poll |  16. Iowa, No. 14 in the AP poll |  17. BYU, No. 10 in the AP poll |  18. Tennessee, No. 17 in the AP poll |  19. Boise State, No. 22 in the AP poll |  20. UCLA, No. 23 in the AP poll |  21. Houston, No. 20 in the AP poll |  22. Wake Forest, unranked in the AP poll |  23. Duke, unranked in the AP poll |  24. USC, No. 18 in the AP poll |  25. Louisville, unranked in the AP poll |
| Week 4September 20 | 1. Texas, No. 1 in the AP poll | 2. Ole Miss, No. 4 in the AP poll | 3. Notre Dame, No. 3 in the AP poll | 4. Miami, No. 6 in the AP poll | 5. Ohio State, No. 7 in the AP poll | 6. Georgia, No. 2 in the AP poll | 7. Indiana, No. 5 in the AP poll | 8. Alabama, No. 8 in the AP poll | 9. LSU, No. 10 in the AP poll | 10. Louisville, No. 16 in the AP poll | 11. Texas Tech, No. 11 in the AP poll | 12. BYU, No. 9 in the AP poll | 13. Florida, No. 21 in the AP poll | 14. Mississippi State, No. 24 in the AP poll | 15. Tennessee, No. 14 in the AP poll | 16. USC, No. 12 in the AP poll | 17. Utah, No. 15 in the AP poll |  18. Penn State, No. 13 in the AP poll | 19. Houston, No. 25 in the AP poll |  20. SMU, No. 22 in the AP poll |  21. Tulsa, unranked in the AP poll | 22. Oklahoma State, unranked in the AP poll | 23. Oregon, No. 20 in the AP poll |  24. Western Michigan, unranked in the AP poll |  25. Michigan, No. 18 in the AP poll |
| Week 3September 13 | 1. Texas, No. 1 in the AP poll | 2. Notre Dame, No. 3 in the AP poll | 3. LSU, No. 7 in the AP poll | 4. Miami, No. 5 in the AP poll | 5. Ohio State, No. 6 in the AP poll | 6. Georgia, No. 2 in the AP poll | 7. Indiana, No. 4 in the AP poll | 8. Alabama, No. 10 in the AP poll | 9. Ole Miss, No. 8 in the AP poll |  10. Texas A&M, No. 9 in the AP poll | 11. Texas Tech, No. 13 in the AP poll | 12. Louisville, No. 23 in the AP poll | 13. USC, No. 12 in the AP poll |  14. Virginia, No. 25 in the AP poll | 15. BYU, No. 11 in the AP poll | 16. Florida, unranked in the AP poll | 17. SMU, No. 16 in the AP poll | 18. Houston, No. 22 in the AP poll | 19. Penn State, No. 14 in the AP poll | 20. Tulsa, unranked in the AP poll | 21. Oklahoma State, unranked in the AP poll | 22. Oregon, No. 21 in the AP poll | 23. Boise State, unranked in the AP poll | 24. Western Michigan, unranked in the AP poll | 25. Michigan, No. 19 in the AP poll |
| Week 2September 8 | 1. Oregon, No. 6 in the AP poll | 2. Notre Dame, No. 3 in the AP poll | 3. Ohio State, No. 1 in the AP poll | 4. Georgia, No. 2 in the AP poll | 5. Texas, No. 4 in the AP poll | 6. Indiana, No. 5 in the AP poll | 7. Miami, No. 7 in the AP poll | 8. LSU, No. 8 in the AP poll | 9. Texas Tech, No. 13 in the AP poll | 10. USC, No. 14 in the AP poll |  11. Oklahoma, No. 11 in the AP poll | 12. Alabama, No. 12 in the AP poll | 13. Ole Miss, No. 9 in the AP poll | 14. Louisville, No. 24 in the AP poll | 15. Virginia, No. 25 in the AP poll | 16. BYU, No. 15 in the AP poll | 17. Texas A&M, No. 10 in the AP poll | 18. Florida, unranked in the AP poll | 19. SMU, No. 17 in the AP poll | 20. Boise State, unranked in the AP poll |  21. Washington, No. 19 in the AP poll | 22. Houston, No. 22 in the AP poll |  23. Minnesota, unranked in the AP poll | 24. Penn State, No. 16 in the AP poll |  25. Navy, unranked in the AP poll |
| PreseasonAugust 17 | 1. Oregon, No. 2 in the AP poll | 2. Notre Dame, No. 4 in the AP poll | 3. Ohio State, No. 1 in the AP poll | 4. Georgia, No. 3 in the AP poll | 5. Texas, No. 5 in the AP poll | 6. Indiana, No. 6 in the AP poll | 7. Miami, No. 7 in the AP poll | 8. LSU, No. 11 in the AP poll | 9. Texas Tech, No. 12 in the AP poll | 10. USC, No. 14 in the AP poll | 11. Oklahoma, No. 10 in the AP poll | 12. Michigan, No. 16 in the AP poll | 13. Ole Miss, No. 9 in the AP poll | 14. Alabama, No. 13 in the AP poll | 15. BYU, No. 14 in the AP poll | 16. Washington, No. 17 in the AP poll | 17. Texas A&M, No. 8 in the AP poll | 18. Louisville, No. 24 in the AP poll | 19. Florida, unranked in the AP poll | 20. SMU, No. 19 in the AP poll | 21. Houston, No. 23 in the AP poll | 22. Minnesota, unranked in the AP poll |  23. TCU, unranked in the AP poll | 24. Penn State, No. 18 in the AP poll | 25. Navy, unranked in the AP poll |
2025
| Week | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
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| FinalJanuary 20 | 1. Indiana, No. 1 in the AP poll | 2. Miami, No. 2 in the AP poll | 3. Ole Miss, No. 3 in the AP poll | 4. Georgia, No. 6 in the AP poll | 5. Ohio State, No. 5 in the AP poll | 6. Oregon, No. 4 in the AP poll | 7. Texas Tech, No. 7 in the AP poll | 8. Texas, No. 12 in the AP poll | 9. Texas A&M, No. 8 in the AP poll | 10. Notre Dame, No. 10 in the AP poll | 11. Alabama, No. 9 in the AP poll | 12. BYU, No. 11 in the AP poll | 13. Oklahoma, No. 13 in the AP poll | 14. Utah, No. 14 in the AP poll | 15. Iowa, No. 17 in the AP poll | 16. Virginia, No. 16 in the AP poll | 17. USC, No. 20 in the AP poll |  18. Vanderbilt, No. 15 in the AP poll | 19. Michigan, No. 21 in the AP poll | 20. Houston, No. 22 in the AP poll | 21. Washington, unranked in the AP poll |  22. Illinois, unranked in the AP poll | 23. TCU, No. 25 in the AP poll | 24. SMU, unranked in the AP poll |  25. Tulane, No. 18 in the AP poll |
| Week 16December 7 | 1. Indiana, No. 1 in the AP poll | 2. Georgia, No. 2 in the AP poll | 3. Ohio State, No. 3 in the AP poll | 4. Texas Tech, No. 4 in the AP poll | 5. Oregon, No. 5 in the AP poll | 6. Texas A&M, No. 7 in the AP poll | 7. Ole Miss, No. 6 in the AP poll | 8. Miami, No. 10 in the AP poll | 9. Notre Dame, No. 9 in the AP poll | 10. Oklahoma, No. 8 in the AP poll | 11. Alabama, No. 11 in the AP poll | 12. Texas, No. 14 in the AP poll | 13. BYU, No. 12 in the AP poll | 14. Vanderbilt, No. 13 in the AP poll | 15. Utah, No. 15 in the AP poll | 16. USC, No. 16 in the AP poll | 17. Michigan, No. 18 in the AP poll | 18. Tulane, No. 17 in the AP poll | 19. Iowa, unranked in the AP poll | 20. Virginia, No. 20 in the AP poll |  21. Missouri, No. 25 in the AP poll | 22. Houston, unranked in the AP poll |  23. Arizona, No. 21 in the AP poll | 24. Louisville, unranked in the AP poll |  25. James Madison, No. 19 in the AP poll |
| Week 15November 30 | 1. Ohio State, No. 1 in the AP poll | 2. Indiana, No. 2 in the AP poll | 3. Georgia, No. 3 in the AP poll | 4. Texas Tech, No. 5 in the AP poll | 5. Oregon, No. 4 in the AP poll | 6. Texas A&M, No. 7 in the AP poll | 7. Ole Miss, No. 6 in the AP poll | 8. Miami, No. 12 in the AP poll | 9. Notre Dame, No. 9 in the AP poll | 10. Oklahoma, No. 8 in the AP poll | 11. Alabama, No. 10 in the AP poll | 12. BYU, No. 11 in the AP poll | 13. Texas, No. 14 in the AP poll | 14. Utah, No. 15 in the AP poll | 15. Vanderbilt, No. 13 in the AP poll | 16. USC, No. 17 in the AP poll | 17. Virginia, No. 16 in the AP poll | 18. Michigan, No. 18 in the AP poll | 19. Tulane, No. 21 in the AP poll |  20. North Texas, No. 20 in the AP poll | 21. Iowa, unranked in the AP poll | 22. Missouri, No. 25 in the AP poll | 23. Houston, unranked in the AP poll | 24. Arizona, No. 22 in the AP poll | 25. James Madison, No. 19 in the AP poll |
| Week 14November 23 | 1. Ohio State, No. 1 in the AP poll | 2. Indiana, No. 2 in the AP poll | 3. Texas A&M, No. 3 in the AP poll | 4. Georgia, No. 4 in the AP poll | 5. Texas Tech, No. 7 in the AP poll | 6. Oregon, No. 5 in the AP poll | 7. Ole Miss, No. 6 in the AP poll | 8. Oklahoma, No. 8 in the AP poll | 9. Alabama, No. 10 in the AP poll | 10. Miami, No. 13 in the AP poll | 11. Notre Dame, No. 9 in the AP poll | 12. BYU, No. 11 in the AP poll | 13. Utah, No. 14 in the AP poll | 14. Vanderbilt, No. 12 in the AP poll | 15. USC, No. 19 in the AP poll | 16. Michigan, No. 15 in the AP poll | 17. Texas, No. 16 in the AP poll | 18. Virginia, No. 17 in the AP poll | 19. SMU, No. 25 in the AP poll | 20. Tennessee, No. 18 in the AP poll | 21. Tulane, No. 22 in the AP poll | 22. North Texas, No. 21 in the AP poll | 23. Washington, unranked in the AP poll |  24. Pittsburgh, No. 24 in the AP poll | 25. James Madison, No. 20 in the AP poll |
| Week 13November 16 | 1. Ohio State, No. 1 in the AP poll | 2. Indiana, No. 2 in the AP poll | 3. Texas A&M, No. 3 in the AP poll | 4. Georgia, No. 4 in the AP poll | 5. Texas Tech, No. 6 in the AP poll | 6. Oregon, No. 6 in the AP poll | 7. Ole Miss, No. 5 in the AP poll | 8. Oklahoma, No. 8 in the AP poll | 9. Alabama, No. 10 in the AP poll | 10. Miami, No. 14 in the AP poll | 11. Notre Dame, No. 9 in the AP poll | 12. USC, No. 16 in the AP poll | 13. BYU, No. 11 in the AP poll | 14. Utah, No. 13 in the AP poll | 15. Vanderbilt, No. 12 in the AP poll | 16. Michigan, No. 18 in the AP poll |  17. Georgia Tech, No. 15 in the AP poll | 18. Virginia, No. 19 in the AP poll | 19. Texas, No. 17 in the AP poll | 20. Illinois, unranked in the AP poll | 21. Tennessee, No. 20 in the AP poll | 22. SMU, unranked in the AP poll | 23. Tulane, No. 24 in the AP poll | 24. North Texas, No. 22 in the AP poll | 25. James Madison, No. 21 in the AP poll |
| Week 12November 9 | 1. Ohio State, No. 1 in the AP poll | 2. Texas A&M, No. 3 in the AP poll | 3. Indiana, No. 2 in the AP poll | 4. Alabama, No. 4 in the AP poll | 5. Georgia, No. 5 in the AP poll | 6. Texas Tech, No. 8 in the AP poll | 7. Oregon, No. 7 in the AP poll | 8. Ole Miss, No. 6 in the AP poll | 9. Miami, No. 16 in the AP poll | 10. Notre Dame, No. 9 in the AP poll | 11. Texas, No. 10 in the AP poll | 12. Vanderbilt, No. 13 in the AP poll | 13. Oklahoma, No. 11 in the AP poll | 14. USC, No. 17 in the AP poll | 15. BYU, No. 12 in the AP poll | 16. Utah, No. 15 in the AP poll | 17. Georgia Tech, No. 14 in the AP poll | 18. Michigan, No. 18 in the AP poll | 19. Louisville, No. 19 in the AP poll | 20. Iowa, unranked in the AP poll | 21. Pittsburgh, No. 23 in the AP poll |  22. South Florida, No. 25 in the AP poll |  23. Cincinnati, No. 22 in the AP poll | 24. Virginia, No. 20 in the AP poll | 25. James Madison, No. 24 in the AP poll |
| Week 11November 2 | 1. Ohio State, No. 1 in the AP poll | 2. Texas A&M, No. 3 in the AP poll | 3. Indiana, No. 2 in the AP poll | 4. Alabama, No. 4 in the AP poll | 5. Georgia, No. 5 in the AP poll | 6. Ole Miss, No. 7 in the AP poll | 7. Oregon, No. 6 in the AP poll | 8. Texas Tech, No. 9 in the AP poll | 9. BYU, No. 8 in the AP poll | 10. Miami, No. 18 in the AP poll | 11. Notre Dame, No. 10 in the AP poll | 12. Texas, No. 13 in the AP poll | 13. Oklahoma, No. 11 in the AP poll | 14. Louisville, No. 14 in the AP poll | 15. Vanderbilt, No. 15 in the AP poll | 16. USC, No. 20 in the AP poll | 17. Utah, No. 17 in the AP poll | 18. Georgia Tech, No. 16 in the AP poll | 19. Michigan, No. 21 in the AP poll | 20. Virginia, No. 12 in the AP poll | 21. Missouri, No. 19 in the AP poll | 22. Washington, No. 24 in the AP poll | 23. Iowa, unranked in the AP poll |  24. Memphis, No. 22 in the AP poll | 25. South Florida, unranked in the AP poll |
| Week 10October 26 | 1. Ohio State, No. 1 in the AP poll | 2. Texas A&M, No. 3 in the AP poll | 3. Indiana, No. 2 in the AP poll | 4. Alabama, No. 4 in the AP poll | 5. Georgia, No. 5 in the AP poll | 6. Miami, No. 10 in the AP poll | 7. Ole Miss, No. 7 in the AP poll | 8. Oregon, No. 6 in the AP poll | 9. BYU, No. 10 in the AP poll | 10. Texas Tech, No. 13 in the AP poll | 11. Vanderbilt, No. 9 in the AP poll | 12. Georgia Tech, No. 8 in the AP poll | 13. Notre Dame, No. 12 in the AP poll | 14. Oklahoma, No. 18 in the AP poll | 15. Missouri, No. 19 in the AP poll | 16. Cincinnati, No. 17 in the AP poll | 17. Virginia, No. 15 in the AP poll | 18. Louisville, No. 16 in the AP poll | 19. Tennessee, No. 14 in the AP poll | 20. USC, No. 23 in the AP poll | 21. Texas, No. 20 in the AP poll | 22. Michigan, No. 21 in the AP poll | 23. Tulane, unranked in the AP poll | 24. Houston, No. 22 in the AP poll | 25. Washington, unranked in the AP poll |
| Week 9October 19 | 1. Ohio State, No. 1 in the AP poll | 2. Alabama, No. 4 in the AP poll | 3. Texas A&M, No. 3 in the AP poll | 4. Indiana, No. 2 in the AP poll | 5. Georgia, No. 5 in the AP poll | 6. Miami, No. 9 in the AP poll | 7. Oregon, No. 6 in the AP poll | 8. Ole Miss, No. 8 in the AP poll | 9. Texas Tech, No. 14 in the AP poll | 10. Oklahoma, No. 13 in the AP poll | 11. Missouri, No. 15 in the AP poll | 12. Vanderbilt, No. 10 in the AP poll | 13. BYU, No. 11 in the AP poll | 14. Georgia Tech, No. 7 in the AP poll | 15. Notre Dame, No. 12 in the AP poll | 16. Tennessee, No. 17 in the AP poll | 17. Cincinnati, No. 21 in the AP poll | 18. Virginia, No. 16 in the AP poll | 19. Louisville, No. 19 in the AP poll | 20. South Florida, No. 18 in the AP poll | 21. Illinois, No. 23 in the AP poll | 22. USC, unranked in the AP poll | 23. Tulane, unranked in the AP poll |  24. Arizona State, No. 24 in the AP poll | 25. Texas, No. 22 in the AP poll |
| Week 8October 12 | 1. Ohio State, No. 1 in the AP poll | 2. Miami, No. 2 in the AP poll | 3. Texas A&M, No. 4 in the AP poll | 4. Alabama, No. 6 in the AP poll | 5. Indiana, No. 3 in the AP poll | 6. Texas Tech, No. 7 in the AP poll | 7. Ole Miss, No. 5 in the AP poll | 8. Georgia, No. 9 in the AP poll | 9. Tennessee, No. 11 in the AP poll | 10. Oregon, No. 8 in the AP poll | 11. Oklahoma, No. 14 in the AP poll | 12. LSU, No. 10 in the AP poll | 13. Georgia Tech, No. 12 in the AP poll | 14. Missouri, No. 16 in the AP poll | 15. Notre Dame, No. 13 in the AP poll | 16. South Florida, No. 19 in the AP poll | 17. USC, No. 20 in the AP poll |  18. Nebraska, No. 25 in the AP poll | 19. Cincinnati, No. 24 in the AP poll | 20. BYU, No. 15 in the AP poll | 21. Utah, No. 23 in the AP poll | 22. Vanderbilt, No. 17 in the AP poll | 23. Texas, No. 21 in the AP poll | 24. Virginia, No. 18 in the AP poll | 25. Memphis, No. 22 in the AP poll |
| Week 7October 5 | 1. Ohio State, No. 1 in the AP poll | 2. Miami, No. 2 in the AP poll | 3. Texas A&M, No. 5 in the AP poll | 4. Oregon, No. 3 in the AP poll | 5. Oklahoma, No. 6 in the AP poll | 6. Ole Miss, No. 4 in the AP poll | 7. Texas Tech, No. 9 in the AP poll | 8. Alabama, No. 8 in the AP poll | 9. Indiana, No. 7 in the AP poll | 10. Georgia, No. 10 in the AP poll | 11. Tennessee, No. 12 in the AP poll | 12. LSU, No. 11 in the AP poll | 13. Michigan, No. 15 in the AP poll | 14. Missouri, No. 14 in the AP poll |  15. Iowa State, No. 22 in the AP poll | 16. Georgia Tech, No. 13 in the AP poll | 17. Notre Dame, No. 16 in the AP poll | 18. Virginia, No. 19 in the AP poll |  19. Florida State, No. 25 in the AP poll | 20. Vanderbilt, No. 20 in the AP poll | 21. Illinois, No. 17 in the AP poll | 22. South Florida, No. 24 in the AP poll | 23. Cincinnati, unranked in the AP poll | 24. Memphis, No. 23 in the AP poll | 25. BYU, No. 18 in the AP poll |
| Week 6September 28 | 1. Ohio State, No. 1 in the AP poll | 2. Miami, No. 3 in the AP poll | 3. Oregon, No. 2 in the AP poll | 4. Texas A&M, No. 6 in the AP poll | 5. Oklahoma, No. 5 in the AP poll | 6. Ole Miss, No. 4 in the AP poll | 7. Indiana, No. 8 in the AP poll | 8. Texas, No. 9 in the AP poll | 9. Iowa State, No. 14 in the AP poll | 10. Texas Tech, No. 11 in the AP poll | 11. Florida State, No. 18 in the AP poll | 12. Alabama, No. 10 in the AP poll | 13. Georgia, No. 12 in the AP poll | 14. Tennessee, No. 15 in the AP poll | 15. LSU, No. 13 in the AP poll | 16. Penn State, No. 7 in the AP poll | 17. Michigan, No. 20 in the AP poll | 18. Missouri, No. 19 in the AP poll | 19. Notre Dame, No. 21 in the AP poll | 20. Vanderbilt, No. 16 in the AP poll | 21. Georgia Tech, No. 17 in the AP poll | 22. Louisville, unranked in the AP poll | 23. Mississippi State, unranked in the AP poll | 24. Virginia, No. 24 in the AP poll | 25. Memphis, unranked in the AP poll |
| Week 5September 21 | 1. Ohio State, No. 1 in the AP poll | 2. Miami, No. 2 in the AP poll | 3. Oklahoma, No. 7 in the AP poll | 4. Georgia, No. 5 in the AP poll | 5. Texas A&M, No. 9 in the AP poll | 6. LSU, No. 4 in the AP poll | 7. Oregon, No. 6 in the AP poll | 8. Penn State, No. 3 in the AP poll | 9. Florida State, No. 8 in the AP poll | 10. Indiana, No. 11 in the AP poll | 11. Texas Tech, No. 12 in the AP poll | 12. Texas, No. 10 in the AP poll | 13. Iowa State, No. 14 in the AP poll | 14. Tennessee, No. 15 in the AP poll | 15. Michigan, No. 19 in the AP poll | 16. Ole Miss, No. 13 in the AP poll | 17. Missouri, No. 20 in the AP poll | 18. Alabama, No. 17 in the AP poll | 19. Notre Dame, No. 22 in the AP poll | 20. Georgia Tech, No. 16 in the AP poll | 21. Vanderbilt, No. 18 in the AP poll |  22. Auburn, unranked in the AP poll | 23. Louisville, unranked in the AP poll | 24. South Florida, unranked in the AP poll | 25. Memphis, unranked in the AP poll |
| Week 4September 14 | 1. Ohio State, No. 1 in the AP poll | 2. Miami, No. 4 in the AP poll | 3. LSU, No. 3 in the AP poll | 4. Georgia, No. 5 in the AP poll | 5. Texas A&M, No. 10 in the AP poll | 6. Oregon, No. 6 in the AP poll | 7. Penn State, No. 2 in the AP poll | 8. Oklahoma, No. 11 in the AP poll | 9. Florida State, No. 7 in the AP poll | 10. Texas, No. 8 in the AP poll | 11. Illinois, No. 9 in the AP poll | 12. Iowa State, No. 12 in the AP poll | 13. Tennessee, No. 15 in the AP poll | 14. Alabama, No. 14 in the AP poll | 15. Notre Dame, No. 24 in the AP poll | 16. Utah, No. 16 in the AP poll | 17. Ole Miss, No. 13 in the AP poll | 18. Michigan, No. 21 in the AP poll | 19. Indiana, No. 19 in the AP poll | 20. Missouri, No. 23 in the AP poll | 21. Georgia Tech, No. 18 in the AP poll | 22. South Florida, unranked in the AP poll | 23. Louisville, unranked in the AP poll | 24. Texas Tech, No. 17 in the AP poll | 25. Tulane, unranked in the AP poll |
| Week 3September 7 | 1. Ohio State, No. 1 in the AP poll | 2. LSU, No. 3 in the AP poll | 3. Penn State, No. 2 in the AP poll | 4. Georgia, No. 6 in the AP poll | 5. Miami, No. 5 in the AP poll | 6. Texas, No. 7 in the AP poll | 7. Oregon, No. 4 in the AP poll | 8. Oklahoma, No. 13 in the AP poll | 9. Notre Dame, No. 8 in the AP poll | 10. Florida State, No. 10 in the AP poll |  11. Clemson, No. 12 in the AP poll | 12. Texas A&M, No. 16 in the AP poll | 13. Illinois, No. 9 in the AP poll | 14. Iowa State, No. 14 in the AP poll | 15. South Florida, No. 18 in the AP poll | 16. Utah, No. 20 in the AP poll | 17. Michigan, No. 23 in the AP poll |  18. South Carolina, No. 11 in the AP poll | 19. Indiana, No. 22 in the AP poll | 20. Alabama, No. 19 in the AP poll | 21. Tennessee, No. 15 in the AP poll | 22. Missouri, No. 25 in the AP poll | 23. Louisville, unranked in the AP poll | 24. Ole Miss, No. 17 in the AP poll | 25. Texas Tech, No. 21 in the AP poll |
| Week 2September 2 | 1. Ohio State, No. 1 in the AP poll | 2. LSU, No. 3 in the AP poll | 3. Penn State, No. 2 in the AP poll | 4. Georgia, No. 4 in the AP poll | 5. Miami, No. 5 in the AP poll | 6. Texas, No. 7 in the AP poll | 7. Notre Dame, No. 9 in the AP poll | 8. Oregon, No. 6 in the AP poll | 9. Clemson, No. 8 in the AP poll | 10. Florida State, No. 14 in the AP poll | 11. Texas A&M, No. 19 in the AP poll | 12. Michigan, No. 15 in the AP poll | 13. Oklahoma, No. 18 in the AP poll | 14. Utah, No. 25 in the AP poll | 15. Florida, No. 13 in the AP poll | 16. Arizona State, No. 12 in the AP poll | 17. South Carolina, No. 10 in the AP poll | 18. Iowa State, No. 16 in the AP poll | 19. Indiana, No. 23 in the AP poll | 20. Illinois, No. 11 in the AP poll | 21. Alabama, No. 21 in the AP poll | 22. Texas Tech, No. 24 in the AP poll | 23. Louisville, unranked in the AP poll | 24. Ole Miss, No. 20 in the AP poll | 25. Tennessee, No. 22 in the AP poll |
| PreseasonAugust 11 | 1. Texas, No. 1 in the AP poll | 2. Penn State, No. 2 in the AP poll | 3. Alabama, No. 8 in the AP poll | 4. Ohio State, No. 3 in the AP poll | 5. Georgia, No. 5 in the AP poll | 6. Clemson, No. 4 in the AP poll | 7. Notre Dame, No. 6 in the AP poll | 8. LSU, No. 9 in the AP poll | 9. Oregon, No. 7 in the AP poll | 10. Texas A&M, No. 19 in the AP poll | 11. Michigan, No. 14 in the AP poll | 12. Oklahoma, No. 18 in the AP poll |  13. Kansas State, No. 17 in the AP poll | 14. Florida, No. 15 in the AP poll | 15. Miami, No. 10 in the AP poll | 16. Arizona State, No. 11 in the AP poll | 17. Indiana, No. 20 in the AP poll | 18. Illinois, No. 12 in the AP poll | 19. Utah, unranked in the AP poll | 20. Texas Tech, No. 23 in the AP poll | 21. South Carolina, No. 13 in the AP poll | 22. Louisville, unranked in the AP poll | 23. Ole Miss, No. 21 in the AP poll | 24. SMU, No. 16 in the AP poll | 25. Boise State, No. 25 in the AP poll |