The polls
Ohio State held No. 1 from the preseason, then Texas from Week 3, then Georgia from Week 7, then Miami from Week 8. 37 teams have been ranked in the AP Top 25 this season, through Week 9.
| Team | Pre | Wk 2 | Wk 3 | Wk 4 | Wk 5 | Wk 6 | Wk 7 | Wk 8 | Wk 9 | Weeks ranked | High |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami | 7 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 1 |
| Ohio State | 1 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 1 |
| Georgia | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 9 | 1 |
| Indiana | 6 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 9 | 4 |
| Notre Dame | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 2 |
| Utah | 21 | 20 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 6 | 9 | 6 |
| UCLA | NR | NR | NR | NR | 23 | 21 | 12 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 7 |
| BYU | 14 | 15 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 8 | 9 | 2 |
| Kentucky | NR | NR | NR | NR | 24 | NR | 15 | 12 | 9 | 4 | 9 |
| Alabama | 13 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 13 | 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Texas | 5 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 19 | 11 | 9 | 1 |
| Ole Miss | 9 | 9 | 8 | 4 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 12 | 9 | 4 |
| Texas Tech | 12 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 13 | 9 | 8 |
| Wake Forest | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | 21 | 17 | 14 | 3 | 14 |
| LSU | 11 | 8 | 7 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 22 | 18 | 15 | 9 | 7 |
| Tennessee | 20 | 18 | 15 | 14 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 11 | 16 | 9 | 11 |
| Florida | NR | NR | NR | 21 | 8 | 16 | NR | 20 | 17 | 5 | 8 |
| Houston | 23 | 22 | 22 | 25 | 20 | 22 | 20 | 14 | 18 | 9 | 14 |
| SMU | 19 | 17 | 16 | 22 | 21 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 19 | 9 | 16 |
| Boise State | NR | NR | NR | NR | 22 | 23 | 23 | 21 | 20 | 5 | 20 |
| Northwestern | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | 25 | 24 | 20 | 3 | 20 |
| Arizona | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | 25 | 22 | 2 | 22 |
| Missouri | 25 | 23 | 20 | 19 | 25 | 14 | 13 | 22 | 23 | 9 | 13 |
| Oklahoma State | NR | NR | NR | NR | 19 | 18 | 18 | NR | 24 | 4 | 18 |
| Wisconsin | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | 25 | 1 | 25 |
| Oregon | 2 | 6 | 21 | 20 | 15 | 13 | NR | NR | NR | 6 | 2 |
| Texas A&M | 8 | 10 | 9 | 23 | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | 4 | 8 |
| Oklahoma | 10 | 11 | 24 | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | 3 | 10 |
| USC | 14 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 16 | NR | 8 | 12 |
| Penn State | 18 | 16 | 14 | 13 | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | 4 | 13 |
| Iowa | 22 | 21 | 18 | 17 | 14 | 20 | 17 | 15 | NR | 8 | 14 |
| Louisville | 24 | 24 | 23 | 16 | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | 4 | 16 |
| Michigan | 16 | NR | 19 | 18 | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | 3 | 16 |
| Mississippi State | NR | NR | NR | 24 | 16 | 17 | 16 | NR | NR | 4 | 16 |
| Washington | 17 | 19 | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | 2 | 17 |
| Pittsburgh | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | 25 | NR | NR | NR | 1 | 25 |
| Virginia | NR | 25 | 25 | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | 2 | 25 |
NR means not ranked. Each poll is the one released before that week's games.