| Rank | Team | Record | Next Opponent | Prior | |
| 1 |  | Clemson | 12-0, 8-0 | vs North Carolina | 1 |
| 2 |  | Alabama | 11-1, 7-1 | vs Florida | 2 |
| 3 |  | Michigan State | 11-1, 7-1 | vs Iowa | 4 |
| 4 |  | Iowa | 12-0, 8-0 | vs Michigan State | 5 |
| 5 |  | Oklahoma | 11-1, 8-1 | bye | 6 |
| 6 |  | Ohio State | 11-1, 7-1 | bye | 8 |
| 7 |  | Stanford | 10-2, 8-1 | vs USC | 11 |
| 8 |  | Notre Dame | 10-2 | bye | 3 |
| 9 |  | Florida State | 10-2, 6-2 | bye | 14 |
| 10 |  | North Carolina | 11-1, 8-0 | vs Clemson | 12 |
| 11 |  | Oklahoma State | 10-2, 7-2 | bye | 9 |
| 12 |  | TCU | 10-2, 7-2 | bye | 16 |
| 13 |  | Baylor | 9-2, 6-2 | Texas | 7 |
| 14 |  | Florida | 10-2, 7-1 | vs Alabama | 10 |
| 15 |  | Houston | 11-1, 7-1 | vs Temple | 19 |
| 16 |  | Mississippi | 9-3, 6-2 | bye | 17 |
| 17 |  | Northwestern | 10-2, 6-2 | bye | 18 |
| 18 |  | Michigan | 9-3, 6-2 | bye | 13 |
| 19 |  | Oregon | 9-3, 7-2 | bye | 22 |
| 20 |  | LSU | 8-3, 5-3 | bye | 23 |
| 21 |  | Navy | 9-2, 7-1 | bye | 15 |
| 22 |  | Utah | 9-3, 6-3 | bye | 24 |
| 23 |  | Temple | 10-2, 6-1 | vs Houston | NR |
| 24 |  | Wisconsin | 9-3, 5-2 | bye | NR |
| 25 |  | Georgia | 9-3, 5-3 | bye | NR |
