| Rank | Team | Record | Next Opponent | Prior | |
| 1 |  | Alabama | 10-0, 7-0 | Mercer | 1 |
| 2 |  | Clemson | 9-1, 7-1 | Citadel | 3 |
| 3 |  | Miami (FL) | 9-0, 6-0 | Virginia | 5 |
| 4 |  | Oklahoma | 9-1, 6-1 | at Kansas | 6 |
| 5 |  | Wisconsin | 10-0, 7-0 | Michigan | 7 |
| 6 |  | Auburn | 8-2, 6-1 | Louisiana-Monroe | 9 |
| 7 |  | Georgia | 9-1, 6-1 | Kentucky | 2 |
| 8 |  | Ohio State | 8-2, 6-1 | Illinois | 12 |
| 9 |  | USC | 9-2, 7-1 | UCLA | 14 |
| 10 |  | Penn State | 8-2, 5-2 | Nebraska | 15 |
| 11 |  | UCF | 9-0, 6-0 | at Temple | 11 |
| 12 |  | TCU | 8-2, 5-2 | at Texas Tech | 10 |
| 13 |  | Oklahoma State | 8-2, 5-2 | Kansas State | 16 |
| 14 |  | Notre Dame | 8-2, 0-0 | Navy | 4 |
| 15 |  | Stanford | 7-3, 6-2 | California | NR |
| 16 |  | Washington | 8-2, 5-2 | Utah | 8 |
| 17 |  | Washington State | 9-2, 6-2 | Bye | 21 |
| 18 |  | Memphis | 8-1, 5-1 | SMU | 18 |
| 19 |  | South Florida | 8-1, 5-1 | Tulsa | 19 |
| 20 |  | Michigan | 8-2, 5-2 | at Wisconsin | 24 |
| 21 |  | Mississippi State | 7-3, 3-3 | at Arkansas | 20 |
| 22 |  | LSU | 7-3, 4-2 | at Tennessee | 23 |
| 23 |  | Northwestern | 7-3, 5-2 | Minnesota | NR |
| 24 |  | Virginia Tech | 7-3, 3-3 | Pittsburgh | 17 |
| 25 |  | Michigan State | 7-3, 5-2 | Maryland | 13 |
