| Rank | Team | Record | Next Opponent | Prior | |
| 1 |  | Alabama | 11-0, 7-0 | Auburn | 1 |
| 2 |  | Ohio State | 10-1, 7-1 | Michigan | 3 |
| 3 |  | Clemson | 10-1, 7-1 | South Carolina | 4 |
| 4 |  | Michigan | 10-1, 7-1 | at Ohio State | 5 |
| 5 |  | Wisconsin | 9-2, 6-2 | Minnesota | 6 |
| 6 |  | Washington | 10-1, 7-1 | at Washington State | 7 |
| 7 |  | Oklahoma | 9-2, 8-0 | bye | 8 |
| 8 |  | Penn State | 9-2, 7-1 | Michigan State | 10 |
| 9 |  | Colorado | 9-2, 7-1 | Utah | 16 |
| 10 |  | Louisville | 9-2, 7-1 | Kentucky | 2 |
| 11 |  | Florida | 8-2, 6-2 | at Florida State | 11 |
| 12 |  | Western Michigan | 11-0, 7-0 | Toledo | 12 |
| 13 |  | Nebraska | 9-2, 6-2 | at Iowa | 13 |
| 14 |  | Auburn | 8-3, 5-2 | at Alabama | 14 |
| 15 |  | West Virginia | 8-2, 5-2 | at Iowa State | 9 |
| 16 |  | Texas A&M | 8-3, 4-3 | LSU | 15 |
| 17 |  | Houston | 9-2, 5-2 | at Memphis | 20 |
| 18 |  | Boise State | 10-1, 6-1 | at Air Force | 17 |
| 19 |  | USC | 8-3, 7-2 | Notre Dame | 21 |
| 20 |  | Florida State | 8-3, 5-3 | Florida | 18 |
| 21 |  | Oklahoma State | 9-2, 7-1 | bye | 24 |
| 22 |  | Utah | 8-3, 5-3 | at Colorado | 19 |
| 23 |  | Virginia Tech | 8-3, 6-2 | Virginia | 25 |
| 24 |  | Tennessee | 8-3, 4-3 | at Vanderbilt | NR |
| 25 |  | North Carolina | 8-3, 5-2 | North Carolina State | NR |
