| The Top 25 teams in The Associated Press college football poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Sept. 3, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote, and previous ranking: |
| Record Pts Pv |
| 1. Alabama (45) 1-0 1,481 2 |
| 2. Southern Cal (11) 1-0 1,435 1 |
| 3. LSU (4) 1-0 1,382 3 |
| 4. Oregon 1-0 1,295 5 |
| 5. Oklahoma 1-0 1,170 4 |
| 6. Florida St. 1-0 1,135 7 |
| 7. Georgia 1-0 1,083 6 |
| 8. Arkansas 1-0 992 10 |
| 9. South Carolina 1-0 980 9 |
| 9. West Virginia 1-0 980 11 |
| 11. Michigan St. 1-0 915 13 |
| 12. Clemson 1-0 788 14 |
| 13. Wisconsin 1-0 664 12 |
| 14. Ohio St. 1-0 634 18 |
| 15. Virginia Tech 1-0 604 16 |
| 16. Nebraska 1-0 603 17 |
| 17. Texas 1-0 584 15 |
| 18. Oklahoma St. 1-0 558 19 |
| 19. Michigan 0-1 446 8 |
| 20. TCU 0-0 355 20 |
| 21. Kansas St. 1-0 339 22 |
| 22. Notre Dame 1-0 198 NR |
| 23. Louisville 1-0 190 25 |
| 24. Florida 1-0 145 23 |
| 25. Stanford 1-0 131 21 |
| Others receiving votes: Boise St. 79, Tennessee 73, BYU 63, North Carolina 48, Baylor 38, Utah 34, Washington 15, Georgia Tech 14, Ohio 10, Texas St. 10, Missouri 7, South Florida 5, Texas A&M 5, UCF 4, Auburn 3, Mississippi St. 3, Cincinnati 2. |