The Top 25 teams in The Associated Press college football poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Sep. 25, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote, and previous ranking:
| Record | Pts | Prv | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Alabama (58) | 4-0 | 1546 | 1 |
| 2. Georgia (4) | 4-0 | 1492 | 2 |
| 3. Oregon | 4-0 | 1411 | 3 |
| 4. Penn St. | 4-0 | 1283 | 6 |
| 5. Iowa | 4-0 | 1277 | 5 |
| 6. Oklahoma | 4-0 | 1212 | 4 |
| 7. Cincinnati | 3-0 | 1154 | 8 |
| 8. Arkansas | 4-0 | 1094 | 16 |
| 9. Notre Dame | 4-0 | 1076 | 12 |
| 10. Florida | 3-1 | 1019 | 11 |
| 11. Ohio St. | 3-1 | 1005 | 10 |
| 12. Mississippi | 3-0 | 852 | 13 |
| 13. BYU | 4-0 | 748 | 15 |
| 14. Michigan | 4-0 | 677 | 19 |
| 15. Texas A&M | 3-1 | 651 | 7 |
| 16. Coastal Carolina | 4-0 | 613 | 17 |
| 17. Michigan St. | 4-0 | 581 | 20 |
| 18. Fresno St. | 4-1 | 415 | 22 |
| 19. Oklahoma St. | 4-0 | 341 | - |
| 20. UCLA | 3-1 | 316 | 24 |
| 21. Baylor | 4-0 | 233 | - |
| 22. Auburn | 3-1 | 197 | 23 |
| 23. NC State | 3-1 | 145 | - |
| 24. Wake Forest | 4-0 | 142 | - |
| 25. Clemson | 2-2 | 138 | 9 |
Others receiving votes: Texas 131, Maryland 91, San Diego St. 57, Boston College 55, SMU 44, Kentucky 26, Iowa St. 25, LSU 24, Arizona St. 23, Virginia Tech 20, Wisconsin 13, Rutgers 6, Kansas St. 5, UTSA 4, Oregon St. 4, Louisville 3, North Carolina 1.