The Top 25 teams in The Associated Press college football poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Nov. 8, 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. Ohio St. (55) | 9-0 | 1610 | 1 |
| 2. Indiana (6) | 10-0 | 1549 | 2 |
| 3. Texas A&M (4) | 9-0 | 1518 | 3 |
| 4. Alabama | 8-1 | 1427 | 4 |
| 5. Georgia | 8-1 | 1353 | 5 |
| 6. Mississippi | 9-1 | 1248 | 7 |
| 7. Oregon | 8-1 | 1245 | 6 |
| 8. Texas Tech | 9-1 | 1211 | 9 |
| 9. Notre Dame | 7-2 | 1102 | 10 |
| 10. Texas | 7-2 | 961 | 13 |
| 11. Oklahoma | 7-2 | 928 | 11 |
| 12. BYU | 8-1 | 898 | 8 |
| 13. Vanderbilt | 8-2 | 821 | 15 |
| 14. Georgia Tech | 8-1 | 788 | 16 |
| 15. Utah | 7-2 | 695 | 17 |
| 16. Miami (FL) | 7-2 | 683 | 18 |
| 17. Southern Cal | 7-2 | 645 | 20 |
| 18. Michigan | 7-2 | 498 | 21 |
| 19. Louisville | 7-2 | 326 | 14 |
| 20. Virginia | 8-2 | 313 | 12 |
| 21. Tennessee | 6-3 | 276 | 23 |
| 22. Cincinnati | 7-2 | 224 | 25 |
| 23. Pittsburgh | 7-2 | 201 | - |
| 24. James Madison | 0-0 | 167 | - |
| 25. South Florida | 7-2 | 116 | - |
Others receiving votes: Tulane 83, Missouri 59, North Texas 55, Iowa 54, Houston 43, SMU 8, Arizona St. 7, San Diego St. 5, Illinois 5, UNLV 2, Memphis 1.
