The list below is sorted by "underratedness." The teams at the top of the list were the most underrated (final poll standing furthest above preseason poll standing); the teams at the bottom of the list were the most overrated (final poll standing furthest below preseason poll standing). Any team not mentioned was unranked in both preseason and final polls.
| Team | Delta | Preseason Consensus |
Final AP Standing |
| Oregon State | +22 | - | 4 |
| Oklahoma | +20 | 21 | 1 |
| Oregon | +19 | - | 7 |
| Washington | +12 | 15 | 3 |
| Colorado State | +12 | - | 14 |
| Notre Dame | +11 | - | 15 |
| Georgia Tech | +9 | - | 17 |
| Auburn | +8 | - | 18 |
| South Carolina | +7 | - | 19 |
| Virginia Tech | +5 | 11 | 6 |
| Purdue | +4 | 17 | 13 |
| Louisiana State | +4 | - | 22 |
| Miami-Florida | +3 | 5 | 2 |
| Mississippi State | +2 | - | 24 |
| Kansas State | +1 | 10 | 9 |
| Iowa State | +1 | - | 25 |
| Colorado | -1 | 25 | - |
| Florida | -2 | 8 | 10 |
| Texas Christian | -2 | 19 | 21 |
| Texas A&M | -2 | 24 | - |
| Florida State | -3 | 2 | 5 |
| Illinois | -3 | 23 | - |
| Clemson | -4 | 12 | 16 |
| Southern Miss | -4 | 22 | - |
| Michigan | -5 | 6 | 11 |
| Texas | -5 | 7 | 12 |
| Penn State | -6 | 20 | - |
| Nebraska | -7 | 1 | 8 |
| Mississippi | -8 | 18 | - |
| Ohio State | -10 | 16 | - |
| Georgia | -11 | 9 | 20 |
| Southern Cal | -12 | 14 | - |
| Tennessee | -13 | 13 | - |
| Wisconsin | -19 | 4 | 23 |
| Alabama | -23 | 3 | - |