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 |
| Auburn | +22 | 23 | 1 |
| Stanford | +22 | - | 4 |
| Nevada | +15 | - | 11 |
| Oklahoma State | +13 | - | 13 |
| Michigan State | +12 | - | 14 |
| Louisiana State | +11 | 19 | 9 |
| Mississippi State | +11 | - | 15 |
| Missouri | +8 | - | 18 |
| Oregon | +7 | 10 | 3 |
| Texas A&M | +7 | - | 19 |
| Wisconsin | +5 | 12 | 7 |
| Central Florida | +5 | - | 21 |
| Florida State | +4 | 21 | 17 |
| South Carolina | +4 | - | 22 |
| Texas Christian | +3 | 5 | 2 |
| Arkansas | +3 | 15 | 12 |
| Maryland | +3 | - | 23 |
| Tulsa | +2 | - | 24 |
| Oklahoma | +1 | 7 | 6 |
| North Carolina State | +1 | - | 25 |
| Oregon State | -1 | 25 | - |
| West Virginia | -2 | 24 | - |
| Ohio State | -3 | 2 | 5 |
| Georgia | -4 | 22 | - |
| Boise State | -6 | 3 | 9 |
| Georgia Tech | -6 | 20 | - |
| Virginia Tech | -8 | 8 | 16 |
| Pittsburgh | -8 | 18 | - |
| Alabama | -9 | 1 | 10 |
| Penn State | -9 | 17 | - |
| North Carolina | -10 | 16 | - |
| Nebraska | -11 | 9 | 20 |
| Southern Cal | -12 | 14 | - |
| Miami-Florida | -13 | 13 | - |
| Iowa | -15 | 11 | - |
| Texas | -20 | 6 | - |
| Florida | -22 | 4 | - |