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 |
| Southern Cal | +17 | 23 | 6 |
| Michigan | +14 | - | 12 |
| Baylor | +13 | - | 13 |
| Kansas State | +11 | - | 15 |
| Michigan State | +9 | 20 | 11 |
| Arkansas | +8 | 13 | 5 |
| Houston | +8 | - | 18 |
| Oklahoma State | +7½ | 10½ | 3 |
| West Virginia | +7 | 24 | 17 |
| Southern Miss | +6 | - | 20 |
| Wisconsin | +6 | 16 | 10 |
| South Carolina | +5 | 14 | 9 |
| Clemson | +4 | - | 22 |
| Louisiana State | +3 | 5 | 2 |
| Texas Christian | +3 | 17 | 14 |
| Cincinnati | +1 | - | 25 |
| Alabama | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Stanford | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| Arizona State | -1 | 25 | - |
| Georgia | -1 | 18 | 19 |
| Oregon | -1 | 3 | 4 |
| Boise State | -2 | 6 | 8 |
| Florida | -4 | 22 | - |
| Mississippi State | -5 | 21 | - |
| Missouri | -7 | 19 | - |
| Ohio State | -11 | 15 | - |
| Nebraska | -12 | 12 | 24 |
| Virginia Tech | -13 | 8 | 21 |
| Oklahoma | -14 | 2 | 16 |
| Texas A&M | -15½ | 10½ | - |
| Notre Dame | -17 | 9 | - |
| Florida State | -19 | 4 | 23 |