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 |
| Penn State | +19 | - | 7 |
| Wisconsin | +17 | - | 9 |
| Florida | +12 | - | 14 |
| Washington | +12 | 16 | 4 |
| Southern Cal | +11 | 14 | 3 |
| Western Michigan | +11 | - | 15 |
| Virginia Tech | +10 | - | 16 |
| Colorado | +9 | - | 17 |
| Oklahoma State | +9 | 20 | 11 |
| West Virginia | +8 | - | 18 |
| South Florida | +7 | - | 19 |
| Miami-Florida | +6 | - | 20 |
| Utah | +3 | - | 23 |
| Auburn | +2 | - | 24 |
| Clemson | +1 | 2 | 1 |
| Louisville | +1 | 22 | 21 |
| San Diego State | +1 | - | 25 |
| Alabama | -1 | 1 | 2 |
| Nebraska | -1 | 25 | - |
| Michigan | -2 | 8 | 10 |
| Ohio State | -2 | 4 | 6 |
| Oklahoma | -2 | 3 | 5 |
| Oregon | -2 | 24 | - |
| Stanford | -2 | 10 | 12 |
| Florida State | -3 | 5 | 8 |
| North Carolina | -3 | 23 | - |
| UCLA | -5 | 21 | - |
| Houston | -7 | 19 | - |
| Louisiana State | -7 | 6 | 13 |
| Iowa | -8 | 18 | - |
| Baylor | -9 | 17 | - |
| Georgia | -11 | 15 | - |
| Texas Christian | -13 | 13 | - |
| Michigan State | -14 | 12 | - |
| Mississippi | -15 | 11 | - |
| Tennessee | -15 | 7 | 22 |
| Notre Dame | -17 | 9 | - |