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 |
| Washington State | +16 | - | 10 |
| Louisiana State | +14 | 20 | 6 |
| Kentucky | +14 | - | 12 |
| Florida | +13½ | 21 | 7½ |
| Central Florida | +13½ | 24½ | 11 |
| Syracuse | +11 | - | 15 |
| Texas A&M | +10 | - | 16 |
| Notre Dame | +8 | 13 | 5 |
| Texas | +8 | 17 | 9 |
| Fresno State | +8 | - | 18 |
| Army | +7 | - | 19 |
| West Virginia | +6 | - | 20 |
| Northwestern | +5 | - | 21 |
| Oklahoma | +4 | 8 | 4 |
| Utah State | +4 | - | 22 |
| North Carolina State | +3 | - | 23 |
| Cincinnati | +2 | - | 24 |
| Iowa | +1 | - | 25 |
| Clemson | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Alabama | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Ohio State | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Oregon | -1½ | 24½ | - |
| Virginia Tech | -3 | 23 | - |
| Georgia | -3½ | 4 | 7½ |
| Boise State | -4 | 22 | - |
| Michigan | -5 | 9 | 14 |
| Penn State | -5 | 12 | 17 |
| Texas Christian | -7 | 19 | - |
| Washington | -8 | 5 | 13 |
| Florida State | -8 | 18 | - |
| Mississippi State | -10 | 16 | - |
| Southern Cal | -11 | 15 | - |
| Stanford | -12 | 14 | - |
| Michigan State | -15 | 11 | - |
| Miami-Florida | -16 | 10 | - |
| Auburn | -19 | 7 | - |
| Wisconsin | -20 | 6 | - |