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 |
| Kansas State | +19 | - | 7 |
| Iowa | +18 | - | 8 |
| North Carolina State | +14 | - | 12 |
| Alabama | +14 | 25 | 11 |
| Southern California | +14 | 18 | 4 |
| Auburn | +12 | - | 14 |
| Boise State | +11 | - | 15 |
| Ohio State | +10 | 11 | 1 |
| Notre Dame | +9 | - | 17 |
| Penn State | +8 | 24 | 16 |
| Maryland | +8 | 21 | 13 |
| Pittsburgh | +7 | - | 19 |
| Georgia | +6 | 9 | 3 |
| Virginia | +4 | - | 22 |
| Washington State | +4 | 14 | 10 |
| Texas Christian | +3 | - | 23 |
| West Virginia | +1 | - | 25 |
| Michigan | +1 | 10 | 9 |
| Miami-Florida | +1 | 3 | 2 |
| Virginia Tech | -2 | 16 | 18 |
| Boston College | -3 | 23 | - |
| Texas A&M | -4 | 22 | - |
| Texas | -4 | 2 | 6 |
| Oklahoma | -4 | 1 | 5 |
| Marshall | -5 | 19 | 24 |
| Louisville | -6 | 20 | - |
| Michigan State | -9 | 17 | - |
| Louisiana State | -11 | 15 | - |
| Oregon | -13 | 13 | - |
| Colorado | -13 | 7 | 20 |
| Washington | -14 | 12 | - |
| Florida State | -17 | 4 | 21 |
| Nebraska | -18 | 8 | - |
| Florida | -20 | 6 | - |
| Tennessee | -21 | 5 | - |