October 9, 1956 AP Poll
| Rank | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 | Oklahoma |
| 2 | Michigan State |
| 3 | Georgia Tech |
| 4 | TCU |
| 5 | Ohio State |
| 6 | Tennessee |
| 7 | Ole Miss |
| 8 | USC |
| 9 | Texas A&M |
| 10 | Baylor |
| 11 | Miami, FL |
| 12 | Michigan |
| 13 | Vanderbilt |
| 14 | Navy |
| 15 | Army |
| 16 | George Washington |
| 17 | Minnesota |
| 18 | Notre Dame |
| 19 | SMU |
| 20 | South Carolina |
| 20 | West Virginia |