October 2, 2016 AP Poll
| Rank | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 | Alabama |
| 2 | Ohio State |
| 3 | Clemson |
| 4 | Michigan |
| 5 | Washington |
| 6 | Houston |
| 7 | Louisville |
| 8 | Texas A&M |
| 9 | Tennessee |
| 10 | Miami, FL |
| 11 | Wisconsin |
| 12 | Nebraska |
| 13 | Baylor |
| 14 | Ole Miss |
| 15 | Stanford |
| 16 | Arkansas |
| 17 | North Carolina |
| 18 | Florida |
| 19 | Boise State |
| 20 | Oklahoma |
| 21 | Colorado |
| 22 | West Virginia |
| 23 | Florida State |
| 24 | Utah |
| 25 | Virginia Tech |