December 9, 1996 AP Poll
| Rank | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 | Florida State |
| 2 | Arizona State |
| 3 | Florida |
| 4 | Ohio State |
| 5 | BYU |
| 6 | Nebraska |
| 7 | Penn State |
| 8 | Colorado |
| 9 | Tennessee |
| 10 | Virginia Tech |
| 11 | Northwestern |
| 12 | North Carolina |
| 13 | Washington |
| 14 | Kansas State |
| 15 | Michigan |
| 16 | Alabama |
| 17 | LSU |
| 18 | Notre Dame |
| 19 | Miami, FL |
| 20 | Texas |
| 21 | Iowa |
| 22 | Wyoming |
| 23 | Syracuse |
| 24 | Army |
| 25 | West Virginia |