September 20, 1977 AP Poll
| Rank | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 | Michigan |
| 2 | USC |
| 3 | Oklahoma |
| 4 | Ohio State |
| 5 | Penn State |
| 6 | Texas A&M |
| 7 | Texas Tech |
| 8 | Colorado |
| 9 | Texas |
| 10 | Alabama |
| 11 | Notre Dame |
| 12 | Mississippi State |
| 13 | Florida |
| 14 | Nebraska |
| 15 | Washington State |
| 16 | Arkansas |
| 17 | West Virginia |
| 18 | UCLA |
| 19 | Houston |
| 20 | BYU |