October 5, 1998 AP Poll
| Rank | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 | Ohio State |
| 2 | Nebraska |
| 3 | UCLA |
| 4 | Tennessee |
| 5 | Kansas State |
| 6 | Florida |
| 7 | Georgia |
| 8 | Florida State |
| 9 | Virginia |
| 10 | Arizona |
| 11 | LSU |
| 12 | Wisconsin |
| 13 | Penn State |
| 14 | Colorado |
| 15 | Oregon |
| 16 | West Virginia |
| 17 | Virginia Tech |
| 18 | Texas A&M |
| 19 | USC |
| 20 | Arkansas |
| 21 | Missouri |
| 22 | Notre Dame |
| 23 | North Carolina State |
| 24 | Syracuse |
| 25 | Tulane |