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