After spending most of the season as the No. 1 team in the AP poll, Ohio State fell to No. 5 after two straight losses to end its season.
Indiana is ranked the No. 1 team in the final standings after winning its first national championship in program history while Miami (Fla.) is No. 2. The Hoosiers and Hurricanes were the only two teams to beat the Buckeyes this year, doing so in the Big Ten championship and the Cotton Bowl, respectively.
Ole Miss followed those two at No. 3 after falling against the Hurricanes in the Fiesta Bowl, and Oregon is No. 4 after getting beaten badly by the Hoosiers in the Peach Bowl.
Rounding out the top 10 after the Buckeyes are No. 6 Georgia, No. 7 Texas Tech, No. 8 Texas A&M, No. 9 Alabama and No. 10 Notre Dame.
The Fighting Irish opted out of participating in a bowl game after not making the College Football Playoff due to Miami jumping them in the final CFP rankings. Notre Dame was ranked ahead of No. 13 Oklahoma, which made the College Football playoff and lost to Alabama in the first round.
Other Big Ten teams in the final top 25 are No. 17 Iowa, No. 20 USC and No. 21 Michigan. Illinois was two points away from No. 25 TCU in the final rankings after beating Tennessee in the Music City Bowl in December. Washington also received votes.
Here’s a look at the full top 25:
| Ranking | Team | Points (First-place votes) | Change |
| No. 1 | Indiana (16-0) | 1650 (66) | – |
| No. 2 | Miami (13-3) | 1584 | +8 |
| No. 3 | Ole Miss (13-2) | 1492 | +3 |
| No. 4 | Oregon (13-2) | 1429 | +1 |
| No. 5 | Ohio State (12-2) | 1378 | -2 |
| No. 6 | Georgia (12-2) | 1364 | -4 |
| No. 7 | Texas Tech (12-2) | 1232 | -3 |
| No. 8 | Texas A&M (11-2) | 1157 | -1 |
| No. 9 | Alabama (11-4) | 1065 | +2 |
| No. 10 | Notre Dame (10-2) | 1049 | -1 |
| No. 11 | BYU (12-2) | 961 | +1 |
| No. 12 | Texas (10-3) | 952 | +2 |
| No. 13 | Oklahoma (10-3) | 941 | -5 |
| No. 14 | Utah (11-2) | 812 | +1 |
| No. 15 | Vanderbilt (10-3) | 623 | -2 |
| No. 16 | Virginia (11-3) | 603 | +4 |
| No. 17 | Iowa (9-4) | 430 | – |
| No. 18 | Tulane (11-3) | 404 | -1 |
| No. 19 | James Madison (12-2) | 399 | – |
| No. 20 | USC (9-4) | 378 | -4 |
| No. 21 | Michigan (9-4) | 276 | -3 |
| No. 22 | Houston (10-3) | 270 | NEW |
| No. 23 | Navy (11-2) | 227 | -1 |
| No. 24 | North Texas (12-2) | 191 | -1 |
| No. 25 | TCU (9-4) | 125 | NEW |
