1996 AP Rankings
| Final Poll For 1996 Season |
| Rank |
Team |
Record |
Votes |
| 1996 AP |
| 1 | Florida | 12-1-0 | | | 2 | Ohio State | 11-1-0 | |
| 3 | Florida State | 11-1-0 | | | 4 | Arizona State | 11-1-0 | |
| 5 | Brigham Young | 14-1-0 | | | 6 | Nebraska | 11-2-0 | |
| 7 | Penn State | 11-2-0 | | | 8 | Colorado | 10-2-0 | |
| 9 | Tennessee | 10-2-0 | | | 10 | North Carolina | 10-2-0 | |
| 11 | Alabama | 10-3-0 | | | 12 | Louisiana State | 10-2-0 | |
| 13 | Virginia Tech | 10-2-0 | | | 14 | Miami | 9-3-0 | |
| 15 | Northwestern | 9-3-0 | | | 16 | Washington | 9-3-0 | |
| 17 | Kansas State | 9-3-0 | | | 18 | Iowa | 9-3-0 | |
| 19 | Notre Dame | 8-3-0 | | | 20 | Michigan | 8-4-0 | |
| 21 | Syracuse | 9-3-0 | | | 22 | Wyoming | 10-2-0 | |
| 23 | Texas | 8-5-0 | | | 24 | Auburn | 8-4-0 | |
| 25 | Army | 10-2-0 | |
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Great Moments in College Football History
During Nebraska Cornhuskers' home games, their stadium becomes the state's third largest city.
