The Top 25 teams in The Associated Press college football poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, 2008 records, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote, and previous ranking:
| No. |
Team |
Record |
Points |
Previous |
| 1. |
Florida (48) |
13-1 |
1,606 |
1 |
| 2. |
Utah (16) |
13-0 |
1,519 |
7 |
| 3. |
Southern California (1) |
12-1 |
1,481 |
5 |
| 4. |
Texas |
12-1 |
1,478 |
3 |
| 5. |
Oklahoma |
12-2 |
1,391 |
2 |
| 6. |
Alabama |
12-2 |
1,264 |
4 |
| 7. |
TCU |
11-2 |
1,1193 |
11 |
| 8. |
Penn State |
11-2 |
1,153 |
6 |
| 9. |
Ohio State |
10-3 |
1,013 |
10 |
| 10. |
Oregon |
10-3 |
997 |
15 |
| 11. |
Boise State |
12-1 |
938 |
9 |
| 12. |
Texas Tech |
11-2 |
916 |
8 |
| 13. |
Georgia |
10-3 |
903 |
16 |
| 14. |
Ole Miss |
9-4 |
857 |
20 |
| 15. |
Virginia Tech |
10-4 |
713 |
21 |
| 16. |
Oklahoma State |
9-4 |
534 |
13 |
| 17. |
Cincinnati |
11-3 |
506 |
12 |
| 18. |
Oregon State |
9-4 |
467 |
24 |
| 19. |
Missouri |
10-4 |
435 |
25 |
| 20. |
Iowa |
9-4 |
317 |
NR |
| 21. |
Florida State |
9-4 |
246 |
NR |
| 22. |
Georgia Tech |
9-4 |
223 |
14 |
| 23. |
West Virginia |
9-4 |
144 |
NR |
| 24. |
Michigan State |
9-4 |
138 |
19 |
| 25. |
BYU |
10-3 |
137 |
17 |
Others receiving votes: California 128, Pittsburgh 106, LSU 95, Nebraska 64, Tulsa 61, Northwestern 53, Ball State 13, Boston College 11, Rutgers 11, Rice 8, Arizona 4, Kansas 2.