The 2012 USA Today Coaches' Poll (First place votes in parentheses)
| No. |
Team |
Record |
Points |
Previous |
| 1. |
Notre Dame (56) |
12-0 |
1,470 |
1 |
| 2. |
Alabama (3) |
12-1 |
1,417 |
2 |
| 3. |
Oregon |
11-1 |
1,313 |
4 |
| 4. |
Florida |
11-1 |
1,287 |
5 |
| 5. |
Georgia |
11-2 |
1,216 |
3 |
| 6. |
Kansas State |
11-1 |
1,190 |
7 |
| 7. |
LSU |
10-2 |
1,111 |
6 |
| 8. |
Stanford |
11-2 |
1,047 |
9 |
| 9. |
Texas A&M |
10-2 |
1,039 |
8 |
| 10. |
South Carolina |
10-2 |
947 |
10 |
| 11. |
Oklahoma |
10-2 |
905 |
11 |
| 12. |
Florida State |
11-2 |
853 |
12 |
| 13. |
Clemson |
10-2 |
769 |
14 |
| 14. |
Oregon State |
9-3 |
663 |
17 |
| 15. |
Boise State |
10-2 |
569 |
15 |
| 16. |
Northern Illinois |
12-1 |
495 |
18 |
| 17. |
Northwestern |
9-3 |
444 |
20 |
| 18. |
Louisville |
10-2 |
409 |
23 |
| 19. |
UCLA |
9-4 |
408 |
16 |
| 20. |
Utah State |
10-2 |
334 |
22 |
| 21. |
Nebraska |
10-3 |
328 |
13 |
| 22. |
Michigan |
8-4 |
278 |
24 |
| 23. |
Wisconsin |
8-5 |
115 |
NR |
| 24. |
San Jose State |
10-2 |
110 |
NR |
| 25. |
Texas |
8-4 |
97 |
21 |
Others receiving votes: Kent State 84, Vanderbilt 75, Cincinnati 46, Tulsa 32, Fresno State 31, Rutgers 29, San Diego State 23, Arkansas State 20, Mississippi State 9, Arizona State 8, Louisiana Tech 2, USC 2.