1996 Week 14 College Football Team Rankings
1996 rankings calculated with the Classic formula (Ken's 2016-based hybrid, applied retroactively); records, NOW and game results come from James Howell's historical college football score archive.
| Rank | Change | Rating | Team | Conf | Record | Win % | Place | NOW | Game Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0.740 |  Florida State (FLORIDA STATE) |  ACC | 10–0 | 1.000 | 1 | +54 | Beat Maryland 48–10 |
| 2 | 1 | 0.792 |  Arizona State (ARIZONA STATE) |  PAC | 11–0 | 1.000 | 1 | +60 | Beat Arizona 56–14 |
| 3 | 1 | 0.839 |  Florida (FLORIDA) |  SEC | 10–0 | 1.000 | 1 | +48 | BYE |
| 4 | 1 | 0.889 |  Nebraska (NEBRASKA) |  B12 | 9–1 | 0.900 | 7 | +47 | BYE |
| 5 | -3 | 0.958 |  Ohio State (OHIO STATE) |  B10 | 10–1 | 0.909 | 5 | +51 | Lost to Michigan 9–13 |
| 6 | 1 | 1.119 |  Colorado (COLORADO) | B12 | 9–1 | 0.900 | 7 | +46 | BYE |
| 7 | 1 | 1.146 |  BYU | IND WAC | 12–1 | 0.923 | 4 | +53 | Beat Utah 37–17 |
| 8 | 1 | 1.274 |  Washington (WASHINGTON) | PAC | 9–2 | 0.818 | 12 | +47 | Beat Washington State 31–24 |
| 9 | -3 | 1.282 |  North Carolina (NORTH CAROLINA) | ACC | 9–2 | 0.818 | 12 | +40 | Beat Duke 27–10 |
| 10 | 3 | 1.291 |  Virginia Tech (VIRGINIA TECH) | IND BE | 9–1 | 0.900 | 7 | +40 | Beat West Virginia 31–14 |
| 11 | 3 | 1.387 |  Penn State (PENN STATE) | B10 | 10–2 | 0.833 | 11 | +43 | Beat Michigan State 32–29 |
| 12 | 0 | 1.439 |  Kansas State (KANSAS STATE) | B12 | 9–2 | 0.818 | 12 | +38 | Beat Iowa State 35–20 |
| 13 | -3 | 1.443 |  Notre Dame (NOTRE DAME) | IND FBSI | 8–2 | 0.800 | 17 | +33 | Beat Rutgers 62–0 |
| 14 | 1 | 1.521 |  Wyoming (WYOMING) | IND WAC | 10–1 | 0.909 | 5 | +35 | BYE |
| 15 | 3 | 1.533 |  Tennessee (TENNESSEE) | SEC | 8–2 | 0.800 | 17 | +31 | Beat Kentucky 56–10 |
| 16 | 3 | 1.554 |  Alabama (ALABAMA) | SEC | 9–2 | 0.818 | 12 | +37 | Beat Auburn 24–23 |
| 17 | -6 | 1.559 |  Syracuse (SYRACUSE) | IND BE | 8–2 | 0.800 | 17 | +30 | Beat Temple 36–15 |
| 18 | -2 | 1.644 |  Army (ARMY) | IND FBSI | 9–1 | 0.900 | 7 | +25 | BYE |
| 19 | -2 | 1.700 |  LSU | SEC | 8–2 | 0.800 | 17 | +30 | Beat Tulane 35–17 |
| 20 | 0 | 1.751 |  Southern Miss (SOUTHERN MISS) |  USA | 8–3 | 0.727 | 22 | +33 | BYE |
| 21 | 7 | 1.795 |  Michigan (MICHIGAN) | B10 | 8–3 | 0.727 | 22 | +32 | Beat Ohio State 13–9 |
| 22 | -1 | 1.821 |  Northwestern (NORTHWESTERN) | B10 | 9–2 | 0.818 | 12 | +30 | BYE |
| 23 | 2 | 1.928 |  East Carolina (EAST CAROLINA) | IND FBSI | 7–3 | 0.700 | 29 | +25 | Beat Memphis 20–10 |
| 24 | -2 | 1.943 |  Virginia (VIRGINIA) | ACC | 7–3 | 0.700 | 29 | +22 | BYE |
| 25 | 1 | 1.969 |  Iowa (IOWA) | B10 | 8–3 | 0.727 | 22 | +28 | Beat Minnesota 43–24 |
| 26 | -2 | 2.070 |  Utah (UTAH) | IND WAC | 8–3 | 0.727 | 22 | +25 | Lost to BYU 17–37 |
| 27 | 0 | 2.113 |  Auburn (AUBURN) | SEC | 7–4 | 0.636 | 33 | +23 | Lost to Alabama 23–24 |
| 28 | -5 | 2.118 |  West Virginia (WEST VIRGINIA) | IND BE | 8–3 | 0.727 | 22 | +22 | Lost to Virginia Tech 14–31 |
| 29 | 1 | 2.195 |  Miami (MIAMI) | IND BE | 7–3 | 0.700 | 29 | +19 | Beat Boston College 43–26 |
| 30 | 2 | 2.217 |  Navy (NAVY) | IND FBSI | 8–2 | 0.800 | 17 | +14 | Beat Georgia Tech 36–26 |
| 31 | -2 | 2.230 |  Texas Tech (TEXAS TECH) | B12 | 7–4 | 0.636 | 33 | +20 | Beat Oklahoma 22–12 |
| 32 | -1 | 2.280 |  Air Force (AIR FORCE) | IND WAC | 6–4 | 0.600 | 39 | +16 | BYE |
| 33 | 1 | 2.306 |  Rice (RICE) | IND WAC | 7–4 | 0.636 | 33 | +23 | Beat Tulsa 42–14 |
| 34 | 4 | 2.370 |  San Diego State (SAN DIEGO STATE) | IND WAC | 7–3 | 0.700 | 29 | +13 | Beat Fresno State 31–21 |
| 35 | 1 | 2.392 |  Nevada (NEVADA) | IND BW | 8–3 | 0.727 | 22 | +6 | BYE |
| 36 | -1 | 2.408 |  Ball State (BALL STATE) |  MAC | 8–3 | 0.727 | 22 | +15 | BYE |
| 37 | 2 | 2.504 |  Texas A&M (TEXAS A & M) | B12 | 6–5 | 0.545 | 42 | +11 | BYE |
| 38 | -1 | 2.540 |  Texas (TEXAS) | B12 | 6–4 | 0.600 | 39 | +12 | BYE |
| 39 | 2 | 2.594 |  Houston (HOUSTON) | USA | 7–4 | 0.636 | 33 | +12 | BYE |
| 40 | 4 | 2.629 |  Oregon (OREGON) | PAC | 6–5 | 0.545 | 42 | +13 | Beat Oregon State 49–13 |
| 41 | -8 | 2.684 |  Clemson (CLEMSON) | ACC | 7–4 | 0.636 | 33 | +10 | Lost to South Carolina 31–34 |
| 42 | 9 | 2.785 |  Stanford (STANFORD) | PAC | 6–5 | 0.545 | 42 | +11 | Beat California 42–21 |
| 43 | 0 | 2.847 |  Michigan State (MICHIGAN STATE) | B10 | 6–5 | 0.545 | 42 | +6 | Lost to Penn State 29–32 |
| 44 | 5 | 2.856 |  UCLA | PAC | 5–6 | 0.455 | 58 | +9 | Beat USC 48–41 |
| 45 | 8 | 2.866 |  South Carolina (SOUTH CAROLINA) | SEC | 6–5 | 0.545 | 42 | +11 | Beat Clemson 34–31 |
| 46 | 1 | 2.874 |  Wisconsin (WISCONSIN) | B10 | 6–5 | 0.545 | 42 | +6 | Beat Illinois 35–15 |
| 47 | -1 | 2.903 |  Colorado State (COLORADO STATE) | IND WAC | 7–5 | 0.583 | 41 | +8 | BYE |
| 48 | -8 | 2.918 |  California (CALIFORNIA) | PAC | 6–5 | 0.545 | 42 | +8 | Lost to Stanford 21–42 |
| 49 | -1 | 2.975 |  Utah State (UTAH STATE) | IND BW | 6–5 | 0.545 | 42 | +5 | BYE |
| 50 | 0 | 3.038 |  Miami (OH) (MIAMI (OH)) | MAC | 6–5 | 0.545 | 42 | +3 | BYE |
| 51 | 4 | 3.052 |  Cincinnati (CINCINNATI) | USA | 6–5 | 0.545 | 42 | +4 | Beat UL Monroe 35–13 |
| 52 | 8 | 3.159 |  Toledo (TOLEDO) | MAC | 7–4 | 0.636 | 33 | +3 | Beat Ohio 24–23 |
| 53 | 3 | 3.190 |  New Mexico (NEW MEXICO) | IND WAC | 6–5 | 0.545 | 42 | -1 | Beat UTEP 44–17 |
| 54 | -12 | 3.203 |  USC | PAC | 5–6 | 0.455 | 58 | +1 | Lost to UCLA 41–48 |
| 55 | -10 | 3.221 |  Georgia Tech (GEORGIA TECH) | ACC | 5–5 | 0.500 | 55 | +4 | Lost to Navy 26–36 |
| 56 | 11 | 3.336 |  SMU | IND WAC | 5–6 | 0.455 | 58 | +3 | Beat TCU 27–24 |
| 57 | -5 | 3.400 |  Ohio (OHIO) | MAC | 6–6 | 0.500 | 55 | -1 | Lost to Toledo 23–24 |
| 58 | 5 | 3.485 |  Louisiana (LOUISIANA LAFAYETTE) | IND FBSI | 5–6 | 0.455 | 58 | +3 | BYE |
| 59 | -5 | 3.581 |  Arizona (ARIZONA) | PAC | 5–6 | 0.455 | 58 | -5 | Lost to Arizona State 14–56 |
| 60 | 8 | 3.698 |  Louisiana Tech (LOUISIANA TECH) | IND FBSI | 6–5 | 0.545 | 42 | -9 | BYE |
| 61 | 9 | 3.702 |  Missouri (MISSOURI) | B12 | 5–6 | 0.455 | 58 | +1 | Beat Kansas 42–25 |
| 62 | 7 | 3.708 |  Idaho (IDAHO) | IND BW | 6–5 | 0.545 | 42 | -4 | Beat Boise State 64–19 |
| 63 | 10 | 3.732 |  Arkansas (ARKANSAS) | SEC | 4–6 | 0.400 | 74 | +1 | Beat Mississippi State 16–13 |
| 64 | 2 | 3.749 |  Louisville (LOUISVILLE) | USA | 5–6 | 0.455 | 58 | -6 | BYE |
| 65 | -3 | 3.809 |  Washington State (WASHINGTON STATE) | PAC | 5–6 | 0.455 | 58 | -8 | Lost to Washington 24–31 |
| 66 | -5 | 3.854 |  Maryland (MARYLAND) | ACC | 5–6 | 0.455 | 58 | -5 | Lost to Florida State 10–48 |
| 67 | 12 | 3.900 |  Ole Miss (MISSISSIPPI) | SEC | 5–5 | 0.500 | 55 | -6 | Beat Georgia 31–27 |
| 68 | -11 | 3.917 |  Georgia (GEORGIA) | SEC | 4–6 | 0.400 | 74 | -2 | Lost to Ole Miss 27–31 |
| 69 | -5 | 4.012 |  Boston College (BOSTON COLLEGE) | IND BE | 5–7 | 0.417 | 73 | -2 | Lost to Miami 26–43 |
| 70 | -5 | 4.016 |  Minnesota (MINNESOTA) | B10 | 4–7 | 0.364 | 77 | -4 | Lost to Iowa 24–43 |
| 71 | -13 | 4.051 |  Kansas (KANSAS) | B12 | 4–7 | 0.364 | 77 | -4 | Lost to Missouri 25–42 |
| 72 | -13 | 4.149 |  Mississippi State (MISSISSIPPI STATE) | SEC | 4–6 | 0.400 | 74 | -6 | Lost to Arkansas 13–16 |
| 73 | 1 | 4.200 |  UCF (CENTRAL FLORIDA) | IND FBSI | 5–6 | 0.455 | 58 | -18 | BYE |
| 74 | 2 | 4.217 |  Central Michigan (CENTRAL MICHIGAN) | MAC | 5–6 | 0.455 | 58 | -14 | BYE |
| 75 | 7 | 4.246 |  Oklahoma State (OKLAHOMA STATE) | B12 | 5–6 | 0.455 | 58 | -12 | Beat Baylor 37–17 |
| 76 | 2 | 4.368 |  North Texas (NORTH TEXAS) | IND BW | 5–6 | 0.455 | 58 | -12 | BYE |
| 77 | -5 | 4.394 |  Memphis (MEMPHIS) | USA | 4–7 | 0.364 | 77 | -10 | Lost to East Carolina 10–20 |
| 78 | -3 | 4.550 |  Tulsa (TULSA) | IND WAC | 4–7 | 0.364 | 77 | -12 | Lost to Rice 14–42 |
| 79 | 10 | 4.646 |  UAB | IND FBSI | 5–6 | 0.455 | 58 | -25 | Beat Charleston Southern 49–13 |
| 80 | -3 | 4.650 |  Kentucky (KENTUCKY) | SEC | 4–7 | 0.364 | 77 | -9 | Lost to Tennessee 10–56 |
| 81 | 6 | 4.785 |  Indiana (INDIANA) | B10 | 3–8 | 0.273 | 90 | -16 | Beat Purdue 33–16 |
| 82 | -11 | 4.852 |  Purdue (PURDUE) | B10 | 3–8 | 0.273 | 90 | -13 | Lost to Indiana 16–33 |
| 83 | -2 | 4.852 |  Fresno State (FRESNO STATE) | IND WAC | 4–7 | 0.364 | 77 | -17 | Lost to San Diego State 21–31 |
| 84 | -4 | 4.856 |  Baylor (BAYLOR) | B12 | 4–7 | 0.364 | 77 | -19 | Lost to Oklahoma State 17–37 |
| 85 | 6 | 5.060 |  Bowling Green (BOWLING GREEN) | MAC | 4–7 | 0.364 | 77 | -23 | BYE |
| 86 | -1 | 5.067 |  Pittsburgh (PITTSBURGH) | IND BE | 3–7 | 0.300 | 88 | -8 | BYE |
| 87 | 1 | 5.223 |  Tulane (TULANE) | USA | 2–9 | 0.182 | 98 | -21 | Lost to LSU 17–35 |
| 88 | 4 | 5.226 |  NC State (NORTH CAROLINA STATE) | ACC | 3–7 | 0.300 | 88 | -16 | Beat Wake Forest 37–22 |
| 89 | -5 | 5.257 |  UL Monroe (LOUISIANA MONROE) | IND FBSI | 5–6 | 0.455 | 58 | -29 | Lost to Cincinnati 13–35 |
| 90 | -7 | 5.362 |  TCU | IND WAC | 4–7 | 0.364 | 77 | -25 | Lost to SMU 24–27 |
| 91 | 3 | 5.383 |  Arkansas State (ARKANSAS STATE) | IND FBSI | 4–7 | 0.364 | 77 | -28 | BYE |
| 92 | -2 | 5.457 |  Oklahoma (OKLAHOMA) | B12 | 3–8 | 0.273 | 90 | -21 | Lost to Texas Tech 12–22 |
| 93 | 2 | 5.574 |  Vanderbilt (VANDERBILT) | SEC | 2–8 | 0.200 | 96 | -19 | BYE |
| 94 | 2 | 5.674 |  Akron (AKRON) | MAC | 4–7 | 0.364 | 77 | -30 | BYE |
| 95 | -9 | 5.695 |  Wake Forest (WAKE FOREST) | ACC | 3–8 | 0.273 | 90 | -20 | Lost to NC State 22–37 |
| 96 | 1 | 5.791 |  Iowa State (IOWA STATE) | B12 | 2–9 | 0.182 | 98 | -28 | Lost to Kansas State 20–35 |
| 97 | -4 | 5.898 |  Rutgers (RUTGERS) | IND BE | 2–8 | 0.200 | 96 | -20 | Lost to Notre Dame 0–62 |
| 98 | 1 | 6.082 |  Eastern Michigan (EASTERN MICHIGAN) | MAC | 3–8 | 0.273 | 90 | -36 | BYE |
| 99 | -1 | 6.279 |  Illinois (ILLINOIS) | B10 | 2–9 | 0.182 | 98 | -31 | Lost to Wisconsin 15–35 |
| 100 | 1 | 6.295 |  San José State (SAN JOSE STATE) | IND WAC | 3–9 | 0.250 | 95 | -33 | Beat UNLV 31–28 |
| 101 | 2 | 6.930 |  Western Michigan (WESTERN MICHIGAN) | MAC | 2–9 | 0.182 | 98 | -32 | BYE |
| 102 | -2 | 6.931 |  Oregon State (OREGON STATE) | PAC | 2–9 | 0.182 | 98 | -30 | Lost to Oregon 13–49 |
| 103 | 1 | 7.211 |  Hawai'i (HAWAII) | IND WAC | 2–9 | 0.182 | 98 | -40 | BYE |
| 104 | -2 | 7.218 |  UTEP | IND WAC | 2–9 | 0.182 | 98 | -46 | Lost to New Mexico 17–44 |
| 105 | 1 | 7.528 |  Duke (DUKE) | ACC | 0–11 | 0.000 | 111 | -40 | Lost to North Carolina 10–27 |
| 106 | 1 | 7.650 |  Temple (TEMPLE) | IND BE | 1–10 | 0.091 | 107 | -43 | Lost to Syracuse 15–36 |
| 107 | -2 | 7.657 |  UNLV | IND WAC | 1–11 | 0.083 | 110 | -46 | Lost to San José State 28–31 |
| 108 | 0 | 7.963 |  Kent State (KENT STATE) | MAC | 2–9 | 0.182 | 98 | -50 | BYE |
| 109 | 0 | 8.377 |  Boise State (BOISE STATE) | IND BW | 2–10 | 0.167 | 106 | -40 | Lost to Idaho 19–64 |
| 110 | 0 | 8.731 |  New Mexico State (NEW MEXICO STATE) | IND BW | 1–10 | 0.091 | 107 | -49 | BYE |
| 111 | 0 | 9.194 |  Northern Illinois (NORTHERN ILLINOIS) | IND FBSI | 1–10 | 0.091 | 107 | -52 | BYE |