1998 Final College Football Team Rankings
1998 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 | 1 | 0.780 |  Tennessee (TENNESSEE) |  SEC | 13–0 | 1.000 | 1 | +82 | Beat Florida State 23–16 |
| 2 | -1 | 0.863 |  Florida State (FLORIDA STATE) |  ACC | 11–2 | 0.846 | 9 | +72 | Lost to Tennessee 16–23 |
| 3 | 2 | 0.911 |  Ohio State (OHIO STATE) |  B10 | 11–1 | 0.917 | 6 | +65 | Beat Texas A&M 24–14 |
| 4 | 6 | 1.099 |  Wisconsin (WISCONSIN) | B10 | 11–1 | 0.917 | 6 | +55 | Beat UCLA 38–31 |
| 5 | -1 | 1.125 |  UCLA |  PAC | 10–2 | 0.833 | 11 | +58 | Lost to Wisconsin 31–38 |
| 6 | -3 | 1.130 |  Kansas State (KANSAS STATE) |  B12 | 11–2 | 0.846 | 9 | +48 | Lost to Purdue 34–37 |
| 7 | 1 | 1.145 |  Arizona (ARIZONA) | PAC | 12–1 | 0.923 | 3 | +57 | Beat Nebraska 23–20 |
| 8 | -1 | 1.166 |  Tulane (TULANE) |  USA | 12–0 | 1.000 | 1 | +54 | Beat BYU 41–27 |
| 9 | 0 | 1.231 |  Air Force (AIR FORCE) | IND WAC | 12–1 | 0.923 | 3 | +52 | BYE |
| 10 | -4 | 1.281 |  Texas A&M (TEXAS A & M) | B12 | 11–3 | 0.786 | 15 | +61 | Lost to Ohio State 14–24 |
| 11 | 1 | 1.325 |  Georgia Tech (GEORGIA TECH) | ACC | 10–2 | 0.833 | 11 | +48 | Beat Notre Dame 35–28 |
| 12 | 1 | 1.351 |  Florida (FLORIDA) | SEC | 10–2 | 0.833 | 11 | +44 | Beat Syracuse 31–10 |
| 13 | 2 | 1.508 |  Miami (OH) (MIAMI (OH)) |  MAC | 10–1 | 0.909 | 8 | +35 | BYE |
| 14 | 6 | 1.523 |  Michigan (MICHIGAN) | B10 | 10–3 | 0.769 | 16 | +45 | Beat Arkansas 45–31 |
| 15 | -4 | 1.523 |  Nebraska (NEBRASKA) | B12 | 9–4 | 0.692 | 27 | +40 | Lost to Arizona 20–23 |
| 16 | 5 | 1.528 |  Penn State (PENN STATE) | B10 | 9–3 | 0.750 | 17 | +42 | Beat Kentucky 26–14 |
| 17 | -1 | 1.550 |  Marshall (MARSHALL) | MAC | 12–1 | 0.923 | 3 | +38 | BYE |
| 18 | 1 | 1.555 |  Texas (TEXAS) | B12 | 9–3 | 0.750 | 17 | +42 | Beat Mississippi State 38–11 |
| 19 | -5 | 1.614 |  Virginia (VIRGINIA) | ACC | 9–3 | 0.750 | 17 | +36 | Lost to Georgia 33–35 |
| 20 | 3 | 1.624 |  Virginia Tech (VIRGINIA TECH) | IND BE | 9–3 | 0.750 | 17 | +32 | Beat Alabama 38–7 |
| 21 | 7 | 1.685 |  Georgia (GEORGIA) | SEC | 9–3 | 0.750 | 17 | +37 | Beat Virginia 35–33 |
| 22 | 4 | 1.703 |  Purdue (PURDUE) | B10 | 9–4 | 0.692 | 27 | +37 | Beat Kansas State 37–34 |
| 23 | 4 | 1.748 |  Miami (MIAMI) | IND BE | 9–3 | 0.750 | 17 | +31 | Beat NC State 46–23 |
| 24 | -7 | 1.778 |  Syracuse (SYRACUSE) | IND BE | 8–4 | 0.667 | 29 | +32 | Lost to Florida 10–31 |
| 25 | -7 | 1.796 |  Arkansas (ARKANSAS) | SEC | 9–3 | 0.750 | 17 | +30 | Lost to Michigan 31–45 |
| 26 | -1 | 1.816 |  Missouri (MISSOURI) | B12 | 8–4 | 0.667 | 29 | +30 | BYE |
| 27 | -5 | 1.877 |  Notre Dame (NOTRE DAME) | IND FBSI | 9–3 | 0.750 | 17 | +30 | Lost to Georgia Tech 28–35 |
| 28 | 1 | 2.029 |  Oregon (OREGON) | PAC | 8–4 | 0.667 | 29 | +25 | BYE |
| 29 | -5 | 2.066 |  USC | PAC | 8–5 | 0.615 | 38 | +28 | Lost to TCU 19–28 |
| 30 | 0 | 2.068 |  Wyoming (WYOMING) | IND WAC | 8–3 | 0.727 | 26 | +27 | BYE |
| 31 | 2 | 2.112 |  West Virginia (WEST VIRGINIA) | IND BE | 8–4 | 0.667 | 29 | +20 | BYE |
| 32 | -1 | 2.128 |  Colorado (COLORADO) | B12 | 8–4 | 0.667 | 29 | +24 | BYE |
| 33 | 1 | 2.157 |  UCF (CENTRAL FLORIDA) | IND FBSI | 9–2 | 0.818 | 14 | +14 | BYE |
| 34 | 2 | 2.257 |  Colorado State (COLORADO STATE) | IND WAC | 8–4 | 0.667 | 29 | +20 | BYE |
| 35 | -3 | 2.340 |  Alabama (ALABAMA) | SEC | 7–5 | 0.583 | 40 | +25 | Lost to Virginia Tech 7–38 |
| 36 | -1 | 2.342 |  Southern Miss (SOUTHERN MISS) | USA | 7–5 | 0.583 | 40 | +15 | Lost to Idaho 35–42 |
| 37 | 7 | 2.496 |  Idaho (IDAHO) | IND BW | 9–3 | 0.750 | 17 | +10 | Beat Southern Miss 42–35 |
| 38 | -1 | 2.513 |  Kentucky (KENTUCKY) | SEC | 7–5 | 0.583 | 40 | +15 | Lost to Penn State 14–26 |
| 39 | -1 | 2.586 |  NC State (NORTH CAROLINA STATE) | ACC | 7–5 | 0.583 | 40 | +15 | Lost to Miami 23–46 |
| 40 | 1 | 2.648 |  BYU | IND WAC | 9–5 | 0.643 | 35 | +11 | Lost to Tulane 27–41 |
| 41 | 2 | 2.666 |  North Carolina (NORTH CAROLINA) | ACC | 7–5 | 0.583 | 40 | +13 | BYE |
| 42 | -3 | 2.672 |  Texas Tech (TEXAS TECH) | B12 | 7–5 | 0.583 | 40 | +8 | Lost to Ole Miss 18–35 |
| 43 | -1 | 2.672 |  Utah (UTAH) | IND WAC | 7–4 | 0.636 | 36 | +7 | BYE |
| 44 | 2 | 2.702 |  Toledo (TOLEDO) | MAC | 7–5 | 0.583 | 40 | +14 | BYE |
| 45 | -5 | 2.735 |  Mississippi State (MISSISSIPPI STATE) | SEC | 8–5 | 0.615 | 38 | +10 | Lost to Texas 11–38 |
| 46 | 1 | 2.756 |  Michigan State (MICHIGAN STATE) | B10 | 6–6 | 0.500 | 55 | +12 | BYE |
| 47 | 1 | 2.790 |  San Diego State (SAN DIEGO STATE) | IND WAC | 7–5 | 0.583 | 40 | +9 | BYE |
| 48 | -3 | 2.824 |  Washington (WASHINGTON) | PAC | 6–6 | 0.500 | 55 | +13 | BYE |
| 49 | 5 | 2.918 |  TCU | IND WAC | 7–5 | 0.583 | 40 | +8 | Beat USC 28–19 |
| 50 | -1 | 2.933 |  Louisville (LOUISVILLE) | USA | 7–5 | 0.583 | 40 | +5 | BYE |
| 51 | 9 | 3.145 |  Ole Miss (MISSISSIPPI) | SEC | 7–5 | 0.583 | 40 | +1 | Beat Texas Tech 35–18 |
| 52 | -2 | 3.170 |  Louisiana Tech (LOUISIANA TECH) | IND FBSI | 6–6 | 0.500 | 55 | +1 | BYE |
| 53 | -1 | 3.226 |  Bowling Green (BOWLING GREEN) | MAC | 5–6 | 0.455 | 58 | +4 | BYE |
| 54 | -1 | 3.251 |  Western Michigan (WESTERN MICHIGAN) | MAC | 7–4 | 0.636 | 36 | -5 | BYE |
| 55 | -4 | 3.277 |  LSU | SEC | 4–7 | 0.364 | 71 | -2 | BYE |
| 56 | 0 | 3.410 |  Arizona State (ARIZONA STATE) | PAC | 5–6 | 0.455 | 58 | -5 | BYE |
| 57 | -2 | 3.424 |  Oklahoma State (OKLAHOMA STATE) | B12 | 5–6 | 0.455 | 58 | -3 | BYE |
| 58 | 1 | 3.442 |  Minnesota (MINNESOTA) | B10 | 5–6 | 0.455 | 58 | -1 | BYE |
| 59 | -2 | 3.520 |  Nevada (NEVADA) | IND BW | 6–5 | 0.545 | 51 | -8 | BYE |
| 60 | -2 | 3.545 |  Oregon State (OREGON STATE) | PAC | 5–6 | 0.455 | 58 | -4 | BYE |
| 61 | 2 | 3.556 |  Oklahoma (OKLAHOMA) | B12 | 5–6 | 0.455 | 58 | -4 | BYE |
| 62 | 0 | 3.587 |  Ohio (OHIO) | MAC | 5–6 | 0.455 | 58 | -3 | BYE |
| 63 | 1 | 3.612 |  Rice (RICE) | IND WAC | 5–6 | 0.455 | 58 | -4 | BYE |
| 64 | -3 | 3.627 |  California (CALIFORNIA) | PAC | 5–6 | 0.455 | 58 | -3 | BYE |
| 65 | 0 | 3.725 |  East Carolina (EAST CAROLINA) | USA | 6–5 | 0.545 | 51 | -10 | BYE |
| 66 | 0 | 3.763 |  Fresno State (FRESNO STATE) | IND WAC | 5–6 | 0.455 | 58 | -9 | BYE |
| 67 | 1 | 3.842 |  SMU | IND WAC | 5–7 | 0.417 | 70 | -8 | BYE |
| 68 | -1 | 3.849 |  Auburn (AUBURN) | SEC | 3–8 | 0.273 | 81 | -6 | BYE |
| 69 | 0 | 3.964 |  Central Michigan (CENTRAL MICHIGAN) | MAC | 6–5 | 0.545 | 51 | -14 | BYE |
| 70 | 1 | 4.019 |  Boston College (BOSTON COLLEGE) | IND BE | 4–7 | 0.364 | 71 | -11 | BYE |
| 71 | -1 | 4.046 |  Boise State (BOISE STATE) | IND BW | 6–5 | 0.545 | 51 | -17 | BYE |
| 72 | 0 | 4.107 |  Indiana (INDIANA) | B10 | 4–7 | 0.364 | 71 | -11 | BYE |
| 73 | 0 | 4.209 |  Rutgers (RUTGERS) | IND BE | 5–6 | 0.455 | 58 | -11 | BYE |
| 74 | 0 | 4.327 |  UL Monroe (LOUISIANA MONROE) | IND FBSI | 5–6 | 0.455 | 58 | -17 | BYE |
| 75 | 0 | 4.400 |  Tulsa (TULSA) | IND WAC | 4–7 | 0.364 | 71 | -19 | BYE |
| 76 | 0 | 4.657 |  Kansas (KANSAS) | B12 | 4–7 | 0.364 | 71 | -21 | BYE |
| 77 | 0 | 4.688 |  Army (ARMY) | USA | 3–8 | 0.273 | 81 | -18 | BYE |
| 78 | 0 | 4.782 |  Stanford (STANFORD) | PAC | 3–8 | 0.273 | 81 | -20 | BYE |
| 79 | 0 | 4.919 |  Washington State (WASHINGTON STATE) | PAC | 3–8 | 0.273 | 81 | -20 | BYE |
| 80 | 2 | 4.950 |  Iowa (IOWA) | B10 | 3–8 | 0.273 | 81 | -19 | BYE |
| 81 | 0 | 4.975 |  Iowa State (IOWA STATE) | B12 | 3–8 | 0.273 | 81 | -25 | BYE |
| 82 | -2 | 4.995 |  Duke (DUKE) | ACC | 4–7 | 0.364 | 71 | -25 | BYE |
| 83 | 0 | 5.056 |  San José State (SAN JOSE STATE) | IND WAC | 4–8 | 0.333 | 79 | -27 | BYE |
| 84 | 0 | 5.081 |  Akron (AKRON) | MAC | 4–7 | 0.364 | 71 | -27 | BYE |
| 85 | 0 | 5.172 |  UAB | IND FBSI | 4–7 | 0.364 | 71 | -29 | BYE |
| 86 | 0 | 5.175 |  Wake Forest (WAKE FOREST) | ACC | 3–8 | 0.273 | 81 | -16 | BYE |
| 87 | 1 | 5.258 |  Clemson (CLEMSON) | ACC | 3–8 | 0.273 | 81 | -31 | BYE |
| 88 | -1 | 5.279 |  Houston (HOUSTON) | USA | 3–8 | 0.273 | 81 | -25 | BYE |
| 89 | 0 | 5.381 |  Maryland (MARYLAND) | ACC | 3–8 | 0.273 | 81 | -31 | BYE |
| 90 | 1 | 5.439 |  New Mexico State (NEW MEXICO STATE) | IND BW | 3–8 | 0.273 | 81 | -29 | BYE |
| 91 | -1 | 5.532 |  Baylor (BAYLOR) | B12 | 2–9 | 0.182 | 100 | -27 | BYE |
| 92 | 0 | 5.599 |  North Texas (NORTH TEXAS) | IND BW | 3–8 | 0.273 | 81 | -31 | BYE |
| 93 | 0 | 5.599 |  UTEP | IND WAC | 3–8 | 0.273 | 81 | -34 | BYE |
| 94 | 1 | 5.658 |  Illinois (ILLINOIS) | B10 | 3–8 | 0.273 | 81 | -29 | BYE |
| 95 | -1 | 5.710 |  Navy (NAVY) | IND FBSI | 3–8 | 0.273 | 81 | -33 | BYE |
| 96 | 0 | 5.788 |  Utah State (UTAH STATE) | IND BW | 3–8 | 0.273 | 81 | -36 | BYE |
| 97 | 0 | 5.981 |  Northwestern (NORTHWESTERN) | B10 | 3–9 | 0.250 | 98 | -36 | BYE |
| 98 | 0 | 6.002 |  Vanderbilt (VANDERBILT) | SEC | 2–9 | 0.182 | 100 | -29 | BYE |
| 99 | 0 | 6.060 |  Eastern Michigan (EASTERN MICHIGAN) | MAC | 3–8 | 0.273 | 81 | -27 | BYE |
| 100 | 0 | 6.307 |  Memphis (MEMPHIS) | USA | 2–9 | 0.182 | 100 | -36 | BYE |
| 101 | 0 | 6.370 |  Pittsburgh (PITTSBURGH) | IND BE | 2–9 | 0.182 | 100 | -40 | BYE |
| 102 | 0 | 6.381 |  Arkansas State (ARKANSAS STATE) | IND FBSI | 4–8 | 0.333 | 79 | -46 | BYE |
| 103 | 0 | 6.467 |  New Mexico (NEW MEXICO) | IND WAC | 3–9 | 0.250 | 98 | -44 | BYE |
| 104 | 1 | 6.658 |  South Carolina (SOUTH CAROLINA) | SEC | 1–10 | 0.091 | 108 | -40 | BYE |
| 105 | -1 | 6.668 |  Cincinnati (CINCINNATI) | USA | 2–9 | 0.182 | 100 | -35 | BYE |
| 106 | 0 | 6.702 |  Northern Illinois (NORTHERN ILLINOIS) | MAC | 2–9 | 0.182 | 100 | -27 | BYE |
| 107 | 0 | 7.002 |  Temple (TEMPLE) | IND BE | 2–9 | 0.182 | 100 | -33 | BYE |
| 108 | 0 | 7.214 |  Louisiana (LOUISIANA LAFAYETTE) | IND FBSI | 2–9 | 0.182 | 100 | -31 | BYE |
| 109 | 0 | 7.869 |  Ball State (BALL STATE) | MAC | 1–10 | 0.091 | 108 | -49 | BYE |
| 110 | 0 | 8.148 |  UNLV | IND WAC | 0–11 | 0.000 | 110 | -53 | BYE |
| 111 | 0 | 9.121 |  Kent State (KENT STATE) | MAC | 0–11 | 0.000 | 110 | -49 | BYE |
| 112 | 0 | 9.359 |  Hawai'i (HAWAII) | IND WAC | 0–12 | 0.000 | 110 | -73 | BYE |