The Top 25 teams in The Harris Interactive 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 (77) |
12-1 |
2,776 |
2 |
| 2. |
Oklahoma (26) |
12-1 |
2,669 |
4 |
| 3. |
Texas (9) |
11-1 |
2,616 |
3 |
| 4. |
Alabama |
12-1 |
2,442 |
1 |
| 5. |
Southern California |
11-1 |
2,413 |
5 |
| 6. |
Penn State |
11-1 |
2,186 |
6 |
| 7. |
Utah (1) |
12-0 |
2,119 |
7 |
| 8. |
Texas Tech |
11-1 |
2,090 |
8 |
| 9. |
Boise State |
12-0 |
1,938 |
9 |
| 10. |
Ohio State |
10-2 |
1,858 |
10 |
| 11. |
TCU |
10-2 |
1,580 |
12 |
| 12. |
Cincinnati |
11-2 |
1,528 |
13 |
| 13. |
Oklahoma State |
9-3 |
1,402 |
14 |
| 14. |
Georgia Tech |
9-3 |
1,221 |
16 |
| 15. |
Oregon |
9-3 |
1,211 |
15 |
| 16. |
BYU |
10-2 |
1,071 |
17 |
| 17. |
Georgia |
9-3 |
1,018 |
20 |
| 18. |
Michigan State |
9-3 |
831 |
21 |
| 19. |
Pittsburgh |
9-3 |
638 |
23 |
| 20. |
Ball State |
12-1 |
609 |
11 |
| 21. |
Northwestern |
9-3 |
548 |
22 |
| 22. |
Virginia Tech |
9-4 |
511 |
NR |
| 23. |
Ole Miss |
8-4 |
413 |
24 |
| 24. |
Missouri |
9-4 |
382 |
18 |
| 25. |
Oregon State |
8-4 |
228 |
25 |
Others Receiving Votes: Boston College 172; Iowa 67; Florida State 43; California 32; East Carolina 23; Tulsa 20; West Virginia 19; Rice 8; Kansas 3; LSU 3; Western Michigan 3; Nebraska 2; Rutgers 2.