The Top 25 teams in The Associated Press college football poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, 2009 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. |
Alabama (60) |
14-0 |
1,500 |
1 |
| 2. |
Texas |
13-1 |
1,399 |
2 |
| 3. |
Florida |
13-1 |
1,370 |
5 |
| 4. |
Boise State |
14-0 |
1,366 |
6 |
| 5. |
Ohio State |
11-2 |
1,224 |
8 |
| 6. |
TCU |
12-1 |
1,163 |
3 |
| 7. |
Iowa |
11-2 |
1,126 |
10 |
| 8. |
Cincinnati |
12-1 |
1,060 |
4 |
| 9. |
Penn State |
11-2 |
1,016 |
11 |
| 10. |
Virginia Tech |
10-3 |
953 |
12 |
| 11. |
Oregon |
10-3 |
886 |
7 |
| 12. |
BYU |
11-2 |
806 |
15 |
| 13. |
Georgia Tech |
11-3 |
768 |
9 |
| 14. |
Nebraska |
10-4 |
724 |
20 |
| 15. |
Pittsburgh |
10-3 |
697 |
17 |
| 16. |
Wisconsin |
10-3 |
571 |
24 |
| 17. |
LSU |
9-4 |
501 |
13 |
| 18. |
Utah |
10-3 |
491 |
23 |
| 19. |
Miami (Fla.) |
9-4 |
310 |
14 |
| 20. |
Ole Miss |
9-4 |
296 |
NR |
| 21. |
Texas Tech |
9-4 |
224 |
NR |
| 22. |
USC |
9-4 |
224 |
NR |
| 23. |
Central Michigan |
12-2 |
166 |
25 |
| 24. |
Clemson |
9-5 |
125 |
NR |
| 25. |
West Virginia |
9-4 |
91 |
18 |
Others receiving votes: Oklahoma 90, Oregon State 89, Navy 85, Stanford 67, Oklahoma State 40, Rutgers 37, Auburn 8, Georgia 7, Florida State 6, Connecticut 5, Arizona 5, Middle Tennessee 4, Air Force 3, Arkansas 3, Villanova 2.