1987 USA Today/CNN Rankings
| Final Poll For 1987 Season |
| Rank |
Team |
Record |
Votes |
| 1987 USA Today/CNN |
| 1 | Miami | 12-0-0 | | | 2 | Florida State | 11-1-0 | |
| 3 | Oklahoma | 11-1-0 | | | 4 | Syracuse | 11-0-1 | |
| 5 | Nebraska | 10-2-0 | | | 6 | Louisiana State | 10-1-1 | |
| 7 | Auburn | 9-1-2 | | | 8 | Michigan State | 9-2-1 | |
| 9 | Texas A&M | 10-2-0 | | | 10 | UCLA | 10-2-0 | |
| 11 | Clemson | 10-2-0 | | | 12 | Oklahoma State | 10-2-0 | |
| 13 | Georgia | 9-3-0 | | | 14 | Tennessee | 10-2-1 | |
| 15 | Iowa | 10-3-0 | | | 16 | Notre Dame | 8-4-0 | |
| 17 | Southern California | 8-4-0 | | | 18 | South Carolina | 8-4-0 | |
| 19 | Michigan | 8-4-0 | | | 20 | Texas | 7-5-0 | |
| 21 | Pittsburgh | 8-4-0 | | | 22 | Indiana | 8-4-0 | |
| 23 | Penn State | 8-4-0 | | | 24 | Ohio State | 6-4-1 | |
| 25 | Alabama | 7-5-0 | |
|
Great Moments in College Football History
The first college football National Champion was Princeton. They received the honor in 1869 and only played two games.
