| Rk | Team | Record | Rating | Conference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alabama | (11-1-0) | 0.8784 | Southeastern | |
| 2 | Nebraska | (13-0-0) | 0.8778 | Big Eight | |
| 3 | Oklahoma | (11-1-0) | 0.8036 | Big Eight | |
| 4 | Georgia | (11-1-0) | 0.7490 | Southeastern | |
| 5 | Colorado | (10-2-0) | 0.7110 | Big Eight | |
| 6 | Stanford | (9-3-0) | 0.7002 | Pac 8 | |
| 7 | Penn State | (11-1-0) | 0.6661 | Independent | |
| 8 | Auburn | (9-2-0) | 0.6507 | Southeastern | |
| 9 | Arizona State | (11-1-0) | 0.6448 | Western Athletic | |
| 10 | Michigan | (11-1-0) | 0.6419 | Big Ten | |
| 11 | Tennessee | (10-2-0) | 0.6203 | Southeastern | |
| 12 | Mississippi | (10-2-0) | 0.6053 | Southeastern | |
| 13 | Toledo | (12-0-0) | 0.5962 | Mid-American | |
| 14 | Washington | (8-3-0) | 0.5698 | Pac 8 | |
| 15 | Notre Dame | (8-2-0) | 0.5680 | Independent | |
| 16 | Louisiana State | (9-3-0) | 0.5647 | Southeastern | |
| 17 | Southern California | (6-4-1) | 0.5529 | Pac 8 | |
| 18 | Houston | (9-3-0) | 0.5495 | Independent | |
| 19 | Dartmouth | (8-1-0) | 0.4934 | Ivy | |
| 20 | Cornell | (8-1-0) | 0.4813 | Ivy | |
| 21 | Boston College | (9-2-0) | 0.4794 | Independent | |
| 22 | North Carolina | (9-3-0) | 0.4673 | Atlantic Coast | |
| 23 | Texas | (8-3-0) | 0.4649 | Southwest | |
| 24 | Arkansas | (8-3-1) | 0.4538 | Southwest | |
| 25 | Ohio State | (6-4-0) | 0.4246 | Big Ten | |
| 26 | Florida State | (8-4-0) | 0.4188 | Independent | |
| 27 | Iowa State | (8-4-0) | 0.4185 | Big Eight | |
| 28 | California | (6-5-0) | 0.4097 | Pac 8 | |
| 29 | Northwestern | (7-4-0) | 0.3920 | Big Ten | |
| 30 | West Virginia | (7-4-0) | 0.3886 | Independent | |
| 31 | Michigan State | (6-5-0) | 0.3835 | Big Ten | |
| 32 | Oregon | (5-6-0) | 0.3808 | Pac 8 | |
| 33 | Georgia Tech | (6-6-0) | 0.3745 | Independent | |
| 34 | Oregon State | (5-6-0) | 0.3425 | Pac 8 | |
| 35 | Air Force | (6-4-0) | 0.3416 | Independent | |
| 36 | Duke | (6-5-0) | 0.3328 | Atlantic Coast | |
| 37 | Columbia | (6-3-0) | 0.3184 | Ivy | |
| 38 | Utah State | (8-3-0) | 0.3143 | Independent | |
| 39 | Miami (Ohio) | (7-3-0) | 0.3037 | Mid-American | |
| 40 | Western Michigan | (7-3-0) | 0.2918 | Mid-American | |
| 41 | New Mexico | (6-3-2) | 0.2899 | Western Athletic | |
| 42 | Temple | (6-2-1) | 0.2887 | Independent | |
| 43 | Army | (6-4-0) | 0.2874 | Independent | |
| 44 | Texas Christian | (6-4-1) | 0.2820 | Southwest | |
| 45 | South Carolina | (6-5-0) | 0.2797 | Independent | |
| 46 | Long Beach State | (8-4-0) | 0.2601 | PCAA | |
| 47 | Louisville | (6-3-1) | 0.2567 | Missouri Valley | |
| 48 | San Jose State | (5-6-1) | 0.2509 | PCAA | |
| 49 | Southern Mississippi | (6-5-0) | 0.2487 | Independent | |
| 50 | Syracuse | (5-5-1) | 0.2429 | Independent | |
| 51 | Illinois | (5-6-0) | 0.2388 | Big Ten | |
| 52 | Villanova | (6-4-1) | 0.2332 | Independent | |
| 53 | Cincinnati | (7-4-0) | 0.2293 | Missouri Valley | |
| 54 | Memphis | (5-6-0) | 0.2259 | Missouri Valley | |
| 55 | Clemson | (5-6-0) | 0.2248 | Atlantic Coast | |
| 56 | Ohio | (5-5-0) | 0.2096 | Mid-American | |
| 57 | San Diego State | (6-5-0) | 0.2060 | PCAA | |
| 58 | Washington State | (4-7-0) | 0.2018 | Pac 8 | |
| 59 | Kansas State | (5-6-0) | 0.1995 | Big Eight | |
| 60 | Florida | (4-7-0) | 0.1970 | Southeastern | |
| 61 | Harvard | (5-4-0) | 0.1944 | Ivy | |
| 62 | Wisconsin | (4-6-1) | 0.1866 | Big Ten | |
| 63 | Citadel | (8-3-0) | 0.1812 | Southern | |
| 64 | Bowling Green State | (6-4-0) | 0.1810 | Mid-American | |
| 65 | Wake Forest | (6-5-0) | 0.1779 | Atlantic Coast | |
| 66 | William & Mary | (5-6-0) | 0.1658 | Southern | |
| 67 | Oklahoma State | (4-6-1) | 0.1603 | Big Eight | |
| 68 | Texas A&M | (5-6-0) | 0.1591 | Southwest | |
| 69 | Texas Tech | (4-7-0) | 0.1571 | Southwest | |
| 70 | Vanderbilt | (4-6-1) | 0.1567 | Southeastern | |
| 71 | Purdue | (3-7-0) | 0.1402 | Big Ten | |
| 72 | UCLA | (2-7-1) | 0.1389 | Pac 8 | |
| 73 | Arizona | (5-6-0) | 0.1284 | Western Athletic | |
| 74 | Tampa | (6-5-0) | 0.1240 | Independent | |
| 75 | Rice | (3-7-1) | 0.1200 | Southwest | |
| 76 | Northern Illinois | (5-5-1) | 0.1173 | Independent | |
| 77 | Richmond | (5-6-0) | 0.1162 | Southern | |
| 78 | Kansas | (4-7-0) | 0.1150 | Big Eight | |
| 79 | Hawaii | (7-4-0) | 0.1103 | Independent | |
| 80 | Minnesota | (4-7-0) | 0.1086 | Big Ten | |
| 81 | Wyoming | (5-6-0) | 0.1075 | Western Athletic | |
| 82 | Navy | (3-8-0) | 0.0971 | Independent | |
| 83 | Tulane | (3-8-0) | 0.0960 | Independent | |
| 84 | Fresno State | (6-5-0) | 0.0923 | PCAA | |
| 85 | Miami (Florida) | (4-7-0) | 0.0883 | Independent | |
| 86 | Southern Methodist | (4-7-0) | 0.0872 | Southwest | |
| 87 | Pittsburgh | (3-8-0) | 0.0825 | Independent | |
| 88 | Drake | (7-4-0) | 0.0785 | Missouri Valley | |
| 89 | Yale | (4-5-0) | 0.0752 | Ivy | |
| 90 | Princeton | (4-5-0) | 0.0706 | Ivy | |
| 91 | Virginia Tech | (4-7-0) | 0.0630 | Independent | |
| 92 | Brigham Young | (5-6-0) | 0.0576 | Western Athletic | |
| 93 | Kentucky | (3-8-0) | 0.0492 | Southeastern | |
| 94 | Colgate | (6-4-0) | 0.0289 | Independent | |
| 95 | Tulsa | (4-7-0) | -0.0011 | Missouri Valley | |
| 96 | Holy Cross | (4-6-0) | -0.0020 | Independent | |
| 97 | New Mexico State | (5-5-1) | -0.0054 | Independent | |
| 98 | Mississippi State | (2-9-0) | -0.0076 | Southeastern | |
| 99 | Dayton | (5-6-0) | -0.0091 | Independent | |
| 100 | Virginia | (3-8-0) | -0.0239 | Atlantic Coast | |
| 101 | Indiana | (3-8-0) | -0.0358 | Big Ten | |
| 102 | Utah | (3-8-0) | -0.0377 | Western Athletic | |
| 103 | East Carolina | (4-6-0) | -0.0478 | Southern | |
| 104 | Maryland | (2-9-0) | -0.0797 | Atlantic Coast | |
| 105 | Texas-El Paso | (5-6-0) | -0.0823 | Western Athletic | |
| 106 | Pacific | (3-8-0) | -0.0894 | PCAA | |
| 107 | Missouri | (1-10-0) | -0.0922 | Big Eight | |
| 108 | Santa Barbara | (3-8-0) | -0.1131 | PCAA | |
| 109 | North Carolina State | (3-8-0) | -0.1173 | Atlantic Coast | |
| 110 | Kent State | (3-8-0) | -0.1209 | Mid-American | |
| 111 | Rutgers | (4-7-0) | -0.1527 | Independent | |
| 112 | Pennsylvania | (2-7-0) | -0.1588 | Ivy | |
| 113 | Furman | (5-5-1) | -0.1624 | Southern | |
| 114 | Iowa | (1-10-0) | -0.1674 | Big Ten | |
| 115 | Colorado State | (3-8-0) | -0.2220 | Western Athletic | |
| 116 | North Texas | (3-8-0) | -0.2679 | Missouri Valley | |
| 117 | Baylor | (1-9-0) | -0.3189 | Southwest | |
| 118 | Xavier | (1-9-0) | -0.3294 | Independent | |
| 119 | Marshall | (2-8-0) | -0.3499 | Mid-American | |
| 120 | Brown | (0-9-0) | -0.3609 | Ivy | |
| 121 | Wichita State | (3-8-0) | -0.4259 | Missouri Valley | |
| 122 | Virginia Military Institute | (1-10-0) | -0.4508 | Southern | |
| 123 | West Texas A&M | (2-9-0) | -0.4713 | Missouri Valley | |
| 124 | Davidson | (1-9-0) | -0.5717 | Southern | |
| 125 | Los Angeles State | (2-8-0) | -0.6405 | PCAA |
Average Ratings by Conference (1971)
| Rk | Conference | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Southeastern | 0.4464 | |
| 2 | Pac 8 | 0.4121 | |
| 3 | Big Eight | 0.3992 | |
| 4 | Big Ten | 0.2313 | |
| 5 | Independent | 0.2066 | |
| 6 | Southwest | 0.1756 | |
| 7 | Mid-American | 0.1588 | |
| 8 | Atlantic Coast | 0.1402 | |
| 9 | Ivy | 0.1392 | |
| 10 | Western Athletic | 0.1108 | |
| 11 | PCAA | -0.0048 | |
| 12 | Missouri Valley | -0.0470 | |
| 13 | Southern | -0.1099 |