| Rk | Team | Record | Rating | Conference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Notre Dame | (11-1-0) | 0.8673 | Independent | |
| 2 | Alabama | (11-1-0) | 0.8309 | Southeastern | |
| 3 | Penn State | (11-1-0) | 0.8103 | Independent | |
| 4 | Kentucky | (10-1-0) | 0.7652 | Southeastern | |
| 5 | Texas | (11-1-0) | 0.7460 | Southwest | |
| 6 | Arkansas | (11-1-0) | 0.7238 | Southwest | |
| 7 | Oklahoma | (10-2-0) | 0.6690 | Big Eight | |
| 8 | Pittsburgh | (9-2-1) | 0.6581 | Independent | |
| 9 | Nebraska | (9-3-0) | 0.6467 | Big Eight | |
| 10 | Florida State | (10-2-0) | 0.6415 | Independent | |
| 11 | Michigan | (10-2-0) | 0.6252 | Big Ten | |
| 12 | Washington | (8-4-0) | 0.6198 | Pac 10 | |
| 13 | Southern California | (8-4-0) | 0.5769 | Pac 10 | |
| 14 | North Texas | (9-2-0) | 0.5678 | Independent | |
| 15 | Stanford | (9-3-0) | 0.5632 | Pac 10 | |
| 16 | North Carolina State | (8-4-0) | 0.5524 | Atlantic Coast | |
| 17 | North Carolina | (8-3-1) | 0.5520 | Atlantic Coast | |
| 18 | Clemson | (8-3-1) | 0.5450 | Atlantic Coast | |
| 19 | Ohio State | (9-3-0) | 0.5134 | Big Ten | |
| 20 | UCLA | (7-4-0) | 0.5071 | Pac 10 | |
| 21 | Miami (Ohio) | (10-1-0) | 0.4995 | Mid-American | |
| 22 | Colorado | (7-3-1) | 0.4888 | Big Eight | |
| 23 | San Diego State | (10-1-0) | 0.4758 | Independent | |
| 24 | Maryland | (8-4-0) | 0.4684 | Atlantic Coast | |
| 25 | Michigan State | (7-3-1) | 0.4583 | Big Ten | |
| 26 | Texas A&M | (8-4-0) | 0.4510 | Southwest | |
| 27 | Brigham Young | (9-2-0) | 0.4504 | Western Athletic | |
| 28 | Louisiana State | (8-4-0) | 0.4474 | Southeastern | |
| 29 | Iowa State | (8-4-0) | 0.4418 | Big Eight | |
| 30 | Washington State | (6-5-0) | 0.4358 | Pac 10 | |
| 31 | California | (7-4-0) | 0.4354 | Pac 10 | |
| 32 | Mississippi State | (5-6-0) | 0.4341 | Southeastern | |
| 33 | Central Michigan | (10-1-0) | 0.4305 | Mid-American | |
| 34 | Louisiana Tech | (9-1-2) | 0.4246 | Southland | |
| 35 | East Carolina | (8-3-0) | 0.4220 | Independent | |
| 36 | Florida | (6-4-1) | 0.4009 | Southeastern | |
| 37 | Arizona State | (9-3-0) | 0.3987 | Western Athletic | |
| 38 | Grambling State | (10-1-0) | 0.3971 | SWAC | |
| 39 | Tennessee State | (8-1-1) | 0.3884 | Independent | |
| 40 | Minnesota | (7-5-0) | 0.3828 | Big Ten | |
| 41 | Colorado State | (9-2-1) | 0.3816 | Western Athletic | |
| 42 | Texas Tech | (7-5-0) | 0.3739 | Southwest | |
| 43 | Mississippi | (5-6-0) | 0.3724 | Southeastern | |
| 44 | Yale | (7-2-0) | 0.3712 | Ivy | |
| 45 | Syracuse | (6-5-0) | 0.3590 | Independent | |
| 46 | Ball State | (9-2-0) | 0.3440 | Mid-American | |
| 47 | Brown | (7-2-0) | 0.3380 | Ivy | |
| 48 | Tennessee-Chattanooga | (9-1-1) | 0.3368 | Southern | |
| 49 | Memphis | (6-5-0) | 0.3258 | Independent | |
| 50 | Houston | (6-5-0) | 0.3190 | Southwest | |
| 51 | Georgia Tech | (6-5-0) | 0.3168 | Independent | |
| 52 | Duke | (5-6-0) | 0.3165 | Atlantic Coast | |
| 53 | Auburn | (5-6-0) | 0.3107 | Southeastern | |
| 54 | Fresno State | (9-2-0) | 0.3019 | PCAA | |
| 55 | Colgate | (10-1-0) | 0.3000 | Independent | |
| 56 | Missouri | (4-7-0) | 0.2902 | Big Eight | |
| 57 | Southern Mississippi | (6-6-0) | 0.2870 | Independent | |
| 58 | Baylor | (5-6-0) | 0.2803 | Southwest | |
| 59 | Rutgers | (8-3-0) | 0.2765 | Independent | |
| 60 | Indiana | (5-5-1) | 0.2701 | Big Ten | |
| 61 | Dartmouth | (6-3-0) | 0.2647 | Ivy | |
| 62 | Louisiana-Lafayette | (6-4-2) | 0.2607 | Southland | |
| 63 | Georgia | (5-6-0) | 0.2580 | Southeastern | |
| 64 | South Carolina | (5-7-0) | 0.2563 | Independent | |
| 65 | Army | (7-4-0) | 0.2508 | Independent | |
| 66 | Eastern Michigan | (8-3-0) | 0.2408 | Mid-American | |
| 67 | Navy | (5-6-0) | 0.2392 | Independent | |
| 68 | Cincinnati | (5-4-2) | 0.2389 | Independent | |
| 69 | West Virginia | (5-6-0) | 0.2358 | Independent | |
| 70 | Louisville | (7-4-1) | 0.2300 | Independent | |
| 71 | William & Mary | (6-5-0) | 0.2288 | Independent | |
| 72 | Jackson State | (8-3-0) | 0.2024 | SWAC | |
| 73 | Kent State | (6-5-0) | 0.1969 | Mid-American | |
| 74 | Boston College | (6-5-0) | 0.1910 | Independent | |
| 75 | Temple | (5-5-1) | 0.1896 | Independent | |
| 76 | West Texas A&M | (6-4-1) | 0.1832 | Missouri Valley | |
| 77 | Purdue | (5-6-0) | 0.1830 | Big Ten | |
| 78 | Tennessee | (4-7-0) | 0.1817 | Southeastern | |
| 79 | Virginia Military Institute | (7-4-0) | 0.1766 | Southern | |
| 80 | Miami (Florida) | (3-8-0) | 0.1667 | Independent | |
| 81 | Southern Methodist | (4-7-0) | 0.1661 | Southwest | |
| 82 | Kansas | (3-7-1) | 0.1657 | Big Eight | |
| 83 | Arizona | (5-7-0) | 0.1588 | Western Athletic | |
| 84 | Oklahoma State | (4-7-0) | 0.1572 | Big Eight | |
| 85 | Iowa | (4-7-0) | 0.1474 | Big Ten | |
| 86 | Arkansas State | (7-4-0) | 0.1404 | Southland | |
| 87 | Texas-Arlington | (5-6-0) | 0.1401 | Southland | |
| 88 | Wyoming | (4-6-1) | 0.1364 | Western Athletic | |
| 89 | Wisconsin | (5-6-0) | 0.1287 | Big Ten | |
| 90 | Virginia Tech | (3-7-1) | 0.1268 | Independent | |
| 91 | New Mexico | (5-7-0) | 0.1263 | Western Athletic | |
| 92 | Pacific | (6-5-0) | 0.1097 | PCAA | |
| 93 | Bowling Green State | (5-7-0) | 0.0923 | Mid-American | |
| 94 | Hawaii | (5-6-0) | 0.0839 | Independent | |
| 95 | Pennsylvania | (5-4-0) | 0.0755 | Ivy | |
| 96 | Tulane | (3-8-0) | 0.0661 | Independent | |
| 97 | Oregon State | (2-9-0) | 0.0583 | Pac 10 | |
| 98 | Northwestern State | (6-5-0) | 0.0566 | Independent | |
| 99 | Western Michigan | (4-7-0) | 0.0473 | Mid-American | |
| 100 | Texas Southern | (6-4-1) | 0.0425 | SWAC | |
| 101 | San Jose State | (4-7-0) | 0.0362 | PCAA | |
| 102 | Wichita State | (5-6-0) | 0.0297 | Missouri Valley | |
| 103 | Utah State | (4-7-0) | 0.0235 | Independent | |
| 104 | Illinois | (3-8-0) | 0.0183 | Big Ten | |
| 105 | Furman | (4-5-2) | 0.0130 | Southern | |
| 106 | Princeton | (3-6-0) | 0.0009 | Ivy | |
| 107 | Citadel | (5-6-0) | -0.0074 | Southern | |
| 108 | Kansas State | (1-10-0) | -0.0148 | Big Eight | |
| 109 | McNeese State | (5-5-1) | -0.0189 | Southland | |
| 110 | Villanova | (4-7-0) | -0.0204 | Independent | |
| 111 | New Mexico State | (4-7-0) | -0.0243 | Missouri Valley | |
| 112 | Western Carolina | (6-4-1) | -0.0264 | Southern | |
| 113 | Long Beach State | (4-6-0) | -0.0279 | PCAA | |
| 114 | Oregon | (2-9-0) | -0.0290 | Pac 10 | |
| 115 | Illinois State | (3-7-1) | -0.0316 | Independent | |
| 116 | Harvard | (4-5-0) | -0.0402 | Ivy | |
| 117 | Richmond | (3-8-0) | -0.0429 | Independent | |
| 118 | Utah | (3-8-0) | -0.0564 | Western Athletic | |
| 119 | Vanderbilt | (2-9-0) | -0.0568 | Southeastern | |
| 120 | Mississippi Valley State | (5-5-0) | -0.0851 | SWAC | |
| 121 | Air Force | (2-8-1) | -0.0885 | Independent | |
| 122 | Virginia | (1-9-1) | -0.0988 | Atlantic Coast | |
| 123 | Texas Christian | (2-9-0) | -0.1247 | Southwest | |
| 124 | Northwestern | (1-10-0) | -0.1724 | Big Ten | |
| 125 | Wake Forest | (1-10-0) | -0.1731 | Atlantic Coast | |
| 126 | Tulsa | (3-8-0) | -0.1804 | Missouri Valley | |
| 127 | Northern Illinois | (3-8-0) | -0.2137 | Mid-American | |
| 128 | Fullerton State | (4-7-0) | -0.2151 | PCAA | |
| 129 | Rice | (1-10-0) | -0.2307 | Southwest | |
| 130 | Columbia | (2-7-0) | -0.2338 | Ivy | |
| 131 | Southern Illinois | (3-8-0) | -0.2456 | Missouri Valley | |
| 132 | Toledo | (2-9-0) | -0.2547 | Mid-American | |
| 133 | Indiana State | (3-7-0) | -0.2554 | Missouri Valley | |
| 134 | Texas-El Paso | (1-10-0) | -0.2715 | Western Athletic | |
| 135 | Cornell | (1-8-0) | -0.2721 | Ivy | |
| 136 | Lamar | (2-9-0) | -0.2882 | Southland | |
| 137 | Appalachian State | (2-9-0) | -0.2916 | Southern | |
| 138 | Southern | (3-7-1) | -0.2968 | SWAC | |
| 139 | Ohio | (1-10-0) | -0.3147 | Mid-American | |
| 140 | Alcorn State | (3-8-0) | -0.3168 | SWAC | |
| 141 | Drake | (2-9-0) | -0.3769 | Missouri Valley | |
| 142 | Holy Cross | (2-9-0) | -0.4034 | Independent | |
| 143 | Louisiana-Monroe | (2-9-0) | -0.4380 | Independent | |
| 144 | Prairie View A&M | (3-8-0) | -0.4502 | SWAC | |
| 145 | Marshall | (2-9-0) | -0.4578 | Southern |
Average Ratings by Conference (1977)
| Rk | Conference | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pac 10 | 0.3959 | |
| 2 | Southeastern | 0.3944 | |
| 3 | Big Eight | 0.3556 | |
| 4 | Atlantic Coast | 0.3089 | |
| 5 | Southwest | 0.3005 | |
| 6 | Big Ten | 0.2555 | |
| 7 | Independent | 0.2359 | |
| 8 | Western Athletic | 0.1655 | |
| 9 | Southland | 0.1098 | |
| 10 | Mid-American | 0.1068 | |
| 11 | Ivy | 0.0630 | |
| 12 | PCAA | 0.0409 | |
| 13 | Southern | -0.0367 | |
| 14 | SWAC | -0.0724 | |
| 15 | Missouri Valley | -0.1242 |