| Rk | Team | Record | Rating | Conference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohio State | (14-0) | 0.8412 | Big Ten | |
| 2 | Southern California | (11-2) | 0.8142 | Pac 10 | |
| 3 | Georgia | (13-1) | 0.7690 | Southeastern | |
| 4 | Miami (Florida) | (12-1) | 0.7439 | Big East | |
| 5 | Oklahoma | (12-2) | 0.7162 | Big Twelve | |
| 6 | Michigan | (10-3) | 0.6278 | Big Ten | |
| 7 | Iowa | (11-2) | 0.6254 | Big Ten | |
| 8 | Texas | (11-2) | 0.6201 | Big Twelve | |
| 9 | Notre Dame | (10-3) | 0.6161 | Independent | |
| 10 | North Carolina State | (11-3) | 0.5816 | Atlantic Coast | |
| 11 | Alabama | (10-3) | 0.5807 | Southeastern | |
| 12 | Florida State | (9-5) | 0.5629 | Atlantic Coast | |
| 13 | Washington State | (10-3) | 0.5449 | Pac 10 | |
| 14 | Maryland | (11-3) | 0.5340 | Atlantic Coast | |
| 15 | Kansas State | (11-2) | 0.5214 | Big Twelve | |
| 16 | Virginia Tech | (10-4) | 0.5144 | Big East | |
| 17 | Penn State | (9-4) | 0.5003 | Big Ten | |
| 18 | Virginia | (9-5) | 0.4978 | Atlantic Coast | |
| 19 | Auburn | (9-4) | 0.4938 | Southeastern | |
| 20 | Boise State | (12-1) | 0.4876 | Western Athletic | |
| 21 | Pittsburgh | (9-4) | 0.4870 | Big East | |
| 22 | Colorado State | (10-4) | 0.4779 | Mountain West | |
| 23 | Texas Christian | (10-2) | 0.4665 | Conference USA | |
| 24 | Colorado | (9-5) | 0.4645 | Big Twelve | |
| 25 | West Virginia | (9-4) | 0.4496 | Big East | |
| 26 | South Florida | (9-2) | 0.4445 | Independent | |
| 27 | Arkansas | (9-5) | 0.4408 | Southeastern | |
| 28 | Florida | (8-5) | 0.4316 | Southeastern | |
| 29 | Boston College | (9-4) | 0.4302 | Big East | |
| 30 | Texas Tech | (9-5) | 0.4293 | Big Twelve | |
| 31 | UCLA | (8-5) | 0.4217 | Pac 10 | |
| 32 | Wisconsin | (8-6) | 0.4054 | Big Ten | |
| 33 | Marshall | (11-2) | 0.3788 | Mid-American | |
| 34 | Louisiana State | (8-5) | 0.3720 | Southeastern | |
| 35 | Georgia Tech | (7-6) | 0.3691 | Atlantic Coast | |
| 36 | California | (7-5) | 0.3603 | Pac 10 | |
| 37 | Oregon State | (8-5) | 0.3485 | Pac 10 | |
| 38 | Washington | (7-6) | 0.3435 | Pac 10 | |
| 39 | Purdue | (7-6) | 0.3412 | Big Ten | |
| 40 | Hawaii | (10-4) | 0.3377 | Western Athletic | |
| 41 | Fresno State | (9-5) | 0.3347 | Western Athletic | |
| 42 | Wake Forest | (7-6) | 0.3331 | Atlantic Coast | |
| 43 | Minnesota | (8-5) | 0.3301 | Big Ten | |
| 44 | Tennessee | (8-5) | 0.3261 | Southeastern | |
| 45 | Clemson | (7-6) | 0.3188 | Atlantic Coast | |
| 46 | Northern Illinois | (8-4) | 0.3152 | Mid-American | |
| 47 | Oklahoma State | (8-5) | 0.3102 | Big Twelve | |
| 48 | Toledo | (9-5) | 0.2977 | Mid-American | |
| 49 | Air Force | (8-5) | 0.2922 | Mountain West | |
| 50 | Texas A&M | (6-6) | 0.2882 | Big Twelve | |
| 51 | Arizona State | (8-6) | 0.2870 | Pac 10 | |
| 52 | Bowling Green State | (9-3) | 0.2852 | Mid-American | |
| 53 | Kentucky | (7-5) | 0.2825 | Southeastern | |
| 54 | North Texas | (8-5) | 0.2786 | Sun Belt | |
| 55 | Iowa State | (7-7) | 0.2771 | Big Twelve | |
| 56 | Mississippi | (7-6) | 0.2759 | Southeastern | |
| 57 | Miami (Ohio) | (7-5) | 0.2529 | Mid-American | |
| 58 | Cincinnati | (7-7) | 0.2440 | Conference USA | |
| 59 | Oregon | (7-6) | 0.2337 | Pac 10 | |
| 60 | Central Florida | (7-5) | 0.2205 | Mid-American | |
| 61 | Nebraska | (7-7) | 0.2137 | Big Twelve | |
| 62 | Louisville | (7-6) | 0.1978 | Conference USA | |
| 63 | Illinois | (5-7) | 0.1972 | Big Ten | |
| 64 | Southern Mississippi | (7-6) | 0.1939 | Conference USA | |
| 65 | Tulane | (8-5) | 0.1931 | Conference USA | |
| 66 | New Mexico State | (7-5) | 0.1894 | Sun Belt | |
| 67 | South Carolina | (5-7) | 0.1792 | Southeastern | |
| 68 | New Mexico | (7-7) | 0.1759 | Mountain West | |
| 69 | Missouri | (5-7) | 0.1662 | Big Twelve | |
| 70 | Utah | (5-6) | 0.1338 | Mountain West | |
| 71 | Nevada | (5-7) | 0.1149 | Western Athletic | |
| 72 | Connecticut | (6-6) | 0.0965 | Independent | |
| 73 | Syracuse | (4-8) | 0.0713 | Big East | |
| 74 | Brigham Young | (5-7) | 0.0703 | Mountain West | |
| 75 | San Jose State | (6-7) | 0.0676 | Western Athletic | |
| 76 | Michigan State | (4-8) | 0.0634 | Big Ten | |
| 77 | Nevada-Las Vegas | (5-7) | 0.0623 | Mountain West | |
| 78 | North Carolina | (3-9) | 0.0496 | Atlantic Coast | |
| 79 | Arizona | (4-8) | 0.0455 | Pac 10 | |
| 80 | Ball State | (6-6) | 0.0421 | Mid-American | |
| 81 | Temple | (4-8) | 0.0230 | Big East | |
| 82 | Western Michigan | (4-8) | 0.0191 | Mid-American | |
| 83 | San Diego State | (4-9) | 0.0120 | Mountain West | |
| 84 | East Carolina | (4-8) | 0.0023 | Conference USA | |
| 85 | Arkansas State | (6-7) | -0.0131 | Sun Belt | |
| 86 | Houston | (5-7) | -0.0161 | Conference USA | |
| 87 | Stanford | (2-9) | -0.0254 | Pac 10 | |
| 88 | Alabama-Birmingham | (5-7) | -0.0307 | Conference USA | |
| 89 | Northwestern | (3-9) | -0.0395 | Big Ten | |
| 90 | Rice | (4-7) | -0.0508 | Western Athletic | |
| 91 | Louisiana Tech | (4-8) | -0.0516 | Western Athletic | |
| 92 | Middle Tennessee State | (4-8) | -0.0546 | Sun Belt | |
| 93 | Utah State | (4-7) | -0.0576 | Independent | |
| 94 | Akron | (4-8) | -0.0610 | Mid-American | |
| 95 | Duke | (2-10) | -0.0693 | Atlantic Coast | |
| 96 | Vanderbilt | (2-10) | -0.0794 | Southeastern | |
| 97 | Indiana | (3-9) | -0.1007 | Big Ten | |
| 98 | Baylor | (3-9) | -0.1048 | Big Twelve | |
| 99 | Troy | (4-8) | -0.1124 | Independent | |
| 100 | Mississippi State | (3-9) | -0.1127 | Southeastern | |
| 101 | Ohio | (4-8) | -0.1372 | Mid-American | |
| 102 | Central Michigan | (4-8) | -0.1512 | Mid-American | |
| 103 | Wyoming | (2-10) | -0.1530 | Mountain West | |
| 104 | Memphis | (3-9) | -0.1541 | Conference USA | |
| 105 | Idaho | (2-10) | -0.2125 | Sun Belt | |
| 106 | Louisiana-Lafayette | (3-9) | -0.2144 | Sun Belt | |
| 107 | Louisiana-Monroe | (3-9) | -0.2340 | Sun Belt | |
| 108 | Southern Methodist | (3-9) | -0.2372 | Western Athletic | |
| 109 | Navy | (2-10) | -0.2689 | Independent | |
| 110 | Kent State | (3-9) | -0.2890 | Mid-American | |
| 111 | Kansas | (2-10) | -0.2922 | Big Twelve | |
| 112 | Texas-El Paso | (2-10) | -0.3275 | Western Athletic | |
| 113 | Rutgers | (1-11) | -0.3430 | Big East | |
| 113= | Eastern Michigan | (3-9) | -0.3430 | Mid-American | |
| 115 | Tulsa | (1-11) | -0.3668 | Western Athletic | |
| 116 | Buffalo | (1-11) | -0.4776 | Mid-American | |
| 117 | Army | (1-11) | -0.5836 | Conference USA |
Average Ratings by Conference (2002)
| Rk | Conference | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Atlantic Coast | 0.3531 | |
| 2 | Big Ten | 0.3447 | |
| 3 | Pac 10 | 0.3374 | |
| 4 | Southeastern | 0.3300 | |
| 5 | Big Twelve | 0.3008 | |
| 6 | Big East | 0.2970 | |
| 7 | Mountain West | 0.1339 | |
| 8 | Independent | 0.1197 | |
| 9 | Conference USA | 0.0513 | |
| 10 | Western Athletic | 0.0309 | |
| 11 | Mid-American | 0.0252 | |
| 12 | Sun Belt | -0.0372 |