This ranking is comprised of the top 25 college football programs based on an average of their teams' final ratings from 1980-1989.
| Rk | Team | W | L | T | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miami (Florida) | 99 | 20 | 0 | 0.7645 |
| 2 | Nebraska | 103 | 20 | 0 | 0.7422 |
| 3 | Penn State | 89 | 28 | 2 | 0.7282 |
| 4 | Michigan | 90 | 29 | 2 | 0.7129 |
| 5 | Georgia | 89 | 27 | 4 | 0.7084 |
| 6 | Alabama | 85 | 33 | 2 | 0.7067 |
| 7 | Florida State | 87 | 29 | 3 | 0.7057 |
| 8 | UCLA | 82 | 30 | 6 | 0.7049 |
| 9 | Auburn | 86 | 31 | 2 | 0.6999 |
| 10 | Oklahoma | 91 | 26 | 2 | 0.6933 |
| 11 | Clemson | 87 | 25 | 4 | 0.6848 |
| 12 | Southern California | 78 | 36 | 3 | 0.6798 |
| 13 | Notre Dame | 76 | 39 | 2 | 0.6642 |
| 14 | Washington | 84 | 33 | 2 | 0.6632 |
| 15 | Florida | 76 | 38 | 3 | 0.6623 |
| 16 | Brigham Young | 102 | 27 | 0 | 0.6521 |
| 17 | Ohio State | 82 | 35 | 2 | 0.6407 |
| 18 | Arkansas | 85 | 33 | 2 | 0.6354 |
| 19 | Pittsburgh | 74 | 37 | 5 | 0.6228 |
| 20 | Tennessee | 77 | 37 | 5 | 0.6223 |
| 21 | Arizona State | 74 | 36 | 4 | 0.6115 |
| 22 | Louisiana State | 70 | 41 | 5 | 0.6077 |
| 23 | West Virginia | 77 | 39 | 2 | 0.6029 |
| 24 | Southern Methodist | 63 | 28 | 1 | 0.5907 |
| 25 | Texas | 73 | 42 | 2 | 0.5892 |
Minimum for inclusion: Participation in 6 ranked seasons