Aug. 2, 2012 — preseason poll
Rank
 Team (first-place votes)
Record
Points
Final 2011 rank
1.
LSU (18)
13-1
1,403
2
2.
Alabama (20)
12-1
1,399
1
3.
10-2
1,388
NR
4.
 Oklahoma
10-3
1,276
15
5.
 Oregon
12-2
1,258
4
6.
10-4
1,061
20
7.
 Florida State
9-4
1,055
23
8.
 Michigan
11-2
1,023
9
9.
11-2
981
8
10.
11-2
948
5
11.
10-3
833
18
12.
 Wisconsin
11-3
743
11
13.
11-3
717
10
14.
 Clemson
10-4
598
22
15.
 Texas
8-5
549
NR
16.
 Nebraska
9-4
501
24
17.
 TCU
11-2
499
13
18.
 Stanford
11-2
497
7
19.
 Oklahoma State
12-1
476
3
20.
 Virginia Tech
11-3
461
17
21.
 Kansas State
10-3
398
16
22.
 Boise State
12-1
271
6
23.
 Florida
7-6
250
NR
24.
 Notre Dame
8-5
166
NR
25.
 Auburn
8-5
66
NR
Others receiving votes (with 2011 records)
Washington (7-6) 64; Louisville (7-6) 46; Georgia Tech (8-5) 35; Cincinnati (10-3) 32; Texas A&M (7-6) 28; Baylor (10-3) 23; Utah (8-5) 22; Mississippi State (7-6) 21; South Florida (5-7) 12; N.C. State (8-5) 11; BYU (10-3) 10; Louisiana Tech (8-5) 10; Virginia (8-5) 9; Houston (13-1) 7; Southern Mississippi (12-2) 6; Central Florida (5-7) 5; Rutgers (9-4) 5; Florida International (8-5) 3; Missouri (8-5) 3; Tennessee (5-7) 3; Northern Illinois (11-3) 2; Texas Tech (5-7) 1.