The Associated Press voters prefer Alabama over Ohio State.
In the final Top 25 of the regular season, the Crimson Tide was No. 4 and the Buckeyes were No. 5. The poll was released about an hour before the College Football Playoff pairings were being revealed. Which team gets the final spot in the final four caused a debate between the Crimson Tide and Buckeyes. In the AP media poll, Alabama received 1,307 points to Ohio State’s 1,300.
Clemson finished the regular season No. 1, followed by Oklahoma and Georgia.
Wisconsin was No. 6, followed by Auburn, Southern California, Penn State and UCF. The 10th-ranked Knights are the last unbeaten team in the Football Bowl Subdivision and matched their best ranking ever. UCF finished the 2013 season 10th.
Boise State moved into the rankings at No. 25.
College Football Top 25
| Team | Record | Points | Pvs |
| 1. Clemson (43) | 12-1 | 1,506 | 1 |
| 2. Oklahoma (18) | 12-1 | 1,474 | 2 |
| 3. Georgia | 12-1 | 1,409 | 6 |
| 4. Alabama | 11-1 | 1,307 | 5 |
| 5. Ohio State | 11-2 | 1,300 | 8 |
| 6. Wisconsin | 12-1 | 1,162 | 3 |
| 7. Auburn | 10-3 | 1,123 | 4 |
| 8. USC | 11-2 | 1,101 | 11 |
| 9. Penn State | 10-2 | 1,008 | 9 |
| 10. UCF | 12-0 | 983 | 12 |
| 11. Miami (Fla.) | 10-2 | 948 | 7 |
| 12. Washington | 10-2 | 820 | 13 |
| 13. TCU | 10-3 | 816 | 10 |
| 14. Notre Dame | 9-3 | 632 | 15 |
| 15. Stanford | 9-4 | 629 | 14 |
| 16. LSU | 9-3 | 599 | 17 |
| 17. Oklahoma State | 9-3 | 549 | 18 |
| 18. Michigan State | 9-3 | 487 | 19 |
| 19. Memphis | 10-2 | 475 | 16 |
| 20. Northwestern | 9-3 | 398 | 20 |
| 21. | 9-3 | 342 | 21 |
| 22. Virginia Tech | 9-3 | 323 | 22 |
| 23. South Florida | 9-2 | 115 | 23 |
| 24. Mississippi State | 8-4 | 103 | 24 |
| 25. Boise State | 10-3 | 59 | – |
| Dropped from poll: Fresno State (25). | |||
| Others receiving votes: NC State 54, San Diego St. 40, Toledo 25, Louisville 11, FAU 8, Michigan 8, Fresno St. 6, Missouri 3, Troy 1, Kansas St. 1. | |||
