1985 Reward Ranking (after bowl games)
| Rank | Name | W | L | T | Reward | AP | UPI |
| 1 | Oklahoma | 11 | 1 | 0 | 7.5903 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | PennState | 11 | 1 | 0 | 7.5278 | 3 | 3 |
| 3 | Florida | 9 | 1 | 1 | 7.3400 | 5 | Prob. |
| 4 | Tennessee | 9 | 1 | 2 | 7.1298 | 4 | 4 |
| 5 | Miami(Florida) | 10 | 2 | 0 | 6.8200 | 9 | 8 |
| 6 | Michigan | 10 | 1 | 1 | 6.8192 | 2 | 2 |
| 7 | Iowa | 10 | 2 | 0 | 6.4258 | 10 | 9 |
| 8 | Alabama | 9 | 2 | 1 | 6.1988 | 13 | 14 |
| 9 | TexasA&M | 10 | 2 | 0 | 6.1321 | 6 | 7 |
| 10 | AirForce | 12 | 1 | 0 | 6.0354 | 8 | 5 |
| 11 | Arkansas | 10 | 2 | 0 | 5.5556 | 12 | 12 |
| 12 | UCLA | 9 | 2 | 1 | 5.2596 | 7 | 6 |
| 13 | Baylor | 9 | 3 | 0 | 5.0292 | 17 | 15 |
| 14 | GeorgiaTech | 9 | 2 | 1 | 4.8341 | 19 | 18 |
| 15 | OhioState | 9 | 3 | 0 | 4.7534 | 14 | 11 |
| 16 | LouisianaState | 9 | 2 | 1 | 4.6609 | 20 | 20 |
| 17 | FresnoState | 11 | 0 | 1 | 4.6098 | 21 | 16 |
| 18 | FloridaState | 9 | 3 | 0 | 4.5523 | 15 | 13 |
| 19 | BowlingGreenState | 11 | 1 | 0 | 4.5387 | NR | NR |
| 20 | Georgia | 7 | 3 | 2 | 4.4824 | 25T | "21T" |
| 21 | Nebraska | 9 | 3 | 0 | 4.3168 | 11 | 10 |
| 22 | Auburn | 8 | 4 | 0 | 4.3139 | 22 | "21T" |
| 23 | Maryland | 9 | 3 | 0 | 4.2882 | 18 | 19 |
| 24 | Texas | 8 | 4 | 0 | 3.7898 | NR | NR |
| 25 | BrighamYoung | 11 | 3 | 0 | 3.7263 | 16 | 17 |
| 26 | Arizona | 8 | 3 | 1 | 2.9866 | 27 | "21T" |
| 27 | Army | 9 | 3 | 0 | 2.8504 | 23 | "21T" |
| 28 | WestVirginia | 7 | 3 | 1 | 2.7530 | 28 | NR |
| 29 | OklahomaState | 8 | 4 | 0 | 2.6867 | 24 | "21T" |
| 30 | ArizonaState | 8 | 4 | 0 | 2.6426 | NR | "21T" |
| 31 | Miami(Ohio) | 8 | 2 | 1 | 2.5474 | ||
| 32 | NotreDame | 5 | 6 | 0 | 2.3998 | ||
| 33 | MichiganState | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2.3037 | ||
| 34 | Minnesota | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2.2680 | ||
| 35 | Illinois | 6 | 5 | 1 | 2.2645 | ||
| 36 | SouthernMethodist | 6 | 5 | 0 | 2.2410 | ||
| 37 | Purdue | 5 | 6 | 0 | 1.7977 | ||
| 38 | Colorado | 7 | 5 | 0 | 1.7845 | "21T" | |
| 39 | SouthernCalifornia | 6 | 6 | 0 | 1.7338 | ||
| 40 | Wisconsin | 5 | 6 | 0 | 1.4622 | "21T" | |
| 41 | Washington | 7 | 5 | 0 | 1.4386 | ||
| 42 | Kentucky | 5 | 6 | 0 | 1.3521 | ||
| 43 | Utah | 8 | 4 | 0 | 1.3032 | ||
| 44 | MississippiState | 5 | 6 | 0 | 1.2836 | ||
| 45 | Syracuse | 7 | 5 | 0 | 1.0910 | ||
| 46 | Virginia | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1.0790 | ||
| 47 | Clemson | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0.9807 | ||
| 48 | Pittsburgh | 5 | 5 | 1 | 0.9725 | ||
| 49 | SouthernMississippi | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0.8919 | ||
| 50 | Mississippi | 4 | 6 | 1 |