1989 Reward Ranking (after bowl games)
| Rank | Name | W | L | T | Reward | AP | UPI |
| 1 | Miami(Florida) | 11 | 1 | 0 | 7.9281 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | NotreDame | 12 | 1 | 0 | 7.9123 | 2 | 3 |
| 3 | Tennessee | 11 | 1 | 0 | 7.3659 | 5 | 5 |
| 4 | Colorado | 11 | 1 | 0 | 7.3401 | 4 | 4 |
| 5 | Alabama | 10 | 2 | 0 | 6.4444 | 9 | 7 |
| 6 | Illinois | 10 | 2 | 0 | 6.4191 | 10 | 10 |
| 7 | FloridaState | 10 | 2 | 0 | 6.3542 | 3 | 2 |
| 8 | Michigan | 10 | 2 | 0 | 6.1733 | 7 | 8 |
| 9 | Auburn | 10 | 2 | 0 | 6.1011 | 6 | 6 |
| 10 | SouthernCalifornia | 9 | 2 | 1 | 6.0532 | 8 | 9 |
| 11 | Clemson | 10 | 2 | 0 | 6.0077 | 12 | 11 |
| 12 | Arkansas | 10 | 2 | 0 | 5.7372 | 13 | 13 |
| 13 | Houston | 9 | 2 | 0 | 5.2638 | 14 | Prob. |
| 14 | Virginia | 10 | 3 | 0 | 4.8336 | 18 | 15 |
| 15 | Nebraska | 10 | 2 | 0 | 4.7907 | 11 | 12 |
| 16 | TexasTech | 9 | 3 | 0 | 4.3831 | 19 | 16T |
| 17 | PennState | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4.2101 | 15 | 14 |
| 18 | FresnoState | 11 | 1 | 0 | 4.1298 | 28 | "21T" |
| 19 | Pittsburgh | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4.0062 | 17 | 19 |
| 20 | BrighamYoung | 10 | 3 | 0 | 3.7270 | 22 | 18 |
| 21 | Washington | 8 | 4 | 0 | 3.5551 | 23 | 20 |
| 22 | Duke | 8 | 4 | 0 | 3.5306 | 26 | NR |
| 23 | WestVirginia | 8 | 3 | 1 | 3.4461 | 21 | "21T" |
| 24 | TexasA&M | 8 | 4 | 0 | 3.3892 | 20 | "21T" |
| 25 | NorthernIllinois | 9 | 2 | 0 | 3.3755 | NR | NR |
| 26 | Arizona | 8 | 4 | 0 | 3.3513 | 25 | "21T" |
| 27 | MichiganState | 8 | 4 | 0 | 3.3436 | 16 | 16 |
| 28 | Mississippi | 8 | 4 | 0 | 3.0218 | 26 | NR |
| 29 | OhioState | 8 | 4 | 0 | 3.0127 | 24 | "21T" |
| 30 | GeorgiaTech | 7 | 4 | 0 | 2.9598 | 33 | NR |
| 31 | Oregon | 8 | 4 | 0 | 2.8684 | 30 | NR |
| 32 | Hawaii | 9 | 3 | 1 | 2.8208 | 31 | NR |
| 33 | SouthCarolina | 6 | 4 | 1 | 2.6568 | ||
| 34 | ArizonaState | 6 | 4 | 1 | 2.6025 | ||
| 35 | Syracuse | 8 | 4 | 0 | 2.5665 | ||
| 36 | VirginiaTech | 6 | 4 | 1 | 2.4637 | ||
| 37 | Oklahoma | 7 | 4 | 0 | 2.3629 | ||
| 38 | Texas | 5 | 6 | 0 | 2.1789 | ||
| 39 | WashingtonState | 6 | 5 | 0 | 2.0491 | ||
| 40 | NorthCarolinaState | 7 | 5 | 0 | 1.8779 | ||
| 41 | AirForce | 8 | 4 | 1 | 1.8625 | ||
| 42 | SouthernMississippi | 5 | 6 | 0 | 1.8128 | ||
| 43 | Florida | 7 | 5 | 0 | 1.8053 | ||
| 44 | Georgia | 6 | 6 | 0 | 1.6593 | ||
| 45 | Louisiana-Lafayette | 7 | 4 | 0 | 1.6174 | ||
| 46 | Baylor | 5 | 6 | 0 | 1.5769 | ||
| 47 | Kentucky | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1.5438 | ||
| 48 | ColoradoState | 5 | 5 | 1 | 1.4090 | ||
| 49 | Minnesota | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1.3524 | ||
| 50 | LouisianaTech | 5 | 4 | 1 | 1.2901 |