1990 Reward Ranking (after bowl games)
| Rank | Name | W | L | T | Reward | AP | UPI |
| 1 | GeorgiaTech | 11 | 0 | 1 | 7.6067 | 1 | 2 |
| 2 | Colorado | 11 | 1 | 1 | 7.5668 | 2 | 1 |
| 3 | Miami(Florida) | 10 | 2 | 0 | 6.4324 | 3 | 3 |
| 4 | Texas | 10 | 2 | 0 | 6.3358 | 12 | 11 |
| 5 | FloridaState | 10 | 2 | 0 | 5.8837 | 4 | 4 |
| 6 | Washington | 10 | 2 | 0 | 5.8817 | 5 | 5 |
| 7 | NotreDame | 9 | 3 | 0 | 5.6647 | 6 | 6 |
| 8 | Houston | 10 | 1 | 0 | 5.6615 | 10 | Prob. |
| 9 | Clemson | 10 | 2 | 0 | 5.3859 | 9 | 9 |
| 10 | PennState | 9 | 3 | 0 | 5.0814 | 11 | 10 |
| 11 | Florida | 9 | 2 | 0 | 4.9716 | 13 | Prob. |
| 12 | Tennessee | 9 | 2 | 2 | 4.8955 | 8 | 7 |
| 13 | Michigan | 9 | 3 | 0 | 4.4526 | 7 | 8 |
| 14 | BrighamYoung | 10 | 3 | 0 | 4.4322 | 22 | 17T |
| 15 | Louisville | 10 | 1 | 1 | 4.4285 | 14 | 12 |
| 16 | MichiganState | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4.3458 | 16 | 14 |
| 17 | Oklahoma | 8 | 3 | 0 | 4.1623 | 17 | Prob. |
| 18 | Illinois | 8 | 4 | 0 | 4.1285 | 25 | 24 |
| 19 | SanJoseState | 9 | 2 | 1 | 4.0209 | 26 | 20 |
| 20 | Auburn | 8 | 3 | 1 | 3.8845 | 19 | 19 |
| 21 | Nebraska | 9 | 3 | 0 | 3.8482 | 24 | 17T |
| 22 | Iowa | 8 | 4 | 0 | 3.7710 | 18 | 16 |
| 23 | Virginia | 8 | 4 | 0 | 3.5519 | 23 | 15 |
| 24 | SouthernCalifornia | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3.5155 | 20 | 22 |
| 25 | TexasA&M | 9 | 3 | 1 | 3.3327 | 15 | 13 |
| 26 | Oregon | 8 | 4 | 0 | 3.2844 | 35T | NR |
| 27 | Mississippi | 9 | 3 | 0 | 3.0655 | 21 | 23 |
| 28 | California | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2.9479 | 30 | NR |
| 29 | Stanford | 5 | 6 | 0 | 2.7325 | NR | NR |
| 30 | UCLA | 5 | 6 | 0 | 2.5981 | 35T | NR |
| 31 | SouthernMississippi | 8 | 4 | 0 | 2.5200 | 29 | NR |
| 32 | Maryland | 6 | 5 | 1 | 2.5046 | NR | NR |
| 33 | OhioState | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2.4218 | 33T | "26T" |
| 34 | Temple | 7 | 4 | 0 | 2.3946 | ||
| 35 | Wyoming | 9 | 4 | 0 | 2.3300 | ||
| 36 | Syracuse | 7 | 4 | 2 | 2.3236 | ||
| 37 | ColoradoState | 9 | 4 | 0 | 2.2138 | ||
| 38 | Alabama | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2.1335 | ||
| 39 | NorthCarolina | 6 | 4 | 1 | 2.1230 | ||
| 40 | VirginiaTech | 6 | 5 | 0 | 2.1069 | ||
| 41 | Arizona | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2.0534 | ||
| 42 | NorthCarolinaState | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2.0424 | ||
| 43 | Toledo | 9 | 2 | 0 | 1.9244 | ||
| 44 | FresnoState | 8 | 2 | 1 | 1.7394 | ||
| 45 | LouisianaTech | 8 | 3 | 1 | 1.6926 | ||
| 46 | Baylor | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1.6208 | ||
| 47 | Minnesota | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1.5940 | ||
| 48 | SouthCarolina | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1.5406 | ||
| 49 | AirForce | 7 | 5 | 0 | 1.4000 | ||
| 50 | SanDiegoState | 6 | 5 | 0 |