1978 Reward Ranking (before bowl games)
| Rank | Name | W | L | T | Reward | AP | UPI |
| 1 | SouthernCalifornia | 11 | 1 | 0 | 5.8704 | 3 | 3 |
| 2 | PennState | 11 | 0 | 0 | 5.8004 | 1 | 1 |
| 3 | Alabama | 10 | 1 | 0 | 5.5989 | 2 | 2 |
| 4 | Oklahoma | 10 | 1 | 0 | 5.2527 | 4 | 4 |
| 5 | Michigan | 10 | 1 | 0 | 5.0000 | 5 | 5 |
| 6 | Clemson | 10 | 1 | 0 | 4.6078 | 7 | 8 |
| 7 | Nebraska | 9 | 2 | 0 | 4.3918 | 6 | 6 |
| 8 | Georgia | 9 | 1 | 1 | 4.2508 | 11 | 7 |
| 9 | Houston | 9 | 2 | 0 | 3.9525 | 9 | 11 |
| 10 | Arkansas | 9 | 2 | 0 | 3.8483 | 8 | 10 |
| 11 | Maryland | 9 | 2 | 0 | 3.3480 | 13 | 12 |
| 12 | Purdue | 8 | 2 | 1 | 3.1469 | 17 | 17 |
| 13 | Texas | 8 | 3 | 0 | 3.0975 | 14 | 14 |
| 14 | NotreDame | 8 | 3 | 0 | 3.0905 | 10 | 9 |
| 15 | MichiganState | 8 | 3 | 0 | 2.8848 | 12 | Prob. |
| 16 | ArizonaState | 8 | 3 | 0 | 2.7799 | NR | NR |
| 17 | NorthTexas | 9 | 2 | 0 | 2.5614 | NR | NR |
| 18 | Pittsburgh | 8 | 3 | 0 | 2.3816 | 16 | 13 |
| 19 | UCLA | 8 | 3 | 0 | 2.2612 | 15 | 16 |
| 20 | BallState | 10 | 1 | 0 | 2.2592 | NR | NR |
| 21 | IowaState | 8 | 3 | 0 | 2.2126 | 19 | NR |
| 22 | LouisianaState | 8 | 3 | 0 | 2.1131 | NR | 18 |
| 23 | TexasTech | 7 | 4 | 0 | 2.0983 | ||
| 24 | Tulsa | 9 | 2 | 0 | 2.0952 | ||
| 25 | Missouri | 7 | 4 | 0 | 2.0634 | 18 | 15 |
| 26 | NorthCarolinaState | 8 | 3 | 0 | 2.0226 | ||
| 27 | FloridaState | 8 | 3 | 0 | 2.0035 | ||
| 28 | Stanford | 7 | 4 | 0 | 1.7738 | NR | 20 |
| 29 | Rutgers | 9 | 2 | 0 | 1.7634 | ||
| 30 | Washington | 7 | 4 | 0 | 1.7511 | ||
| 31 | OhioState | 7 | 3 | 1 | 1.6773 | 20 | NR |
| 32 | Navy | 8 | 3 | 0 | 1.6760 | ||
| 33 | TexasA&M | 7 | 4 | 0 | 1.5529 | ||
| 34 | Utah | 8 | 3 | 0 | 1.2643 | ||
| 35 | California | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1.2118 | ||
| 36 | BrighamYoung | 9 | 3 | 0 | 1.1085 | ||
| 37 | SouthernMethodist | 4 | 6 | 1 | 1.1001 | ||
| 38 | GeorgiaTech | 7 | 4 | 0 | 1.0997 | NR | 19 |
| 39 | Auburn | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1.0822 | ||
| 40 | MississippiState | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1.0541 | ||
| 41 | Colorado | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.9814 | ||
| 42 | Florida | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0.8991 | ||
| 43 | Tennessee | 5 | 5 | 1 | 0.8857 | ||
| 44 | SouthCarolina | 5 | 5 | 1 | 0.8654 | ||
| 45 | Miami(Ohio) | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0.8451 | ||
| 46 | CentralMichigan | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0.8378 | ||
| 47 | Miami(Florida) | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0.6335 | ||
| 48 | Mississippi | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.6331 | ||
| 49 | Arizona | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0.6254 | ||
| 50 | Kentucky | 4 | 6 | 1 | 0.5976 |