1985 Reward Ranking (before bowl games)
| Rank | Name | W | L | T | Reward | AP | UPI |
| 1 | PennState | 11 | 0 | 0 | 8.3808 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | Miami(Florida) | 10 | 1 | 0 | 7.5654 | 2 | 4 |
| 3 | Iowa | 10 | 1 | 0 | 7.5645 | 4 | 3 |
| 4 | Florida | 9 | 1 | 1 | 7.3607 | 6 | Prob. |
| 5 | Michigan | 9 | 1 | 1 | 6.8054 | 5 | 5 |
| 6 | Oklahoma | 10 | 1 | 0 | 6.7829 | 3 | 2 |
| 7 | Tennessee | 8 | 1 | 2 | 6.6391 | 8 | 8 |
| 8 | Alabama | 8 | 2 | 1 | 6.0628 | 15 | 14 |
| 9 | BowlingGreenState | 11 | 0 | 0 | 5.6936 | 20T | NR |
| 10 | LouisianaState | 9 | 1 | 1 | 5.5597 | 12 | 10 |
| 11 | TexasA&M | 9 | 2 | 0 | 5.4419 | 11 | 11 |
| 12 | AirForce | 11 | 1 | 0 | 5.4356 | 10 | 7 |
| 13 | Nebraska | 9 | 2 | 0 | 5.2583 | 7 | 6 |
| 14 | Auburn | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5.1184 | 16 | 15 |
| 15 | Arkansas | 9 | 2 | 0 | 4.9649 | 14 | 12 |
| 16 | OhioState | 8 | 3 | 0 | 4.9037 | 17 | NR |
| 17 | Georgia | 7 | 3 | 1 | 4.8087 | NR | NR |
| 18 | GeorgiaTech | 8 | 2 | 1 | 4.5553 | NR | NR |
| 19 | Maryland | 8 | 3 | 0 | 4.3865 | 20T | NR |
| 20 | FloridaState | 8 | 3 | 0 | 4.3859 | 18 | 16 |
| 21 | UCLA | 8 | 2 | 1 | 4.3400 | 13 | 13 |
| 22 | Baylor | 8 | 3 | 0 | 4.2770 | NR | NR |
| 23 | BrighamYoung | 11 | 2 | 0 | 4.2637 | 9 | 9 |
| 24 | Texas | 8 | 3 | 0 | 4.2494 | NR | NR |
| 25 | OklahomaState | 8 | 3 | 0 | 3.6226 | 19 | 19 |
| 26 | MichiganState | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3.3387 | ||
| 27 | ArizonaState | 8 | 3 | 0 | 3.2135 | ||
| 28 | Arizona | 8 | 3 | 0 | 3.1846 | NR | 20 |
| 29 | Illinois | 6 | 4 | 1 | 3.1767 | ||
| 30 | WestVirginia | 7 | 3 | 1 | 2.9514 | ||
| 31 | Miami(Ohio) | 8 | 2 | 1 | 2.8508 | ||
| 32 | Colorado | 7 | 4 | 0 | 2.7115 | ||
| 33 | FresnoState | 10 | 0 | 1 | 2.7031 | NR | 18 |
| 34 | NotreDame | 5 | 6 | 0 | 2.5501 | ||
| 35 | Minnesota | 6 | 5 | 0 | 2.3034 | ||
| 36 | Purdue | 5 | 6 | 0 | 2.0514 | ||
| 37 | Army | 8 | 3 | 0 | 2.0275 | ||
| 38 | Syracuse | 7 | 4 | 0 | 1.9536 | ||
| 39 | SouthernMethodist | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1.9382 | ||
| 40 | Wisconsin | 5 | 6 | 0 | 1.6588 | ||
| 41 | Kentucky | 5 | 6 | 0 | 1.5367 | ||
| 42 | SouthernCalifornia | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1.5194 | ||
| 43 | MississippiState | 5 | 6 | 0 | 1.4536 | ||
| 44 | Utah | 8 | 4 | 0 | 1.2127 | ||
| 45 | Clemson | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1.1531 | ||
| 46 | Pittsburgh | 5 | 5 | 1 | 1.1373 | ||
| 47 | Washington | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1.1317 | ||
| 48 | Virginia | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1.0879 | ||
| 49 | CentralMichigan | 7 | 3 | 0 | 1.0578 | ||
| 50 | SouthernMississippi | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0.9908 |