1989 Reward Ranking (before bowl games)
| Rank | Name | W | L | T | Reward | AP | UPI |
| 1 | Colorado | 11 | 0 | 0 | 8.3124 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | NotreDame | 11 | 1 | 0 | 7.9581 | 4 | 4 |
| 3 | Alabama | 10 | 1 | 0 | 7.4875 | 7 | 7 |
| 4 | Miami(Florida) | 10 | 1 | 0 | 7.4355 | 2 | 2 |
| 5 | Tennessee | 10 | 1 | 0 | 7.3548 | 8 | 8 |
| 6 | Michigan | 10 | 1 | 0 | 7.1072 | 3 | 3 |
| 7 | Arkansas | 10 | 1 | 0 | 6.9431 | 10 | 9 |
| 8 | FloridaState | 9 | 2 | 0 | 6.3344 | 5 | 5 |
| 9 | Auburn | 9 | 2 | 0 | 6.3328 | 9 | 10 |
| 10 | Illinois | 9 | 2 | 0 | 6.2349 | 11 | 11 |
| 11 | Clemson | 9 | 2 | 0 | 6.2305 | 14 | 13 |
| 12 | Virginia | 10 | 2 | 0 | 5.8827 | 15 | 14 |
| 13 | Nebraska | 10 | 1 | 0 | 5.7887 | 6 | 6 |
| 14 | SouthernCalifornia | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5.5407 | 12 | 12 |
| 15 | Houston | 9 | 2 | 0 | 5.5349 | 13 | Prob. |
| 16 | BrighamYoung | 10 | 2 | 0 | 4.8440 | 19 | 16 |
| 17 | Duke | 8 | 3 | 0 | 4.7872 | 20 | NR |
| 18 | TexasA&M | 8 | 3 | 0 | 4.6863 | 16 | 15 |
| 19 | TexasTech | 8 | 3 | 0 | 4.6569 | 25 | NR |
| 20 | WestVirginia | 8 | 2 | 1 | 4.3771 | 17 | 17 |
| 21 | PennState | 7 | 3 | 1 | 4.2625 | 18 | 18 |
| 22 | FresnoState | 10 | 1 | 0 | 4.1933 | NR | NR |
| 23 | Hawaii | 9 | 2 | 1 | 4.0770 | 23 | 19 |
| 24 | OhioState | 8 | 3 | 0 | 3.8422 | 21 | NR |
| 25 | Washington | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3.7775 | ||
| 26 | NorthernIllinois | 9 | 2 | 0 | 3.6026 | ||
| 27 | Arizona | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3.3447 | ||
| 28 | GeorgiaTech | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3.3284 | ||
| 29 | Pittsburgh | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3.2808 | 24 | NR |
| 30 | Mississippi | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3.2676 | ||
| 31 | MichiganState | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3.2078 | 22 | NR |
| 32 | NorthCarolinaState | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3.0969 | ||
| 33 | SouthCarolina | 6 | 4 | 1 | 3.0423 | ||
| 34 | AirForce | 8 | 3 | 1 | 3.0037 | ||
| 35 | Oregon | 7 | 4 | 0 | 2.9044 | ||
| 36 | Florida | 7 | 4 | 0 | 2.8113 | ||
| 37 | VirginiaTech | 6 | 4 | 1 | 2.7557 | ||
| 38 | Oklahoma | 7 | 4 | 0 | 2.6780 | ||
| 39 | ArizonaState | 6 | 4 | 1 | 2.6370 | ||
| 40 | Texas | 5 | 6 | 0 | 2.5540 | ||
| 41 | Syracuse | 7 | 4 | 0 | 2.2569 | ||
| 42 | Georgia | 6 | 5 | 0 | 2.1978 | ||
| 43 | WashingtonState | 6 | 5 | 0 | 2.1618 | ||
| 44 | SouthernMississippi | 5 | 6 | 0 | 2.0279 | ||
| 45 | Baylor | 5 | 6 | 0 | 1.8891 | ||
| 46 | Louisiana-Lafayette | 7 | 4 | 0 | 1.8819 | ||
| 47 | ColoradoState | 5 | 5 | 1 | 1.8063 | ||
| 48 | Kentucky | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1.8027 | ||
| 49 | Minnesota | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1.5529 | ||
| 50 | LouisianaTech | 5 | 4 | 1 | 1.5114 |