1990 Reward Ranking (before bowl games)
| Rank | Name | W | L | T | Reward | AP | UPI |
| 1 | Colorado | 10 | 1 | 1 | 7.6847 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | Texas | 10 | 1 | 0 | 7.5107 | 3 | 3 |
| 3 | GeorgiaTech | 10 | 0 | 1 | 7.3181 | 2 | 2 |
| 4 | NotreDame | 9 | 2 | 0 | 6.6851 | 5 | 6 |
| 5 | PennState | 9 | 2 | 0 | 6.4044 | 7 | 8 |
| 6 | Washington | 9 | 2 | 0 | 6.3536 | 8 | 7 |
| 7 | Miami(Florida) | 9 | 2 | 0 | 5.9081 | 4 | 4 |
| 8 | Houston | 10 | 1 | 0 | 5.6573 | 9 | Prob. |
| 9 | BrighamYoung | 10 | 2 | 0 | 5.5664 | 13 | 9 |
| 10 | Illinois | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5.3267 | 16 | 17 |
| 11 | FloridaState | 9 | 2 | 0 | 5.2443 | 6 | 5 |
| 12 | Clemson | 9 | 2 | 0 | 5.0467 | 14 | 11 |
| 13 | SouthernCalifornia | 8 | 3 | 1 | 5.0403 | 21 | 18 |
| 14 | Florida | 9 | 2 | 0 | 4.9339 | 11 | Prob. |
| 15 | Tennessee | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4.8215 | 10 | 10 |
| 16 | Iowa | 8 | 3 | 0 | 4.8194 | 17 | 15 |
| 17 | Michigan | 8 | 3 | 0 | 4.8136 | 12 | 12 |
| 18 | Oregon | 8 | 3 | 0 | 4.7785 | NR | NR |
| 19 | Nebraska | 9 | 2 | 0 | 4.6486 | 19 | 13 |
| 20 | Oklahoma | 8 | 3 | 0 | 4.4330 | 20 | Prob. |
| 21 | Virginia | 8 | 3 | 0 | 4.3030 | NR | NR |
| 22 | MichiganState | 7 | 3 | 1 | 4.1787 | 22 | 20T |
| 23 | SanJoseState | 8 | 2 | 1 | 4.1341 | NR | NR |
| 24 | OhioState | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3.8274 | 24 | 20T |
| 25 | Auburn | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3.7868 | NR | NR |
| 26 | Louisville | 9 | 1 | 1 | 3.7739 | 18 | 16 |
| 27 | Mississippi | 9 | 2 | 0 | 3.7289 | 15 | 14 |
| 28 | Arizona | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3.6769 | NR | NR |
| 29 | SouthernMississippi | 8 | 3 | 0 | 3.5044 | 23 | 24 |
| 30 | California | 6 | 4 | 1 | 3.3800 | ||
| 31 | Wyoming | 9 | 3 | 0 | 3.2267 | ||
| 32 | Alabama | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3.1872 | 25 | 22 |
| 33 | Stanford | 5 | 6 | 0 | 3.1354 | ||
| 34 | UCLA | 5 | 6 | 0 | 2.9739 | ||
| 35 | Maryland | 6 | 5 | 0 | 2.5390 | ||
| 36 | TexasA&M | 8 | 3 | 1 | 2.5309 | NR | 19 |
| 37 | Temple | 7 | 4 | 0 | 2.4397 | ||
| 38 | VirginiaTech | 6 | 5 | 0 | 2.1237 | ||
| 39 | Syracuse | 6 | 4 | 2 | 2.0913 | ||
| 40 | NorthCarolina | 6 | 4 | 1 | 2.0688 | ||
| 41 | Toledo | 9 | 2 | 0 | 1.9881 | ||
| 42 | Minnesota | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1.8880 | ||
| 43 | ColoradoState | 8 | 4 | 0 | 1.8845 | ||
| 44 | LouisianaTech | 8 | 3 | 0 | 1.8400 | ||
| 45 | Baylor | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1.7828 | ||
| 46 | FresnoState | 8 | 2 | 1 | 1.7692 | ||
| 47 | NorthCarolinaState | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1.7533 | ||
| 48 | CentralMichigan | 8 | 2 | 1 | 1.6276 | ||
| 49 | Indiana | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1.5604 | ||
| 50 | SanDiegoState | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1.4889 |