2005 Reward Ranking (before bowl games)
| Rank | Name | W | L | Reward | AP | ESPN/USA Today |
| 1 | Texas | 12 | 0 | 8.3806 | 2 | 2 |
| 2 | SouthernCalifornia | 12 | 0 | 7.8616 | 1 | 1 |
| 3 | PennState | 10 | 1 | 7.5205 | 3 | 3 |
| 4 | OhioState | 9 | 2 | 6.2316 | 4 | 4 |
| 5 | VirginiaTech | 10 | 2 | 5.8017 | 12 | 12 |
| 6 | WestVirginia | 10 | 1 | 5.7145 | 11 | 11 |
| 7 | Miami(Florida) | 9 | 2 | 5.7073 | 9 | 9 |
| 8 | Auburn | 9 | 2 | 5.5653 | 7 | 7 |
| 9 | Georgia | 10 | 2 | 5.4390 | 8 | 8 |
| 10 | LouisianaState | 10 | 2 | 5.3969 | 10 | 10 |
| 11 | Oregon | 10 | 1 | 5.2598 | 6 | 5 |
| 12 | NotreDame | 9 | 2 | 5.1487 | 5 | 6 |
| 13 | TexasChristian | 10 | 1 | 5.0299 | 14 | 14 |
| 14 | Alabama | 9 | 2 | 5.0098 | 13 | 13 |
| 15 | TexasTech | 9 | 2 | 4.9210 | 18 | 15 |
| 16 | Wisconsin | 9 | 3 | 4.7280 | 21 | 20 |
| 17 | UCLA | 9 | 2 | 4.7186 | 17 | 17 |
| 18 | Michigan | 7 | 4 | 4.4194 | 20 | 21 |
| 19 | Florida | 8 | 3 | 4.3081 | 16 | 18 |
| 20 | Louisville | 9 | 2 | 3.9632 | 15 | 16 |
| 21 | BostonCollege | 8 | 3 | 3.7928 | 19 | 19 |
| 22 | Northwestern | 7 | 4 | 3.7284 | 32 | 28 |
| 23 | Minnesota | 7 | 4 | 3.6719 | 34T | NR |
| 24 | GeorgiaTech | 7 | 4 | 3.6330 | 24 | 24 |
| 25 | FloridaState | 8 | 4 | 3.5862 | 22 | 22 |
| 26 | Iowa | 7 | 4 | 3.5280 | ||
| 27 | Oklahoma | 7 | 4 | 2.9856 | 26 | 26 |
| 28 | SouthCarolina | 7 | 4 | 2.9518 | ||
| 29 | Clemson | 7 | 4 | 2.9336 | ||
| 30 | Nebraska | 7 | 4 | 2.4412 | ||
| 31 | IowaState | 7 | 4 | 2.3260 | ||
| 32 | NorthCarolina | 5 | 6 | 2.0591 | ||
| 33 | Colorado | 7 | 5 | 1.9907 | ||
| 34 | MichiganState | 5 | 6 | 1.9673 | ||
| 35 | Virginia | 6 | 5 | 1.9671 | ||
| 36 | BoiseState | 9 | 3 | 1.9618 | ||
| 37 | ArizonaState | 6 | 5 | 1.9038 | ||
| 38 | NorthCarolinaState | 6 | 5 | 1.8830 | ||
| 39 | California | 7 | 4 | 1.8350 | ||
| 40 | Kansas | 6 | 5 | 1.6974 | ||
| 41 | SouthFlorida | 6 | 5 | 1.5842 | ||
| 42 | Toledo | 8 | 3 | 1.5639 | ||
| 43 | Nevada | 8 | 3 | 1.5456 | ||
| 44 | FresnoState | 8 | 4 | 1.5413 | ||
| 45 | Maryland | 5 | 6 | 1.5107 | ||
| 46 | Purdue | 5 | 6 | 1.5097 | ||
| 47 | TexasEl-Paso | 8 | 3 | 1.5018 | ||
| 48 | Tennessee | 5 | 6 | 1.4274 | ||
| 49 | Tulsa | 8 | 4 | 1.3629 | ||
| 50 | Rutgers | 7 | 4 | 1.2273 | ||
| 51 | Missouri | 6 | 5 | 1.2224 | ||
| 52 | TexasA&M | 5 | 6 | 0.9129 | ||
| 53 | CentralFlorida | 8 | 4 | 0.8510 | ||
| 54 | Baylor | 5 | 6 | 0.8409 | ||
| 55 | Miami(Ohio) | 7 | 4 | 0.8396 | ||
| 56 | KansasState | 5 | 6 | 0.8371 | ||
| 57 | Stanford | 5 |