There have been only three seasons where a conference had three teams in the Top 5: 1990, 2001, and 2023. There have been five instances where the teams were #1 and #2 (shown in bold). This list also includes two seasons where there were multiple independent teams in the Top 5.
| Season | Conference | Preseason | Final |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | SEC | #1 Georgia #4 Alabama #5 LSU |
#4 #5 #12 |
| 2023 | Big Ten | #2 Michigan #3 Ohio State |
#1 #10 |
| 2022 | SEC | #1 Alabama #3 Georgia |
#5 #1 |
| 2021 | SEC | #1 Alabama #5 Georgia |
#2 #1 |
| 2020 | SEC | #3 Alabama #4 Georgia |
#1 #7 |
| 2019 | SEC | #2 Alabama #3 Georgia |
#8 #4 |
| 2018 | SEC | #1 Alabama #3 Georgia |
#2 #7 |
| 2018 | Big Ten | #4 Wisconsin #5 Ohio State |
NR #3 |
| 2017 | ACC | #3 Florida State #5 Clemson |
NR #4 |
| 2016 | SEC | #1 Alabama #5 LSU |
#2 #13 |
| 2016 | ACC | #2 Clemson #4 Florida State |
#1 #8 |
| 2015 | Big Ten | #1 Ohio State #5 Michigan State |
#4 #6 |
| 2015 | Big 12 | #2 TCU #4 Baylor |
#7 #13 |
| 2013 | SEC | #1 Alabama #5 Georgia |
#7 NR |
| 2013 | Pac-12 | #3 Oregon #4 Stanford |
#9 #11 |
| 2012 | Pac-12 | #1 USC #5 Oregon |
NR #2 |
| 2012 | SEC | #2 Alabama #3 LSU |
#1 #14 |
| 2011 | SEC | #2 Alabama #4 LSU |
#1 #2 |
| 2010 | SEC | #1 Alabama #4 Florida |
#10 NR |
| 2009 | SEC | #1 Florida #5 Alabama |
#3 #1 |
| 2009 | Big 12 | #2 Texas #3 Oklahoma |
#2 NR |
| 2008 | SEC | #1 Georgia #5 Florida |
#13 #1 |
| 2005 | SEC | #3 Tennessee #5 LSU |
NR #6 |
| 2004 | SEC | #3 Georgia #4 LSU |
#7 #16 |
| 2003 | Big 12 | #1 Oklahoma #5 Texas |
#3 #12 |
| 2003 | Big Ten | #2 Ohio State #4 Michigan |
#4 #6 |
| 2002 | Big 12 | #2 Oklahoma #4 Texas |
#5 #6 |
| 2001 | Big 12 | #3 Oklahoma #4 Nebraska #5 Texas |
#6 #8 #5 |
| 1999 | SEC | #2 Tennessee #5 Florida |
#9 #12 |
| 1998 | Big Ten | #1 Ohio State #5 Michigan |
#2 #12 |
| 1997 | SEC | #2 Florida #5 Tennessee |
#4 #7 |
| 1996 | Big 12 | #1 Nebraska #5 Colorado |
#6 #8 |
| 1996 | SEC | #2 Tennessee #4 Florida |
#9 #1 |
| 1990 | Ind | #1 Miami (FL) #2 Notre Dame #4 Florida State |
#3 #6 #4 |
| 1989 | Ind | #2 Notre Dame #4 Miami (FL) |
#2 #1 |
| 1988 | Big 8 | #2 Nebraska #3 Oklahoma |
#10 #14 |
| 1987 | Big 8 | #1 Oklahoma #2 Nebraska |
#3 #6 |
| 1985 | SEC | #2 Auburn #5 Florida |
NR #5 |
| 1983 | Big 8 | #1 Nebraska #2 Oklahoma |
#2 NR |
| 1977 | Big Ten | #2 Michigan #5 Ohio State |
#9 #11 |
| 1976 | Big 8 | #1 Nebraska #5 Oklahoma |
#9 #5 |
| 1976 | Big Ten | #2 Michigan #4 Ohio State |
#3 #6 |
| 1975 | Big Ten | #3 Michigan #4 Ohio State |
#8 #4 |
| 1973 | Big Ten | #2 Ohio State #5 Michigan |
#2 #6 |
| 1972 | Big 8 | #1 Nebraska #2 Colorado |
#4 #16 |
| 1970 | SWC | #2 Texas #4 Arkansas |
#3 #11 |
| 1969 | SWC | #2 Arkansas #4 Texas |
#7 #1 |
| 1964 | Big Ten | #3 Illinois #5 Ohio State |
NR #9 |
| 1963 | SEC | #2 Mississippi #3 Alabama |
#7 #8 |
| 1962 | Big Ten | #1 Ohio State #4 Michigan State |
NR NR |
| 1962 | SEC | #3 Alabama #5 LSU |
#5 #7 |
| 1961 | Big Ten | #1 Iowa #2 Ohio State |
NR #2 |
| 1961 | SEC | #3 Alabama #5 LSU |
#1 #4 |
| 1959 | SEC | #1 LSU #3 Auburn |
#3 NR |
| 1958 | Big Ten | #1 Ohio State #4 Michigan State |
#8 NR |
| 1957 | Big Ten | #3 Michigan State #4 Minnesota |
#3 NR |
| 1956 | Big Ten | #2 Michigan State #5 Ohio State |
#9 #15 |
| 1955 | Big Ten | #3 Michigan #4 Ohio State |
#12 #5 |
| 1953 | SEC | #3 Georgia Tech #5 Alabama |
#8 #13 |