There have been only two seasons where a conference had three teams in the Top 5: 1990 and 2001. 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 |
TBD
TBD
TBD |
>
| 2023 |
Big Ten |
#2 Michigan
#3 Ohio State |
TBD
TBD |
| 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 |
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