| The Top 25 teams in The Associated Press preseason college football poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, 2004 records, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote, and final ranking: |
| Pos | Team | Record | Points | Previous |
| 1. | Southern Cal (60) | 13-0 | 1,619 | 1 |
| 2. | Texas (4) | 11-1 | 1,500 | 5 |
| 3. | Tennessee | 10-3 | 1,376 | 13 |
| 4. | Michigan | 9-3 | 1,329 | 14 |
| 5. | LSU | 9-3 | 1,291 | 16 |
| 6. | Ohio St. | 8-4 | 1,205 | 20 |
| 7. | Oklahoma | 12-1 | 1,204 | 3 |
| 8. | Virginia Tech | 10-3 | 1,184 | 10 |
| 9. | Miami | 9-3 | 1,142 | 11 |
| 10. | Florida | 7-5 | 1,080 | -- |
| 11. | Iowa | 10-2 | 1,011 | 8 |
| 12. | Louisville (1) | 11-1 | 892 | 6 |
| 13. | Georgia | 10-2 | 869 | 7 |
| 14. | Florida St. | 9-3 | 764 | 15 |
| 15. | Purdue | 7-5 | 711 | -- |
| 16. | Auburn | 13-0 | 650 | 2 |
| 17. | Texas A&M | 7-5 | 576 | -- |
| 18. | Boise St. | 11-1 | 375 | 12 |
| 19. | California | 10-2 | 358 | 9 |
| 20. | Arizona St. | 9-3 | 313 | 19 |
| 21. | Texas Tech | 8-4 | 256 | 18 |
| 22. | Boston College | 9-3 | 232 | 21 |
| 23. | Pittsburgh | 8-4 | 211 | 25 |
| 24. | Fresno St. | 9-3 | 196 | 22 |
| 25. | Virginia | 8-4 | 153 | 23 |
Others receiving votes: Alabama 121, Oregon 97, Utah 77, Georgia Tech 62, Bowling Green 57, N.C. State 57, Colorado 38, UCLA 19, Iowa St. 18, Minnesota 18, Miami (Ohio) 15, Penn St. 11, UTEP 10, Oregon St. 8, Wisconsin 5, Clemson 3, Memphis 3, Nebraska 3, Colorado St. 1, Notre Dame 1, Southern Miss. 1, Toledo 1, West Virginia 1, Wyoming 1.
# posted by Flyin' Illini 71! : 2:31:00 PM
