1986 NCAA Division I-A football rankings
| 1986 NCAA Division I-A football rankings | |
|---|---|
| Season | 1986 |
| Bowl season | 1986–87 bowl games |
| Preseason No. 1 | |
| End of season champions | Penn State |
Final AP poll
| Ranking | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 | Penn State |
| 2 | Miami (FL) |
| 3 | Oklahoma |
| 4 | Arizona State |
| 5 | Nebraska |
| 6 | Auburn |
| 7 | Ohio State |
| 8 | Michigan |
| 9 | Alabama |
| 10 | LSU |
| 11 | Arizona |
| 12 | Baylor |
| 13 | Texas A&M |
| 14 | UCLA |
| 15 | Arkansas |
| 16 | Iowa |
| 17 | Clemson |
| 18 | Washington |
| 19 | Boston College |
| 20 | Virginia Tech |
Final Coaches' poll
| Ranking | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 | Penn State |
| 2 | Miami (FL) |
| 3 | Oklahoma |
| 4 | Nebraska |
| 5 | Arizona State |
| 6 | Ohio State |
| 7 | Michigan |
| 8 | Auburn |
| 9 | Alabama |
| 10 | Arizona |
| 11 | LSU |
| 12 | Texas A&M |
| 13 | Baylor |
| 14 | UCLA |
| 15 | Iowa |
| 16 | Arkansas |
| 17 | Washington |
| 18 | Boston College |
| 19 | Clemson |
| 20 | Florida State |