In the end, Michigan football played just one ranked team, despite the four losses in 2020. The Wolverines went 2-4, but avoided the undefeated Buckeyes in the final regular-season matchup of the Big Ten schedule.
The final Amway Coaches Poll, powered by USA TODAY Sports, before bowl games take place is out, and but one of the teams that the maize and blue played finished in the top 25, that team being No. 8 Indiana. Ohio State finished at No. 3 after having taken down Northwestern on Saturday in Indianapolis.
If the College Football Playoff committee follows a similar line of thinking, then Alabama will face off against Notre Dame while Ohio State has yet another postseason matchup against Clemson.
Full rankings
| 1 | Alabama | 11-0 | 1525 | 61 | 1 | — | 1/3 |
| 2 | Clemson | 10-1 | 1456 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1/4 |
| 3 | Ohio State | 6-0 | 1379 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 2/10 |
| 4 | Notre Dame | 10-1 | 1317 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 2/10 |
| 5 | Texas A&M | 8-1 | 1297 | 0 | 5 | — | 5/20 |
| 6 | Cincinnati | 9-0 | 1204 | 0 | 6 | — | 6/22 |
| 7 | Oklahoma | 8-2 | 1104 | 0 | 10 | 3 | 3/NR |
| 8 | Indiana | 6-1 | 1056 | 0 | 7 | -1 | 7/NR |
| 9 | Georgia | 7-2 | 1021 | 0 | 9 | — | 3/11 |
| 10 | Florida | 8-3 | 981 | 0 | 11 | 1 | 3/11 |
| 11 | Coastal Carolina | 11-0 | 911 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 11/NR |
| 12 | Iowa State | 8-3 | 838 | 0 | 8 | -4 | 8/NR |
| 13 | Northwestern | 6-2 | 724 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 13/NR |
| 14 | North Carolina | 8-3 | 699 | 0 | 15 | 1 | 6/NR |
| 15 | Brigham Young | 10-1 | 657 | 0 | 16 | 1 | 8/23 |
| 16 | Iowa | 6-2 | 583 | 0 | 17 | 1 | 16/NR |
| 17 | UL Lafayette | 9-1 | 556 | 0 | 18 | 1 | 17/NR |
| 18 | Miami | 8-2 | 471 | 0 | 19 | 1 | 7/NR |
| 19 | Southern California | 5-1 | 388 | 0 | 13 | -6 | 13/NR |
| 20 | San Jose State | 7-0 | 360 | 0 | 25 | 5 | 20/NR |
| 21 | Oklahoma State | 7-3 | 211 | 0 | 22 | 1 | 6/NR |
| 22 | NC State | 8-3 | 207 | 0 | 23 | 1 | 22/NR |
| 23 | Liberty | 9-1 | 206 | 0 | 21 | -2 | 21/NR |
| 24 | Texas | 6-3 | 198 | 0 | 24 | — | 8/NR |
| 25 | Tulsa | 6-2 | 191 | 0 | 20 | -5 | 19/NR |
Others receiving votes
Oregon 115; Army 61; Auburn 27; Colorado 16; Ball State 13; Washington 11; Wisconsin 10; Southern Methodist 10; Buffalo 9; UAB 5; Boise State 4; Utah 2; Nevada 2.