1998 Week 13 College Football Team Rankings
1998 rankings calculated with the Classic formula (Ken's 2016-based hybrid, applied retroactively); records, NOW and game results come from James Howell's historical college football score archive.
| Rank | Change | Rating | Team | Conf | Record | Win % | Place | NOW | Game Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0.779 |  Tennessee (TENNESSEE) |  SEC | 10–0 | 1.000 | 1 | +57 | Beat Kentucky 59–21 |
| 2 | 0 | 0.788 |  Florida State (FLORIDA STATE) |  ACC | 11–1 | 0.917 | 5 | +64 | Beat Florida 23–12 |
| 3 | 0 | 0.844 |  UCLA |  PAC | 10–0 | 1.000 | 1 | +57 | Beat USC 34–17 |
| 4 | 0 | 0.877 |  Kansas State (KANSAS STATE) |  B12 | 11–0 | 1.000 | 1 | +50 | Beat Missouri 31–25 |
| 5 | 0 | 1.021 |  Ohio State (OHIO STATE) |  B10 | 10–1 | 0.909 | 6 | +49 | Beat Michigan 31–16 |
| 6 | 0 | 1.099 |  Texas A&M (TEXAS A & M) | B12 | 10–1 | 0.909 | 6 | +53 | BYE |
| 7 | 0 | 1.205 |  Arizona (ARIZONA) | PAC | 10–1 | 0.909 | 6 | +45 | BYE |
| 8 | 2 | 1.253 |  Wisconsin (WISCONSIN) | B10 | 10–1 | 0.909 | 6 | +42 | Beat Penn State 24–3 |
| 9 | 0 | 1.308 |  Tulane (TULANE) |  USA | 10–0 | 1.000 | 1 | +38 | Beat Houston 48–20 |
| 10 | 3 | 1.427 |  Air Force (AIR FORCE) | IND WAC | 10–1 | 0.909 | 6 | +36 | Beat Rice 22–16 |
| 11 | -3 | 1.464 |  Florida (FLORIDA) | SEC | 9–2 | 0.818 | 14 | +36 | Lost to Florida State 12–23 |
| 12 | 2 | 1.485 |  Nebraska (NEBRASKA) | B12 | 8–3 | 0.727 | 23 | +36 | BYE |
| 13 | 4 | 1.577 |  Miami (OH) (MIAMI (OH)) |  MAC | 10–1 | 0.909 | 6 | +32 | Beat Akron 20–14 |
| 14 | 2 | 1.602 |  Notre Dame (NOTRE DAME) | IND FBSI | 9–1 | 0.900 | 13 | +34 | Beat LSU 39–36 |
| 15 | 11 | 1.638 |  Virginia Tech (VIRGINIA TECH) | IND BE | 8–2 | 0.800 | 16 | +26 | Beat Rutgers 47–7 |
| 16 | 5 | 1.649 |  Georgia Tech (GEORGIA TECH) | ACC | 8–2 | 0.800 | 16 | +28 | Beat Wake Forest 63–35 |
| 17 | 2 | 1.673 |  Virginia (VIRGINIA) | ACC | 8–2 | 0.800 | 16 | +29 | BYE |
| 18 | -3 | 1.685 |  Michigan (MICHIGAN) | B10 | 8–3 | 0.727 | 23 | +36 | Lost to Ohio State 16–31 |
| 19 | -7 | 1.698 |  Arkansas (ARKANSAS) | SEC | 8–2 | 0.800 | 16 | +30 | Lost to Mississippi State 21–22 |
| 20 | 3 | 1.750 |  Georgia (GEORGIA) | SEC | 8–2 | 0.800 | 16 | +29 | Beat Ole Miss 24–17 |
| 21 | -10 | 1.758 |  Oregon (OREGON) | PAC | 8–3 | 0.727 | 23 | +30 | Lost to Oregon State 41–44 |
| 22 | 0 | 1.764 |  Marshall (MARSHALL) | MAC | 10–1 | 0.909 | 6 | +24 | Beat Wofford 29–27 |
| 23 | -3 | 1.873 |  Penn State (PENN STATE) | B10 | 7–3 | 0.700 | 28 | +28 | Lost to Wisconsin 3–24 |
| 24 | 5 | 1.886 |  Syracuse (SYRACUSE) | IND BE | 7–3 | 0.700 | 28 | +25 | Beat Temple 38–7 |
| 25 | 2 | 1.892 |  Miami (MIAMI) | IND BE | 7–2 | 0.778 | 21 | +19 | Beat Pittsburgh 38–10 |
| 26 | 2 | 1.927 |  Texas (TEXAS) | B12 | 7–3 | 0.700 | 28 | +27 | BYE |
| 27 | 9 | 1.975 |  West Virginia (WEST VIRGINIA) | IND BE | 7–3 | 0.700 | 28 | +23 | Beat Boston College 35–10 |
| 28 | -4 | 1.982 |  Missouri (MISSOURI) | B12 | 7–4 | 0.636 | 37 | +26 | Lost to Kansas State 25–31 |
| 29 | 2 | 1.988 |  Purdue (PURDUE) | B10 | 8–4 | 0.667 | 35 | +29 | Beat Indiana 52–7 |
| 30 | -5 | 1.994 |  USC | PAC | 7–4 | 0.636 | 37 | +27 | Lost to UCLA 17–34 |
| 31 | -13 | 2.071 |  Wyoming (WYOMING) | IND WAC | 8–3 | 0.727 | 23 | +27 | Lost to Tulsa 0–35 |
| 32 | 2 | 2.096 |  Alabama (ALABAMA) | SEC | 7–4 | 0.636 | 37 | +30 | Beat Auburn 31–17 |
| 33 | 5 | 2.130 |  NC State (NORTH CAROLINA STATE) | ACC | 7–3 | 0.700 | 28 | +23 | Beat Maryland 35–21 |
| 34 | 3 | 2.168 |  UCF (CENTRAL FLORIDA) | IND FBSI | 9–2 | 0.818 | 14 | +14 | Beat New Mexico 38–6 |
| 35 | 0 | 2.192 |  Colorado (COLORADO) | B12 | 7–3 | 0.700 | 28 | +22 | BYE |
| 36 | 5 | 2.252 |  Southern Miss (SOUTHERN MISS) | USA | 7–4 | 0.636 | 37 | +20 | Beat Nevada 55–28 |
| 37 | -7 | 2.327 |  Kentucky (KENTUCKY) | SEC | 7–4 | 0.636 | 37 | +19 | Lost to Tennessee 21–59 |
| 38 | 5 | 2.329 |  BYU | IND WAC | 9–3 | 0.750 | 22 | +14 | Beat Utah 26–24 |
| 39 | 0 | 2.352 |  Colorado State (COLORADO STATE) | IND WAC | 8–4 | 0.667 | 35 | +20 | BYE |
| 40 | -7 | 2.491 |  Texas Tech (TEXAS TECH) | B12 | 7–4 | 0.636 | 37 | +14 | Lost to Oklahoma 17–20 |
| 41 | 3 | 2.543 |  San Diego State (SAN DIEGO STATE) | IND WAC | 7–4 | 0.636 | 37 | +17 | Beat UTEP 34–29 |
| 42 | 0 | 2.557 |  Washington (WASHINGTON) | PAC | 6–5 | 0.545 | 49 | +19 | Beat Washington State 16–9 |
| 43 | 2 | 2.582 |  Michigan State (MICHIGAN STATE) | B10 | 6–5 | 0.545 | 49 | +15 | Beat Illinois 41–9 |
| 44 | -4 | 2.607 |  Utah (UTAH) | IND WAC | 7–4 | 0.636 | 37 | +10 | Lost to BYU 24–26 |
| 45 | 3 | 2.622 |  Mississippi State (MISSISSIPPI STATE) | SEC | 7–3 | 0.700 | 28 | +7 | Beat Arkansas 22–21 |
| 46 | -14 | 2.631 |  Toledo (TOLEDO) | MAC | 7–4 | 0.636 | 37 | +15 | Lost to Eastern Michigan 7–10 |
| 47 | 4 | 2.775 |  Idaho (IDAHO) | IND BW | 8–3 | 0.727 | 23 | +4 | Beat Boise State 36–35 |
| 48 | -1 | 2.883 |  Louisville (LOUISVILLE) | USA | 7–4 | 0.636 | 37 | +7 | Beat Army 35–23 |
| 49 | 0 | 2.951 |  Louisiana Tech (LOUISIANA TECH) | IND FBSI | 6–5 | 0.545 | 49 | +4 | BYE |
| 50 | -4 | 3.126 |  LSU | SEC | 4–6 | 0.400 | 71 | +5 | Lost to Notre Dame 36–39 |
| 51 | 2 | 3.264 |  Arizona State (ARIZONA STATE) | PAC | 5–5 | 0.500 | 57 | +3 | BYE |
| 52 | 3 | 3.267 |  Western Michigan (WESTERN MICHIGAN) | MAC | 7–4 | 0.636 | 37 | -4 | BYE |
| 53 | 1 | 3.343 |  Bowling Green (BOWLING GREEN) | MAC | 5–6 | 0.455 | 59 | +3 | Beat Northern Illinois 34–23 |
| 54 | -4 | 3.352 |  Ole Miss (MISSISSIPPI) | SEC | 6–4 | 0.600 | 48 | +2 | Lost to Georgia 17–24 |
| 55 | 4 | 3.355 |  TCU | IND WAC | 6–5 | 0.545 | 49 | -2 | Beat UNLV 41–18 |
| 56 | 2 | 3.370 |  Oklahoma State (OKLAHOMA STATE) | B12 | 5–6 | 0.455 | 59 | +2 | Beat Baylor 24–10 |
| 57 | 8 | 3.419 |  North Carolina (NORTH CAROLINA) | ACC | 5–5 | 0.500 | 57 | +1 | Beat Duke 28–6 |
| 58 | 10 | 3.482 |  Oregon State (OREGON STATE) | PAC | 5–6 | 0.455 | 59 | +1 | Beat Oregon 44–41 |
| 59 | -3 | 3.535 |  Nevada (NEVADA) | IND BW | 6–5 | 0.545 | 49 | -8 | Lost to Southern Miss 28–55 |
| 60 | 4 | 3.571 |  Ohio (OHIO) | MAC | 5–6 | 0.455 | 59 | -1 | Beat Kent State 31–21 |
| 61 | 0 | 3.576 |  Minnesota (MINNESOTA) | B10 | 5–6 | 0.455 | 59 | -1 | Beat Iowa 49–7 |
| 62 | -10 | 3.579 |  California (CALIFORNIA) | PAC | 5–6 | 0.455 | 59 | +1 | Lost to Stanford 3–10 |
| 63 | 9 | 3.667 |  Oklahoma (OKLAHOMA) | B12 | 5–6 | 0.455 | 59 | -2 | Beat Texas Tech 20–17 |
| 64 | 2 | 3.731 |  Fresno State (FRESNO STATE) | IND WAC | 5–6 | 0.455 | 59 | -6 | Beat San José State 24–21 |
| 65 | 5 | 3.745 |  East Carolina (EAST CAROLINA) | USA | 6–5 | 0.545 | 49 | -7 | Beat Memphis 34–31 |
| 66 | -6 | 3.781 |  Rice (RICE) | IND WAC | 5–6 | 0.455 | 59 | -5 | Lost to Air Force 16–22 |
| 67 | -10 | 3.808 |  Auburn (AUBURN) | SEC | 3–8 | 0.273 | 82 | 0 | Lost to Alabama 17–31 |
| 68 | 3 | 3.930 |  Central Michigan (CENTRAL MICHIGAN) | MAC | 6–5 | 0.545 | 49 | -12 | Beat Ball State 31–21 |
| 69 | 5 | 3.945 |  SMU | IND WAC | 5–7 | 0.417 | 70 | -7 | Beat Navy 24–11 |
| 70 | -3 | 4.025 |  Boise State (BOISE STATE) | IND BW | 6–5 | 0.545 | 49 | -16 | Lost to Idaho 35–36 |
| 71 | -8 | 4.042 |  Boston College (BOSTON COLLEGE) | IND BE | 4–7 | 0.364 | 72 | -5 | Lost to West Virginia 10–35 |
| 72 | -10 | 4.187 |  Indiana (INDIANA) | B10 | 4–7 | 0.364 | 72 | -9 | Lost to Purdue 7–52 |
| 73 | -4 | 4.317 |  Rutgers (RUTGERS) | IND BE | 5–6 | 0.455 | 59 | -8 | Lost to Virginia Tech 7–47 |
| 74 | 2 | 4.326 |  UL Monroe (LOUISIANA MONROE) | IND FBSI | 5–6 | 0.455 | 59 | -14 | Beat Portland State 43–27 |
| 75 | 15 | 4.488 |  Tulsa (TULSA) | IND WAC | 4–7 | 0.364 | 72 | -17 | Beat Wyoming 35–0 |
| 76 | -3 | 4.636 |  Kansas (KANSAS) | B12 | 4–7 | 0.364 | 72 | -17 | Lost to Iowa State 20–23 |
| 77 | 10 | 4.802 |  Stanford (STANFORD) | PAC | 3–8 | 0.273 | 82 | -15 | Beat California 10–3 |
| 78 | -3 | 4.859 |  Washington State (WASHINGTON STATE) | PAC | 3–8 | 0.273 | 82 | -15 | Lost to Washington 9–16 |
| 79 | -2 | 4.992 |  San José State (SAN JOSE STATE) | IND WAC | 4–8 | 0.333 | 79 | -22 | Lost to Fresno State 21–24 |
| 80 | -2 | 5.046 |  Duke (DUKE) | ACC | 4–7 | 0.364 | 72 | -20 | Lost to North Carolina 6–28 |
| 81 | -2 | 5.083 |  Iowa (IOWA) | B10 | 3–8 | 0.273 | 82 | -19 | Lost to Minnesota 7–49 |
| 82 | 11 | 5.083 |  Iowa State (IOWA STATE) | B12 | 3–8 | 0.273 | 82 | -20 | Beat Kansas 23–20 |
| 83 | -1 | 5.101 |  Akron (AKRON) | MAC | 4–7 | 0.364 | 72 | -25 | Lost to Miami (OH) 14–20 |
| 84 | 8 | 5.145 |  UAB | IND FBSI | 4–7 | 0.364 | 72 | -26 | Beat Tennessee Martin 48–17 |
| 85 | 1 | 5.260 |  Wake Forest (WAKE FOREST) | ACC | 3–8 | 0.273 | 82 | -12 | Lost to Georgia Tech 35–63 |
| 86 | -3 | 5.317 |  Army (ARMY) | USA | 2–8 | 0.200 | 99 | -17 | Lost to Louisville 23–35 |
| 87 | 8 | 5.321 |  Clemson (CLEMSON) | ACC | 3–8 | 0.273 | 82 | -26 | Beat South Carolina 28–19 |
| 88 | 1 | 5.359 |  Houston (HOUSTON) | USA | 3–8 | 0.273 | 82 | -22 | Lost to Tulane 20–48 |
| 89 | -8 | 5.398 |  Navy (NAVY) | IND FBSI | 3–7 | 0.300 | 81 | -22 | Lost to SMU 11–24 |
| 90 | -10 | 5.449 |  Baylor (BAYLOR) | B12 | 2–9 | 0.182 | 102 | -19 | Lost to Oklahoma State 10–24 |
| 91 | -3 | 5.454 |  Maryland (MARYLAND) | ACC | 3–8 | 0.273 | 82 | -26 | Lost to NC State 21–35 |
| 92 | -7 | 5.525 |  UTEP | IND WAC | 3–8 | 0.273 | 82 | -29 | Lost to San Diego State 29–34 |
| 93 | 8 | 5.589 |  North Texas (NORTH TEXAS) | IND BW | 3–8 | 0.273 | 82 | -27 | Beat New Mexico State 19–11 |
| 94 | -10 | 5.613 |  New Mexico State (NEW MEXICO STATE) | IND BW | 3–8 | 0.273 | 82 | -29 | Lost to North Texas 11–19 |
| 95 | -4 | 5.750 |  Illinois (ILLINOIS) | B10 | 3–8 | 0.273 | 82 | -27 | Lost to Michigan State 9–41 |
| 96 | 1 | 5.799 |  Utah State (UTAH STATE) | IND BW | 3–8 | 0.273 | 82 | -34 | BYE |
| 97 | -1 | 6.077 |  Vanderbilt (VANDERBILT) | SEC | 2–8 | 0.200 | 99 | -23 | BYE |
| 98 | 6 | 6.087 |  Northwestern (NORTHWESTERN) | B10 | 3–9 | 0.250 | 97 | -35 | Beat Hawai'i 47–21 |
| 99 | 7 | 6.142 |  Eastern Michigan (EASTERN MICHIGAN) | MAC | 3–8 | 0.273 | 82 | -27 | Beat Toledo 10–7 |
| 100 | -1 | 6.312 |  Memphis (MEMPHIS) | USA | 2–9 | 0.182 | 102 | -30 | Lost to East Carolina 31–34 |
| 101 | 1 | 6.399 |  New Mexico (NEW MEXICO) | IND WAC | 3–9 | 0.250 | 97 | -41 | Lost to UCF 6–38 |
| 102 | -8 | 6.464 |  Arkansas State (ARKANSAS STATE) | IND FBSI | 4–8 | 0.333 | 79 | -43 | Lost to Cincinnati 7–51 |
| 103 | -3 | 6.497 |  Pittsburgh (PITTSBURGH) | IND BE | 2–8 | 0.200 | 99 | -33 | Lost to Miami 10–38 |
| 104 | -6 | 6.651 |  South Carolina (SOUTH CAROLINA) | SEC | 1–10 | 0.091 | 108 | -33 | Lost to Clemson 19–28 |
| 105 | -2 | 6.684 |  Northern Illinois (NORTHERN ILLINOIS) | MAC | 2–9 | 0.182 | 102 | -24 | Lost to Bowling Green 23–34 |
| 106 | 1 | 6.833 |  Cincinnati (CINCINNATI) | USA | 2–9 | 0.182 | 102 | -32 | Beat Arkansas State 51–7 |
| 107 | -2 | 7.061 |  Temple (TEMPLE) | IND BE | 2–9 | 0.182 | 102 | -30 | Lost to Syracuse 7–38 |
| 108 | 1 | 7.221 |  Louisiana (LOUISIANA LAFAYETTE) | IND FBSI | 2–9 | 0.182 | 102 | -28 | Beat Western Kentucky 38–24 |
| 109 | -1 | 7.882 |  Ball State (BALL STATE) | MAC | 1–10 | 0.091 | 108 | -48 | Lost to Central Michigan 21–31 |
| 110 | 0 | 8.155 |  UNLV | IND WAC | 0–11 | 0.000 | 110 | -51 | Lost to TCU 18–41 |
| 111 | 1 | 9.144 |  Kent State (KENT STATE) | MAC | 0–11 | 0.000 | 110 | -47 | Lost to Ohio 21–31 |
| 112 | -1 | 9.557 |  Hawai'i (HAWAII) | IND WAC | 0–11 | 0.000 | 110 | -67 | Lost to Northwestern 21–47 |