1996 Final Sagarin Rankings
Southern Conference vs.
Mid-American Conference
| RANK | TEAM | RATING | WINS | LOSSES | SCHEDULE |
| 21 | 85.12 | 15 | 0 | 52.73 | |
| 87 | East Tennessee St. | 62.76 | 10 | 3 | 56.19 |
| 89 | Furman | 61.26 | 9 | 4 | 54.74 |
| 105 | Appalachian St. | 55.76 | 7 | 4 | 51.79 |
| 127 | Georgia Southern | 49.88 | 4 | 7 | 55.75 |
| 142 | Citadel | 45.31 | 4 | 7 | 54.23 |
| 143 | VMI | 45.27 | 3 | 8 | 55.75 |
| 148 | Tenn.-Chattanooga | 42.78 | 3 | 8 | 53.79 |
| 153 | Western Carolina | 40.33 | 4 | 7 | 51.06 |
| RANK | TEAM | RATING | WINS | LOSSES | SCHEDULE |
| 72 | Ball St. | 66.18 | 8 | 4 | 59.26 |
| 73 | Miami-Ohio | 66.07 | 6 | 5 | 59.87 |
| 85 | Ohio U. | 63.41 | 6 | 6 | 60.86 |
| 98 | Toledo | 57.55 | 7 | 4 | 57.44 |
| 107 | Central Michigan | 54.65 | 5 | 6 | 55.81 |
| 111 | Bowling Green | 52.9 | 4 | 7 | 59.17 |
| 119 | Eastern Michigan | 51.25 | 3 | 8 | 60.03 |
| 130 | Akron | 49.28 | 4 | 7 | 56.86 |
| 135 | Western Michigan | 46.73 | 2 | 9 | 59.01 |
| 151 | Kent St. | 41.07 | 2 | 9 | 58.47 |