| | '98 Record | '98 Rank* | Returning Starters |
| 1 | Georgia Southern | 14-1 | 2 | 13 |
| Speedy sophomore running back Adrian Peterson rushed for 2,606 yards and scored 34 touchdowns |
| 2 | UMass | 12-3 | 1 | 16 |
| All-America Marcel Shipp (2,542 yards, 18 TDs in '98) has rushed for 100+ yards in 12 straight games |
| 3 | McNeese State | 9-3 | 8 | 16 |
| Cowboys were third in the nation in total defense (227.1 yards per game) and fourth in scoring D (12.4) |
| 4 | Illinois State | 8-4 | 16 | 20 |
| Junior quarterback Kevin Glenn leads a puissant attack that averaged 439.5 yards and 36.1 points |
| 5 | Jackson State | 7-4 | -- | 19 |
| Nine starters return on an offense that led the SWAC in scoring and virtually every other major category |
| 6 | Hampton | 9-3 | 11 | 15 |
| All-America linebacker Deon Hunt had 113 tackles, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries |
| 7 | Northwestern State | 11-3 | 3 | 11 |
| Eight starters are back on an offense that averaged 32.3 points, but the defense lost eight starters |
| 8 | Southern | 8-3 | 16 | 7 |
| Jaguars will lean on their defense, especially senior linebacker Channing Warner, who made 85 tackles |
| 9 | Troy State | 8-4 | 13 | 16 |
| Al Lucas, a 6'3", 280-pound defensive tackle, doubles as the Trojans' fullback in goal line situations |
| 10 | Montana | 8-4 | -- | 19 |
| Grizzlies have rugged linebackers in Adam Boomer (103 tackles in '98) and Marcus Wilson (68 tackles) |
| 11 | Tennessee State | 9-3 | 12 | 17 |
| Leon Murray (3,002 yards passing, 22 TDs last fall) leads an offense that averaged 467.2 yards |
| 12 | Richmond | 9-3 | 10 | 15 |
| Spiders had the best defense in the Atlantic 10, holding opponents to 13.7 points per game |
| 13 | Appalachian State | 10-3 | 6 | 13 |
| First and foremost: Mountaineers outscored opponents 114-13 in the opening quarter last season |
| 14 | Delaware | 7-4 | 23 | 15 |
| Matt Nagy is coming off a career year in passing (2,916 yards), but leading receiver Eddie Conti graduated |
| 15 | Florida A&M | 11-2 | 5 | 12 |
| With Jacquay Nunnally (109 receptions in '98) back, the Rattlers could lead I-AA in total offense again |
| 16 | Arkansas Pine Bluff | 8-3 | -- | 14 |
| Running back Ron Johnson, a transfer from Arkansas, should strengthen an already solid backfield |
| 17 | Northern Iowa | 7-4 | -- | 14 |
| All-America receiver Mike Furrey gave opponents fits, catching a team-high 82 passes for 1,291 yards |
| 18 | Connecticut | 10-3 | 9 | 11 |
| Huskies won't have any problems scoring but must improve a defense that gave up 468.2 yards per game |
| 19 | Bethune-Cookman | 8-3 | 18 | 16 |
| Coach Alvin Wyatt's offense, running a takeoff on the wishbone named the Wyattbone, was No. 12 in rushing |
| 20 | Hofstra | 8-3 | 20 | 16 |
| Flying Dutchmen, led by QB Giovanni Carmazzi and running back Vaughn Sanders, averaged 38.7 points |
| 21 | Youngstown State | 6-5 | -- | 14 |
| Hard-hitting free safety Dwyte Smiley led the Penguins with 123 tackles and had two interceptions |
| 22 | South Florida | 8-3 | 22 | 21 |
| Raging Bulls defense, led by junior linebacker Jason Butler, was 11th in the nation in total D (281.9 yards ) |
| 23 | Montana State | 7-4 | 25 | 12 |
| Safety Shon Flores led the Bobcats with 114 tackles and had two interceptions and two fumble recoveries |
| 24 | Lehigh | 12-1 | 7 | 13 |
| Mountain Hawks, coming off their best season, will rely on Phil Stambaugh (3,121 yards passing, 22 TDs) |
| 25 | Colgate | 8-4 | 21 | 16 |
| Quarterback Ryan Vena, 14-2 as a starter, anchors a unit that averaged 477.5 yards in total offense |
