AP Top 25 Poll Responds to USC, Alabama Escaping Upsets

The No. 12 USC Trojans were able to escape the upset, but some like then-ranked No. 9 Texas A&M weren't as fortunate.

LSU head coach Lane Kiffin walks off the field before a college football game between Ole Miss and LSU at Vaught Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Miss., on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. Ole Miss defeated LSU 32-24. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The No. 12 USC Trojans survived a brief upset scare against Rutgers on the road as quarterback Jayden Maiava and the offense ultimately led the team to a 42-35 win over the Scarlet Knights on Saturday. A win is a win, and USC now has four of them heading into a pivotal home game against No. 21 Oregon to begin Big Ten conference play.

In the AP Top 25, USC was seemingly punished for the close win, staying put at No. 12 in the country.

Then-ranked No. 7 LSU lost to then-ranked No. 8 Ole Miss while then-ranked No. 9 Texas A&M was upset by an unranked Kentucky team. LSU stayed inside the top 10, but No. 8 Alabama and No. 9 BYU climbed up the rankings while leaving the Trojans behind.

Sep 19, 2026; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts during the second half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at SHI Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Ole Miss climbed into the top five up after the resume-boosting victory. Then-ranked No. 13 Texas Tech struggled to put away then-ranked No. 22 Houston, but the Red Raiders leap frogged USC in the latest rankings. No. 16 SMU lost to No. 23 Louisville, but both SMU and Houston remained ranked.

Alabama had a close call at home against Florida State before pulling away in the second half, and then-ranked No. 24 Oklahoma nearly fell to New Mexico at home, and West Virginia beat No. 25 Virginia.

AP Top 25 Poll Week 3

1. Texas
2. Georgia
3. Notre Dame
4. Ole Miss
5. Indiana
6. Miami
7. Ohio State
8. Alabama
9. BYU
10. LSU
11. Texas Tech
12. USC
13. Penn State
14. Tennessee
15. Utah
16. Louisville
17. Iowa
18. Michigan
19. Missouri
20. Oregon
21. Florida
22. SMU
23. Texas A&M
24. Mississippi State
25. Houston

Sep 19, 2026; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels running back Kewan Lacy (5) carries the ball against the Louisiana State Tigers during the first quarter at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

AP Top 25 Poll Implications

Conference play has already started for some teams, but the schedule only continues to ramp up in week 4.

No. 12 USC hosts No. 20 Oregon in a key Big Ten matchup, and No. 17 Iowa travels to No. 28 Michigan in week 4 in another ranked conference game. Can the Wolverines stay undefeated and continue climbing up the AP Poll, or will the Hawkeyes stamp themselves as one of the top teams in the Big Ten?

As for USC vs. Oregon, the old Pac-12 rivalry could answer a lot of questions about both teams. The Trojans defense struggled to keep Rutgers off the field as the Scarlet Knights finished 6/11 on third down, 3/4 on fourth down, and gained 460 total yards on the day. The Ducks, on the other hand, already have a loss to unranked Oklahoma State with questions on both sides of the ball after losing both coordinators.

Can the Trojans defense disrupt Oregon quarterback Dante Moore, and can USC have success running the ball and protecting quarterback Jayden Maiava?

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning takes the field as the Oregon Ducks host the Portland State Vikings on Sept. 18, 2026, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

In the SEC, Texas A&M and LSU are set to square off, a contest that has lost some luster after both teams lost in week 3. However, now both the Aggies and the Tigers will be fighting to keep their seasons alive and stay in postseason contention with only one loss.

Staying in the SEC, No. 2 Georgia vs. Oklahoma and No. 1 Texas vs. No. 14 Tennessee round out the ranked conference games in week 4 in what should be an entertaining slate.

Week 3 AP Top 25 Poll Prediction

Sep 19, 2026; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) warms up before a game against the UTSA Roadrunners at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

1. Texas
2. Georgia
3. Ohio State
4. Notre Dame
5. Ole Miss
6. Indiana
7. Miami
8. Alabama
9. BYU
10. USC
11. LSU
12. Texas Tech
13. Penn State
14. Tennessee
15. Utah
16. Iowa
17. Louisville
18. Michigan
19. Missouri
20. Oregon
21. Texas A&M
22. Oklahoma
23. SMU
24. Virginia
25. Florida

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, and X for the latest news.