AP Top 25 Poll: New No. 1 Team Emerges After Texas-Ohio State Classic

There's a new No. 1 team in the AP top 25 college football rankings after what happened in Austin amid other notable changes across the poll after a consequential Week 2.

USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Crowning a new No. 1 team is always one of the highlights of any college football season, and just two weeks into 2026, the army of AP top 25 voters find themselves with the task of rearranging the rankings once again after their previous top team went down.

Ohio State held a 20-point lead on the road against Texas and looked poised to secure its position as the No. 1 team in college football. That is, until Arch Manning completely rewrote the narrative about himself and the Longhorns and led a comeback for the ages.

Now, Manning is at the helm of a burgeoning SEC championship contender and College Football Playoff insurgent while putting himself in the Heisman Trophy race after a game no one – in Austin or Columbus – will soon forget.

How did the AP top 25 pollsters sort it all out?

AP Top 25 Rankings for Week 3

First-place votes in parentheses

1. Texas (56)
2. Georgia (3)
3. Notre Dame (1)
4. Indiana (3)
5. Miami (4)
6. Ohio State
7. LSU (1)
8. Ole Miss
9. Texas A&M
10. Alabama
11. BYU
12. USC
13. Texas Tech
14. Penn State
15. Tennessee
16. SMU
17. Utah
18. Iowa
19. Michigan
20. Missouri
21. Oregon
22. Houston
23. Louisville
24. Oklahoma
25. Virginia

How did we do? Our prediction for the AP poll in Week 3

Who’s Rising: No. 1 Texas

Last week’s ranking: No. 4

Already a top-five national title contender coming into this weekend, the Longhorns cemented their position as the No. 1 team in college football after beating the previous No. 1 team in Ohio State, pulling off a comeback that for the time being vindicates Arch Manning’s reputation as a potential star and putting Texas in position to make a run.

Who’s Falling: No. 21 Oregon

Last week’s ranking: No. 6

Ohio State also took a slight fall, but not too much after losing a one-point game on the road against fourth-ranked Texas, but another Big Ten title hopeful is in a far worse position after Oregon lost away from home against unranked Oklahoma State.

Dan Lanning’s team was already suspect after a touchdown win over Boise State as 25 point favorites last week, but the outright loss raises critical questions around whether this otherwise very promising roster really has the potential to contend in the playoff.

Who’s Rising: No. 19 Michigan

Last week’s ranking: Unranked

AP pollsters dumped the Wolverines out of the rankings entirely after last week’s messy win in the opener, but put them back after a dominant and signature win against ranked Oklahoma, showing some serious defensive toughness in beating a solid SEC opponent.

Who’s Falling: No. 24 Oklahoma

Last week’s ranking: No. 11

While the Sooners’ defense ultimately performed as expected, surrendering just one early touchdown and another late after a turnover, the state of this offense with John Mateer at quarterback is still a real concern and OU didn’t have a 50-yard rusher in the game.

Who’s In Danger: LSU, Ole Miss

The first Lane Kiffin Bowl will be college football’s game of the week next Saturday, as now LSU’s head coach returns to Ole Miss in a battle of ranked SEC contenders.

The Rebels don’t just want to humiliate Kiffin for walking out on them, but deal what would be a second ranked opponent an early loss and position themselves as legitimate playoff material again, while LSU looks to avoid an early upset in its coach’s tenure.

Teams Receiving Votes

Washington 172, Florida 83, Boise State 57, Oklahoma State 36, Western Michigan 35, Tulsa 18, Mississippi State 17, South Carolina 15, Virginia Tech 11, UCLA 9, James Madison 6, Arizona 5, North Dakota State 3, Pittsburgh 1, Kansas State 1.

Rankings: ESPN Top 25 | Coaches Poll