Coaches Poll top 25: USF rises, Michigan falls in Week 3 college football rankings

Where things stand in the latest Coaches Poll top 25 college football rankings as we look ahead to an active Week 3 schedule.

The updated Coaches Poll top 25 college football rankings looking ahead to the Week 3 games. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

A look at the updated Coaches Poll top 25 college football rankings coming out of an active Saturday and looking ahead to the Week 3 action next weekend.

You could be forgiven for thinking not much would happen when looking over the games this past weekend, but those are often the Saturdays when some of the season’s most consequential changes take place, and Week 2 could prove to be such a case.

Michigan and Oklahoma played the only head-to-head game involving ranked teams, and there was some movement in the updated rankings after the Sooners edged past the Wolverines in an important moment for the SEC in non-conference action.

Elsewhere, two ranked teams came out on the wrong end of games against unranked competition, including reigning Big 12 champion Arizona State, which lost on the road against Mississippi State, and most surprisingly Florida, which dropped a shocker at home against USF that could prove to be the final straw in Billy Napier’s coaching tenure there.

Where does that leave things in the updated Coaches Poll top 25 college football rankings as we come out of Saturday and look ahead to the Week 3 action?

Let’s take a look at what teams moved up, moved down, and didn’t budge in the rankings for this weekend, according to the coaches’ vote.

Coaches Poll top 25 rankings in Week 3

First-place votes in parentheses

1. Ohio State (62)
2. Penn State (4)
3. Georgia
4. LSU (1)
5. Oregon
6. Miami
7. Texas
8. Notre Dame
9. Illinois
10. South Carolina
11. Clemson
12. Florida State
13. Ole Miss
14. Iowa State
15. Tennessee
16. Oklahoma
17. Texas A&M
18. Alabama
19. Indiana
20. Texas Tech
21. Utah
22. Michigan
23. USF
24. Arizona State
25. BYU

Where we left off: Last week’s Coaches Poll rankings

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Teams that dropped out

Better luck next time to these teams that played themselves out of the Coaches Poll

SMU: The formerly 16th ranked Mustangs didn’t trail for a single second, but a late defensive collapse led to overtime, then double overtime, and then a loss at home against unranked Baylor that puts their playoff chances in some early peril.

Florida: There was no margin for error facing one of college football’s toughest schedules, but the Gators inexplicably lost a home date against unranked USF in the wake of a sluggish offense, special teams gaffes, and coaching errors, and suddenly Billy Napier is just 20-20 in the Swamp with just two of their opponents unranked.

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Other teams receiving votes

These teams earned votes from the coaches, but not enough of them to be counted among the best teams in the official rankings

Missouri 142; Louisville 88; USC 87; SMU 87

Florida 68; Auburn 57; Tulane 55; TCU 36

Georgia Tech 26; Nebraska 19; Navy 16

Washington 15; Mississippi State 15; Memphis 11

Baylor 9; Vanderbilt 7; Kansas 4; UNLV 3

Pittsburgh 1; NC State 1

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Coaches Poll top 25 biggest movers

Arizona State (-14): The reigning Big 12 champions took a nasty loss on the road against the team projected to finish last in the SEC, unranked Mississippi State, after their defense evaporated in the wake of a 58-yard game-winning touchdown.

Oklahoma (+8): John Mateer accounted for 3 all-purpose touchdowns and the Sooners’ stout defense held firm in a statement win against ranked Michigan at home, an important moment for the SEC and for Brent Venables looking ahead to a much-tougher second half of the schedule.

USF (+16). The only team in college football to win two games against Top 25 ranked opponents, the Bulls are moving up the rankings after wins against playoff team Boise State and shockingly on the road against SEC hopeful Florida, moving into pole position as an early CFP contender from the Group of Five.

Michigan (-9). Not as much offense as the Wolverines would have liked in an early loss on the road against Oklahoma with freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood in his second career start, but there’s plenty of promise going forward with this defense playing well.

Florida State (+7). The Seminoles continue to rise in the rankings, this time after a school record-setting 77-3 victory over East Texas A&M, and with a key win over ranked Alabama in the opener, this team has already matched its win total from last season in arguably college football’s biggest turnaround job so far this season.

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