Historic College Football Powerhouse Loses No. 1 Spot in Updated Rankings

There’s a new No. 1 team in college football. In one poll, at least.

Ohio State did everything it was supposed to do in its Week 1 game, but that wasn’t enough to maintain its grip on the No. 1 position in one version of the college football rankings heading into next weekend’s marquee matchup.

As it happens, the team the Buckeyes lost their top spot to will be the one they play in that game, as Texas officially overtook the Big Ten favorites for the No. 1 slot in the latest ESPN power index football rankings heading into Week 2.

Buckeyes, Longhorns Fight For the Top Spot

Historic College Football Program Loses No. 1 Spot in Updated Rankings — USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Coming into the season, Ohio State and Texas held the two top positions in that poll, with the Buckeyes getting a slight edge, based on how the power index ranks teams, based on a projected margin against average opponents on a neutral field.

Texas wasn’t far behind at No. 2, but finally overtook its Big Ten counterpart this week based on a readjustment of the rankings following the Longhorns’ dominant 59-7 victory over Texas State. That margin was superior to Ohio State’s 56-3 win over Ball State, according to how the algorithm slots teams.

That’s despite the Buckeyes’ 53-point win being slightly better than the Longhorns’ 52-point margin, but the power index considers Texas State, which ranks No. 103 nationally, to have been a more quality opponent than Ball State, which sits at No. 135, the fourth-worst in the country.

AP Rankings Will Disagree

Don’t expect AP top 25 voters to follow the ESPN algorithm when they cast their ballots for the upcoming Week 2 poll this Tuesday.

For one thing, the Longhorns debuted at No. 5 in the preseason rankings. They would need No. 2 Oregon to fall after a close win over Boise State and No. 4 Notre Dame to lose to Wisconsin on Sunday as 21 point favorites. Third ranked Georgia is solid after pounding Tennessee State by 60.

Ohio State’s convincing win also ensures that they should stay at No. 1 in the AP poll, with voters lacking a substantive reason to change their minds. But the Longhorns have the power to change them directly this coming weekend.

Texas Can Change the Narrative On the Field

The Longhorns were the top-ranked team in America the last time they played the Buckeyes, losing that spot after a 14-7 defeat in the 2025 season opener in Columbus, and it was Ohio State who took over at the top of the poll as a result.

This time around, Texas has designs on returning the favor, avenging last season’s loss and making a case that they belong at the top of the rankings. ESPN already agrees.

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