College football’s Week 3 rankings for the 2026 season delivered a shake‑up at the top, with the Texas Longhorns surging to No. 1 in both major polls after a dramatic comeback win.
Texas seized the top spot by scoring 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to stun previously No. 1 Ohio State, 24‑23, in Austin. The Buckeyes, who had led 23‑3 entering the final frame, slid to No. 6 in both the AP and Coaches polls after the collapse.
Georgia, Notre Dame, Indiana, and Miami now round out the Top 5 in both rankings, marking the first time since 1987 that Indiana has appeared inside the top four of a major poll this late in September.
BYU posted the week’s biggest climb in the AP Poll, jumping four spots to No. 11 after a steady 28‑17 win over Arizona. Oregon suffered the steepest fall, dropping 15 places to No. 21 following its 39‑31 loss at Oklahoma State—a game in which the Cowboys scored on three straight fourth‑quarter possessions.
Despite remaining unbeaten, Washington (2‑0) tumbled out of the AP Poll entirely after narrowly escaping Utah State, 16‑14. The Huskies have now won both of their games by a combined five points, raising questions about their staying power as conference play approaches.
Below are the full AP, FBS Coaches, STATS FCS, and FCS Coaches polls for Week 3 of the 2026 season (first-place votes in parentheses):
AP Poll – Week 3
1. Texas (56)
2. Georgia (3)
3. Notre Dame (1)
4. Indiana (3)
5. Miami FL (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
Others 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, Kansas State 1, Pittsburgh 1
Dropped from rankings: Washington 19
FBS Coaches Poll – Week 3
1. Texas (42)
2. Georgia (15)
3. Notre Dame (4)
4. Indiana (10)
5. Miami FL (2)
6. Ohio State
7. LSU (1)
8. Texas A&M
9. Ole Miss
10. Alabama
11. USC
12. Texas Tech
13. BYU
14. Tennessee
15. Penn State
16. SMU
17. Utah
18. Oregon
19. Michigan
20. Iowa
21. Oklahoma
22. Missouri
23. Houston
24. Washington
25. Virginia
Others receiving votes: Florida 183, Louisville 160, Boise State 44, Kansas State 24, South Carolina 23, Mississippi State 20, Vanderbilt 19, Duke 19, Nebraska 18, Pittsburgh 16, Oklahoma State 16, Auburn 15, Western Michigan 10, Virginia Tech 9, UCLA 8, Tulsa 7, North Dakota State 5, New Mexico 4, Clemson 3, Wake Forest 1, Arizona 1
Dropped from rankings: Florida 25
Stats Perform FCS Top 25 – Week 3
To be released Monday, Sept. 14.
FCS Coaches Poll – Week 3
To be released Monday, Sept. 14.
View Comments (1)
The good news is that OSU isn't eliminated from the CFP. Not even close. Especially now that the CFP is 12 teams, and with further expansion possibly on the horizon.
Meanwhile, we are still waiting for our first G6 team to crack the polls. Maybe in a few weeks we will have a clear G6 front-runner.