By Adrian Beecher
The new Associated Press poll kept Ohio State on top and reshuffled the middle after a wild Saturday. The headline is twofold. Ohio State remained No. 1 with 55 first-place votes. Notre Dame is ranked at 0–2, the first time an 0–2 team has appeared in the poll since Michigan in 1988.
The top line
Ohio State holds No. 1. Penn State and LSU stay second and third. Miami climbs to No. 4 after another convincing win. Georgia returns to the top five at No. 5 following an overtime thriller at Tennessee. Oregon is No. 6, followed by Florida State at No. 7 and Texas at No. 8. Illinois is No. 9. Texas A&M jumps to No. 10 after a one-point road win at Notre Dame.
Biggest riser
Texas A&M’s move is the week’s loudest. The Aggies broke into the top 10 after a 41–40 win in South Bend. It is their first 3–0 start since 2021 and it puts Texas and Texas A&M in the top 10 together for the first time since 2020.
The shocker
Notre Dame stays ranked at No. 24 despite the 0–2 start. The last time the poll included a winless 0–2 team was Michigan in 1988, a note that underscores the voters’ respect for the schedule and narrow margins.
Newcomers
Three programs step in. Georgia Tech lands at No. 18 after upsetting Clemson. Vanderbilt appears at No. 20. USC returns at No. 25.
Who dropped out
Clemson and South Carolina slide out after Week 3 losses. South Florida also falls from the rankings.
Conference snapshot
The SEC dominates the board with eleven ranked teams, the second straight week at that volume. The Big Ten holds the top spot with Ohio State and keeps multiple teams in the top 10 with Penn State and Illinois. The ACC places Miami in the top five and adds Georgia Tech while Notre Dame’s unique status continues to shape the national picture.
What moved the needle
Close results defined the shuffle. Georgia’s overtime win at Tennessee helped nudge the Bulldogs back into the top five. Texas slipped one spot despite winning, a sign that voters weighed performance more than record in a crowded top tier. Oregon’s comfortable road win came with a slight drop because of movement around them.
What’s next
Several ranked-on-ranked games will test these positions. Texas Tech visits Utah. Auburn travels to Oklahoma. Illinois heads to Indiana. These matchups give risers a chance to cement momentum and leave little room for style-point wins that lack substance.
The takeaway
The poll sent two messages. First, Ohio State’s grip on No. 1 is secure for now. Second, voters rewarded résumé strength and punished inconsistency. A&M’s surge, Notre Dame’s rare ranked 0–2, and a crowded SEC field set the tone for a volatile September where one possession can swing an entire conference narrative.
