The Week 3 Associated Press Top 25 landed on September 13 with a new No. 1: Texas jumped from fourth to first after knocking off top-ranked Ohio State 24-23 on a 21-point fourth-quarter rally. Ohio State slid to sixth, Oregon plummeted from sixth to 21st after its loss, and Michigan returned to the poll. Here is the full Week 3 AP Top 25 with each team’s record and last-week ranking, the biggest movers, and a free printable ballot to fill in your own Top 25.
The 2026 College Football AP Top 25: Week 3
| Rank | Team | Record | Last week |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | 2-0 | 4 |
| 2 | Georgia | 2-0 | 2 |
| 3 | Notre Dame | 2-0 | 3 |
| 4 | Indiana | 2-0 | 5 |
| 5 | Miami (FL) | 2-0 | 7 |
| 6 | Ohio State | 1-1 | 1 |
| 7 | LSU | 2-0 | 8 |
| 8 | Ole Miss | 2-0 | 9 |
| 9 | Texas A&M | 2-0 | 10 |
| 10 | Alabama | 2-0 | 12 |
| 11 | BYU | 2-0 | 14 |
| 12 | Southern Cal | 3-0 | 14 |
| 13 | Texas Tech | 2-0 | 13 |
| 14 | Penn State | 2-0 | 16 |
| 15 | Tennessee | 2-0 | 18 |
| 16 | SMU | 2-0 | 17 |
| 17 | Utah | 2-0 | 20 |
| 18 | Iowa | 2-0 | 21 |
| 19 | Michigan | 2-0 | NR |
| 20 | Missouri | 2-0 | 23 |
| 21 | Oregon | 1-1 | 6 |
| 22 | Houston | 2-0 | 22 |
| 23 | Louisville | 1-1 | 24 |
| 24 | Oklahoma | 1-1 | 11 |
| 25 | Virginia | 2-0 | 25 |
Biggest Movers in Week 3
- Texas (4 to 1): the Longhorns take over the top spot after beating No. 1 Ohio State 24-23, erasing a 20-point fourth-quarter deficit.
- Ohio State (1 to 6): the fall for a one-loss former No. 1 was cushioned by the quality of the opponent.
- Oregon (6 to 21): the week’s hardest drop after a loss dropped the Ducks 15 spots.
- Oklahoma (11 to 24): a loss sent the Sooners tumbling 13 places.
- Michigan (NR to 19): the Wolverines re-enter the poll; Washington dropped out.
The SEC leads the way with nine ranked teams in Week 3.
Print Your Own Top 25 Ballot
Download the free printable: the current AP Top 25 on one side and a blank ballot on the other so you can rank your own Top 25 and compare.
How the AP Top 25 Works
The Associated Press Top 25 is voted on by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters across the country. Each voter submits a ballot ranking their top 25 teams, points are awarded on a sliding scale from 25 down to 1, and the totals set the order. A new poll is released every week during the season, usually on Sunday afternoon.
More from Sports Brackets
- 2026 College Football AP Top 25: Week 2
- 2026 College Football Top 25 scores
- 2026 College Football Playoff predictions
- 2026 College Football schedule
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is No. 1 in the Week 3 AP Top 25?
Texas is the new No. 1 after beating Ohio State 24-23. The Longhorns moved up from fourth.
Which team is new in the poll this week?
Michigan re-entered the Top 25 at No. 19. Washington dropped out.
When does the next AP poll come out?
The AP Top 25 is updated weekly during the season, typically released Sunday afternoon after the weekend’s games.
Last updated: September 14, 2026.
