Week 3 NCAAF Rankings Breakdown: Key Takeaways and Upcoming Matchups
Explore the latest AP Top 25 NCAAF rankings after Week 3, featuring key insights, standout performances, and what’s next for each team.

The latest AP Top 25 rankings are in, and Week 3 of the NCAAF season delivered thrilling matchups and surprising upsets. Here’s a breakdown of the key takeaways and what’s next for each team:
1. Ohio State Buckeyes
- Record: 3-0
- Week 3 Result: Defeated Ohio 37-9
- Stat to Know: Ohio State has allowed just 16 points this season, its fewest through three games since 1975.
- What’s Next: Sept. 27 at Washington
2. Penn State Nittany Lions
- Record: 3-0
- Week 3 Result: Defeated Villanova 52-6
- Stat to Know: Penn State prevented consecutive shutout wins for the first time since 1996.
- What’s Next: Sept. 27 at Oregon, 7:30 p.m., NBC
3. LSU Tigers
- Record: 3-0
- Week 3 Result: Defeated Florida 20-10
- Stat to Know: LSU has held each of its first three opponents to 10 or fewer points for the first time since 2007.
- What’s Next: Saturday vs. SE Louisiana, 7:45 p.m., SEC Network
4. Miami Hurricanes
- Record: 3-0
- Week 3 Result: Defeated USF 49-12
- Stat to Know: Miami’s 37-point win is its largest against an AP-ranked opponent since 2001.
- What’s Next: Saturday vs. Florida, 7:30 p.m., ABC
5. Georgia Bulldogs
- Record: 3-0
- Week 3 Result: Defeated Tennessee 44-41 (OT)
- Stat to Know: Georgia has won the past nine meetings in this series.
- What’s Next: Sept. 27 vs. Alabama, 7:30 p.m., ABC
6. Oregon Ducks
- Record: 3-0
- Week 3 Result: Defeated Northwestern 34-14
- Stat to Know: Oregon has outscored its opponents by 132 points this season.
- What’s Next: Saturday vs. Oregon State, 3 p.m.
7. Florida State Seminoles
- Record: 2-0
- Week 3 Result: Idle
- What’s Next: Saturday vs. Kent State, 3:30 p.m., ACC Network
8. Texas Longhorns
- Record: 2-1
- Week 3 Result: Defeated UTEP 27-10
- Stat to Know: Arch Manning had the longest streak of incompletions by a Texas player in at least 20 years.
- What’s Next: Saturday vs. Sam Houston, 8 p.m., ESPN+
9. Illinois Fighting Illini
- Record: 3-0
- Week 3 Result: Defeated Western Michigan 38-0
- Stat to Know: Illinois’ first shutout win against an FBS opponent since 2000.
- What’s Next: Saturday at Indiana, 7:30 p.m., NBC
10. Texas A&M Aggies
- Record: 3-0
- Week 3 Result: Defeated Notre Dame 41-40
- Stat to Know: A&M’s first nonconference road win against an AP top-10 team since 1979.
- What’s Next: Sept. 27 vs. Auburn
11. Oklahoma Sooners
- Record: 3-0
- Week 3 Result: Defeated Temple 42-3
- Stat to Know: Oklahoma has allowed 19 points this season, the second fewest through its first three games since 1990.
- What’s Next: Saturday vs. Auburn, 3:30 p.m., ABC
12. Iowa State Cyclones
- Record: 4-0
- Week 3 Result: Defeated Arkansas State 24-16
- Stat to Know: Rocco Becht has the most games with a passing and rushing score among Big 12 quarterbacks over the past three seasons.
- What’s Next: Sept. 27 vs. Arizona
13. Ole Miss Rebels
- Record: 3-0
- Week 3 Result: Defeated Arkansas 41-35
- Stat to Know: Ole Miss has won three straight games against Arkansas for the first time since 1990-93.
- What’s Next: Saturday vs. Tulane, 3:30 p.m., ESPN
14. Alabama Crimson Tide
- Record: 2-1
- Week 3 Result: Defeated Wisconsin 38-14
- Stat to Know: Kalen DeBoer is 9-0 at home as Alabama coach, the longest win streak by a Tide coach to begin their tenure since Xen Scott from 1919 to 1921.
- What’s Next: Sept. 27 at Georgia, 7:30 p.m., ABC
15. Tennessee Volunteers
- Record: 2-1
- Week 3 Result: Lost to Georgia 44-41 (OT)
- Stat to Know: Joey Aguilar is the first SEC player with at least four passing scores and a rushing TD in his conference debut in the past 20 seasons.
- What’s Next: Saturday vs. UAB, 12:45 p.m., SEC Network
16. Utah Utes
- Record: 3-0
- Week 3 Result: Defeated Wyoming 31-6
- Stat to Know: Utah has started its season 3-0 in three consecutive years.
- What’s Next: Saturday vs. Texas Tech, noon, Fox
17. Texas Tech Red Raiders
- Record: 3-0
- Week 3 Result: Defeated Oregon State 45-14
- Stat to Know: First time the team has scored at least 45 points in each of its first three games since 2016.
- What’s Next: Saturday at Utah, noon, Fox
18. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
- Record: 3-0
- Week 3 Result: Defeated Clemson 24-21
- Stat to Know: Aidan Birr’s 55-yard, winning field goal is the longest winning field goal in program history.
- What’s Next: Saturday vs. Temple, 4:30 p.m., The CW
19. Indiana Hoosiers
- Record: 3-0
- Week 3 Result: Defeated Indiana State 73-0
- Stat to Know: Indiana’s 73-0 win was the third-largest victory and second-largest shutout in program history.
- What’s Next: Saturday vs. Illinois, 7:30 p.m., NBC
20. Vanderbilt Commodores
- Record: 3-0
- Week 3 Result: Defeated South Carolina 31-7
- Stat to Know: Vanderbilt’s first 3-0 start to the season since 2017.
- What’s Next: Saturday vs. Georgia State, 7:30 p.m., ESPNU
21. Michigan Wolverines
- Record: 2-1
- Week 3 Result: Defeated Central Michigan 63-3
- Stat to Know: The 60-point victory over CMU is the largest by the program against an in-state opponent since 1922.
- What’s Next: Saturday at Nebraska, 3:30 p.m., CBS
22. Auburn Tigers
- Record: 3-0
- Week 3 Result: Defeated South Alabama 31-15
- Stat to Know: Auburn is off to its second 3-0 start in three seasons under coach Hugh Freeze.
- What’s Next: Saturday at Oklahoma, 3:30 p.m., ABC
23. Missouri Tigers
- Record: 3-0
- Week 3 Result: Defeated Louisiana 52-10
- Stat to Know: Ahmad Hardy is the first FBS player with a 200-yard rushing game this season.
- What’s Next: Saturday vs. South Carolina, 7:00 p.m., ESPN
24. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
- Record: 0-2
- Week 3 Result: Lost to Texas A&M 41-40
- Stat to Know: Notre Dame is starting the season 0-2 for the third time in the past 15 years.
- What’s Next: Saturday vs. Purdue, 3:30 p.m., NBC
25. USC Trojans
- Record: 3-0
- Week 3 Result: Defeated Purdue 33-17
- Stat to Know: USC has won its last four games against Purdue.
- What’s Next: Saturday vs. Michigan State, 11 p.m., Fox