Predicting AP Top 25 college football poll entering Week 3 of 2026 season

Week 2 of the college football season didn’t disappoint with action. While it appeared that Texas was going to lay a giant egg at home against Ohio State, the Longhorns had a 21-point fourth-quarter rally to take down the Buckeyes, 24-23.

Then there were the Michigan Wolverines, who turned the page against Oklahoma and looked much more impressive than they did last weekend against Western Michigan. Michigan would end up beating Oklahoma 17-10 to improve to 2-0.

Both Michigan and Texas impressed, but the Oregon Ducks flirted with disaster last week, and this week, disaster struck. The Ducks suffered a 39-31 loss to Oklahoma State, a team that won one game last season, and got beat by Tulsa in Week 1.

With the second week of the season in the books, here’s how the new AP Top 25 poll could look when it comes out later on Sunday.

MORE: Oklahoma State makes history in upset win over Oregon

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) runs during the second half of the NCAA football game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium on Aug. 30, 2025. Ohio State won 14-7. Credit: USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect (Reuters)

No. 25 Louisville

Record: 1-1

Next: vs. SMU

No. 24 Iowa

Record: 2-0

Next: vs. Northern Iowa

No. 23 Missouri

Record: 2-0

Next vs. Troy

No. 22 Houston

Record: 2-0

Next: @ Texas Tech

No. 21 Utah

Record: 2-0

Next: vs. Utah State

No. 20 Oklahoma

Record: 1-1

Next: vs. New Mexico

No. 19 Michigan

Record: 2-0

Next: vs. UTEP

No. 18 Oregon

Record: 1-1

Next: vs. Portland State

No. 17 Washington

Record: 2-0

Next: vs. Eastern Washington

No. 16 SMU

Record: 2-0

Next: @ Louisville

No. 15 Texas Tech

Record: 2-0

Next: vs. Houston

No. 14: Tennessee

Record: 2-0

Next: vs. Kennesaw State

No. 13 Penn State

Record: 2-0

Next: vs. Buffalo

No. 12 BYU

Record: 2-0

Next: @ Colorado State

No. 11 USC

Record: 3-0

Next: @ Rutgers

No. 10 Alabama

Record: 2-0

Next: vs. Florida State

No. 9 Texas A&M

Record: 2-0

Next: vs. Kentucky

No. 8 Ole Miss

Record: 2-0

Next: vs. LSU

No. 7 LSU

Record: 2-0

Next: @ Ole Miss

No. 6 Ohio State

Record: 2-0

Next: vs. Kent State

No. 5 Miami

Record: 2-0

Next: @ Wake Forest

No. 4 Indiana

Record: 2-0

Next: vs. Western Kentucky

No. 3 Notre Dame

Record: 2-0

Next: vs. Michigan State

No. 2 Georgia

Record: 2-0

Next: @ Arkansas

No. 1 Texas

Record: 1-1

Next: vs. UTSA

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