Texas Seizes No. 1 in AP Poll After Historic Comeback, Reshaping the Early Playoff Picture

The new reality of the 2026 college football season was cemented in Austin on Saturday night. Erasing a 23-3 deficit to stun previously top-ranked Ohio State 24-23, the Texas Longhorns did not just win a football game. They seized the No. 1 spot in the AP Top 25 poll, claiming 56 of the available first-place votes and completely scrambling the early-season championship standings.[1][2]

The stakes in the expanded 12-team playoff era mean that September margins are razor-thin, and conservative playcalling is heavily penalized. Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian knew exactly what was on the line when he opted to go for it on a 4th-and-9 from his own 42-yard line while trailing by 20 points.[4]

"That's how losers think. Winners win, baby," Sarkisian said of the decision to keep the offense on the field instead of punting. "You've got to go for it. They didn't hire me to keep it close. They hired me to win."[4]

The gamble paid off, and the poll voters responded. Ohio State, which looked unstoppable in the first half behind wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, plummeted five spots to No. 6. The Buckeyes' defense unraveled in the final 20 minutes, allowing Texas quarterback Arch Manning to find his rhythm and orchestrate a game-winning drive that culminated in a 19-yard completion down to the 1-yard line.[1][3]

"That's when I knew it was our time," Manning said of the final possession, which erased 378 days of lingering doubt following the Longhorns' 14-7 loss in Columbus during the 2025 season.[4][6]

Behind Texas, the SEC and Big Ten continue to dominate the upper echelon of the standings. The Georgia Bulldogs sit at No. 2 with three first-place votes, followed by Notre Dame at No. 3 and the defending champion Indiana Hoosiers holding steady at No. 4.[1][2]

The Miami Hurricanes round out the top five, surging up the board after a suffocating defensive effort and a hyper-efficient outing from quarterback Darian Mensah. Mensah completed 14 of 15 passes for 252 yards and three touchdowns against Florida A&M, while wideout Malachi Toney hauled in four catches for 96 yards.[2][3]

Further down the board, the volatility of Week 2 exposed the fragile nature of preseason expectations. The Oregon Ducks suffered the most precipitous drop of the young season, tumbling 15 spots to No. 21 after a 39-31 road loss to Oklahoma State.[1][3]

Conversely, the Michigan Wolverines clawed their way back into the Top 25, landing at No. 19 following a gritty 17-10 upset over No. 11 Oklahoma at the Big House. Quarterback Bryce Underwood, facing immense pressure after a shaky Week 1, carried the ball 18 times for 87 yards and a touchdown, utilizing his legs to keep the Sooners' defense off balance.[1][5]

The bottom of the poll also welcomed fresh blood. The Louisville Cardinals secured the No. 25 ranking on the back of a 59-13 demolition of Villanova. Quarterback Lincoln Kienholz accounted for 374 total yards—332 through the air and 42 on the ground—and four total touchdowns.[3]

The current standings reflect a landscape where early non-conference scheduling is a double-edged sword. Sarkisian, however, was quick to defend the Buckeyes' resume despite their drop to No. 6. "Quite frankly, Ohio State should be rewarded for playing in this game against us," Sarkisian noted, pointing out the inherent risk of scheduling top-tier opponents in September.[4]

With conference play looming, the margin for error for teams like Ohio State and Oregon has virtually vanished. The next major checkpoint arrives on September 19, when the newly minted No. 1 Longhorns look to defend their ranking, and the Buckeyes attempt to stabilize their season before the heart of the Big Ten schedule begins.[1][2]