After a wild weekend of college football games, the AP Top 25 college poll has been released. There's some movement in the rankings. Here's what each ranked team has in store:
Previous ranking: 1
Alabama was borderline invincible through 10 quarters of this season. They dominated Miami, Mercer, and Florida for a whole. The Gators came alive in the second quarter on Saturday, putting the scare of their lives into the Crimson Tide. The offensive line was not great and the defense couldn’t stop the run. A normally disciplined team also committed a number of penalties. The Swamp was too noisy for the offensive line, which could cause problems in the future with Auburn and Texas A&M. Alex Scarborough
Previous ranking: 2
Good luck finding a better defense than Georgia through three games. Although they will face more explosive offenses, the Dawgs have only given up two touchdowns so far. The victory was capped by a win over South Carolina of 40-13. The Dawgs will continue to use the same approach: Georgia's front seven has stopped opponents from running and forced them into pass. Georgia will next visit Vanderbilt, before surprising Arkansas at home. Then it will be back on the road against Auburn. Their defense is championship material if they continue to improve on offense. Chris Low
Previous ranking: 4
After their win against Ohio State two weeks ago, the Ducks are still high and the team heads into the Pac-12 opener against Arizona undefeated. The first few weeks of this season could be a dream if the Ducks are having trouble with Wildcats. They are the clear favorite in Pac-12 and all preseason talk about a possible College Football Playoff run has been confirmed. Kyle Bonagura
Previous ranking: 3
The Sooners will host West Virginia on Saturday, after OU defeated a Nebraska team that was determined to restore its glory days when the Sooners and Huskers fought for national titles. Since joining the Big 12, the Sooners have beaten the Mountaineers 8 times, including a 52-14 victory in Norman their last game. After the Nebraska game, Riley said that the OU offense was close to returning the same dynamic attack he used in the past. The Mountaineers may be able to offer some relief: In their five previous meetings, the Sooners average 52 points per game. Dave Wilson
Previous ranking: 5
The real work starts with one more tune-up. With a win over Kent State, Iowa improved to 3-0 and extended its winning streak to nine. It will now face Colorado State. After their 22-6 victory over the Toledo team, which nearly beat Notre Dame, the physical Rams have put in an impressive performance. However, few teams can match Kirk Ferentz's Hawkeyes. The next step is a trip to Maryland (3-0), followed by a visit at Penn State. Iowa is moving forward, but there are many tests ahead. -- Bill Connelly
Previous ranking: 10
After a difficult start to the season, Penn State must not let down against Villanova, a solid FCS opponent. Villanova is 3-0 and has already had 11 takeaways. Quarterback Sean Clifford is clearly a better quarterback under Mike Yurcich. Coach James Franklin will continue to look downfield for wide receivers Jahan Washington and Parker Washington as well as a talented group of tight ends that he wants to highlight every week. Although the defense isn't always the dominant one in the red zone, it has been strong and will continue to improve as Big Ten play resumes next week with Indiana visiting Beaver Stadium. -- Adam Rittenberg
Play 0:19 Penn State's lead increases on Noah Cain’s TD run Noah Cain reaches to the end zone to score a 3-yard touchdown, pushing the Penn State lead over Auburn to 28-20.
Previous ranking: 7
The Aggies lost to Colorado in their second game. They were down in the fourth quarter. However, they eventually won the touchdown and the win (10-7). The Aggies won convincingly against New Mexico. Texas A&M needed to win against Arkansas, which just beat Texas 40-21 in Week 2 The next two weeks will be tough for the Aggies, who will face Alabama in a series of conference games. Any bit of confidence will help. The Aggies want to move up to a higher level and the next few games will show where they stand. -- Tom VanHaaren
Previous ranking: 8
Cincinnati committed many mistakes against Indiana in its win. It was also the second consecutive game where it began slow in the first quarter. The Bearcats won the second half and remained undefeated. This was a great test for Cincinnati to prepare for Notre Dame's bye week. Cincinnati, a top-10 team will be scrutinized more closely than usual. A win against Notre Dame could give some breathing space and momentum moving forward or cause criticism. -- Tom VanHaaren
Previous ranking: 6
Clemson's offense scored 17 points against the FBS defenses in this year. Quarterback D.J. Quarterback D.J. The Tigers now have to face an NC State team, which has allowed only 31 points in three games. Clemson's defense has not allowed a touchdown, which is why the Tigers are the favourite to win the ACC. After a narrow win against Georgia Tech, Clemson's defense will face more challenges until the offense gets its bearings. -- Bill Connelly
Previous ranking: 9
After losing to Oregon in Week 2 the Buckeyes came out flat against Tulsa in Week 3. They then got into a dog fight with a team which was 0-2 going into the game. Ohio State made mistakes with penalties and coverage issues on defense. Stroud wasn't at his best. Before facing Penn State in Columbus, the team includes Akron and Rutgers as well as Maryland, Indiana, Maryland, and Indiana. The team didn't appear to be a top-10 opponent against Tulsa and the staff still has much to do if they want the season to end without more losses. -- Tom VanHaaren
Previous ranking: 11
Florida will face Tennessee at home in a match that could prove to be a rebound from the Alabama loss. Emory Jones was far more consistent, and the ground game featured strong play from the offensive line, as well as tough running by backs Nay'Quan Wright, Malik Davis and Dameon Pierce. Florida showed some strength defensively but the Gators need to address the pass interference penalty. Coach Dan Mullen hopes Anthony Richardson, who missed the Alabama game due to a hamstring injury, will be available. Florida is aware of how important each game on the league schedule is. The Gators must win to have a chance of rematching Alabama. -- Andrea Adelson
Previous ranking: 12
The Irish offense was still struggling against Purdue on Saturday. However, the defense performed much better after allowing too many big plays in both of the previous games. The Boilermakers were only able to find the end zone once, and they were just 4-for-16 in third downs. Three sacks were recorded by the Irish, while two interceptions were made. Purdue averaged just 2.5 yards per carry and 5.4 yards for each pass. This was a significant improvement over Notre Dame's defense against Toledo and Florida State. Although the Boilermakers may not be Alabama, they scored 39.5 points per game in their first two games. The Irish are clearly a work in process and will need to improve on both ends of the ball. An upcoming four-game stretch against No. 18 Wisconsin, No. 8 Cincinnati, No. 8 Cincinnati, No. -- Mark Schlabach
Previous ranking: 17
This is a game you can't wait to see: Ole Miss vs. Alabama. Lane Kiffin vs. Nick Saban. After a 61-21 win over Tulane on Saturday night, the Rebels will be granted a week off. A trip to Alabama on the first weekend of October will give a better picture of how Ole Miss has changed in defense. They've averaged 52.7 points over their first three games. However, they have also been significantly more defensive after finishing 117th nationally last season in scoring defense and 12th in total defense. Ole Miss managed 647 yards of total offense last year in its 63-48 defeat to Alabama, but gave up 723 yards. These are videogame numbers which could mean that we will have a lot more fun in October. Chris Low
Play 2:06 Matt Corral's 7-TD day wins Ole Miss. Matt Corral throws 3 touchdown passes and rushes for 4 times in an Ole Miss victory vs. Tulane, which is 61-21.
Previous ranking: 14
On Saturday, the Cyclones will play Big 12 at Baylor. They have the same expectations as when the season began: to be in contention for the conference title. Although the team lost to Iowa last week was disappointing, it is still capable of challenging Oklahoma. There are no gimmicks, however, so a loss to Waco is not surprising. Although there wasn't much to be learned from the loss to UNLV, it was encouraging to see how simple Brock Purdy made things seem. Kyle Bonagura
Previous ranking: 23
Next week, the Cougars will host South Florida. This ends a three-game streak of wins against Pac-12 opponents to start the year. BYU's Big 12 membership is a time when it can look forward to. BYU's stakes aren't higher as the rest of the country starts conference play. There are still intriguing games ahead, including games at Utah State, at Baylor, and home against Boise State over the next three week. Kyle Bonagura
Previous ranking: 20
Arkansas was ranked 3-0 the last time they were ranked. The Razorbacks lost to Jerry World, a top-10 Texas A&M squad, and that led to six consecutive losses in their final ten games. It was five years ago. They now have a chance at righting old wrongs. They are now 3-0 and will travel to Arlington to face A&M, who won easily 34-0 over New Mexico in Zach Calzada’s first start. Arkansas has defeated Texas's SWC rival. If the Hogs can win the second time, and beat the Aggies, it could be their first appearance in the AP Top 15. Huge game. -- Bill Connelly
Previous ranking: 16
The Chanticleers will be undefeated going into their Oct. 20 match at Appalachian State with back-to-back home matches against UMass and Louisiana-Monroe. This is the hardest game on the regular season schedule and Coastal has a 37.3% chance of winning ESPN's FPI. It's good for Coastal Carolina that their offense was tested at Buffalo. But if they want to be in the New Year's Six bowl conversation with the Chanticleers, they need to win with style points. Their remaining schedule strength ranks them 111th and none of their opponents are ranked. Heather Dinich
Previous ranking: 18
Badgers will be facing Jack Coan, the former quarterback who played 18 games in Cardinal before transferring to Notre Dame. Graham Mertz was born in Wisconsin, and Coan has since left Wisconsin. The Badgers must step up to replace him after his struggles with Penn State. Mertz has yet to throw a touchdown this season and faces a Notre Dame defense which has been weak early in the season. Wisconsin hosts Michigan next week, so there is real urgency. It is crucial that Wisconsin wins at Soldier Field. -- Adam Rittenberg
Previous ranking: 25
The Michigan offense was more balanced against Northern Illinois in this game than it was in the first two. Quarterback Cade McNamara rushed for 191 yards in the first half. This was more than the combined total of his first two games. Blake Corum, running back, continues to gain yards. He rushed for over 100 yards in his third consecutive game to increase the Wolverines' ground-game total to 1,076. While the defense is improving, the Wolverines will face a tough test next week against Rutgers. Then they will take on Wisconsin in Madison for the most difficult challenge of the season. -- Tom VanHaaren
Previous ranking: unranked
Michigan State is now 3-0 to begin the season, the first time since 2015. This comes after a convincing win over Miami on the road. The Spartans' offense, which has scored at least 35 points in each of the three previous games, will be facing a 2-2 Nebraska team. The Huskers will have a tough time keeping up with Michigan State's offensive, which has been putting up scores like it did in the first three games. The Spartans are likely to win against Nebraska and enter their home match against Michigan with a 7-1 record. -- Tom VanHaaren
Previous ranking: 21
Each team in ACC Coastal Division has suffered at least one loss. Virginia Tech is the only division team with a 1-0 conference record. Despite its loss to Virginia Tech in the season opener, North Carolina has the chance to make a comeback into the ACC championship picture. Although the Tar Heels beat Virginia by a score of 59 to 39 on Saturday, they need to be more consistent in order to remain in the Coastal race. The Tar Heels' next four games will be against ACC foes. They begin Saturday against Georgia Tech in Mercedes Benz Stadium. Chris Low
Unranked Week Previous
Fresno State beat UCLA in thrilling fashion Week 4 and kept the game close against Oregon. The Mountain West is off to a great start -- San Diego State, Utah State, and Wyoming are all 3-0. In back-to-back weeks, the Bulldogs will face UNLV, Hawai'i and Wyoming, which are combined 1-6.
Play 0:49 Fresno State wins No. 13 UCLA's TD Jake Haener catches up with Jalen Crossper for the game-winning touchdown that Fresno State beats UCLA 40-37.
Previous ranking: 22
The Tigers proved they are capable of handling a difficult road environment, despite the loss to Penn State. This should be a positive for trips to LSU (Oct. 2), Arkansas (Oct. 16), and Texas A&M(Nov. 6). Auburn must fully support Jarquez Hunter, Tank Bigsby and the run game. The passing game is still too inconsistent and unreliable. The Tigers had 11 tackles against Penn State, but no sacks. They must now reestablish a pass rush against Georgia State, before they begin a brutal SEC stretch (LSU and Georgia, Arkansas, Ole Miss. Texas A&M). -- Adam Rittenberg
Previous ranking: 13
UCLA's loss to Fresno State by 40 to 37 was not a conference game. This is the silver lining. As the Pac-12 wilts around Oregon, this team should still be considered for the title of Pac-12 champion. This path begins Saturday at Stanford. After a disappointing opening loss to Kansas State, Stanford has been looking good over the past two weeks. Stanford quarterback Tanner McKee is being questioned by UCLA's pass defense. They have allowed 785 yards passing in the past two games. Kyle Bonagura
Unranked Week Previous
Deuce Vaughn, Kansas State's running back, is a major reason for the 3-0 start. Vaughn, who is 5-foot-6 and 172 lbs, has exceeded 120 rushing yards in all three Wildcat games, including a performance of 127 yards against Nevada. Five Big 12 teams have 3-0 records and Kansas State will face them in four consecutive games. They are Oklahoma State (Saturday), Oklahoma State (Oct. 2), Iowa State (16), Texas Tech (Oct. 23).
Dropped out: Virginia Tech (15), Arizona State (19), Miami (24)
