College football delivered another dramatic weekend in Week 3, with ranked teams falling, unbeaten programs strengthening their College Football Playoff cases and several major games reshaping the national picture.
The biggest headlines included Kentucky’s upset of No. 9 Texas A&M, Ole Miss defeating No. 7 LSU, Alabama outlasting Florida State, Notre Dame beating Michigan State and No. 1 Texas defeating UTSA.
With Week 4 approaching, the attention now turns toward another important slate that includes Texas vs. Tennessee, Ohio State vs. Illinois, Indiana vs. Northwestern, Clemson vs. California and several other nationally relevant games.
College Football Latest News: Biggest Week 3 Headlines
Kentucky Shocks No. 9 Texas A&M
One of the weekend’s biggest surprises came at College Station.
Kentucky defeated No. 9 Texas A&M 31-21, earning its first victory over the Aggies since 1952.
Quarterback Kenny Minchey completed 14 of 18 passes for 252 yards and two touchdowns, while CJ Baxter added two rushing touchdowns.
The result was especially significant for Texas A&M because it ended the Aggies’ regular-season home winning streak dating back to November 2024.
Texas A&M now faces questions about how the loss will affect its position in the national rankings and its broader postseason ambitions.
Ole Miss Beats LSU in a Major SEC Showdown
The Ole Miss-LSU game produced one of Week 3’s most entertaining finishes.
No. 8 Ole Miss defeated No. 7 LSU 32-24, improving to 3-0 and handing LSU its first loss of the season.
Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss completed 33 of 48 passes for 363 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter.
LSU rallied after trailing by 17 points at halftime, but Ole Miss regained control late.
The Rebels’ victory is expected to generate significant movement in the next AP Top 25 discussion, with multiple ranking projections placing Ole Miss higher following the win.
LSU Injury Watch
LSU tight end Trey’Dez Green was helped from the field after taking a significant hit during the fourth quarter against Ole Miss. The injury situation remained an important storyline following the game.
No. 1 Texas Defeats UTSA
Texas remained unbeaten after defeating UTSA 30-6.
The Longhorns entered the weekend as the nation’s No. 1 team after their previous victory over Ohio State.
Quarterback Arch Manning threw two touchdown passes, both to Cam Coleman, while Texas’ defense limited UTSA to only 143 yards according to the game report.
Texas is now 3-0 heading into one of the most anticipated games of Week 4: a road trip to face Tennessee.
Alabama Survives Florida State in High-Scoring Battle
Alabama defeated Florida State 50-36 in another major Week 3 matchup.
The Crimson Tide produced 567 total yards and avoided turnovers, while Florida State accumulated 471 yards but committed three turnovers.
Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell threw for 320 yards and three touchdowns while also adding a rushing touchdown.
Florida State quarterback Ashton Daniels threw for 377 yards and two touchdowns, but his three interceptions proved costly.
The result keeps Alabama unbeaten at 3-0 while Florida State falls to 1-2.
Notre Dame Continues Unbeaten Start
No. 3 Notre Dame defeated Michigan State 27-10 in South Bend.
The Fighting Irish controlled the game statistically, finishing with 395 total yards compared with Michigan State’s 167.
Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr completed 18 of 24 passes for 234 yards without an interception.
Wide receiver Micah Gilbert was another major contributor with eight receptions for 170 yards.
Notre Dame improved to 3-0, while Michigan State dropped to 2-1.
Georgia Rolls Past Arkansas
No. 2 Georgia continued its unbeaten start with a 45-17 victory over Arkansas.
Georgia’s defense was particularly impressive, holding Arkansas to just 17 rushing yards.
Running back Chauncey Bowens scored three rushing touchdowns, while quarterback Gunner Stockton contributed 147 passing yards and a touchdown.
Georgia moved to 3-0 and 1-0 in SEC play.
Ohio State Dominates Kent State
No. 6 Ohio State responded with a convincing 59-3 victory over Kent State.
The Buckeyes produced 527 total yards while holding Kent State to only 134.
Quarterback Julian Sayin was among the notable performers from Ohio State’s latest victory, keeping the Buckeyes in the national conversation following their early-season loss to Texas.
USC Survives Rutgers
No. 12 USC defeated Rutgers 42-35 in a high-scoring Big Ten contest.
Quarterback Jayden Maiava passed for 277 yards and two touchdowns.
USC and Rutgers combined for more than 900 total yards, with USC finishing with 461 and Rutgers 460.
The victory moved USC to 3-0 while Rutgers remained winless.
West Virginia Pulls Off Another Major Upset
West Virginia defeated No. 25 Virginia 38-27, improving to 3-0.
Quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. accounted for five touchdowns, including three rushing scores and two passing touchdowns.
The Mountaineers’ victory also ended Virginia’s unbeaten start and created another potential shake-up in the next national rankings.
College Football Rankings: What Could Change After Week 3?
The official AP Top 25 available before the completion of Week 3 had Texas at No. 1, followed by Georgia, Notre Dame, Indiana and Miami.
However, those rankings were based on games through September 12, before the latest weekend’s results.
That means Week 3 could produce substantial changes.
Teams attracting major ranking attention
Texas: Remains unbeaten and enters Week 4 against Tennessee.
Georgia: Continues its unbeaten SEC campaign.
Notre Dame: Remains unbeaten after another strong defensive performance.
Indiana: Continues to generate attention after another shutout victory.
Ole Miss: Its win over LSU puts the Rebels in position for a significant ranking jump.
Texas A&M: The loss to Kentucky could cause a substantial decline.
LSU: The Tigers now face questions after losing their first game.
Virginia: Could fall out of the Top 25 after the West Virginia loss.
CBS Sports’ post-Week-3 projection also identified Ole Miss as a major potential riser and Texas A&M as a significant faller, but these are projections rather than the official AP poll.
Week 4 College Football Schedule: Games to Watch
Week 4 begins Thursday, September 24, and continues through Saturday, September 26.
Several games could have major implications for the national rankings.
Texas vs. Tennessee
Saturday, September 26
No. 1 Texas travels to Tennessee for one of the week’s biggest games.
Texas enters the matchup undefeated, while Tennessee will be looking to make a major statement against the nation’s top-ranked team.
For Texas, the game represents another opportunity to strengthen its position at the top of the national championship conversation.
Ohio State vs. Illinois
Saturday, September 26
No. 6 Ohio State hosts Illinois.
The Buckeyes will attempt to build momentum following their dominant win over Kent State.
Illinois faces one of the biggest tests of its season at Ohio Stadium.
Indiana vs. Northwestern
Friday, September 25
No. 4 Indiana hosts Northwestern.
The game is scheduled for Friday night at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, with FOX listed as the television network.
Indiana enters Week 4 as one of the nation’s unbeaten ranked teams.
Clemson vs. California
Friday, September 25
Clemson travels to California for another intriguing matchup.
The game is scheduled for Friday night and is listed for ESPN.
The matchup could become an important opportunity for Clemson to improve its position after the early-season results.
Texas Tech vs. Sam Houston
No. 13 Texas Tech will face Sam Houston in another Week 4 matchup.
Texas Tech is among the ranked teams entering the weekend with plenty of attention on its position in the national picture.
College Football Players Trending After Week 3
Trinidad Chambliss — Ole Miss
Chambliss delivered one of the weekend’s most notable quarterback performances against LSU, throwing for 363 yards and two touchdowns while adding a crucial rushing score.
Kenny Minchey — Kentucky
Minchey’s performance against Texas A&M helped Kentucky produce one of the weekend’s biggest upsets.
Keelon Russell — Alabama
Russell’s three touchdown passes and rushing touchdown helped Alabama defeat Florida State in a 50-point performance.
Micah Gilbert — Notre Dame
Gilbert’s eight catches for 170 yards made him one of Notre Dame’s standout offensive performers against Michigan State.
Michael Hawkins Jr. — West Virginia
Hawkins accounted for five touchdowns in West Virginia’s victory over Virginia.
College Football Playoff Picture: Why Week 4 Matters
Although the season is still in its early stages, September games are increasingly important because undefeated teams are beginning to separate themselves from teams that have already suffered losses.
The biggest storylines heading into Week 4 include:
- Can Texas remain undefeated against Tennessee?
- Can Ole Miss continue its momentum after defeating LSU?
- How far will Texas A&M fall after losing to Kentucky?
- Can Alabama maintain its unbeaten record?
- Can Notre Dame continue its strong start?
- Will Ohio State climb after its dominant Week 3 performance?
- Which teams will enter the next AP Top 25?
- Which ranked teams could fall out after Week 3 defeats?
These questions should make the Week 4 schedule particularly important for the developing College Football Playoff picture.
College Football Injury Updates
Injuries are also becoming increasingly important as teams move deeper into the season.
Current injury reporting includes several players listed as questionable or unavailable around the FBS, although statuses can change before kickoff.
Oregon, for example, has multiple players listed with injury concerns ahead of upcoming games, while other programs also have players listed as questionable or out.
Teams will continue to release updated availability information during the week, making official team reports and pregame announcements important sources before Week 4 kickoffs.
What to Watch in College Football This Week
The most important storylines heading into the next weekend are:
1. Texas’ No. 1 ranking
The Longhorns face Tennessee in one of the biggest games of the weekend.
2. Ole Miss’ ranking movement
The Rebels’ victory over LSU could dramatically change the national rankings conversation.
3. Texas A&M’s response
The Aggies need to regroup after the unexpected home defeat against Kentucky.
4. SEC pressure
Georgia, Alabama, Ole Miss, LSU and other SEC programs remain central to the national championship conversation.
5. Big Ten competition
Ohio State, Indiana, Michigan, USC and Penn State are among the conference programs attracting national attention.
6. More potential upsets
Week 3 demonstrated how quickly the national picture can change. Several Week 4 games feature ranked teams facing opponents capable of creating another major storyline.
College Football Week 4: Full Fan Checklist
Before the next weekend begins, fans should keep an eye on:
AP Top 25: Official rankings following Week 3.
Injury reports: Particularly quarterback, running back and offensive-line availability.
College Football Playoff picture: Which unbeaten teams continue to build strong résumés?
Ranked matchups: Texas-Tennessee and Ohio State-Illinois are among the major games.
SEC race: Ole Miss, Georgia, Alabama, LSU and Texas A&M remain major storylines.
Big Ten race: Indiana, Ohio State, Michigan, USC and Penn State continue to receive national attention.
Final Takeaway
Week 3 dramatically changed the 2026 college football landscape. Kentucky’s upset of Texas A&M, Ole Miss’ victory over LSU, Alabama’s high-scoring win over Florida State and West Virginia’s defeat of Virginia all created potential movement in the national rankings.
Meanwhile, Texas, Georgia and Notre Dame remain unbeaten, while several other ranked teams are entering Week 4 with significant momentum.
The next weekend could bring another major shift, particularly with Texas traveling to Tennessee and Ohio State hosting Illinois.
For college football fans, the message from Week 3 is straightforward: the national picture remains fluid, and every ranked matchup now carries increasing significance.