Texas defeats Ohio State to claim top spot in AP Top 25 poll

Texas rallied in the final minutes of Saturday night’s game in Austin, scoring 21 unanswered points to edge Ohio State 24-23 and move to the top of the Associated Press Top 25 poll. The Longhorns, previously ranked No. 4, trailed 23-3 entering the fourth quarter before tailback Hollywood Smothers ran in the winning touchdown with 25 seconds remaining.

Ohio State, which fell to 1-1 after the loss, is projected to finish the poll no lower than fourth place. Georgia, the two-time defending SEC champion, is expected to remain at No. 2 after a 70-20 victory over Western Kentucky, while Miami, led by quarterback Darien Mensah, is positioned for No. 3 following a 77-7 win over Florida A&M.

Other early-season results that shaped the top ten include Notre Dame’s 52-0 shutout of Rice, LSU’s 45-14 win over Louisiana Tech after a close first half, and Alabama’s 45-17 victory at Kentucky, where freshman quarterback Keelon Russell threw for 188 yards and a touchdown.

The poll’s top 25 also reflects strong starts from Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Oregon (which fell after a 39-31 loss to Oklahoma State), and several other programs that posted decisive wins in their opening games.

"We stayed focused and executed in the final minutes," Texas head coach said after the win.

The updated AP ballot lists Texas first, followed by Georgia, Miami, Ohio State and Notre Dame through the top five positions.