Just three weeks into the season, the Coaches Poll is already getting pulled in a dozen different directions, and Week 3 only made the job harder. LSU’s loss at Ole Miss sent shockwaves through the top of the rankings, while Florida and Louisville both used big wins to muscle their way back into the top 25.
The biggest move near the top belonged to Ole Miss. The Rebels climbed three spots after Trinidad Chambliss delivered a gutsy performance in the win over LSU, a result that pushed Lane Kiffin’s team back into the conversation as a College Football Playoff threat out of the SEC.
LSU took the hit, sliding four spots after coughing up a 24-7 halftime lead. The Tigers did manage to answer with 17 straight points of their own, but the comeback stopped there when Sam Leavitt had his fourth down pass tipped and intercepted in the end zone. Lane is 2-1.
Texas A&M suffered one of the poll’s biggest drops, falling 12 places after a stunning home loss to Kentucky. The Aggies were 17-point favorites, but they never controlled the line of scrimmage and couldn’t slow down a Kentucky team that came in and handed them a 10-point defeat.
Florida is back in the rankings after getting tossed out a week ago. The Gators earned their return with a strong offensive showing in a road win at Auburn, enough to convince voters to give the SEC another ranked team.
Louisville also moved in the right direction after taking down ranked SMU at home. The Cardinals’ ground game finally showed up, and Jeff Brohm’s team picked up an important early-season win in what looked like a meaningful ACC measuring stick.
SMU did not get kicked out, but the Mustangs did take a tumble, dropping nine spots after the loss in Louisville exposed some offensive inconsistency. Even with the setback, they stayed in the poll.
The changes didn’t stop there. Houston had been off to a strong start, but the Cougars came up just short on the road at Texas Tech and fell out of the rankings, with Florida taking their place. Virginia also disappeared from the top 25 after a 38-27 home loss to unranked West Virginia erased the goodwill built from its early win over NC State.
The poll also included a long list of teams hovering just outside the top 25, led by Houston at 116, Mississippi State at 114, Duke at 70, West Virginia at 55, Kentucky at 54, Oklahoma State at 36, Pittsburgh at 35, Virginia Tech at 30, Vanderbilt at 29, Boise State at 29, Tulsa at 20, UCLA at 18, Kansas State at 18, Western Michigan at 17, Nebraska at 11, North Dakota State at 8, Northwestern at 4, Clemson at 3, Massachusetts at 2, James Madison at 2, and Arizona at 1.
In Other News...
Florida Just Gave Auburn Fans A Painful Reminder Before SEC Opener
Floridas social team leaned into the kind of memory Auburn fans would rather not revisit ahead of the SEC opener, using LaMical Perine to narrate a hype video for the primetime matchup. The clip centers on Perines long touchdown run from the 2019 Florida-Auburn game, a moment that still stands out for Gators fans because it helped deliver the win and added another layer to a rivalry that rarely needs much extra fuel.
Now the two programs meet again with both entering unranked, both 2-0, and both guided by new head coaches, which gives this one a different feel even before kickoff. Floridas reminder was sharp and simple, but it also underlined how much history can still shape an SEC opener, especially when the past includes one play Auburn supporters would just as soon forget. [Read more 🡒]
Florida Just Found The Formula That Could Change This Season
Florida left Jordan-Hare Stadium with more than a hard-earned win over Auburn, because the Gators finally put together the kind of complete effort they have been searching for. The 44-39 victory delivered Florida its first 3-0 start since 2019 and its first SEC road win since 2024, a welcome sign that the program may be finding its footing early in the season.
Jadan Baugh gave the offense a clear identity, piling up 162 yards and three touchdowns while also ripping off a crucial 53-yard run on fourth-and-one. Floridas defense did its part with seven sacks, the kind of disruptive night that can travel, and the bigger question now is whether this performance was a one-off surge or the start of something the Gators can lean on moving forward. [Read more 🡒]
Florida Faces A Doubt Gators Fans Wont Want To Hear
Auburns trip to Jordan-Hare Stadium is shaping up as one of the more uneasy spots on Floridas early schedule, and The Athletics Manny Navarro has already put a number on the concern. He is calling for the Tigers to edge the Gators 28-27 in Week 3, with the matchup around Floridas ground game drawing particular attention. Jadan Baugh is expected to be a focal point, but Auburns run defense has looked strong so far this season, which adds another layer of difficulty for a Florida offense trying to find answers on the road.
The quarterback battle also looms over the matchup, with Floridas Aaron Philo and Auburns Byrum Brown both central to how this game could swing late. Navarros prediction leans toward Brown guiding a late game-winning drive, a scenario that would leave Florida with a frustrating close loss and plenty to sort through afterward. For Gators fans, the sting is not just the upset call itself, but the sense that this one could hinge on the kind of late-game execution that has no margin for error. [Read more 🡒]