Nielsen’s latest college football ratings snapshot has Texas sitting at the top of the sport’s TV draw through Week 5, and the numbers reflect just how quickly the 2026 season has taken shape.
The Longhorns lead the way with 9.038 million viewers, while LSU comes in second at 7.623 million. Texas being No. 1 fits the way the season has started for the Longhorns, and LSU’s place near the top comes with Lane Kiffin now in charge, a setup that keeps the Tigers in the conversation every week.
Wisconsin is right behind those two at No. 3 with 7.421 million views, a strong showing that lines up with the Badgers’ 4-1 start. Ohio State checks in fourth at 6.720 million, and Ole Miss rounds out the top five with 6.235 million.
The rest of the top 10 features Michigan, Kentucky, Florida, Tennessee and Alabama. That group is mostly made up of the kind of blue-blood programs that usually show up in these lists, and several of them are off to strong starts as well.
Kentucky stands out as the surprise in the bunch. The Wildcats are 4-1 in Will Stein’s first season as head coach, and they’ve already been part of some big games this year. They’ll be in another one Saturday against LSU.
With the season still in its early stages, there’s plenty of time for this list to shift. The next few weeks should tell us whether these ratings leaders stay put or get shuffled as the schedule tightens up.
In Other News...
Texas Let A 2-0 Lead Slip Away In Brutal Road Loss
Texas built what looked like a winning cushion early at Wendell & Vickie Bell Soccer Complex, jumping out to a 2-0 lead before halftime and appearing to have control of the match on the road. The Longhorns got key contributions from Elise Ernest, Rayna Powers, Amalia Villarreal, Ava McDonald and Audrey Bryant, and for a while it looked like the night would extend their recent run and reinforce the progress that had carried them into the contest.
Instead, Kentucky flipped the script after the break and turned the game into a gut-punch finish for Texas. The Wildcats scored three times in the second half, and Kyla Dawn delivered the winner in the 90th minute, sending No. 25/18 Texas to a 3-2 defeat that snapped its four-match unbeaten streak and left the Longhorns with plenty to sort through after a road lead vanished so quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Volleyball May Have Found Its SEC Identity In Arkansas Rally
Texas volleyball spent a good chunk of Friday night in a familiar place, chasing the match before finally taking control in Fayetteville. No. 9 Texas dropped the opening set to Arkansas, then had to survive a long second-set battle before finding its rhythm in a four-set win that pushed the Longhorns to 8-5 overall and 4-1 in SEC play. Torrey Stafford did the heavy lifting on offense with a season-high 29 kills, while the victory also came with a defensive exclamation point from Ramsey Gary.
Gary finished with 33 digs, setting a Texas rally-scoring era record and giving the Longhorns the kind of back-line steadiness that can travel in conference play. For a team still trying to define itself in a new league, the rally against Arkansas offered a useful glimpse of what Texas wants to be: stubborn, balanced and capable of turning a tense night into a decisive finish once the match starts to bend its way. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Opens Red River With Early Drama Beyond The Score
The Red River Rivalry brought its usual edge at the Cotton Bowl, and Texas wasted little time making an early statement. Arch Manning connected with Cam Coleman for a first-quarter touchdown, giving the Longhorns a quick spark in a game that already felt charged before either side settled in.
Even before the scoring play, the opening quarter carried plenty for Texas fans to track beyond the scoreboard, from the pregame warmups to the injury situation that shaped the tone of the afternoon. With key plays coming fast and both teams absorbing the atmosphere of one of college footballs most watched rivalries, the Longhorns had plenty of drama to navigate right away. [Read more 🡒]