Texas is back at No. 1.
After opening the season at No. 1 and then sliding to No. 6, the Longhorns reclaimed the top spot in the AP Poll on Sunday following their 24-23 comeback win over Ohio State in Austin. Texas trailed by 20 points in the fourth quarter before ripping off the final 21 points of the night to stun the Buckeyes.
The finish came down to Hollywood Smothers, who jumped over the pile on the goal line with less than a minute left to deliver the winning score.
Texas moved ahead of No. 2 Georgia and No.
3 Notre Dame, both of whom handled Group of Six opponents on Saturday. It’s the first time the Longhorns have been No. 1 since the last time they played Ohio State.
The Buckeyes entered the game ranked No. 1, but they were one of three top-15 teams to lose on Saturday. No.
6 Oregon was upset by Oklahoma State, and No. 11 Oklahoma fell at Michigan.
The AP Poll now lists Texas at the top, followed by Georgia, Notre Dame, Indiana and Miami. Ohio State dropped to No.
- LSU, Ole Miss, Texas A&M and Alabama round out the top 10.
Texas also climbed to No. 1 in the US LBM Coaches Poll, with Georgia, Notre Dame, Indiana and Miami sitting behind the Longhorns there as well. Ohio State is No. 6 in that ranking too.
The road ahead for Texas includes a home game against unranked UTSA, which beat Texas State on the road, 31-26, before the Longhorns head to No. 15 Tennessee to open SEC play. Tennessee is coming off a 45-24 road win over Georgia Tech.
A look at the rest of Texas’ 2026 schedule shows several opponents coming off Week 2 wins, including Florida, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Missouri and LSU. Oklahoma was the exception, falling 17-10 at Michigan. Arkansas was also beaten soundly at Utah, 43-10.
In Other News...
Arch Manning Added To Texas Wildest Postgame Controversy Yet
The aftermath of Texas 24-23 comeback win over No. 1 Ohio State did not stay focused on the field for long. Steve Sarkisians postgame interview became a talking point after he cut off reporter Holly Rowe, and the moment quickly spilled into the kind of strange, over-the-top discourse that follows a marquee victory when the stakes are already sky high. The result itself mattered plenty, lifting Texas to No. 1 in the updated AP poll, but the tone around the celebration shifted almost immediately.
Arch Manning soon found himself dragged into the chatter after weighing in on an AI-generated video that falsely showed Sarkisian slapping Rowe. His reaction made clear he was not treating the situation with much gravity, even as the clip added another layer to an already messy postgame scene. For Texas, the football part of the night was the headline it wanted, but the strange side story around its coach and quarterback is the one still hanging in the air. [Read more 🡒]
Steve Sarkisian's Awkward Ohio State Moment Took A Strange Turn Online
Steve Sarkisians postgame exchange with Holly Rowe after the Ohio State game was already unusual enough to draw plenty of attention, with Texas fans and onlookers replaying the moment as soon as it hit social media. The Longhorns coach abruptly cut off the ESPN interview and sprinted away, turning a routine TV hit into one of the first viral oddities of the season for a program that tends to live under a microscope.
The story took an even stranger turn when Arch Manning said he had seen AI-generated videos making it look as if Sarkisian slapped Rowe, a fabrication that quickly circulated online after his comments. It was a reminder of how fast a bizarre real-life clip can get distorted once the internet grabs hold, and how little room there is for nuance once a strange moment from a marquee Texas game becomes meme material. [Read more 🡒]
TCU Gets One Last Real Test Before Big 12 Play
TCUs final tune-up before Big 12 play brings a familiar face to Fort Worth, with Arkansas State visiting for what should be a useful barometer for both teams. The Red Wolves have shown a balanced offense so far, leaning on multiple running backs and receivers, while mixing in enough defensive looks to keep an opponent honest. For a Horned Frogs team trying to sharpen itself before the conference grind begins, its the kind of late-September game that can reveal more than the matchup on paper suggests.
The most interesting wrinkle is under center, where Arkansas State is being led by Trey Owens, a transfer quarterback with Texas ties and a chance to settle in after a bumpy start to his career path. The Red Wolves also bring a strong secondary and a defense that changes structure, but their run defense has been a vulnerability through the first two games, which gives TCU a clear area to press. Before Big 12 play arrives, this one offers the Horned Frogs a final look at a team with enough moving parts to make the afternoon matter. [Read more 🡒]