Ole Miss is set to climb in the AP Top 25 after beating LSU
Mississippi cornerback Jaylon Braxton (2) secures an end zone interception of a LSU pass during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Oxford, Miss., Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. Credit: AP/Rogelio V. Solis
A shuffle to the top 10 is likely in store for the AP Top 25.
All eyes are on No. 8 Mississippi after it held off No. 7 LSU with a tie-breaking touchdown and a 2-point conversion by quarterback Trinidad Chambliss in the fourth quarter.
The new rankings won’t look so good for No. 9 Texas A&M, which lost 31-21 at home to Kentucky.
Expect a drop in the poll for three more ranked teams that took their first losses: No. 16 SMU was beaten 41-31 at No. 23 Louisville, No. 23 Houston lost 28-26 at No. 13 Texas Tech and No. 25 Virginia lost 38-27 to unranked West Virginia.
Stick around for more predictions and live updates when the latest rankings drop at 2 p.m. EDT.
Louisville beats SMU in an ACC matchup
By MAURA CAREY
No. 23 Louisville beat No. 16 SMU at home on Saturday in an early ACC showdown, outscoring the Mustangs 41-31 in a back-and-forth battle that included eight changes in who held the lead.
It was another strong performance from Louisville quarterback Lincoln Kienholz, who threw for 177 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 42 yards and a score. Kienholz’s rushing touchdown was one of four for the Cardinals. Keyjuan Brown had 163 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries.
SMU also found success in the run game. Kendrick Raphael, who stole the show, ran for 197 yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries.
Aggies suffer a big upset in College Station
Texas A&M fell 31-21 to Kentucky in a major upset. It was Kentucky’s first win against Texas A&M in 74 years, with the Wildcats’ only other win dating back to 1952.
The loss is sure to impact Texas A&M’s position in the AP Top 25 and puts the Aggies in must-win mode as SEC competition ramps up.
It was the first road game for new Kentucky coach Will Stein, and it was a personal one for Kentucky defensive coordinator Jay Bateman, who spent the previous two seasons in the same role at Texas A&M.
Florida makes its case
Florida started the week with the second-most votes of any unranked team (behind Washington). The Gators could break into the rankings after a 44-39 win over SEC foe Auburn.
It’s Florida’s first 3-0 start since 2019 and would be its first Top 25 ranking since last September.
Running back Jadan Baugh had yet another impressive outing, boosting his season totals to 458 rushing yards and eight scores.
A wild finish in Nashville
One of the week’s more unforgettable endings unfolded in Nashville, when NC State gave up a 31-28 lead as the clock expired.
NC State quarterback CJ Bailey was hit by three Commodores as he scrambled in the end zone and fumbled. Vanderbilt cornerback Cayden Daniels recovered the ball in the end zone for a touchdown, giving the Commodores an improbable 35-31 win.
Business as usual for the top 6
Texas, Georgia, Notre Dame, Indiana, Miami and Ohio State each cruised to expected victories.
No. 5 Miami started the weekend with a 33-20 win against Wake Forest on Friday night. No. 2 Georgia beat Arkansas 45-17 on the road. No. 3 Notre Dame shut down Michigan State in the second half to come out on top 27-10. No. 4 Indiana rolled past Western Kentucky 38-0. And No. 6 Ohio State returned to the win column with a 59-3 rout of Kent State.
Teams to watch
No. 9 Texas A&M’s top-10 status is in jeopardy after a 31-21 upset loss to unranked Kentucky.
No. 22 Houston could be on the move after a hard-fought 28-26 loss to No. 13 Texas Tech.
No. 24 Oklahoma didn’t quite bounce back this week with an uninspiring 14-6 win over New Mexico.
Virginia had little margin for error going into the week at No. 25 and fell 38-27 to West Virginia on Saturday.
LSU-Ole Miss showdown didn’t disappoint
Lane Kiffin’s return to Oxford got off to a slow start, as Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss led the Rebels to a 24-7 halftime lead with a near-flawless first half.
Momentum shifted in the third quarter as LSU scored two unanswered touchdowns and Ole Miss lost running back Kewan Lacy to a shoulder injury.
LSU tied it up at 24-all with a field goal to start the fourth quarter. Chambliss then put the Rebels back on top after running it in for a touchdown and subsequent two-point conversion. Ole Miss sealed the 32-24 win as Jaylon Braxton picked off a pass from LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt in the end zone.
