Leading into the season, Week 2 was the Saturday most college football fans had circled. Multiple big-time matchups were on the schedule. Thankfully, a lot of them found a way to deliver. Especially the primetime showdown in Austin between two top-five teams.
More data points mean another edition of the Coaches Poll has been released by the USA TODAY. Sunday brought the latest poll, giving us an idea of who coaches across the country believe should be in the top 25.
[ $19.99 gets you a FULL year of On3 | Rivals national coverage ]
Looking ahead, one game, set to take place at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, shines when looking at the Week 3 slate. But for now, let’s check out what the Coaches Poll produced following Week 2. Some big-time changes are made at the top.
On Sept. 12, Texas might already have the win of the season. Down 20-3 in the second half, the Longhorns found a way to come back and beat Ohio State. Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium was sent into a frenzy.
Now, they are the No. 1-ranked team in college football per the Coaches Poll. One more nonconference game remains for Texas before turning to a difficult SEC schedule. Big opportunities ahead on the 40 Acres.
For the second straight week, Georgia took care of business in impressive fashion. Western Kentucky was not much of a threat for Kirby Smart‘s team. Through two games, the offense has put up 133 points.
So, we are still waiting to see UGA get tested this season. Thankfully, the schedule begins to ramp up for the Bulldogs. SEC play will begin on Saturday, starting with a trip to Fayetteville.
Notre Dame was back in front of the home crowd on Saturday. What they saw in South Bend was nearly perfect, as the offense put up 52 points and the defense pitched a shutout. 52-0 over Rice for a fun Week 2.
Moving forward, there are nine power conference games for Notre Dame. The lone exception is the annual rivalry matchup against Navy. A nice mix of ACC and Big Ten teams are in there.
The reigning national champions continue to fly under the radar. Mainly because of who they are playing, as Saturday’s game was against Howard. Next up will be Western Kentucky, wrapping up the nonconference schedule.
Oct. 17, which remains over a month out, might be the date everyone circles when it comes to Indiana. Ohio State will be coming to town, providing a rematch of last season’s Big Ten Championship in Indianapolis.
Yes, the opponent was Florida A&M. Even so, the Miami offense put on a clinic Thursday night. Quarterback Darian Mensah led the way with 252 yards and three touchdowns, only letting one of his 15 pass attempts hit the ground. Miami scored 77 points on the night.
The Hurricanes have shown dominance over teams they clearly overmatch. Right now, everyone is waiting to see what the ceiling might be. Thankfully, the level of competition should go up a tick or two in the coming weeks.
Everything said about Texas, the opposite is true for Ohio State. The Buckeyes dominated the first half and appeared to be cruising to a historic win for the program. It’s what they did the previous two years, only to be taken to the next level.
Ryan Day will need to make sure Ohio State resets. Goals and aspirations are certainly still alive, as it’s only one loss right now. However, the schedule is tougher than years past. A lot more of first-half Ohio State will need to come out.
A first-half hangover may have occurred against Louisiana Tech. Walking into the locker room, Lane Kiffin likely needed to produce another fiery speech for his team. Turnovers were killing LSU, keeping what should have been a lopsided win close.
In the end, LSU got the job done. Louisiana Tech was the middle portion of an incredibly emotional three-game stretch in Baton Rouge. Next up is the game everyone in college football has been waiting for, heading to Oxford.
For a moment there, Texas A&M appeared to be in a real fight with Arizona State. Heading into the fourth quarter, the Aggies were only up by four points. That quickly changed, as Kyle Field really enjoyed a 24-point final frame.
The box score might not be the prettiest for the Aggies, on either side of the ball. Wins are wins, though, especially when facing a power conference opponent. Texas A&M is 2-0 and still has everything in front of them.
Week 2 was a little more stress-free for Ole Miss. A nonconference game at home brought Charlotte to Oxford, a game where Trinidad Chambliss dominated. Kewan Lacy was back on the field too, proving to be healthy.
Similar to LSU, everyone is now waiting for next Saturday. The scene should rival anything we have seen in the sport. Ole Miss will want to come away with a victory as well, potentially being a lot higher in next week’s poll.
Right from the jump, Alabama appeared to be on upset alert. Keelon Russell threw a pick-six on a third down to give Kentucky an early lead. All through the first half, almost nothing went right for the Crimson Tide.
But the game in Lexington turned out to be a tale of two halves. Alabama dominated to close out the game, walking away with quite a comfortable victory. A nice start to SEC play for Kalen DeBoer.
Coaches Poll after Week 2 of 2026 season: No. 11-25
11. USC Trojans (+3)
12. Texas Tech Red Raiders (+1)
13. BYU Cougars (+2)
14. Tennessee Volunteers (+4)
15. Penn State Nittany Lions (+1)
16. SMU Mustangs (+1)
17. Utah Utes (+3)
18. Oregon Ducks (-12)
19. Michigan Wolverines (+5)
20. Iowa Hawkeyes (+1)
21. Oklahoma Sooners (-11)
22. Missouri Tigers (+1)
23. Houston Cougars (-1)
24. Washington Huskies (-5)
25. Virginia Cavaliers
Others receiving votes: Florida 183; Louisville 160; Boise State 44; Kansas State 24; South Carolina 23; Mississippi State 20; Vanderbilt 19; Duke 19; Nebraska 18; Pittsburgh 16; Oklahoma State 16; Auburn 15; Western Michigan 10; Virginia Tech 9; UCLA 8; Tulsa 7; North Dakota State 5; New Mexico 4; Clemson 3; Wake Forest 1; Arizona 1
Leave a Reply