Weekly college football top 25 rankings are a big part of every season, and Athlon Sports will update its top 25 following the games each weekend.
The third weekend of the 2025 season was headlined by Texas A&M's last-minute touchdown to beat Notre Dame, Georgia Tech's upset of Clemson, and Georgia's comeback to continue its recent dominance over Tennessee. Big 12 teams in Texas Tech, Utah, and Iowa State picked up key victories, while Ohio State and Penn State concluded non-conference play with easy wins.
Ohio State takes the No. 1 spot in the post-Week 3 top 25 rankings, followed by Penn State, LSU, and Georgia. Here are Athlon Sports' top 25 college football teams after Week 3:
Texas A&M, Vanderbilt, Georgia Tech, and Illinois
Clemson, South Carolina, Notre Dame, and South Florida
1. Ohio State (3-0)
Last Week:1
Week 3 Result:Defeated Ohio
Ohio gave the Buckeyes a battle for a half, but coach Ryan Day's team used 24 points in the final two quarters to pull away for a 37-9 victory. Receiver Jeremiah Smith led the way with nine catches for 153 yards and a score, with the defense limiting the Bobcats to 181 yards. Ohio State has a little work to do to clean up a few red zone errors, but Day's squad remains No. 1 headed into Week 4.
2. Penn State (3-0)
Last Week:2
Week 3 Result:Defeated Villanova
The Nittany Lions look ready for Big Ten play after a 54-6 win over Villanova on Saturday. Penn State held a significant edge in yardage (465 to 179), and the defense recorded 11 tackles for a loss to dominate the line of scrimmage. Quarterback Drew Allar
(16 of 29 for 209 yards and a touchdown) has room to improve after back-to-back inconsistent showings.
3. LSU (3-0)
Last Week:3
Week 3 Result:Defeated Florida
An improved defense has been the story of LSU's 2025 season, and coordinator Blake Baker's group delivered once again in a 20-10 win over Florida on Saturday night. The Tigers picked off five passes, recorded three sacks, and limited the Gators to just 79 yards on the ground. LSU's offense generated only 316 total yards, but coach Brian Kelly's team didn't need much from this group thanks to its defensive effort.
4. Georgia (3-0)
Last Week:5
Week 3 Result:Defeated Tennessee
Clutch. That's the best way to describe Georgia's 44-41 overtime win over Tennessee. The Bulldogs were on the ropes a couple of times, but coach Kirby Smart's team just found ways to answer the bell and escape Knoxville with a hard-fought victory. Quarterback Gunner Stockton (23 of 31 for 304 yards) answered a lot of questions about his play with a strong effort in the SEC opener for both teams.
5. Miami (3-0)
Last Week:6
Week 3 Result:Defeated South Florida
Miami's offense recorded 576 total yards, while the defense limited a dangerous South Florida defense to just 332 yards and 12 points in a 49-12 victory. The 'Canes ensured they wouldn't be the Bulls' next upset victim after wins over Boise State and Florida to start '25. Quarterback Carson Beck
threw for 340 yards, and running back Mark Fletcher added 120 yards and two scores on the ground.
6. Oregon (3-0)
Last Week:7
Week 3 Result:Defeated Northwestern
The Ducks used a complete team effort to win their first road game of 2025 with a 34-14 victory at Northwestern. The defense limited the Wildcats to 313 yards, with 166 coming on the final two drives with the game out of reach. Oregon's offense got 176 yards from the ground attack, while quarterback Dante Moore
threw for 178 yards on 16 completions.
7. Texas (2-1)
Last Week:4
Week 3 Result:Defeated UTEP
The Longhorns
won 27-10 over UTEP, but the performance of coach Steve Sarkisian's squad left a lot to be desired. Quarterback Arch Manning
(11 of 25 for 114 yards) struggled in an uneven performance and guided the offense to a sluggish 4.2 yards a snap. Sarkisian's defense ensured the Miners' upset hopes were slim, as this unit allowed only 259 yards and just four third-down conversions.
8. Illinois (3-0)
Last Week:11
Week 3 Result:Defeated Western Michigan
The Fighting Illini closed out its non-conference slate by cruising to a 38-0 victory over Western Michigan. Coach Bret Bielema's defense dominated (204 total yards allowed), and the offense controlled the game with balance (196 through the air and 162 on the ground. A huge Big Ten showdown against Indiana is on tap next Saturday.
9. Texas A&M (3-0)
Last Week:16
Week 3 Result:Defeated Notre Dame
Quarterback Marcel Reed's late-game heroics and fourth-down completion to tight end Nate Boerkircher for a touchdown lifted Texas A&M to a thrilling 41-40 victory over Notre Dame. Reed and receivers Mario Craver (207 receiving yards) and KC Concepcion (82) delivered against one of the nation's top defensive backfields.
10. Oklahoma (3-0)
Last Week:12
Week 3 Result:Defeated Temple
The Sooners quickly dispatched Temple in a 42-3 victory to ensure there was no letdown from last week's win over Michigan. Quarterback John Mateer padded his Heisman resume with over 300 yards of total offense and two scores. Oklahoma opens SEC play next Saturday against Auburn.
11. Florida State (2-0)
Last Week:14
Week 3 Result:Off Week
The Seminoles were off in Week 3 and will return to action next Saturday at home against Kent State. Coach Mike Norvell's squad opens ACC play on Sept. 26 at Virginia.
12. Iowa State (4-0)
Last Week:13
Week 3 Result:Defeated Arkansas State
After last week's win over rival Iowa, it was no surprise Iowa State was a bit sluggish in Saturday's 24-16 victory at Arkansas State. However, coach Matt Campbell's team came up with two late stops on defense and sealed the game with a nine-play drive to run out the clock.
13. Ole Miss (3-0)
Last Week:17
Week 3 Result:Defeated Arkansas
Starting quarterback Austin Simmons was sidelined for nearly all of Saturday night's game due to injury, but backup Trinidad Chambliss kept the high-powered Ole Miss offense on track in a 41-35 victory over Arkansas. The Rebels were unable to get running back Kewan Lacy (44 yards) going, but Chambliss accounted for over 400 total yards to guide the offense. While the defense surrendered 7.4 yards a snap to a dynamic Razorbacks' attack, this unit forced a late turnover to seal the victory.
14. Alabama (2-1)
Last Week:22
Week 3 Result:Defeated Wisconsin
Alabama continued to shake off the disappointment from the Week 1 loss to Florida State with an easy 38-14 win over Wisconsin on Saturday. Quarterback Ty Simpson
sliced the Badgers' defense for 382 yards and four scores, while the defense limited the Badgers to just 209 yards a play. The Crimson Tide have an off week ahead before a showdown with Georgia on Sept. 27.
15. Indiana (3-0)
Last Week:18
Week 3 Result:Defeated Indiana State
The Hoosiers cruised to an easy 73-0 victory over Indiana State on Friday night. Coach Curt Cignetti's team has outscored its first three opponents by a combined score of 156-23.
16. Tennessee (2-1)
Last Week:19
Week 3 Result:Lost to Georgia
The Volunteers were just a play or two away from a massive win over Georgia but fell 44-41 in overtime to continue their recent struggles in this series.
17. Michigan (2-1)
Last Week:20
Week 3 Result:Defeated Central Michigan
The Wolverines handled their business in a 63-3 blowout of Central Michigan. Even though coach Sherrone Moore was suspended, Michigan didn't miss a beat on either side of the ball. Quarterback Bryce Underwood turned in an impressive performance with over 300 total yards and three scores. The Wolverines' standout defense allowed only 139 yards.
18. Texas Tech (3-0)
Last Week:21
Week 3 Result:Defeated Oregon State
The Red Raiders used 464 passing yards from quarterback Behren Morton
to crush Oregon State 45-14. Texas Tech outscored its first three opponents by a combined score of 174-35.
19. Utah (3-0)
Last Week:22
Week 3 Result:Defeated Wyoming
Utah only led 3-0 at halftime over Wyoming, but coach Kyle Whittingham's team got on track in the second half to win 31-6. The Utes' ground game pounded the Cowboys for 311 yards, while the defense allowed just four yards a play and three third-down conversions over 12 attempts.
20. Georgia Tech (3-0)
Last Week:Not Ranked
Week 3 Result:Defeated Clemson
The Yellow Jackets moved to 7-1 under coach Brent Key in games against nationally ranked ACC opponents following Saturday's 24-21 upset of Clemson. Quarterback Haynes King
led the way with 312 total yards and a score, and the defense forced two key turnovers to help Georgia Tech to secure the win.
21. Auburn (3-0)
Last Week:24
Week 3 Result:Defeated South Alabama
Auburn has work to do on defense this week after giving up 310 yards to South Alabama, but coach Hugh Freeze's team moved to 3-0 with a 31-15 victory. The Tigers ran for 195 yards behind Jeremiah Cobb (119 yards), and quarterback Jackson Arnold
added 50 yards and two scores on the ground. Up next for Auburn is a massive SEC showdown at Oklahoma.
22. Missouri (3-0)
Last Week:25
Week 3 Result:Defeated Louisiana
Missouri didn't show any hangover from last week's win over Kansas, as coach Eli Drinkwitz's team handled Louisiana 52-10. The Tigers averaged seven yards a play on offense behind quarterback Beau Pribula (three overall scores) and running back Ahmad Hardy (250 rushing yards). The defense also dominated by allowing only 121 yards.
23. Vanderbilt (3-0)
Last Week:Not Ranked
Week 3 Result:Defeated South Carolina
The Commodores joined the top 25 following a 31-7 blowout of South Carolina on Saturday night. The victory snapped a 16-game losing streak to the Gamecocks.
24. Notre Dame (0-2)
Last Week:9
Week 3 Result:Lost to Texas A&M
The Fighting Irish were unable to get a late fourth-down stop in the red zone, which lifted Texas A&M to a 41-40 victory in South Bend. Coach Marcus Freeman's team is 0-2 but has two defeats to top-10 teams in Miami and Texas A&M. Fixing a defense that gave up 7.1 yards a play and surrendered 360 yards through the air to the Aggies is a priority.
25. South Florida (2-1)
Last Week:15
Week 3 Result:Lost to Miami
After upsets over Boise State and Florida, South Florida faced its toughest test of '25 at Miami on Saturday. Coach Alex Golesh's team suffered a 49-12 defeat but is still in good shape overall with a 2-1 record and a frontrunner spot in the American Conference.
Up Next: TCU, USC, Tulane, Mississippi State, Nebraska, Baylor
Related: Ranking College Football Coaches on the Hot Seat After Week 2
Related: College Football Bowl Projections for 2025-26
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Sep 14, 2025, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
