Richard Shiro/Associated Press

AP College Football Poll 2019: Complete Week 3 Rankings Revealed

Tyler Conway

The top of the Associated Press poll is unchanged, but you don't have to look far to find changes in college football's hierarchy after a wild Saturday.  

Clemson further strengthened its lead over Alabama for the No. 1 spot after a 24-10 win over Texas A&M, while the Crimson Tide remained steady at No. 2 after breezing past New Mexico State. Georgia, LSU and Oklahoma round out the Top Five.

Here's a look at how the poll played out:

1. Clemson

2. Alabama

3. Georgia

4. LSU

5. Oklahoma

6. Ohio State

7. Notre Dame

8. Auburn

9. Florida

10. Michigan

11. Utah

12. Texas

13. Penn State

14. Wisconsin

15. Oregon

16. Texas A&M

17. UCF

18. Michigan State

19. Iowa

20. Washington State

21. Maryland

22. Boise State

23. Washington

24. USC

25. Virginia

Typically known for its strong defense, LSU showed offensive firepower in its 45-38 win over Texas that could make the Tigers national championship contenders. Joe Burrow threw for 471 yards and four touchdowns to lead the way, becoming the first LSU quarterback to top the 400-yard mark against a ranked opponent since 2002.

"That was awesome," LSU coach Ed Orgeron told reporters. "Man, he was fired up. The kid is a baller. He lives for that moment, and I'll tell you what, those were some tough plays. It was loud out there, and he got it done."

Burrow, an Ohio State transfer who was solid-but-unspectacular last season as LSU's starter, appears to have taken a leap as a senior. He's thrown for 749 yards and nine touchdowns against only one pick through the first two weeks. The nine touchdowns are more than half of what Burrow threw all of 2018.

Texas moved back three spots to No. 12.

Texas A&M dropped to No. 16 after being unable to amount much offense in a road loss to Clemson. The Tigers held Texas A&M to 289 yards of total offense, with the Aggies' lone touchdown coming with six seconds remaining in garbage time.

Trevor Lawrence threw for 268 yards and one touchdown against an interception. The early season Heisman favorite is off to a slow start, throwing for just 436 yards and two scores with three picks. He'll have to pick up some ground in the race, starting with next week's visit to Syracuse.

The Orange will be coming off a 63-20 blowout loss to Maryland that sends them barreling out of the Top 25. The Terrapins rushed for 354 yards and six touchdowns as a team, with quarterback Josh Jackson adding 296 yards and three scores through the air. 

"Our style of play, it's hard to match it—our tempo and the way we executed it," Jackson told reporters. "That's kind of what we expect. None of us thought this was a surprise for us to be able to put up points."

Syracuse was one of four teams to lose to unranked opponents. Cal went on the road and pulled off a 20-19 stunning victory over Washington, with Greg Thomas hitting a 17-yard field goal with six seconds left to seal the deal. Marcel Dancy rushed for two touchdowns for Cal, which held the Washington offense in check throughout with a strong defensive performance.

USC moved into the Top 25 after a 45-20 blowout win over Stanford. One week after losing starting quarterback J.T. Daniels for the season, freshman Kedon Slovis stepped in and threw for 377 yards and three touchdowns. His 377 yards were a USC record for a freshman making his first start.

"I don't think it shows how good I am," Slovis told reporters. "But it shows how good the team is around me."

Nebraska exited the Top 25 after losing 34-31 in overtime to Colorado. The back-and-forth affair saw Colorado score a touchdown with 46 seconds remaining to force overtime. 

Virginia also moved into the rankings at No. 25. 

   

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