Ohio State Overtakes Texas in ESPN College Football Rankings

Ohio State has moved ahead of Texas in ESPN's College Football Power Index, creating a split in the national rankings entering Week 6 of the 2026 college football season. The computer model placed the Buckeyes at No. 1 based on team efficiency, schedule strength and projected results, while undefeated Texas fell to No. 5 despite retaining the top position in the AP poll.

The rankings highlight the difference between predictive models and polls that reflect voters' evaluations of teams' performances. According to Sports Illustrated's October 9 report, Ohio State's position in the index reflects its overall statistical profile and expected performance rather than the outcome of its earlier head-to-head meeting with Texas.

Ohio State surrendered a 20-point lead against Texas earlier in the season and lost by one point in Austin. That result helped Texas reach No. 1 in the AP poll, where the Longhorns received 61 first-place votes in the latest voting described by Sports Illustrated.

Texas nevertheless remained first in the US LBM Coaches Poll following its bye week, according to Longhorns Wire's October 4 report. The Longhorns received 45 first-place votes, matching their total from the previous week after defeating Tennessee in Knoxville.

Ohio State's rise in ESPN's model does not change the AP or Coaches Poll standings. Instead, it demonstrates how teams can receive different evaluations when computer models emphasize efficiency and future projections while human voters weigh results and overall performance.

Georgia strengthened its position in the Coaches Poll after defeating Vanderbilt at home, gaining three first-place votes to reach 20. The Bulldogs remained No. 2, while Notre Dame held No. 3 after beating North Carolina. Miami and Indiana completed the top five, with Ohio State at No. 6 and Alabama at No. 7 in that poll.

BYU, Texas Tech and LSU each climbed one place to round out the Coaches Poll's top 10. Missouri made the largest upward move among the teams highlighted in the October 4 report, rising nine places to No. 16 after its victory over Florida.

Florida suffered the biggest decline in that report, dropping seven places from No. 8 to No. 15 after losing to Missouri. Iowa fell four places to No. 18 following its loss to Ohio State, while Mississippi State also dropped four places after losing to Alabama.

Pittsburgh entered the Coaches Poll's top 25 after defeating Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, and Tennessee moved up three places after beating Auburn. Kentucky also entered the rankings, giving the Southeastern Conference 10 ranked teams, including the top two.

The Big Ten had six teams in the Coaches Poll, while the Big 12 and Atlantic Coast Conference each had four. These conference totals reflected the October 4 poll and were separate from ESPN's computer-generated rankings published later in the week.

The Week 6 schedule added further significance to the rankings debate. Texas was set to face Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry, while No. 2 Georgia was scheduled to play No. 6 Alabama in Tuscaloosa on Saturday night, according to Sports Illustrated's October 9 report.

A strong performance by Georgia could improve the Bulldogs' standing with human voters and intensify pressure on Texas's hold on No. 1. An Alabama victory, meanwhile, could help Texas maintain its lead, although Sports Illustrated noted that a strong showing by Alabama could also give the Crimson Tide an outside chance of moving to the top of the AP poll.

Questions about Arch Manning's decision-making and the consistency of Texas's offense also remained part of the discussion in Sports Illustrated's analysis. Despite those concerns, Texas remained undefeated and continued to lead the AP poll, while Ohio State held the top spot in ESPN's predictive model.