College Football Tracker

Primary Teams

Texas A&M Aggies No. 23 · SEC

• Texas A&M's initial injury report for LSU lists receiver Ashton Bethel-Roman and running back Jamarion Morrow as questionable; freshman running back KJ Edwards, who has drawn expanded looks, did not appear on the report, a good sign after his work against Kentucky. (ClutchPoints/SI.com, Sept. 23)
• At his LSU-week press conference, Mike Elko called Saturday “a great opportunity this week to go on the road and play a top-10 team in an environment that's going to be electric,” framing the trip as a chance to respond to the Kentucky loss. (Yahoo Sports/12thMan.com, Sept. 21-22)
• Elko continued to back quarterback Marcel Reed publicly while acknowledging inconsistency, saying the staff will “continue to evaluate the best way to put him in the positions for him to be the most successful he can be.” (ESPN/Saturday Down South, Sept. 21-22)
• LSU enters 2-1 off a 32-24 home loss to Ole Miss; kickoff for Saturday's game at Tiger Stadium remains set for 7:30 p.m. ET (6:30 p.m. CT) on ABC. (12thMan.com/On3, confirmed this week)

Penn State Nittany Lions No. 13 · Big Ten

• Leading receiver Koby Howard — who leads the team with 12 catches for 344 yards — will miss “an extended period of time” with an undisclosed injury suffered on his 70-yard touchdown catch against Buffalo, Matt Campbell confirmed at his final Wisconsin-week media availability Wednesday; the injury is not considered season-ending but could sideline him into October. (Yahoo Sports/SI.com/247Sports/CBS Sports/ESPN, Sept. 23)
• Assistant cornerbacks coach and former Penn State defensive back Jordan Lucas was charged Tuesday with DUI — along with driving with a suspended license, driving an unregistered vehicle and parking in a crosswalk — stemming from an Aug. 16 incident in downtown State College in which his blood-alcohol level was allegedly measured at 0.236%; the university says Lucas remains with the program. (Onward State/Yahoo Sports/StateCollege.com, Sept. 23)
• With Howard sidelined, Penn State is expected to lean more on Chase Sowell, Brett Eskildsen, Zay Robinson, Amarion Jackson and tight end Benjamin Brahmer against Wisconsin. (On3/Yahoo Sports, Sept. 22)
• Edge rushers Max Granville (out for the season) and LaVar Arrington II (multi-week, knee) remain unavailable as Penn State preps its pass rush for Matt Campbell's Big Ten coaching debut. (Yahoo Sports/psucollegian.com, Sept. 19-21)

Villanova Wildcats No. 18 FCS · Patriot League

• Villanova holds at No. 18 in this week's Stats Perform FCS Top 25 for a second straight week, with the Patriot League still placing three teams in the poll — Lehigh (No. 10), William & Mary (No. 17) and Villanova (No. 18). (Opta Analyst, Sept. 21-22)
• Saturday's Colgate game opens Villanova's Family Weekend (Sept. 25-27) and begins a three-game Patriot League homestand (Colgate, Lehigh, Richmond) at Villanova Stadium. (Villanova.com, Sept. 20-22)
• No new injury, depth-chart or beat-writer items were verifiable from the program beyond what already ran earlier this week; the items above carry their actual publication dates.

Secondary Teams

Next game dates below, soonest first. A full preview runs the day before each game and a review the day after.

No secondary team played yesterday or plays today or tomorrow. Seven of the eight are next in action Sept. 26 — highlighted by newly top-25 Florida hosting No. 4 Ole Miss and Texas A&M's LSU trip covered above — while North Carolina is off until Oct. 3 and Wooster until Oct. 17.

Top 25 Scoreboard

No AP Top 25 team played Wednesday, Sept. 23 — there were no FBS games on the midweek slate this early in the season, and the Week 4 poll released Sept. 20 remains unchanged. The next games are Friday and Saturday, Sept. 25-26. Below are the ranked-team games on tap over the next seven days.

Tracked teams in the AP Top 25 as of the Sept. 20 poll (unchanged through Wednesday — no games played): No. 6 Miami, No. 11 Texas Tech, No. 13 Penn State, No. 21 Florida, No. 23 Texas A&M. Villanova remains No. 18 in this week's Stats Perform FCS poll.

Primary Teams

Texas A&M Aggies No. 23 · SEC

• LSU, which rallied from a 24-7 deficit before falling 32-24 at Ole Miss, enters Saturday also chasing its first SEC win of the season, setting up a get-right game for both 2-1 teams under first-year meetings between Mike Elko and Lane Kiffin as opposing head coaches. (WAFB/AP, Sept. 22)
• National college football writers framed the Baton Rouge trip in stark terms: the loser “will find itself in a deep hole” in the SEC and playoff races this early in conference play. (Yahoo Sports/yournews, Sept. 22)
• Texas A&M's Week 4 depth chart, released this week, confirms Terry Bussey (out for the season) has been removed from the receiver and return-specialist spots, with the rest of the two-deep unchanged from Kentucky week. (12thMan.com/The Eagle, Sept. 22)
• Mike Elko continued to voice public confidence in quarterback Marcel Reed at Monday's press conference, telling reporters, “I have a lot of confidence in Marcel… Marcel is our quarterback,” pushing back on any suggestion of a change after the Kentucky loss. (Saturday Down South, Sept. 21)
• Kickoff for Saturday's game at Tiger Stadium has been set for 7:30 p.m. ET (6:30 p.m. CT) on ABC. (12thMan.com, Sept. 21-22)

Penn State Nittany Lions No. 13 · Big Ten

• Leading receiver Koby Howard — who ranks third nationally in yards per reception (28.7) and leads the Big Ten — was “dinged up” on his 70-yard touchdown catch against Buffalo and is questionable for Wisconsin; Matt Campbell said Monday, “we don't know exactly where he'll be by the end of the week.” (Yahoo Sports/247Sports, Sept. 22)
• If Howard can't go, Penn State is expected to lean more on Chase Sowell, Brett Eskildsen, Zay Robinson, Amarion Jackson and tight end Benjamin Brahmer. (On3/Yahoo Sports, Sept. 22)
• Penn State opened as roughly a 9.5-point favorite over Wisconsin with the total set at 45.5; market models had the Nittany Lions around a 78% win probability but only a 52% chance to cover. (BetMGM/Vegas Insider, Sept. 20-22)
• Center Brock Riker and tight end Andrew Rappleyea, both rested against Buffalo as a precaution, are expected back to full workloads for the Big Ten opener. (SI.com, Sept. 19-21)
• Edge rushers Max Granville (out for the season) and LaVar Arrington II (multi-week, knee) remain unavailable as Penn State preps its pass rush for Matt Campbell's Big Ten coaching debut. (Yahoo Sports/psucollegian.com, Sept. 19-21)

Villanova Wildcats No. 18 FCS · Patriot League

• Villanova holds at No. 18 in this week's Stats Perform FCS Top 25 for a second straight week, with the Patriot League still placing three teams in the poll — Lehigh (No. 10), William & Mary (No. 17) and Villanova (No. 18). (Opta Analyst, Sept. 21-22)
• Linebacker Omari Bursey, a two-time Patriot League/national defensive player of the week honoree this season, continues to wear the green-dot helmet communicator as Villanova's defensive signal-caller heading into Colgate week. (The Villanovan/Philadelphia Inquirer, Sept. 19-22)
• Saturday's Colgate game opens Family Weekend at Villanova Stadium and begins a three-game Patriot League homestand (Colgate, Lehigh, Richmond); Colgate trails the all-time series 1-6. (Villanova.com/247Sports, Sept. 20-22)
• No new injury or depth-chart items have posted from the program since the LIU win; the items above carry their actual publication dates.

Secondary Teams

Next game dates below, soonest first. A full preview runs the day before each game and a review the day after.

No secondary team played yesterday or plays today or tomorrow. Seven of the eight are next in action Sept. 26 — highlighted by newly top-25 Florida hosting No. 4 Ole Miss and Texas A&M's LSU trip covered above — while North Carolina is off until Oct. 3 and Wooster until Oct. 17.

Top 25 Scoreboard

No AP Top 25 team played Monday, Sept. 21, or Tuesday, Sept. 22 — there were no FBS games on either midweek date this early in the season, and the Week 4 poll released Sunday remains unchanged. The next games are Friday and Saturday, Sept. 25-26. Below are the ranked-team games on tap over the next seven days.

Tracked teams in the AP Top 25 as of the Sept. 20 poll (unchanged through Tuesday — no games played): No. 6 Miami, No. 11 Texas Tech, No. 13 Penn State, No. 23 Texas A&M. Florida entered the poll for the first time this season at No. 21 after its win at Auburn. Villanova remains No. 18 in this week's Stats Perform FCS poll.

Primary Teams

Texas A&M Aggies No. 23 · SEC

• Mike Elko confirmed Monday that receiver and return specialist Terry Bussey will miss the rest of the season with the lower-body injury he suffered on the opening kickoff against Kentucky, ending several days of speculation about his timeline. (SI.com/Yahoo Sports, Sept. 21)
• Texas A&M dropped 12 spots to No. 20 in the US LBM Coaches Poll released over the weekend, a steeper fall than the AP's move to No. 23. (Coaches Poll/On3, Sept. 20-21)
• At his LSU-week press conference Monday, Elko called the trip to Baton Rouge “a great opportunity to go on the road and play a top-10 team in an electric environment,” framing it as a chance to respond to the Kentucky loss; he remains undefeated against LSU in two seasons as Aggies head coach. (12thMan.com/BVM Sports, Sept. 21)
• LSU opened as a field-goal-plus favorite for Saturday's game, with kickoff now set for 6:30 p.m. ET on ABC and the total at 52.5. (BetMGM, Sept. 21)
• LSU, which fell to No. 10 after its home loss to Ole Miss, enters at 2-1; the Tigers remain the last team to beat A&M as Elko continues his unbeaten mark in the series. (CBS Sports/AP, Sept. 20)

Penn State Nittany Lions No. 13 · Big Ten

• Penn State's official game notes for Wisconsin, posted Monday, confirm the Big Ten opener doubles as Homecoming and the program's annual “helmet stripe” game, with kickoff at 5 p.m. ET on Peacock. (GoPSUsports.com, Sept. 21)
• The Nittany Lions hold a 12-9 series edge over Wisconsin and have won the last six meetings, including a 28-13 comeback win in 2024 sparked by Beau Pribula after Drew Allar's injury. (GoPSUsports.com, Sept. 21)
• Edge rusher Max Granville remains out for the season, and LaVar Arrington II is expected to miss at least two more games following a knee procedure. (Yahoo Sports/psucollegian.com, Sept. 19-21)
• Wisconsin running back Abu Sama III, an Iowa State transfer who played alongside several of Matt Campbell's current backs last season, was held out of the Badgers' last game as a precaution but is expected to return Saturday. (Yahoo Sports/badgerofhonor.com, Sept. 21)

Villanova Wildcats No. 18 FCS · Patriot League

• Villanova holds at No. 18 in this week's Stats Perform FCS Top 25, part of a historic showing for the Patriot League, which placed three teams in the poll — Lehigh (No. 10), William & Mary (No. 17) and Villanova (No. 18) — for the first time since 2009. (Opta Analyst/Philadelphia Inquirer, Sept. 21)
• Fuller detail on Saturday's win at LIU has continued to surface: Ja'briel Mace's third-quarter, 20-yard touchdown run put the Wildcats up 10-3 before LIU rallied, setting up Pat McQuaide's game-winning touchdown pass to Mace with 1:08 left. (Associated Press/Lethbridge Herald, Sept. 19-21)
• Colgate returns to Villanova Stadium for the second straight season on Sept. 26, the fourth consecutive year the two programs have met; Villanova has won each of the last three meetings. (Villanova.com/247Sports, Sept. 20-21)
• No new injury or depth-chart items have posted from the program since Saturday's win; the items above carry their actual publication dates.

Secondary Teams

Next game dates below, soonest first. A full preview runs the day before each game and a review the day after.

No secondary team played yesterday or plays today or tomorrow. Seven of the eight are next in action Sept. 26 — highlighted by an Ole Miss-Florida top-25 visit to the Swamp and Texas A&M's LSU trip covered above — while North Carolina is off until Oct. 3 and Wooster until Oct. 17.

Top 25 Scoreboard

No AP Top 25 team played Monday, Sept. 21 — there were no FBS games on the Monday slate, and the Week 4 poll released Sunday remains unchanged. The next games are Friday and Saturday, Sept. 25-26. Below are the ranked-team games on tap over the next seven days.

Tracked teams in the AP Top 25 as of the Sept. 20 poll (unchanged Monday — no games played): No. 6 Miami, No. 11 Texas Tech, No. 13 Penn State, No. 23 Texas A&M. Villanova remains No. 18 in this week's Stats Perform FCS poll.

Primary Teams

Texas A&M Aggies No. 23 · SEC

• Texas A&M fell from No. 9 to No. 23 in the AP poll released Sunday and to No. 20 in the Coaches poll after the loss to Kentucky — the program's steepest single-week drop of the Mike Elko era. (AP/12thMan.com, Sept. 20)
• Elko told reporters Sunday that receiver Terry Bussey, carted off on the game's opening play with a lower-body injury, will “probably” miss significant time: “That's probably going to be a long one... there are no signs to indicate it's good right now.” (Yahoo Sports/Austin American-Statesman, Sept. 20)
• Elko's postgame comments continued to reverberate nationally through the weekend — “not good enough from us on any level: coaching, playing, performing, physicality, anything... it's on me, I own it” — with national college football media framing the loss as a “program-altering” moment for his tenure. (On3/Yahoo Sports, Sept. 19-20)
• Quarterback Marcel Reed (26-of-49, 236 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions, plus 80 rushing yards and a score) drew the brunt of the postgame scrutiny over accuracy and decision-making, though Elko also pointed to broader execution issues across the roster. (The Battalion/Yahoo Sports, Sept. 19-20)
• LSU, the Sept. 26 opponent, fell from No. 7 to No. 10 in the same poll after its 32-24 home loss to Ole Miss; the Baton Rouge kickoff time has not yet been set as the SEC works through its flex-scheduling window. (CBS Sports/AP, Sept. 20)

Penn State Nittany Lions No. 13 · Big Ten

• Penn State climbed from No. 14 to No. 13 in Sunday's AP poll on the strength of its 55-13 win over Buffalo. (AP/GoPSUsports.com, Sept. 20)
• Wisconsin improved to 2-1 with a 54-10 win over Eastern Michigan Saturday; Penn State opened as roughly a 9.5-point favorite for Saturday's Big Ten opener, Matt Campbell's conference debut as head coach. (On3/Black Shoe Diaries, Sept. 20)
• Recruiting: four-star 2027 linebacker Case Alexander (the No. 22 linebacker and No. 266 overall prospect nationally) committed to Penn State over the weekend, and the class also added three-star Swedish offensive tackle Oscar Webersink; the Nittany Lions' 2027 class now ranks No. 6 nationally. (247Sports/On3, Sept. 19-20)
• Not all the recruiting news was positive — four-star wide receiver Jamir Dean flipped his commitment from Penn State to Georgia over the weekend. (SI.com, Sept. 19)
• Center Brock Riker and tight end Andrew Rappleyea, both held out of most of Saturday's game as a precaution, are expected to be full participants as the team turns to Wisconsin week. (SI.com, Sept. 19-20)

Villanova Wildcats No. 18 FCS · Patriot League

• Villanova jumped from No. 22 to No. 18 in Monday's Stats Perform FCS Top 25, part of a historic showing for the Patriot League, which placed three teams in the poll — Lehigh at No. 10, William & Mary at No. 17 and Villanova at No. 18 — for the first time since 2009. (Opta Analyst/Philadelphia Inquirer, Sept. 21)
• Fuller stats from Saturday's win at LIU: Pat McQuaide passed for 223 yards on the game-winning drive, Ja'briel Mace added 97 rushing yards and an earlier 20-yard third-quarter touchdown run to go with his game-winning 13-yard touchdown catch, and Brandon Binkowski caught six passes for 113 yards. (Philadelphia Inquirer/BVM Sports, Sept. 19-20)
• LIU's Braylon Vincent had tied the game at 13 in the fourth quarter on a 50-yard interception return for a touchdown before Villanova's answer; the Wildcats' defense otherwise held LIU to 126 passing yards and no offensive touchdowns. (Philadelphia Inquirer, Sept. 19)
• Villanova now opens a three-game Patriot League homestand against Colgate, Lehigh and Richmond, beginning with Colgate on Sept. 26 for Family Weekend; Colgate trails the all-time series 1-6. (Villanova.com/247Sports, Sept. 20)

Secondary Teams

Next game dates below, soonest first. A full preview runs the day before each game and a review the day after.

No secondary team played yesterday or plays today or tomorrow. Seven of the eight are next in action Sept. 26 — highlighted by an Ole Miss-Florida top-25 visit to the Swamp — while North Carolina is off until Oct. 3 and Wooster until Oct. 17.

Top 25 Scoreboard

No AP Top 25 team played Sunday, Sept. 20 — there were no FBS games on the Sunday slate, and the new poll released that morning reflects Saturday's results. The next games are Friday and Saturday, Sept. 25-26. Below are the ranked-team games on tap over the next seven days.

Tracked teams in the AP Top 25 as of the Sept. 20 poll: No. 6 Miami, No. 11 Texas Tech, No. 13 Penn State, No. 23 Texas A&M. Villanova rose to No. 18 in Monday's Stats Perform FCS poll (from No. 22) after beating LIU.

Primary Teams

Texas A&M Aggies No. 9 · SEC Review

• Marcel Reed finished 26-of-49 for 236 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions, and added 80 rushing yards and a score, but was uncharacteristically uneven all afternoon. (On3/Yahoo Sports, Sept. 19-20)
• Kentucky transfer quarterback Kenny Minchey hit Kenny Darby for a 42-yard touchdown on the first drive of the third quarter to break a 7-7 tie, and Kentucky scored on its next two possessions as well to go up 28-7. (ESPN/On3, Sept. 19)
• Receiver Terry Bussey was carted off with an apparent lower-body injury on the game's opening play and did not return, playing the rest of the game in street clothes; his status for LSU is unclear. (KBTX/On3, Sept. 19)
• Mike Elko took the blame afterward, telling reporters "they beat our ass," and said there were "no positives" to take from the performance. (WSLS/On3, Sept. 19-20)
• Texas A&M drops to 2-1 and is expected to fall out of or slide well down the Top 25 when the AP releases its new poll later Sunday; the Sept. 13 poll (No. 9) is still the version of record as of this edition. (AP/NCAA.com, Sept. 20)
• LSU, A&M's Sept. 26 opponent, also lost Saturday — 32-24 at home to Ole Miss — and enters the Baton Rouge meeting at 2-1 as an early three-point favorite with a 56.5 total. (FanDuel/BetMGM, Sept. 19-20)

Review: Kentucky 31, Texas A&M 21

No. 9 Texas A&M's SEC opener unraveled after halftime. The Aggies were tied 7-7 at the break, but Kentucky scored 21 unanswered points in the third quarter — a 42-yard Kenny Minchey-to-Kenny Darby touchdown followed by two short touchdown runs — to go up 28-7 and never trailed again. Reed cut it to 28-14 on a 5-yard touchdown run with about 11:30 left, but a second interception at the Kentucky 7-yard line ended the closest the Aggies would get. Texas A&M outgained Kentucky for stretches but couldn't overcome the third-quarter collapse and a defense that allowed more than 400 total yards. The loss drops A&M to 2-1 heading into a road trip to Baton Rouge to face LSU on Sept. 26.

Penn State Nittany Lions No. 14 · Big Ten Review

• Rocco Becht went 11-of-19 for 212 yards and two touchdowns, including a 70-yard strike to Koby Howard, and surpassed 10,000 career passing yards while extending his touchdown-pass streak to eight straight games. (WRAL/AP, Sept. 19)
• Penn State piled up 573 total yards, and four different players — Carson Hansen, Koby Howard, James Peoples and Cam Wallace — scored rushing touchdowns, the first time that's happened for the program since 2023. (GoPSUsports.com, Sept. 19)
• Starting center Brock Riker and tight end Andrew Rappleyea were held out as a precaution against an overmatched opponent; Matt Campbell said afterward both were healthy enough to have played. (SI.com, Sept. 19)
• Edge rusher Max Granville remains out for the season and LaVar Arrington II is still working back from a lower-body injury. (Yahoo Sports, Sept. 16-19)
• Penn State improved to 3-0, closing out non-conference play, and now turns to a Big Ten opener at home against Wisconsin on Sept. 26 — Matt Campbell's Big Ten debut as the Nittany Lions' head coach. (Yahoo Sports/Onward State, Sept. 19-20)
• The Wisconsin game will stream exclusively on Peacock at 5 p.m. ET, fulfilling the Big Ten's one-appearance-per-team requirement on the platform. (Yahoo Sports, Sept. 19)

Review: Penn State 55, Buffalo 13

No. 14 Penn State closed its non-conference slate in dominant fashion, racing to a big lead behind Rocco Becht's efficient day (11-of-19, 212 yards, two touchdowns) and a 573-yard total offensive effort. Koby Howard's 70-yard touchdown catch was the headline play, and four different players found the end zone on the ground — the first time that has happened for the Nittany Lions since 2023. Buffalo, playing without starting quarterback Elijah Holmes (knee) for a second straight week, never seriously threatened. Penn State moves to 3-0 and now shifts its full attention to Big Ten play, opening at home against Wisconsin on Sept. 26 in Matt Campbell's conference debut as head coach.

Villanova Wildcats No. 22 FCS · Patriot League Review

• Pat McQuaide found Ja'briel Mace for a 13-yard touchdown with 1:08 remaining, capping an eight-play, 85-yard game-winning drive. (Philadelphia Inquirer, Sept. 19)
• LIU had taken a 16-13 lead on a 29-yard Will Johnson field goal with 2:44 left before Villanova's final drive. (Philadelphia Inquirer, Sept. 19)
• Villanova improves to 2-2 (1-1 Patriot League), closing out a season-opening true road stretch through Bucknell, Louisville and LIU. (Philadelphia Inquirer, Sept. 19)
• LIU falls to 0-4 on the season. (Philadelphia Inquirer, Sept. 19)
• Villanova now opens a three-game Patriot League homestand against Colgate, Lehigh and Richmond, starting with Colgate on Sept. 26 for Family Weekend; the Wildcats have won three straight in the series. (Villanova.com, Sept. 19)

Review: Villanova 20, LIU 16

Villanova trailed for the first time in the second half after LIU's late field goal put the Sharks up 16-13, but Pat McQuaide answered immediately, directing an eight-play, 85-yard drive capped by a 13-yard touchdown pass to Ja'briel Mace with 1:08 to play. The Wildcats' defense held on the ensuing possession to seal it. The win closes out a difficult three-game true road stretch to open the year and pushes Villanova to 2-2 (1-1 Patriot League) heading into three straight home Patriot League games, starting with Colgate on Sept. 26.

Secondary Teams

Next game dates below, soonest first. A full preview runs the day before each game and a review the day after.

Minnesota, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Florida and Wooster all played yesterday and are reviewed below. Miami, Texas Tech and Duke are all off this week, next in action Sept. 26.

Minnesota Review

Minnesota closed its non-conference schedule with a 41-7 win over Akron, as Drake Lindsey threw for 204 yards and three touchdowns. The Gophers improve to 2-1 and open Big Ten play on the road at Washington on Sept. 26. Akron, playing after starting quarterback Cibastian Broughton was injured during the game, falls to 1-2.

Georgia Tech Review

Georgia Tech snapped an 0-2 start with a 44-11 win over FCS Mercer, as Justice Haynes rushed for 141 yards and scored three total touchdowns (two rushing, one receiving). The Yellow Jackets improve to 1-2 and travel to Stanford on Sept. 26 (10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN).

North Carolina Review

North Carolina's unbeaten start ended in its ACC opener at Clemson, 28-20. The Tar Heels led by two touchdowns in the first half behind true freshman starting quarterback Tait Reynolds, but Clemson rallied, with running back Gideon Davidson's go-ahead touchdown coming with about five minutes left. North Carolina falls to 2-1 and is off until hosting Notre Dame on Oct. 3.

Florida Review

Florida won a shootout at Auburn, 44-39, in Jon Sumrall's first true SEC road test as head coach, with Jadan Baugh scoring three touchdowns. The Gators improve to 3-0 (1-0 SEC) and host Ole Miss, fresh off its win over LSU, on Sept. 26.

College of Wooster Review

College of Wooster's Homecoming and Family Weekend bid fell short in a 38-0 loss to Denison at John P. Papp Stadium, dropping the Fighting Scots to 1-2 overall. Wooster's next game is Alumni Day at Oberlin on Oct. 17. (WoosterAthletics.com/D3football.com, Sept. 19)

Top 25 Scoreboard

A full Saturday slate of ranked teams played on Sept. 19, in addition to the Texas A&M-Kentucky and Penn State-Buffalo games covered above (Miami and Texas Tech's wins were Friday-night games covered in Saturday's edition). Selected results from the day below; the new AP Top 25 poll is due out later Sunday and is not yet reflected in the rankings shown.

Tracked teams in the AP Top 25 as of the Sept. 13 poll (last released, still in effect for this edition): No. 5 Miami, No. 9 Texas A&M, No. 13 Texas Tech, No. 14 Penn State. Texas A&M is expected to fall out of or drop significantly when the new poll releases later today after its loss to Kentucky. Villanova was No. 22 in the Stats Perform FCS poll entering its win over LIU; that poll updates Monday.

Primary Teams

Texas A&M Aggies No. 9 · SEC

• Running back Jamarion Morrow and receiver Ashton Bethel-Roman were downgraded from questionable to doubtful on Friday's final injury report; defensive end Anto Saka and receiver TK Norman remain probable and are expected to play. (Yahoo Sports/A Sea Of Blue, Sept. 18)
• Kentucky downgraded defensive tackle Jamarrion Harkless to out for the SEC opener, a blow to the Wildcats' front, while cornerback Grant Grayton also remains out; defensive back Terhyon Nichols is expected to make his season debut. (Yahoo Sports/A Sea Of Blue, Sept. 18)
• Texas A&M is a roughly 15-to-16-point favorite with the total near 48.5 for Kentucky's first trip to Kyle Field since 2018. (BetMGM/SportsGrid, Sept. 17)
• Kentucky (1-1) enters off a 45-17 home loss to No. 12 Alabama under first-year coach Will Stein. (SI.com/A Sea Of Blue, Sept. 15-16)
• Texas A&M unveiled an all-maroon uniform combination for the SEC opener, with linebacker Noah Mikhail modeling the look Thursday evening. (Saturday Down South/Yahoo Sports, Sept. 17)

Penn State Nittany Lions No. 14 · Big Ten

• Buffalo starting quarterback Elijah Holmes remains sidelined by a knee strain, putting backup Jason Wright in line to start against Penn State. (Fubo News/SI.com, Sept. 18)
• Rocco Becht has thrown for 539 yards and seven touchdowns through two games, the most touchdown passes by a Penn State quarterback that early in a season since Tony Sacca's seven in 1991. (SI.com/Black Shoe Diaries, Sept. 17-18)
• Buffalo enters 1-1, having edged Albany 21-17 before falling 33-20 at FIU last Saturday. (Fubo News, Sept. 18)
• Saturday is Penn State's final non-conference game of 2026 before the Big Ten opener at home against Wisconsin on Sept. 26; the program will honor its 1986 national championship team at halftime. (GoPSUsports.com/Last Word on Sports, Sept. 16-17)

Villanova Wildcats No. 22 FCS · Patriot League

• Pat McQuaide has thrown for 654 yards and four touchdowns through three games, with Isaiah Ragland (170 rushing yards, two touchdowns) and Ja'briel Mace (147 rushing yards, one touchdown) giving Villanova a two-headed rushing attack. (The Villanovan, Sept. 18)
• LIU enters 0-3 after a 35-13 home loss to Albany on Sept. 12, its third straight defeat to open the season. (247Sports, Sept. 16)
• Villanova (1-2, 1-1 Patriot League) leads the all-time series with LIU 3-0; Saturday closes a three-game true road stretch (Bucknell, Louisville, LIU) before three straight Patriot League home dates against Colgate, Lehigh and Richmond. (Philadelphia Sports Now, Sept. 14)

Villanova coverage note: no new football items have posted from the school since midweek; the bullets above are the most recent available and carry their actual publication dates.

Secondary Teams

Next game dates below, soonest first. A full preview runs the day before each game and a review the day after.

Minnesota, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Wooster and Florida all play today; their previews ran in yesterday's edition and reviews will run in tomorrow's. Miami and Texas Tech, fresh off Friday-night wins, are next in action Sept. 26. Duke remains on a bye until Sept. 26.

Miami Review

Review: Miami 33, Wake Forest 20

No. 5 Miami improved to 3-0 (2-0 ACC) behind a record-setting night from Darian Mensah, who completed his first 24 passes — the second-most consecutive completions in a single FBS game on record — and finished 30-of-34 for 220 yards and three touchdowns, including a 9-yard score to Joshua Moore and a 21-yard strike to Elija Lofton. The streak extended to 35 straight completions dating back to last week's win over Florida A&M, breaking the ACC multi-game record of 30 set by North Carolina's Mitch Trubisky in 2016. Miami raced to a 31-7 lead midway through the third quarter before the offense stalled with four straight three-and-outs, but the defense answered with four consecutive fourth-quarter stops to close out Wake Forest (2-1, 0-1 ACC), which was flagged for 13 penalties. Miami is off next Saturday's crowded slate and returns home to face Central Michigan on Sept. 26.

Texas Tech Review

Review: Texas Tech 28, Houston 26

No. 13 Texas Tech survived its first Friday home game since 1941, holding off No. 22 Houston 28-26 in the Big 12 opener for both teams. The Red Raiders trailed 10-0 just nine-and-a-half minutes in, but running back J'Koby Williams broke off runs of 19, 5 and 29 yards early in the second half — the last untouched through the left side to make it 21-17 — and Cameron Dickey added a 1-yard touchdown with 7:36 left. Quarterback Will Hammond went 17-of-27 for 257 yards and a touchdown. Houston's Conner Weigman hit Patrick Overmyer for a 10-yard touchdown with 49 seconds left to pull within two, but his two-point conversion try came up just short when his knee touched down before the ball crossed the plane. Texas Tech is 3-0 (1-0 Big 12); Houston falls to 2-1 (0-1). The Red Raiders host Sam Houston on Sept. 26.

Top 25 Scoreboard

One ranked team played outside the games already covered above: No. 21 Oregon routed Portland State on Friday night behind four Dante Moore touchdown passes. Miami's and Texas Tech's Friday-night wins are covered in the Secondary Teams section and are not repeated here. Later today, No. 16 SMU visits No. 23 Louisville in a ranked-vs-ranked matchup, in addition to the Texas A&M-Kentucky and Penn State-Buffalo games covered above.

Tracked teams in the current AP Top 25: No. 5 Miami, No. 9 Texas A&M, No. 13 Texas Tech, No. 14 Penn State. Villanova is No. 22 in the Stats Perform FCS poll ahead of today's game at LIU. The current AP poll (released Sept. 13) remains in effect through this weekend's games; the next release is Sunday, Sept. 20.

Primary Teams

Texas A&M Aggies No. 9 · SEC Pre-Game

• Texas A&M unveiled its uniform combination for Saturday's SEC opener — maroon helmets, jerseys and pants — with linebacker Noah Mikhail modeling the look in a social media post Thursday evening. (Saturday Down South/Yahoo Sports, Sept. 17)
• Running back Jamarion Morrow, receivers Ashton Bethel-Roman and TK Norma, and defensive end Anto Saka remain questionable on the Week 3 injury report, though none is considered likely to be held out entirely. (SI.com/A Sea Of Blue, Sept. 16-17)
• Mike Elko kept the Week 2 starting lineup unchanged into Kentucky week, with the two-deep still carrying 10 offensive and seven defensive “or” designations. (Yahoo Sports, Sept. 15-16)
• Kentucky makes its first trip to Kyle Field since 2018; oddsmakers have the Aggies favored by roughly 15 to 16 points with a 48.5 total. (BetMGM/SportsGrid, Sept. 16-17)
• Kentucky (1-1) enters off a 45-17 home loss to No. 12 Alabama and lists defensive tackle Jamarrion Harkless and cornerback Grant Grayton as questionable for first-year coach Will Stein. (SI.com/A Sea Of Blue, Sept. 15-16)

Pre-Game: Kentucky

No. 9 Texas A&M (2-0) opens SEC play Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET (2:30 p.m. CT) on ESPN against Kentucky (1-1), roughly a 15-to-16-point favorite with the total set at 48.5. It's the Wildcats' first trip to Kyle Field since 2018 and the first meeting of Mike Elko's tenure against Will Stein's Kentucky. Key storylines: whether A&M's still-unsettled offensive line (10 offense/7 defense “or” designations remain on the two-deep) holds up against SEC-caliber pressure; the health of Morrow, Bethel-Roman, Norma and Saka, all questionable; A&M's defense, top-10 nationally on third down with six takeaways through two games, against a Kentucky offense trying to regroup after Alabama outscored it 45-17; and Marcel Reed's continued efficiency (21-of-30, two touchdowns in the Arizona State win). A win keeps A&M unbeaten and inside the top 10; a loss to a 1-1 Kentucky team coming off a blowout defeat would be a serious stumble in the opening week of conference play.

Penn State Nittany Lions No. 14 · Big Ten Pre-Game

• Defensive tackles Armstrong Nnodim and Alijah Carnell are both active for Buffalo after missing time in camp and the first two games; linebacker Cam Smith is questionable. (On3/SI.com, Sept. 16-17)
• Buffalo starting quarterback Elijah Holmes is questionable with a knee strain that knocked him out of the second half against FIU, and leading rusher Terrence Shelton is expected out 4-6 weeks. (Yahoo Sports, Sept. 16)
• Rocco Becht leads the Big Ten in passing efficiency (227.51 rating) and yards per attempt (12.0) through two games. (Black Shoe Diaries/On3, Sept. 17)
• Saturday is the fifth meeting between Matt Campbell and Buffalo coach Pete Lembo, who split their four previous head-to-head games as head coaches at Toledo and Ball State. (Black Shoe Diaries, Sept. 17)
• Penn State will honor its 1986 national championship team at halftime of Saturday's game. (GoPSUsports.com, Sept. 16)
• Buffalo is Penn State's final non-conference game of 2026 before the Big Ten opener at home against Wisconsin on Sept. 26. (Last Word on Sports, Sept. 17)

Pre-Game: Buffalo

No. 14 Penn State (2-0) hosts Buffalo (1-1) at noon ET on Big Ten Network in its last non-conference tune-up before Big Ten play opens against Wisconsin on Sept. 26. Penn State opened as roughly a 39.5-point favorite, with the market settling into the high 20s to low 30s during the week. Storylines: how much Matt Campbell can rest starters and get reserves extra snaps against an overmatched MAC opponent; Buffalo's uncertain quarterback situation with Elijah Holmes questionable (knee) and top back Terrence Shelton out 4-6 weeks; Penn State getting healthier up front with Nnodim and Carnell both active; and a halftime ceremony honoring the 1986 national championship team. Becht, who leads the Big Ten in passing efficiency, has a chance to pad his numbers before facing tougher competition. Anything short of a comfortable, mistake-free win would be a real concern for a team about to open a manageable Big Ten slate at 3-0.

Villanova Wildcats No. 22 FCS · Patriot League Pre-Game

• LIU is 0-3 after a 35-13 home loss to Albany on Sept. 12, its third straight defeat to open the season. (247Sports, Sept. 16)
• LIU graduate quarterback Luca Stanzani was held to 78 yards passing on 11-of-19 throwing in the Albany loss. (247Sports, Sept. 16)
• Villanova (1-2) leads the all-time series with LIU 3-0, most recently winning 24-10 on Sept. 28, 2024. (247Sports/FOX Sports, Sept. 16-17)
• Saturday closes a three-game true road stretch — Bucknell, Louisville, LIU — before Villanova opens a three-game Patriot League homestand against Colgate, Lehigh and Richmond. (Philadelphia Sports Now, Sept. 14)

Villanova coverage note: no new football items have posted since Wednesday; the bullets above are the most recent available and carry their actual publication dates.

Pre-Game: at LIU

Villanova (1-2) looks to rebound from a 59-13 rout at then-No. 24 Louisville when it visits winless LIU (0-3) Saturday at noon ET on RyzSN. No meaningful betting market has formed around the game, a reflection of how far apart the programs sit; the Wildcats have won all three previous meetings, including 24-10 in 2024. LIU managed just 78 passing yards in last week's loss to Albany, and Villanova's defense — which piled up 19 tackles for loss through two games — should have a favorable matchup against a struggling offense. What it means: after going 1-1 against Patriot League-or-better competition and getting run off the field at Louisville, Villanova needs a clean, one-sided win to reset before three straight Patriot League home games that will shape the league race.

Secondary Teams

Next game dates below, soonest first. A full preview runs the day before each game and a review the day after.

Miami and Texas Tech both play tonight; their previews ran in yesterday's edition and reviews will run in tomorrow's. Minnesota, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Wooster and Florida all play Saturday and are previewed below. Duke remains on a bye until Sept. 26.

Minnesota Preview

Minnesota (1-1) hosts Akron (1-1) Saturday at noon ET on Big Ten Network at Huntington Bank Stadium, favored by roughly 23.5 to 26.5 points with a total near 49.5. The Gophers are coming off a 38-13 loss to Mississippi State and need a bounce-back win before Big Ten play; Akron enters off a 45-10 win over Robert Morris in which quarterback Cibastian Broughton threw four touchdown passes, but the Zips also opened the year with a 38-16 loss to Wake Forest. P.J. Fleck's group is a heavy favorite and needs a clean performance to settle any doubts raised by the Mississippi State loss.

Georgia Tech Preview

Georgia Tech (0-2) hosts FCS Mercer (2-0) Saturday at noon ET on ACC Network at Bobby Dodd Stadium. The Yellow Jackets are looking to snap a two-game skid — a last-second 14-13 loss to Colorado followed by a 45-24 defeat at Tennessee — against a Mercer program that won the SoCon title a year ago and is breaking in first-year head coach Joel Taylor after Mike Jacobs left for Toledo. Georgia Tech is favored, but an 0-2 start against a quality FCS opponent makes this a must-win to avoid falling to 0-3.

North Carolina Preview

North Carolina (2-0) opens ACC play Saturday at noon ET on ESPN at Clemson (1-1), with Clemson favored by 5.5 and the total set at 44.5. It pits Bill Belichick, in his second UNC season, against Dabo Swinney; Clemson has won the last seven meetings in a series it leads 40-18-1, including a 38-10 win in last year's ACC opener. True freshman Tait Reynolds is set to make his first career start against a Belichick-coached defense, adding uncertainty to a game the Tar Heels enter unbeaten after wins over TCU (15-10, in Dublin) and East Tennessee State (35-3).

Florida Preview

Florida (2-0) travels to Auburn (2-0) for its SEC opener Saturday at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN at Jordan-Hare Stadium, with the Gators favored by 2.5 and the total at 53.5. It's the first true road test of Jon Sumrall's tenure after blowout wins over Florida Atlantic and Campbell, against an Auburn team also unbeaten through two games. A win would be an early credibility marker for Sumrall in his first SEC road start; a loss would drop Florida to 0-1 in conference play with a brutal schedule still ahead.

College of Wooster Preview

College of Wooster (1-1, NCAA Division III) hosts Denison (1-1) for Homecoming and Family Weekend Saturday at 2 p.m. at John P. Papp Stadium. Both teams enter off North Coast Athletic Conference wins — Wooster beat Kenyon 26-19 on Sept. 12, and Denison routed Oberlin 50-0 the same week after an opening loss to Hope College. The game is an early NCAC standings measuring stick for a Wooster program that returned a veteran core after a one-point Week 1 loss to Wilmington. (WoosterAthletics.com/D3football.com, Sept. 10-16)

Top 25 Scoreboard

No AP Top 25 team played yesterday (Thursday, Sept. 17) — the only game on the slate was unranked Pitt's 27-13 win over Syracuse. The next games are tonight and Saturday, Sept. 18-19. Below are the ranked-team games on tap over the next seven days.

Tracked teams in the current AP Top 25: No. 5 Miami, No. 9 Texas A&M, No. 13 Texas Tech, No. 14 Penn State. Villanova is No. 22 in the Stats Perform FCS poll ahead of Saturday's game at LIU. The current AP poll (released Sept. 13) remains in effect until the next release Sunday, following this weekend's games.