India’s recent ICC success may have brought an end to their long-standing trophy drought, but some World Cup defeats continue to remain difficult memories for Virat Kohli.

India won back-to-back T20 World Cup titles before adding the Champions Trophy, but the heartbreak of November 19, 2023 still remains fresh in the minds of ardent cricket followers. Rohit Sharma has spoken about that defeat on several occasions.

For Kohli, though, the 2019 World Cup semifinal loss to New Zealand remains an even more painful experience.

‘2019 was a jolt for us’

The semifinal in Manchester stretched across two days after persistent rain interrupted New Zealand’s innings in the 47th over. The Black Caps returned the following day to finish on 239/8 before India fell 18 runs short in the chase.

The match is particularly remembered for MS Dhoni’s heartbreaking run-out by Martin Guptill in the 49th over.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who took three wickets in the game, recently described the defeat as “heartbreaking”. Kohli agreed with his former India team-mate, admitting that the loss left him distraught.

“Playing Australia in the 2015 semifinal, you are very well aware of your strength and weaknesses and Australia is always difficult. We always knew that if it gets to a massive score, it will be tough, and that is what happened. They were phenomenal.

“But 2019 was a jolt for us. 240… it rained out. Had we played that day, things would have been different. But next morning, fresh new ball attack. They got the best of the conditions and they put us under attack and they banked on the hesitation that we had.

“That was too tough to swallow and process. I was distraught. After that I was totally gone mentally for a couple of months,” he told JioStar ahead of India’s first ODI against West Indies.

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Kohli remembers 2023 dressing-room atmosphere

Kohli viewed India’s run to the 2023 World Cup final differently, describing the campaign as a “massive step forward” in terms of both talent and performance.

More than the results, however, he remembered the atmosphere within the squad and the way the players responded to setbacks.

“That whole World Cup was great, the environment was phenomenal. Within the team, you could see the camaraderie; everyone was happy playing for each other.

“Even losing someone like Hardik early on, we never spoke about what would happen next although it was a big loss in terms of what he brings. But, Shami came and you know what he can do.

“So, everyone had a feeling that it was our World Cup,” he added.

‘I feel the same about the World Cup final’

India’s campaign ultimately ended with a defeat to Australia in the final in Ahmedabad, another result that Kohli found difficult to process.

He compared the feeling to the flashbacks he experienced after the 2016 IPL final, which continued until Royal Challengers Bengaluru won the IPL in 2025.

“Before we won the IPL in 2025, I used to get flashbacks of the 2016 final. I feel the same about the World Cup final as well.

“I was playing on 54 and had set myself up for a big hundred; like, if I got 140-150, we would be in a great position to win that game.

“But as soon as I played on, it was very tough to process for many days. And you keep thinking about it.”

Kohli has confirmed that the 2027 ICC tournament will be his last World Cup for India. That decision has given his next campaign an added significance.

“For me, it’s the last World Cup I’m going to play for India. And that is my motivation,” he added.

NEW DELHI: India’s Harita Bhadra secured a hard-fought bronze medal in the women’s 200m at the Asian Games 2026 on Sunday, edging Japan’s Abigeirufuka Ido in a thrilling photo-finish.Harita clocked 23.20 seconds to finish third, just 0.01 seconds ahead of Ido, who was timed at 23.21s. Indonesia’s Shanti Pereira won the gold in 22.78s, while China’s 100m champion Yujie Chen took silver with a timing of 22.93s.The bronze was India’s ninth athletics medal at the ongoing Games, taking the country’s track and field haul to four silver and five bronze medals. India are still waiting for their first athletics gold in Aichi-Nagoya.Asian Games Full Coverage | Medal Tally | Schedule

Harita holds her nerve in photo-finish

Harita produced a strong finish to secure the final podium position in a closely contested race. The Indian sprinter had little margin for error, with Ido pushing her all the way to the line.The Japanese athlete clocked 23.21 seconds, but Harita’s 23.20s was enough to secure bronze and add another medal to India’s growing athletics tally.Unnathi Aiyappa Bolland, the other Indian in the final, finished sixth with a timing of 23.46 seconds.Harita’s medal added to an increasingly productive athletics campaign for India, with the track and field contingent now having collected nine medals.

More athletics medals in sight

India remained in contention for more medals in athletics later on Sunday.The women’s long jump final was underway, with Ancy Sojan leading after her first two attempts. Her best effort stood at 6.49m at that stage of the competition.Tejaswin Shankar was also still in medal contention in the decathlon, sitting third with only the final event remaining.Few minutes later, India’s Animesh Kujur finished fifth in the men’s 200m final after clocking 20.80 seconds. Thailand’s Puripol Boonson won the race in spectacular fashion, setting a new Asian record with a time of 19.88 seconds.

Manchester United have eight potential injury worries after Bruno Fernandes joined their list of potential absentees

Bruno Fernandes is the latest player to be added to Manchester United’s injury list with their club captain ruled out of Portugal’s next Nations League clash. Fernandes played nearly the full 90 minutes of their win over Wales earlier this week but will miss Sunday’s game against Norway.

National team head coach Jorge Jesus suggested as such in his Fernandes update on Thursday with his decision confirmed by the 32-year-old’s absence from their squad list. Benjamin Sesko, meanwhile, did not even make it to international duty with Slovenia after suffering a setback in his recovery from a shin problem.

Marcus Rashford and Kobbie Mainoo were selected by Thomas Tuchel to represent England but both United stars pulled out. The former did look to have picked up an issue toward the end of his outing against Fulham last Sunday.

Amad is the other big concern from this season with the Ivory Coast winger yet to make an appearance due to an ankle issue. He is, however, expected to return to training over the extended domestic pause.

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With all of that being said, the Manchester Evening News has taken a look at the latest on United’s injured stars and when they could return.

Bruno Fernandes

Fernandes is unlikely to miss any United games, unless his issue worsens, going off comments that he will be back playing for Portugal next week.

What Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus has said: “In the game against Wales, we went in with all the available players but Bruno Fernandes came off with a complicated problem.

“We’ll see what happens until tomorrow. Experience tells me that on the third day not all players manage to recover but that’s the same for Norway as for us. However, the player who comes in gives as many guarantees as the one who might come off, that’s what I’ll base my decision on.

“The [Fernandes] case involves treatment and recovery time. He’s coming off an injury at United, and he told me he’s been playing with that pain for the last three games, which is hindering him.

“It was one of the factors that prevented Bruno from playing at his best against Wales. I’ve already spoken to him and I prefer not to risk it in this game so he’s fully fit for the Denmark match.”

Possible return date: Tottenham (H) – Saturday, October 10.

Benjamin Sesko

Sesko started the Carabao Cup defeat against Brighton but was absent for the trip to Fulham just three days later.

What Michael Carrick has said: “He just felt a little bit of pain after the game the other night [vs Brighton]. We’re assessing that. Hopefully, it’s not too bad, but we will have to see.”

Possible return date: Tottenham (H) – Saturday, October 10.

Amad

Amad suffered an injury right as the season started but he is edging closer toward a comeback, as per Carrick, assuming no setback is suffered on his return to team training over the break.

What Michael Carrick has said: “Amad, hopefully, by the time we get back, he will have trained with the group. That’s a positive.”

Possible return date: Late October/early November.

Marcus Rashford

Rashford hobbled off at Craven Cottage and then pulled out of the England squad which suggests he may have a minor issue, but one he can likely recover from in the weeks off.

What Michael Carrick has said: “We had to bring him off, as he had a bit of an issue. I’m not sure [if he’s alright].

Possible return date: Tottenham (H) – Saturday, October 10.

Kobbie Mainoo

Mainoo was also selected to play for the Three Lions but similarly to Rashford, went off early against the Cottagers and subsequently withdrew.

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Possible return date: Tottenham (H) – Saturday, October 10.

Matthijs de Ligt

De Ligt has now missed 10 months of football and will almost certainly be phased back in gradually despite positive comments from Carrick.

What Michael Carrick has said: “Matta is just working his way back, really. So I don’t want to, because of how it’s been, put too much of a timeframe on it.”

Possible return date: Unknown.

Manuel Ugarte

Ugarte suffered a severe knee injury at the World Cup and is set to miss an extended period.

Possible return date: Unknown.

Tom Heaton

Heaton has a hamstring injury that has stopped him from being in any squads.

Possible return date: Unknown.

It’s happening again!

The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox will face off in the 2026 MLB Wild Card Series for a second consecutive year, as Boston’s Friday afternoon victory over the Chicago Cubs secured its spot as the No. 2 American League wild-card seed; New York secured the No. 1 AL wild-card seed earlier in the week.

Game 1 of the three-game set will come on Sept. 29, as the series takes place at Yankee Stadium, like last year when New York defeated Boston in three games.

Here’s how the two AL East rivals fared against each other this season and their historic postseason history:

The Yankees won seven of their 13 games against the Red Sox this season, with New York going 4-2 at home and 3-4 on the road.

New York entered Sept. 25 at 92-67, with Boston entering the day at 85-74.

The two teams first met in the playoffs in the 1999 AL Championship Series, with the Yankees handling the Red Sox in five games and going on to win the World Series in what was the first season superstar right-hander and then-five-time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens, who spent the first 13 seasons of his MLB career with the Red Sox (1984-96), was with the team.

Their next postseason meeting came in 2003 in a dramatic showdown that went the distance. A series that included benches clearing in Game 3 and competitive games on the whole ended with a walk-off home run from Yankees third baseman — and now manager — Aaron Boone — to lead off the bottom of the 11th inning of Game 7 in a game where New York trailed 4-0 in the fifth inning.

The two teams ran it back the following year (2004), but it had a much different outcome. After going down 3-0 in the series and giving up 19 runs on their home field in Game 3, the Red Sox became the first team in professional sports to win a series after trailing 3-0. Boston then went on to win the World Series for the first time since 1918.

The Red Sox and Yankees wouldn’t find each other in October again until 2018, with Boston defeating New York 3-1 in the AL Division Series and going on to win the World Series for the fourth time in the 21st century (the Red Sox won the World Series in 2004, 2008, 2013 and 2018). Three years later, Boston made it three consecutive playoff series wins over New York, defeating the Yankees in the 2021 AL Wild Card Game, 6-2.

Last year, the Yankees evened the score with the Red Sox at three series wins apiece, winning Games 2 and 3 of the 2025 Wild Card Series to advance to the ALDS.

At just 18, Anahat Singh scripts history by becoming the first Indian woman to reach an Asian Games singles final and secure a silver medal in the event. In doing so, she surpasses the achievements of Indian squash stalwarts Dipika Pallikal and Joshna Chinappa, both of whom had previously won bronze medals in the women’s singles competition.

Meanwhile, Abhay Singh becomes only the second Indian male squash player to advance to the men’s singles final at the Asian Games, emulating the feat achieved by Saurav Ghosal.

Their remarkable runs also mark a historic first for India, as the country has representatives in both the men’s and women’s individual squash finals at the same Asian Games edition for the first time ever.

The Oasis frontman has spoken out during the latest ticket sale for the band’s epic 42-date tour next year

Liam Gallagher has issued a warning to those trying to “destroy” Manchester City after the football club was found guilty of 114 breaches of Premier League financial rules. As reported on Friday, they now wait potential punishment, which could be significant and far-reaching.

On Friday, the Oasis frontman took to X to voice his feelings after news began to break that the club had been found guilty of 114 of the 115 charges they faced. City were charged back in February 2023 for allegations of breaching the league’s financial rules.

Liam initially responded to a post from journalist Ben Jacobs, Liam said on X: “Get your OASIS tickets bought and stop talking out your f****** ar** you S****BUBBLE.”

READ MORE: POLL: What should happen to Manchester City next after being found guilty of 114 charges?

In another post on X replying to Jacobs, he added: “CTID.”

The comments came during the first day of on-sales for Oasis Live ’27. Since Friday, fans have been attempting to get tickets for the band’s tour next year, which will span 42 dates, including 11 nights at The Etihad, home of Liam and Noel’s beloved Manchester City.

This morning, during the first of three ticket windows today, Liam commented further on the Manchester City guilty verdicts. Liam was responding to a fan who asked what he thought of suggestions that Manchester City fans will “give up” on their club.

He wrote: “Don’t be RIDICULOUS we’re gonna win this appeal clear our good name and then sue all those little SPUNKBUBBLES who have tried to destroy us.”

Liam’s defiant response was echoed yesterday by his brother Noel, who said he is ‘shocked and saddened’ by the news that the club has been found guilty on almost all charges of breaching Premier League financial rules.

Appearing on the City podcast Let Me Talk, Gallagher said he felt “quite sad” for the fans and the players.

“[I’m] surprised, because … the club have assured us all along that they vehemently denied any of these charges,” he said. “So it was a bit of a shock to find out that we’ve been found guilty of all but one. But really overall, just quite sad really. Sad for the fans and for the players.”

Asked if it changes moments like Sergio Aguero’s title-winning goal in 2012, Gallagher said: “Our focus as fans is always on the pitch and we know what we saw – they won it on the pitch.

“Whatever goes on in the boardroom, it’s nothing to do with the supporters or the players. The players won that game and won that title on the pitch.

“Whether some of those players should have been there or not, that’s nothing to do with the fans. We were there, we know what we saw.”

In a statement released to the Manchester Evening News, a City spokesperson said: “The Premier League process remains ongoing, with significant elements to be completed, and subject to strict confidentiality.

“As such Manchester City FC’s position remains consistent with the Club’s statement of February 2023.

“The Club has diligently respected due process for eight years on the basis that the Premier League Board and Executive would behave as an independent, impartial and fair-minded regulator, free from partisan influence.”

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian knows what to expect when President Donald Trump attends Saturday’s college football game at Tennessee — and it goes well beyond drumming up the atmosphere. 

Sarkisian said Thursday that coaches can lose headset communication when Trump enters a stadium, leaves the stadium or moves to a different location — something Texas will have to be prepared for when it faces the Volunteers at Neyland Stadium.

“The one thing that you have to be aware of when the president goes to any game is that any time he enters the stadium, leaves the stadium or changes locations within the stadium, they cut all communication,” Sarkisian said during a Zoom call on Thursday. “So they cut your headsets. They cut the headsets to coaches. They cut headsets for coach-to-player communication. So you have to have a plan for that, if and when it happens, and you get no warning. It just gets cut out.”

The potential disruption could create challenges for both Texas’ offensive and defensive staffs. Defensive coordinator Will Muschamp calls the defense’s plays from the sideline, while Sarkisian communicates the offense’s plays directly to quarterback Arch Manning.

Knowing that could be an issue he has to deal with, Sarkisian reached out to a coaching colleague who has dealt with Trump’s presence at the stadium before. He texted Miami head coach Mario Cristobal, seeking guidance of how Cristobal managed Trump attending the 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship Game. 

“A good friend of mine is Mario Cristobal,” Sarkisian said. “Last year, when they were playing Indiana in the national championship, they had that drive at the end of the game; they had no communication because he was leaving early before the game ended. You get no warning; it just cuts out. You have to be prepared for that.”

Miami ultimately lost the national championship game to Indiana, but Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti pushed back Thursday against claims that a loss of communication led to the final result.

Cignetti said Trump’s departure did result in a brief communication issue earlier in the fourth quarter.

“President Trump left the game around the seven-minute mark in the fourth quarter, there were two or three plays we couldn’t hear at all,” Cignetti explained on Thursday. “The second play was when they gave the ball to (Malachi) Toney, pitched it to him, for the touchdown with 6:37 to go.”

“What’s floating around on social media is, the communication device went down on Miami’s last drive of the game on offense,” Cignetti added. “‘Oh really?’ So I had to dispel that.”

The White House Rapid Response account also disputed the claim that Trump’s departure affected Miami’s headset communication during the final drive.

“No, President Trump’s departure from the CFP championship in January did not cause headset or comms issues for the team,” the post read.

Trump’s presence could create an unusual logistical challenge for both teams, and Sarkisian said the key is simply being prepared for the possibility that the headsets could suddenly go silent.

“You have to have a plan to adjust if and when he comes in the middle of the first quarter, leaves in the fourth quarter, or decides he’s got to use the restroom, whatever that looks like,” Sarkisian said. “You’ve got to be prepared to have no communication for a short amount of time.”

When you spend all week discussing the ranked-on-ranked matchups on the college football schedule, you just know a shake-up is coming to the college football rankings. Yes, with a half-dozen games between teams ranked in the AP Top 25 poll, we are likely to see one of our biggest weeks of upheaval, and the changes come not just as a result of those top-tier collisions but also from unexpected upsets that are going to challenge voters’ preseason positions on top teams. 

There will be a rankings shift after Florida toppled Ole Miss and Oregon picked up a road win at USC. But Week 4 also saw Penn State and Louisville lose to unranked teams at home, and reigning champion Indiana survive an upset scare. All of it provides necessary information for AP voters as they negotiate the final spots on their ballots, which will be submitted on Sunday for the new college football rankings. 

The headline change in a week of change is going to be Florida’s rise after a 52-28 win against No. 4 Ole Miss in The Swamp. The Gators found the end zone fast and early, riding star running back Jadan Baugh to the signature win of the early Jon Sumrall era. The presence of Sumrall as a Year 1 coach in Gainesville sets the stage for Florida’s return to the top of the sport, as he’s already set to put the program in a position it hasn’t seen since the Dan Mullen era. We project a rise for Florida from No. 21 up to the top 10, which would mark the Gators’ first top-10 ranking in the AP poll since September 2021. For all the hand-wringing about what Florida could and could not accomplish over the last four years, Sumrall has hit the ground running and immediately delivered a product that meets their championship standard. 

Elsewhere in the rankings, we will find some fallout from that result on the Ole Miss side, plus some two-way movement after Oregon’s road win at USC. Because after a couple of weeks with stagnant positions in the poll, Week 4 and the arrival of conference play have finally provided some real results that spark debates and make things interesting up and down the top 25.   

Here’s how we think the new AP Top 25 poll will look on Sunday after Week 4 scores and results in college football: 

1. Texas (Last week — 1): The Longhorns’ performance was far from flawless and at times offensive, but ultimately surviving a tough SEC road test with a win against ranked Tennessee shouldn’t dislodge them from the No. 1 spot. The collection of first-place votes (58-of-69) may start to wane, but there’s not another obvious contender for the top spot set to topple Texas as long as the team continues to win. 

2. Georgia (2): We finally got to see Gunner Stockton and the Georgia offense face some real resistance against Oklahoma‘s defense, but the total competition in all three phases of the game was so heavily slanted towards the Bulldogs it didn’t even matter. Stockton had more incompletions (11) than he had totaled in the first three games combined (7), but the team still scored 41 points and won by four touchdowns against a quality SEC opponent. That speaks to not only the high level of play from a hungry Kirby Smart team, but also the depth of the offensive woes for Oklahoma here in this first month of the season. 

3. Notre Dame (3): The Fighting Irish cruised against Purdue, notching their 14th straight win by 10+ points. That ties the longest FBS streak in the past 10 seasons and extends the longest streak of double-digit wins in school history. CJ Carr had a productive day with four total touchdowns, and Notre Dame held serve from a rankings perspective with its 49-10 win. 

4. Miami (6): We’re not projecting a ton of rankings impact from a lopsided win against Central Michigan. Some shuffling around the top 10 could lead to small adjustments, but for now the Hurricanes might be stuck between No. 6 and No. 3 until that early November showdown with Notre Dame. As long as Miami keeps winning, it will stay within striking distance of real consideration for No. 1, but it will take that signature win to make a real move to the top of the poll. 

5. Florida (21): A 4-0 record with a top-five win is going to get top-five consideration, and the question is whether the Gators have shown enough to dislodge the AP voters’ preseason expectations for Indiana. Florida has exceeded expectations in a way that the Hoosiers probably have not, and that could open the door to breaking up a logjam inside the top 10 above Alabama. Florida running back Jadan Baugh continues to build his Heisman Trophy argument with 142 yards and three touchdowns in a massive program win. As we mentioned earlier, Jon Sumrall has quickly put the Gators back into contention like we haven’t seen since the beginning of the decade. 

6. Indiana (5): The margins between the No. 4 and No. 6 teams in last week’s balloting (Ole Miss, Indiana, Miami) were thin enough to think there could be some swaps based on performance alone. The Hoosiers did not dominate Northwestern on Friday night as many expected, and the upset scare could lead to some waning confidence in their position as one of the top teams in the country. The Hoosiers probably won’t give up a spot to Ohio State given their undefeated record, but it’s not out of the question.   

7. Ohio State (7): Your weekly Jeremiah Smith highlight includes a career-high four touchdown receptions and another move up in the Ohio State record books. Smith is now tied with David Boston for second-most career receiving touchdowns (34) in school history, and the performance makes him just the second Buckeye to have 200+ receiving yards and 4+ receiving touchdowns in a game (Terry Glenn, 1995).  

8. Alabama (8): The Crimson Tide offense continue to absolutely cook, putting up 40+ points for the fourth straight game as Keelon Russell has now ascended from recently named starter to top-tier SEC quarterback. Russell racked up five total touchdowns in the 49-19 win against the Gamecocks, which will provide at least some debate regarding a move up into that top-five range with other undefeated teams from the SEC. 

9. BYU (9): The Cougars were off in Week 4 and will be back in action next Saturday at TCU. 

10. Ole Miss (4): The head-to-head win against LSU makes for a sensible and comfortable landing spot on the ballot for many voters as they adjust Ole Miss in the wake of the loss at Florida. The Rebels might not have had the fourth-best team in the country in the eyes of a power rating, and that was evident in being a betting underdog against a team outside the top 20. But its ranking still hangs on one of the better resumes in the country and could keep Ole Miss from falling out of the top 10.  

11. LSU (10): Lane Kiffin’s group needed a bounce back after last week’s loss at Ole Miss and found a nice landing against Texas A&M, wearing down the Aggies for a win that should solidify the Tigers’ position as a top-10 contender. The issue, as we noted above, is the head-to-head loss to the Rebels, pushing down their stock inside the top 15. 

12. Texas Tech (11): The Red Raiders improved to 4-0 with a win against Sam Houston that brought highs and lows. The defense got to celebrate two pick-sixes from the same player thanks to Austin Romaine, while the offense overcame three interceptions from Will Hammond to score 49 points. The final score still looks good enough for most voters, even if the performance might spark some re-evaluation of their standing in this range of the rankings. 

13. Utah (15): The Utes have gotten off to some tremendous starts this season, leading by 20+ at halftime of all four games during their 4-0 start. This is not a team poised to make a major move up after holding on to beat Iowa State 31-17 on the road in Week 4, but a team to monitor with a couple of favorable spots ahead before hosting BYU on Nov. 7. 

14. Iowa (17): Could the Hawkeyes jump ahead of Utah? That’s the real question in terms of upward momentum in the rankings for a team and a coach that had one of those moments in the Big House they’ll remember forever. It was Iowa’s first win at Michigan in 16 years, and the 91-yard touchdown march will forever be a part of this season’s lore. The issue, from a rankings perspective, is the massive gap in voting points between Utah, Iowa and those teams on the edge of the top 10. 

15. Oregon (20): After a couple of weeks wondering what’s wrong with Oregon, the Ducks endured a scary injury to Dante Moore and found ways to win in the second half at USC. Battling through adversity added to what was already one of Oregon’s better performances of the season, and that should spark a respectable bump up in the rankings. 

16. USC (12): The fact that Oregon has remained ranked throughout its early-season doldrums should be good news for USC, which doesn’t have a ton of quality wins to bolster its rankings argument but certainly has looked better than most teams in college football. Falling short against the Ducks might not sting that much in the eyes of the voters, though the head-to-head result now becomes the Trojans’ ranking anchor when ballots are sorting out complicated resumes in the middle of their top 25 ballots. 

17. Tennessee (14): Two things will help Tennessee when it comes to keeping their status as a top 25 team after the loss to Texas. First is the fact that the Vols played the No. 1 team in the country down to the final possessions and lost by a field goal, perhaps proving more to voters about their quality than the three wins prior. But the other piece of this is the massive turnover that will create a soft cushion near the bottom of the rankings. With a handful of teams set to drop out of the rankings, it’s hard to see Tennessee being below No. 20 when the poll resets.   

18. Mississippi State (24): The Bulldogs are set for a boost in the rankings after emerging as the winner of a high-level back-and-forth with Missouri. Quarterback Kamario Taylor threw for 360 yards and three touchdowns in the 31-24 win, which now has Mississippi State at 4-0 in back-to-back seasons under Jeff Lebby. Most importantly, outlasting the Tigers means the Bulldogs are 2-0 in conference play for the first time since 2014. 

19. SMU (22): The Mustangs took care of business after a closer-than-expected start, pulling away for a 10-point win against Missouri State. SMU’s spot in the rankings could be tenuous in the wake of Louisville’s loss to Wake Forest, but for now the AP voters won’t rush to kick this group out of the top 25. 

20. Houston (25): The Cougars should be set for a slight bump up in the rankings after a 14-point win at Georgia Southern in a Homecoming-style game for Willie Fritz in Statesboro. The celebration of his time with the Eagles included six total touchdowns for Connor Weigman (four passing, two rushing) and a performance that solidifies this group as a top-25 team.   

21. Boise State (NR): This is the second time in four weeks that Boise State has walked into what many consider the “Group of Six Game of the Week” and walked out with a double-digit win. This time it was Western Michigan, the reigning MAC champs and recent challenger to Michigan in Ann Arbor, and Spencer Danielson’s crew shined in the spotlight.  

22. Oklahoma State (NR): That Week 2 win against Oregon is going to boost Oklahoma State’s argument to jump into the top 25, even if it might not be enough to slot the Cowboys ahead of the Ducks in the consensus rankings. The Cowboys improved to 3-1 with a competitive and impressive win at West Virginia, but the season-opening loss to Tulsa remains a weight that’s difficult to shake for many voters. 

23. Wisconsin (NR): Voters might not have expected to be in this spot three weeks ago, but if you look at the Badgers’ resume, this is a 3-1 team with a win at Penn State, and its only loss is against top-five Notre Dame. Voters who favor undefeated records will look elsewhere (Nebraska, UCLA, Virginia Tech or Duke), but those who want to give Luke Fickell’s group a boost in the wake of the massive road win will have the quality win and quality loss argument to bolster their Wisconsin support.   

24. UCLA (NR): Bob Chesney’s Bruins made a bit of a statement with their thorough takedown of Maryland in College Park on Saturday. UCLA’s defense bottled up Maryland and forced five turnovers on the way to a 52-3 win that both brings about hot seat conversations for Mike Locksley but also debate as to Chesney’s candidacy as one of the most impactful Year 1 coaches in this early part of the season. 

25. Nebraska (NR): The Cornhuskers might have seen their former quarterback helping Oregon survive on the road, but they also saw Matt Rhule improve to 4-0 on the 2026 season with a win at Michigan State. Nebraska had just two voting points last week, but after picking up their first power conference win of the season could get some attention from voters looking to fill out their ballots with undefeated power conference teams.

Projected to drop out: No. 13 Penn State, No. 16 Louisville, No. 18 Michigan, No. 19 Missouri, No. 23 Texas A&M