College football’s third weekend of the 2026 season kicks off Friday, September 11, with the marquee matchup arriving Saturday when Ohio State visits Texas.
The game is a rematch of last season’s meeting in Columbus, when Texas arrived ranked No. 1 and left with a 14-7 loss to the Buckeyes in a defensively dominated contest. Since then, Texas quarterback Arch Manning has settled into his role, while Ohio State’s defense is regarded as even stronger than the unit that shut Texas down a year ago.
Michigan, meanwhile, travels to Oklahoma looking to steady a program that dropped out of the AP Top 25 this week. Virginia moved into the rankings in Michigan’s place.
Friday’s Ranked Action
Three games involving Top 25 teams are set for Friday night, September 11:
- Louisville, still ranked despite an 0-1 record after pushing Ole Miss to the limit last week, hosts Villanova. Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss drew praise for his performance in that game.
- Virginia hosts Norfolk State.
- Missouri travels to Kansas.
LSU’s Statement Win
Elsewhere, LSU opened its season with a 51-10 win over Clemson on September 5, 2026. The lopsided result came after head coach Lane Kiffin opted against bringing in players from NFL training camps to bolster the roster, a tactic he had been associated with in prior offseasons.
California, unranked despite the objections of some fans, plays at Syracuse this weekend.
The slate falls on the anniversary of September 11, and fans and broadcasters around the country are expected to pause to remember those killed in the 2001 attacks.
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