Latest AP poll ranking must have Ohio State concerned after SEC gets boost despite red flags

The Ohio State Buckeyes were off for Week 3 after two dominant wins, but they could've gained ground in the polls. Ranked third in the country in the AP poll entering the week, Ohio State hoped to see one of their key foes fall short. Instead, everyone in the top 15 won.

However, not all is well with Ohio State's rivals. Because of that, the Buckeyes can't be happy with where they stand today. Let's take a look at the latest AP poll.

Ohio State Buckeyes AP Poll Ranking Week 3

The Buckeyes watched Quinn Ewers get hurt, and Georgia narrowly survived against Kentucky, but they still landed third in the Week 3 AP poll rankings again. The Longhorns jumped from No. 2 to No. 1 over Georgia, and Ewers is expected to be back soon.

In the meantime, Arch Manning will take the reins from Ewers.

However, the Buckeyes watched Texas nab 35 first-place votes while Georgia earned 23. Ohio State had only five, which was the same as the week before.

Ohio State will enter Week 4 against Marshall as heavy favorites, and we'll take a look at those betting odds later this week.

It isn't rare for teams to experience both victory and a loss of their No. 1 spot. This phenomenon has been recorded 94 times since the poll's inception in 1936, with the most recent instance occurring in 2022 when Georgia and Alabama alternated as No. 1 multiple times.

Despite holding onto their No. 1 rank in the coaches poll, the Bulldogs narrowly escaped with a 13-12 win against Kentucky in the second half. Notably, this Kentucky squad had faced a significant defeat at home by South Carolina the previous week. This marked the lowest point tally by a No. 1 team during a win since Alabama's 10-0 victory over LSU in 2016.

Alabama stayed put at No. 4, while Ole Miss also maintained their No. 5 position. Meanwhile, Tennessee ascended to No. 6, overtaking their SEC competitor Missouri.