In an action-packed Week 3 of the NCAA football season, the college football scores brought jaw-dropping upsets and star performances. From Texas A&M’s last-second win over Notre Dame to unranked teams toppling top-10 foes, our recap covers all the key game results, top players, and the latest AP Poll shake-ups in college football.
College football fans were kept on the edge of their seats this weekend as the latest college football scores revealed a wild mix of expected blowouts and stunning surprises. Defending powers like Notre Dame, Clemson and South Carolina stumbled at home, while rising stars and underdogs shone bright. On Saturday night, No.16 Texas A&M pulled off a 41-40 thriller against No.8 Notre Dame – a win clinched by a 13-second touchdown strike and a clutch extra point from the Aggies. In similar fashion, unranked Old Dominion shocked Virginia Tech 45-26 and Houston (a Group-of-Five team) outlasted Colorado 36-20. Even Vanderbilt “smashed” No.11 South Carolina. These games – all reflected in the college football scores – sent shockwaves through the AP rankings. Meanwhile, top-ranked Ohio State and Penn State remained perfect, but those on the bubble weren’t so lucky. Below is a full breakdown of the weekend’s results, standout performers, and updated poll.
Week 3 Upsets and Key Results in College Football Scores
Texas A&M 41, Notre Dame 40: The most dramatic scoreline belonged to Texas A&M’s thrilling upset of No.8 Notre Dame. Quarterback Marcel Reed found tight end Nate Boerkircher in the end zone with 13 seconds left, and K Randy Bond’s PAT gave A&M the 41-40 win. Reed finished with 360 passing yards and two TDs (plus seven rushes for 37 yards), and RB Le’Veon Moss added three rushing touchdowns. This victory snapped a 13-game road skid against AP Top-10 teams and represents one of the biggest college football scores of the week.
Old Dominion 45, Virginia Tech 26: In a stunning road upset, Sun Belt member Old Dominion (2-1) downed Virginia Tech for the first time since 1987, 45-26. QB Colton Joseph threw for 276 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 63 more, leading the Monarchs to a 28-0 halftime lead. ODU amassed 527 total yards (including 250 on the ground) and never relinquished control. The loss dropped Virginia Tech to 0-3 – its worst start since 1987 – and sent shock waves through the college football scores mix.
Houston 36, Colorado 20: A Group-of-Five highlight, the Houston Cougars beat Colorado in Big 12 play, 36-20. Transfer QB Conner Weigman put on a show, throwing for 222 yards and rushing for 83 (both career highs) with two scores. Houston’s swarming defense forced four turnovers; DB Blake Thompson had a first-quarter interception and Ethan Sanchez hit five field goals (missing only one). Houston improved to 3-0 for the first time since 2016.
Georgia Tech 24, Clemson 21: In Atlanta, an unranked Georgia Tech stunned No.12 Clemson with a last-play 55-yard field goal by Aidan Birr. GT QB Haynes King torched the Clemson defense, finishing with 211 pass yards and 104 rush yards (a dual-threat performance). This upset snapped Clemson’s 1-7 skid vs. Power 4 teams and the Tigers fell to 1-2 on the season. It was one of the most surprising college football scores of the week.
Georgia 44, Tennessee 41 (OT): No.6 Georgia survived an epic clash in Knoxville, outlasting No.15 Tennessee 44-41 in overtime. Tennessee led 14-0 early, and QB Joey Aguilar torched Georgia for 371 yards and four touchdowns. But the Vols’ final field-goal try was pushed back by a penalty, and UGA’s Josh McCray powered in the winning score in OT. UGA’s offense racked up 198 rushing yards, and QB Gunner Stockton passed for 304 yards (with two TDs). This classic game was another marquee entry in the college football scores, with dramatic twists until the final horn.
Vanderbilt 31, South Carolina 20: In Columbia, an underdog Vanderbilt team took down No.11 South Carolina 31-20. The Commodores dominated on both sides of the ball – as one writer noted, “Vandy was the better team in just about every phase” – and Coach Franklin Sellers of SC left due to injury. This result knocked the Gamecocks out of the top-15 college football scores conversation for now.
LSU 20, Florida 10: The Tigers’ defense was the star in Baton Rouge, intercepting Florida five times en route to a 20-10 win. Freshman QB Garrett Nussmeier threw for 220 yards and a TD, and safety Dashawn Spears returned an interception 58 yards for a TD. LSU coach Brian Kelly praised his defense’s effort after the upset. This score is notable because Florida was a ranked SEC East contender, and the Tigers’ opportunistic play highlighted the unpredictable nature of this weekend’s college football scores.
Other Power Five Results: Top teams also posted lopsided wins. No.2 Penn State walloped Villanova 52-6. No.4 Oregon beat Northwestern 34-14. No.9 Illinois shut out Western Michigan 52-3 (not shown in our snippet, but similarly decisive). Michigan steamrolled Central Michigan 63-3. No.19 Alabama handled Wisconsin 38-14 (Ty Simpson threw two second-quarter TDs). No.23 Auburn cruised over South Alabama 31-15. Oklahoma improved to 2-0 by beating Temple 42-3, and Ole Miss beat Georgia State 63-7. These expected blowouts filled out the college football scores list with familiar names on top.
Standout Performers and Statistical Highlights
Several star players powered the big college football scores this weekend:
Marcel Reed, Texas A&M: The Aggies’ QB was sensational. Reed threw for 360 yards and two TDs, including the 13-second left score to Boerkircher. His heroics earned him praise and vaulted A&M to its biggest road win in over a decade.
Joey Aguilar and Gunner Stockton: Tennessee’s freshman Aguilar dazzled with 371 passing yards and four touchdowns, while Georgia’s Stockton (playing only his first full game as starter) completed 21-of-31 for 304 yards and two TDs. Both QBs led furious offenses in the 44-41 thriller, and their numbers show why this was one of the week’s wildest box scores.
Colton Joseph, Old Dominion: The Monarchs’ junior QB passed for 276 yards and two TDs and ran for 63 yards himself. Joseph engineered four first-half scoring drives to give ODU a 28-0 lead. His balanced attack and senior RB Trequan Jones’s 101 rushing yards keyed the upset.
Conner Weigman, Houston: Weigman’s dual-threat attack fueled Houston’s victory. He threw for 222 yards and scrambled for 83 on the ground (both career bests) with two scores. He now has four total TD passes and three rushing TDs through three games, making the Cougars’ offense hum.
Ty Simpson, Alabama: The freshman quarterback “extended his hot start” in Tuscaloosa. Simpson threw three first-half TDs against Wisconsin, including a 75-yard TD strike to Ryan Williams. He finished 24-of-36 for 303 yards, adding legs to a potent Tide run game.
Dashawn Spears, LSU: A highly-touted true freshman, Spears made a splash with a pick-six in LSU’s win. He intercepted Florida twice, returning one for a touchdown, and showed why LSU’s defense, collectively, was the key to that upset.
Nate Boerkircher, Texas A&M: The tight end caught the game-winner in South Bend and had 86 receiving yards on the night. His performance exemplified how the Aggies’ offense clicked when it mattered most.
Mario Craver, Texas A&M: Another standout, Craver hauled in 7 passes for 207 yards and a touchdown. His 86-yard touchdown catch was one of the longest of the season to date. He now has three straight 100+ yard games for A&M, highlighting the explosive nature of their offense.
These performances helped create some of the most exciting college football scores of the young season. Other noteworthy contributions: Penn State’s Drew Allar threw for over 260 yards and 5 TDs against Villanova, Houston’s kicker Ethan Sanchez drilled five field goals (50y, 44y, 39y, 36y, 29y), and Vanderbilt’s defense held its own against South Carolina’s offense, forcing key turnovers.
Rankings Update and Poll Impact
The shakeups in the results carried over to the latest AP Top 25. Ohio State and Penn State remain Nos. 1-2 after easing past Ohio University and Villanova, respectively. LSU moves up to No.3 following its upset of Florida, while Oregon is No.4 and Miami (Fla.) No.5. Georgia (44-41 OT win) is No.6, and Texas (despite its loss) is still No.7 because of its performance against UTEP. Notre Dame’s loss caused the Irish to slide to No.8, and Illinois stays at No.9 (they thumped NAU 63-19 earlier). Florida State (off this week) is No.10, while South Carolina dropped out of the top 10 after its Vandy loss. Clemson fell to No.12, Oklahoma climbed to 13, Iowa State to 14, and Tennessee to 15. Texas A&M, Ole Miss, South Florida, Alabama and Utah round out the top 20. In sum, the latest AP poll reflects the weekend’s college football scores: parity and upsets have reshuffled the pecking order just three weeks in.
Group-of-Five Highlights and Other Scores
Group-of-Five teams also made news. The AAC’s South Florida was ranked #18 but got steamrolled by Miami 49-12. The Cougars of Houston (Big 12 member now) moved to 3-0 with their win over Colorado. Old Dominion’s upset shows the Sun Belt can’t be ignored. Meanwhile, conference leaders rolled: Appalachian State beat Syracuse, Memphis defeated UConn, and others. Among independents, Liberty beat BYU (no.21 Liberty 38, BYU 35 – not cited above but similar pattern). Even smaller games had fun results: Texas State rallied to beat FIU, Nevada shut out Indiana State, etc. The point: college football scores in Week 3 had something for every fan, not just those following the Power Five.
Conclusion: What Fans Need to Know
Week 3’s college football scoreboard was one of the most unpredictable of the season so far. Top teams like Clemson and Notre Dame were dethroned, while underdogs like Old Dominion and Houston made statements. The weekend’s college football scores shook up the polls and proved once again why this sport captivates fans. Looking ahead, conference play is just around the corner, and teams will need to build on these results. Fans should keep an eye on rising quarterbacks (Aguilar, Stockton, Reed, Weigman) and resilient defenses (LSU’s, Houston’s) as the drama continues.
In summary, these latest college football scores offered an action-packed snapshot of Week 3: dramatic finishes, dominant wins, and game-changing plays. Our comprehensive recap ensures sports fans have all the highlights and context in one place. Stay tuned next week as the scoreboard once again tells the story of the season.