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Ohio State Sends Strong Message Following No. 1 Ranking in AP Poll

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Cole Sullivan | Last updated Sep 2, 2025 3:11 PM ET

With Week 1 of college football now in the books, the updated Top 25 AP Poll has been released, and there were plenty of shake-ups after just one week.

Ohio State’s 14-7 win over previously No. 1 Texas on Saturday vaulted the Buckeyes from No. 3 to the No. 1 spot, surpassing Penn State, who sit at No. 2 for the second straight week.

Several other teams also saw significant movement. Florida State jumped into the No. 14 spot after impressive Week 1 performances, while some top-10 teams suffered surprising losses, including Alabama, which fell all the way to No. 21.

Despite the shifting landscape, Ohio State made sure to send a strong message shortly after being ranked No. 1—the same position they finished last season in after winning the national championship.

"Back where we belong," Ohio State posted.

Back where we belong .#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/eCffOOWEP8
— Ohio State Buckeyes (@OhioStAthletics) September 2, 2025

The Buckeyes stifled Texas at home, putting on a strong defensive performance against quarterback Arch Manning and the Longhorns’ offense, which struggled to gain any momentum until late in the fourth quarter.

Now holding the No. 1 spot, Ohio State will have a clear path early in the season, with their toughest stretch of games not arriving until Big Ten play begins with a road trip to face Washington on Sept. 27.

Before that, the Buckeyes will host Grambling State in Week 2 and Ohio in Week 3, followed by a bye week leading up to the Washington matchup.

Later in the season, some of the more intriguing games on Ohio State’s schedule include road trips to Illinois, a home game against Penn State, and the season finale at Michigan’s Big House, where the Buckeyes have won four consecutive matchups against their rivals.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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