NCAA Football Rankings 2019: Predicting Top Movers in Week 3 Top 25 Standings

The state of Texas could be without a top-15 college football team when the rankings get released Sunday.

Both Texas and Texas A&M should drop in the Top 25 after falling to LSU and Clemson, respectively, in Week 2.

The Longhorns and Aggies will likely be among the biggest movers for the Week 3 polls, as well as a few programs busting their way into the AP Top 25 and Amway Coaches Poll.

At the bottom of the list, North Carolina and Maryland could enter thanks to their 2-0 starts and the losses suffered by Syracuse and Nebraska.

Biggest Movers for Week 3 Polls

Texas

Eric Gay/Associated Press

Texas is not quite back. 

The Longhorns were unable to stop LSU's offense at home, as they gave up 573 total yards to the sixth-ranked SEC side.

A victory over a top-10 squad would have boosted Texas' resume and moved it higher in the polls.

Instead, Tom Herman's team could fall out of the top 15, as a few sides are poised to surge following its loss and the defeats Texas A&M and Washington suffered.

Auburn, Florida, Utah and Penn State should leap over the Big 12 program, and there is a decent chance Wisconsin also hurdles the Longhorns.

The Badgers have outscored South Florida and Central Michigan 110-0, proving they are better than their No. 17 ranking.

After Week 1, Oregon fell six positions for a neutral-site loss to Auburn. The voters could be a bit harsher on Texas since Saturday's setback occurred in Austin and because the team was not ahead for the majority of the contest, as the Ducks were in Week 1.

One loss may derail Texas' College Football Playoff quest, but it does not doom the entire campaign.

With Rice, Oklahoma State and West Virginia next on the docket, the Longhorns could inch back toward the top 10 by the time they take on Oklahoma October 12.

If Texas beats its biggest conference rival, it will re-enter the national discussion, but right now it needs to focus on recovering from the loss.

Texas A&M 

Sam Craft/Associated Press

Unlike Texas, the Aggies have ample opportunities to work their way into the top 10 through SEC play.

Jimbo Fisher's side limited Clemson to seven second-half points, but Kellen Mond could not generate enough offensive momentum for it to threaten the top team in the country.

When figuring out Texas A&M's landing spot, voters should consider how tough it played the defending national champion on the road.

The Aggies should fall a few places, but they will likely avoid a tumble beneath No. 20 because of their Week 2 effort.

In Week 4, A&M could be on the opposite end of this conversation, as it hosts Auburn at Kyle Field.

If that result goes in their favor, the Aggies could head into their October 12 clash with Alabama on the edge of the top 10.

But just like their rival, the Aggies must not let the Week 2 loss get to them and rebound with a victory over Lamar.

North Carolina and Maryland

Will Newton/Associated Press

We are lumping together North Carolina and Maryland because they have had equally surprising starts.

North Carolina's resume to begin Mack Brown's second stint includes wins over South Carolina and Miami.

The Gamecocks and Hurricanes are not the best sides in their respective conferences, but both were favored to knock off the Tar Heels.

The success is even more impressive when you consider North Carolina was a two-win side in 2018, with the victories coming against Pittsburgh and Western Carolina.

With Syracuse and Nebraska expected to drop out, the door is open for the Tar Heels to earn enough votes to slide into the Top 25 ahead of a Week 3 visit to Wake Forest.

The same can be said for Maryland, which is responsible for Syracuse's tumble from No. 21. The Terrapins racked up 63 points on Dino Babers' program.

Maryland did not receive any votes after Week 1 because it thumped FCS side Howard by 79 on home soil. 

But now the case for Mike Locksley's squad is stronger since the Orange are coming off a 10-win campaign.

Cincinnati, Army and Miami all received votes in the most recent polls and lost in Week 2, so the Tar Heels and Terrapins could go from programs earning minimal consideration to squads filling out the back end of the Top 25.

Virginia and Mississippi State would be the stiffest competition for UNC and Maryland based off the Week 2 votes, but if you compare their early-season victories, the Tar Heels and Terrapins have the advantage.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. Statistics obtained from ESPN.com.