NCAA Football Rankings 2020: Predicting Top Movers in Week 3 Top 25 Standings

The top of the AP Top 25 should not experience much change ahead of Week 3. 

No. 1 Clemson and No. 5 Oklahoma looked dominant in their opening wins Saturday, while No. 10 Notre Dame found a way to get past a tricky matchup with Duke. 

While there may not be much movement at the top, we should see a handful of switches outside of the top 10. 

No. 14 Texas and No. 18 North Carolina both recorded their first wins in Week 2, and they could be poised to leapfrog teams from the Big Ten and Pac-12 that were listed in the preseason poll, as well as SEC programs that will not hit the gridiron until September 26. 

There should be at least one new entrant into poll after No. 23 Iowa State was upset at home by Louisiana. 

Iowa State was the only ranked team to lose Saturday, which was a brutal day for the Big 12. The conference went 4-3 with Kansas and Kansas State also losing.

Predictions for Top Movers in Week 3

Texas

Texas recorded the most points of any Top 25 team Saturday. 

The Longhorns raced past UTEP with 59 points behind 426 passing yards and five touchdowns from Sam Ehlinger.

Tom Herman's program may not make a significant rise, but it could be larger than Notre Dame since the Fighting Irish beat Duke 27-13 in their opener.

At some point, Ohio State, Penn State, Oregon and Wisconsin should fall from their preseason positions since the Big Ten and Pac-12 are not scheduled to play at the moment. 

How many positions Texas gains will be dependent on when voters believe the time is appropriate to knock those programs from top-10 positions. 

Additionally, Texas could jump Auburn and Texas A&M since they do not take the field for another two weeks.

At minimum, Texas should move past Wisconsin and Texas A&M into the top 12 as a reward for how dominant it was against a team it should have beaten by 56 points. 

Iowa State

Iowa State is not expected back in the Top 25 anytime soon.

The Cyclones should be the top mover out of the poll after suffering a home defeat to Sun Belt side Louisiana. 

Matt Campbell's team managed just 145 passing yards and committed three turnovers in the disappointing loss that preceded its Big 12 schedule. 

If there is any good news for the Cyclones it is that the rest of the teams projected to land in the middle or bottom of the Big 12 did not play well either Saturday. 

If Iowa State fixes its issues faster than Kansas State, Texas Tech and Kansas, it could lock into a favorable position underneath Texas, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. 

For now, the Cyclones are not worthy of Top 25 votes, and they will not have a chance to change our thinking until they face Oklahoma October 3. 

If an upset occurs in that matchup, then the Cyclones could be back in consideration for the Top 25.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Statistics obtained from ESPN.com.