Between the hedges and across the feeds, Georgia is king of college football this week.
The Bulldogs climbed to No. 1 in the College Sports Social Pulse™ team rankings, the University of South Carolina’s measure of which college teams, players and coaches are making the biggest impact online.
Georgia’s rise was fueled by more than two million social media engagements following a dramatic overtime win at Tennessee. Head coach Kirby Smart landed at No. 2 among coaches, while quarterback Gunner Stockton reached No. 4 among players.
Meanwhile, the West Coast flexed its muscles online with the Oregon Ducks rising to No. 3 and Dan Lanning taking the top spot in the coach rankings.
Independent Notre Dame rose to No. 2 in the team rankings despite an 0–2 start on the field. The Fighting Irish’s passionate fan base has kept conversation booming, underscoring how the Pulse measures more than wins and losses — it shows who owns the national spotlight.
“Oregon’s rise and Notre Dame’s resilience show that fan passion drives the storylines of this sport just as much as the scoreboard,” said Clay Owen, professor of practice at the University of South Carolina’s College of Information and Communications. “The Pulse is a new scoreboard, measuring the real-time heartbeat of college football online.”
On the player side, Arch Manning reclaimed the No. 1 spot, despite online chatter about his struggles. He leads a Top 10 stacked with SEC and Big Ten stars.
Among coaches, Tennessee’s Josh Heupel held on at No. 3 despite the Vols’ loss — a testament to the size and passion of the Tennessee fan base.
“The Pulse is designed to measure attention, whether it’s celebration or scrutiny,” Owen added. “Georgia is basking in celebration. Notre Dame is powered by resilience. And Arch Manning is proving that no matter what happens on Saturdays, he’s always at the center of college football’s online conversation.”
Top 10 Teams – Week Three
- Georgia
- Notre Dame
- Oregon
- Tennessee
- Ohio State
- Texas A&M
- LSU
- Alabama
- Washington
- Oklahoma
Top 10 Players – Week Three
- Arch Manning – Texas
- Caleb Downs – Ohio State
- Carson Beck – Miami
- Gunner Stockton – Georgia
- Ryan Williams – Alabama
- Bryce Underwood – Michigan
- Joey Aguilar – Tennessee
- John Mateer – Oklahoma
- Jeremiah Smith – Ohio State
- Diego Pavia – Vanderbilt
Top 10 Coaches – Week Three
- Dan Lanning – Oregon
- Kirby Smart – Georgia
- Josh Heupel – Tennessee
- Deion Sanders – Colorado
- Mike Elko – Texas A&M
- Matt Rhule – Nebraska
- Shane Beamer – South Carolina
- Billy Napier – Florida
- Brian Kelly – LSU
- Lane Kiffin – Ole Miss
Methodology
The College Sports Social Pulse Week Three rankings are built from millions of social posts across X, Instagram, Reddit, and more. Using a formula that blends volume, sentiment, and engagement, the Pulse shows who’s winning the online conversation.
Week Three measures online activity from Sept. 10–16. Every Pulse ranking reflects a single week of activity (Tuesday through Monday). This allows the Pulse to capture the volatility of college football in real time — the weekly rises, falls, and breakout storylines that define the sport beyond the field.
About the Pulse
The College Sports Social Pulse™, developed by the University of South Carolina’s Social Media Insights Lab, analyzes millions of social media posts each week to track the shifting heartbeat of college football fandom. Using a proprietary blend of engagement, sentiment, and volume, the Pulse reveals which teams, players, and coaches are dominating the national conversation online — regardless of what the scoreboard says.