Three weeks in, the West is starting to separate itself, but not necessarily in the way the records would suggest. North Dakota State is still sitting comfortably at the top, Boise State and Fresno State are separated by just a few points, and Oregon State keeps climbing despite having only one win. Down the board, one bad loss can still completely change a résumé.

The other major development this week is the FCS Top 25 officially becoming part of the Index. That changes how we look at Nevada's loss to Montana State and Northern Illinois' loss to Illinois State. It does not make either team good, but it gives us a better idea of what those losses actually mean.

The live version of the Index — the chart, every team's full game log, and the reason behind every rank — is on the Elevation Index page.

1. North Dakota State 4-0

Previous: #1 | ↔

This week: W 31-10 at Sacramento State

North Dakota State is starting to make the No. 1 spot feel pretty boring, which is usually a good thing. The Bison went into Sacramento and handled the Hornets 31-10 after already going into Air Force and winning a 38-32 game that remains one of the best results in the entire field.

The Air Force game is still the thing that separates NDSU from everybody else. The Falcons actually outgained the Bison 386-374 and went 3-for-3 on fourth down. NDSU won anyway. Then they went on the road again and took care of Sacramento State without letting the game get uncomfortable.

That's what the résumé looks like right now. Good teams beat bad teams. Great teams beat good teams on the road. NDSU has already checked both boxes.

What NDSU needs to do: Nothing dramatic. The Bison have a bye, and honestly, the best thing they can do is get healthy, enjoy being 4-0 and watch everyone else beat each other up.

Next week: Bye

2. Boise State 2-1

Previous: #2 | ↔

This week: W 38-24 vs. No. 10 FCS South Dakota

Boise State almost made this ranking very interesting.

South Dakota had the Broncos tied 24-24 in the fourth quarter before Dylan Riley took over. Riley scored twice in the final 10 minutes, including an 83-yard touchdown run that finally put some distance between Boise and the Coyotes. He finished with 198 rushing yards, while Boise piled up 325 yards on the ground.

The problem is that Boise shouldn't have needed that much fourth-quarter drama against an FCS opponent, even a ranked one. The good news is that the Broncos eventually found the answer. The defense also made the final stop when it needed one, and Travis Anderson sealed the game with an interception.

Fresno is now just four points behind them in the Index. That gap basically comes down to one thing: Boise lost a competitive game at Oregon, while Fresno got shut out 39-0 at USC.

What Boise needs to do: Clean up the middle of games. The Broncos cannot keep letting teams hang around before relying on Riley to save them late. The offense is good enough to put games away earlier.

Next week: at Western Michigan

3. Fresno State 2-1

Previous: #7 | ↑ 4

This week: W 26-10 at San José State

Fresno State is doing exactly what a team needs to do after getting embarrassed on national television.

The Bulldogs followed the USC shutout by beating Sacramento State 49-3 and then went into San José State and won 26-10. This one was much closer than the final stretch suggested. San José State was within three early in the fourth quarter before Fresno scored 13 unanswered points to finish the game.

The defense deserves most of the credit. Fresno forced four turnovers and recorded five sacks, while holding San José State to 91 rushing yards. Meanwhile, SJSU receiver Anthony Ivey still managed 150 receiving yards, which tells you this wasn't some complete offensive shutdown. Fresno simply made the bigger plays when the game tightened up.

That is the encouraging part. Fresno isn't just beating teams. It is finding different ways to win.

What Fresno needs to do: Keep making the USC game look like the exception. Rice is not going to provide the same résumé opportunity as USC, but another clean performance would make the argument for Fresno over Boise increasingly difficult to ignore.

Next week: Rice

4. Oregon State 1-2

Previous: #8 | ↑ 4

This week: W 52-17 vs. No. 3 FCS Montana

Oregon State is the team that makes you appreciate what this Index is actually trying to measure.

The Beavers are 1-2. They're fourth.

That sounds ridiculous until you look at who they have played. Oregon State opened with losses to No. 25 Houston and No. 11 Texas Tech, then responded by absolutely hammering No. 3 FCS Montana 52-17. The Beavers outgained Montana 510-338.

There is no question what Oregon State's biggest problem is: it still hasn't beaten an FBS team. That's the only reason the Beavers aren't even higher. Their schedule has been brutal, their losses have been respectable, and they finally took care of business against a ranked FCS opponent instead of merely surviving.

Now they need to turn all of that into something tangible.

What Oregon State needs to do: Beat UTEP. Period. A 1-2 team can only ride quality losses for so long. The Beavers need their first FBS win.

Next week: at UTEP

5. New Mexico 2-1

Previous: #5 | ↔

This week: L 6-14 at No. 20 Oklahoma

New Mexico lost, and somehow the loss might have made the résumé stronger.

The Lobos went into Oklahoma and lost 14-6, but Oklahoma managed only 299 total yards compared with New Mexico's 185. That is not enough offense from the Lobos to win a game in Norman, but it is enough to make the result look much better than a typical two-score road loss.

That's why New Mexico stays at No. 5. The Lobos already have the 38-7 win over Central Michigan, and now they have a one-score road loss to a ranked Oklahoma team. The 70-7 Mercyhurst game doesn't mean much either way.

The question now is whether New Mexico can build on this instead of allowing Oklahoma to become the highlight of its season.

What New Mexico needs to do: Beat New Mexico State. The Rio Grande Rivalry is the next chance to add another FBS win and show that the Oklahoma game was part of a legitimate season rather than one great afternoon.

Next week: at New Mexico State

6. Colorado State 2-1

Previous: #3 | ↓ 3

This week: L 23-41 vs. No. 9 BYU

Colorado State ran into a team it simply could not stop.

The Rams had looked excellent against Wyoming and Southern Utah, but BYU turned the game into a statistical disaster. The Cougars finished with 559 total yards and averaged 9.6 yards per play. That's the number that sticks with Colorado State heading into next week.

The loss itself isn't what caused the drop. Losing to a ranked BYU team is perfectly defensible. The concern is how easily BYU moved the ball. Colorado State's defense needs to prove this was a bad matchup rather than a sign that the Rams aren't ready for high-level offenses.

What Colorado State needs to do: Fix the defense. The offense has shown enough. Giving up 559 yards cannot become a weekly occurrence.

Next week: at UTSA

7. Air Force 1-1

Previous: #4 | ↓ 3

This week: Bye

Air Force did not lose this week, but it still dropped three spots because everyone around it had an opportunity to add something to their résumé.

The good news is that Air Force's only game remains one of the better losses in the Index. The Falcons pushed North Dakota State to the limit, outgained the Bison 386-374 and converted all three of their fourth-down attempts. Losing 32-38 to the No. 1 team is hardly something to panic about.

The bye, however, was an opportunity to clean up whatever prevented Air Force from finishing that game.

What Air Force needed to accomplish this week: Get healthy and figure out how to close games. The Falcons showed they can hang with NDSU. Now they need to prove they can finish against teams they are supposed to beat.

Next week: at Nevada

8. Texas State 1-2

Previous: #13 | ↑ 5

This week: W 49-35 vs. North Texas

This was the performance Texas State needed.

The Bobcats finally picked up an FBS win and did it with 605 total yards. The offense was ridiculous, but the defense was not exactly innocent. North Texas finished with 565 yards of its own, meaning Texas State essentially decided that the best defensive strategy was to score more.

It worked.

The win changes the résumé because Texas State finally has an FBS victory. The earlier loss to UTSA, where the Bobcats committed three turnovers, now looks more like a game they let slip away rather than evidence that the team cannot compete.

Still, giving up 35 points while putting up 49 is not something you want to make a habit.

What Texas State needs to do: Use the Incarnate Word game to work on the defense. The offense has already shown it can carry this team. Eventually, the Bobcats are going to need the defense to get a stop.

Next week: Incarnate Word

9. Washington State 1-2

Previous: #12 | ↑ 3

This week: W 48-7 vs. Duquesne

Washington State spent the first few minutes making everyone wonder if Duquesne was actually going to hang around, then scored 41 unanswered points.

That's a good response after back-to-back road losses at Washington and Kansas State. Those losses still carry some value because both came away from home against quality opponents. The problem is that Washington State still hasn't beaten an FBS team.

And that's becoming the entire story.

The Cougars don't need another FCS blowout. They need a win that changes the résumé.

What Washington State needs to do: Beat Arizona. The Index has already given Washington State credit for playing difficult road games. Now it needs an actual FBS victory.

Next week: Arizona

10. San José State 2-2

Previous: #6 | ↓ 4

This week: L 10-26 vs. Fresno State

San José State was in this game longer than the final score suggests.

The Spartans led 3-0 early, trailed only 6-3 at halftime, and were within three early in the fourth quarter. Then Fresno took over. San José State actually threw for 244 yards and Anthony Ivey went off for 150 receiving yards, but the offense couldn't finish drives and the Bulldogs' defense eventually broke the game open.

The four-interception figure is what makes the loss especially frustrating. San José State had enough offense to win a competitive game. It just didn't protect its opportunities.

What San José State needs to do: Stop handing away games. The Spartans have already shown they can win an FBS road game. The next step is playing a clean enough game to beat teams above them.

Next week: Bye

11. San Diego State 1-2

Previous: #9 | ↓ 2

This week: L 13-26 vs. James Madison

San Diego State's offense is becoming the bigger concern.

The Aztecs had 381 yards against James Madison, so this wasn't a case of the offense being completely unable to move the ball. The problem was turning those yards into enough points to win. James Madison finished with 422 yards and controlled too much of the game.

San Diego State now has one FCS win and two losses, including one to UCLA. There isn't much résumé cushion left.

What San Diego State needs to do: Get an FBS win. Toledo is exactly the opportunity the Aztecs need. Move the ball, finish drives and stop making the offense work so hard for points.

Next week: at Toledo

12. Hawai‘i 1-2

Previous: #14 | ↑ 2

This week: W 29-19 vs. New Mexico State

Hawai‘i needed this one.

The Rainbow Warriors put up 420 yards and beat New Mexico State 29-19 after losing their previous two games. That's enough to get them moving in the right direction, but it doesn't erase the 6-21 loss to UNLV.

That's the weird thing about Hawai‘i's résumé. They have the head-to-head loss to UNLV, yet sit four spots above them. The Index is essentially saying that UNLV's 6-44 loss to North Texas was so damaging that one head-to-head result isn't enough to overcome it.

Now Hawai‘i has a chance to build on the win.

What Hawai‘i needs to do: Beat Wyoming on the road. A road win in the Paniolo Trophy game would do much more for this résumé than simply beating another lower-level opponent.

Next week: at Wyoming

13. Nevada 1-2

Previous: #11 | ↓ 2

This week: L 20-27 at Middle Tennessee

This is where the new FCS adjustment really matters.

Nevada's 7-20 loss to No. 1 FCS Montana State is no longer the ugly part of the résumé. Montana State is a ranked FCS team, so the Index treats that loss with considerably more respect.

The Middle Tennessee game is now the one Nevada needs to answer for.

The Wolf Pack gave away a winnable road game, and that's frustrating because we already know Nevada can score. The 49-14 win over Western Kentucky showed that. The problem is that the offense and defense aren't getting the same level of consistency from week to week.

What Nevada needs to do: Protect the football and finish close games. Air Force is a difficult matchup, but Nevada has already shown it can score on good opponents. Now it needs to avoid beating itself.

Next week: Air Force

14. New Mexico State 1-2

Previous: #15 | ↑ 1

This week: L 19-29 at Hawai‘i

New Mexico State's record isn't terrible. The résumé is just missing something.

The Aggies stayed within striking distance of Florida State into the fourth quarter, beat Mercyhurst 51-14, then lost 19-29 at Hawai‘i. The problem is that Mercyhurst is the only team NMSU has beaten.

That makes next week's game enormous.

What New Mexico State needs to do: Beat New Mexico. The Aggies need an FBS win, and there is no better opportunity than the Rio Grande Rivalry. If NMSU wins, suddenly the Florida State performance becomes much more meaningful.

Next week: New Mexico

15. UTEP 1-2

Previous: #10 | ↓ 5

This week: L 17-52 at No. 18 Michigan

UTEP's ranking looks brutal, but the story is more complicated than the number suggests.

The Miners got shut out 0-51 at Oklahoma, which now carries an additional penalty in the Index. Then they went to Michigan and actually led at halftime before the game unraveled. That tells you there is enough ability on this roster to compete with very good teams.

The problem is that UTEP isn't getting anything out of those performances. There are no FBS wins to balance the losses, and now there is a shutout sitting on the résumé.

What UTEP needs to do: Finish. That's it. UTEP needs to turn one of these competitive stretches into four quarters. Oregon State is another difficult opponent, but it is also the perfect opportunity to finally put an FBS win on the résumé.

Next week: Oregon State

16. UNLV 1-2

Previous: #18 | ↑ 2

This week: Bye

UNLV did not play, but the bye probably came at a useful time.

The Rebels have a résumé that makes very little sense until you look at the extremes. They beat Hawai‘i 21-6. They lost 6-44 at North Texas. They also lost a competitive 21-27 game to Memphis.

The North Texas loss is still doing almost all of the damage. It is the kind of result that can bury a team in a résumé ranking even when that team has a legitimate win elsewhere.

What UNLV needed to accomplish this week: Figure out what happened in Denton. The Rebels don't need to reinvent themselves. They need to get back to playing the physical, disciplined football that produced the Hawai‘i win and stay away from another offensive no-show.

Next week: at Akron

17. Wyoming 1-2

Previous: #16 | ↓ 1

This week: L 10-24 at Central Michigan

Wyoming's biggest problem right now is that opponents are running the ball against them way too effectively.

Central Michigan ran for 339 yards, and Wyoming also threw two fourth-quarter interceptions in the loss. That's a brutal combination. When you can't stop the run and then give the opponent extra possessions, it becomes very difficult to stay in a game.

The narrow win over Northern Colorado doesn't give Wyoming much résumé help either.

What Wyoming needs to do: Make Hawai‘i one-dimensional and protect the football. The Paniolo Trophy is sitting there as a chance to get the season moving again. Wyoming needs to take it.

Next week: Hawai‘i

18. Utah State 0-3

Previous: #17 | ↓ 1

This week: L 0-33 at No. 15 Utah

Utah State has officially reached the point where "they were close" isn't enough.

The Aggies nearly stole a game at Washington, losing 14-16, and their loss to No. 16 FCS Idaho State gets some protection under the new FCS rules. But then Utah State went into Utah and got shut out 33-0 while being outgained 480-188.

That is the résumé problem. The Aggies have shown they can hang around. They have not shown they can finish.

What Utah State needs to do: Win a football game. Troy is next, and Utah State cannot afford another week where the best thing anyone can say is that they were competitive for a while.

Next week: Troy

19. Northern Illinois 0-3

Previous: #19 | ↔

This week: L 17-42 at Arizona

Northern Illinois is still 0-3, but this is probably the least straightforward 0-3 résumé in the bottom half.

The Iowa loss was ugly. Getting shut out 40-0 while producing only 120 total yards is exactly the kind of result that drags a résumé down. But the loss to No. 5 FCS Illinois State is now being treated differently. Losing 24-28 to a top-five FCS team is not remotely the same as losing to an unranked FCS opponent.

Then Arizona beat the Huskies 42-17.

So there are still serious problems, but Northern Illinois has also played an absolutely brutal opening schedule.

What Northern Illinois needs to do: Get the first win. At 0-3, nothing else matters nearly as much. Georgia State is the next opportunity to finally turn all those close or difficult games into something tangible.

Next week: at Georgia State

20. Sacramento State 1-3

Previous: #20 | ↔

This week: L 10-31 vs. North Dakota State

Sacramento State's schedule has not done it any favors.

The Hornets lost to Fresno State 3-49 and then got North Dakota State at home. The Bison won 31-10, and three Sacramento State giveaways turned into 14 NDSU points. That is exactly the kind of mistake a team cannot afford against a top-ranked opponent.

The 52-0 win over Mississippi Valley State shows that Sacramento State can dominate an opponent it is supposed to beat. The problem is what happens when the talent gap closes.

What Sacramento State needs to do: Stop giving good teams free points and find an offense that can stay on the field against better defenses. UMass is a much more manageable opponent than Fresno State or North Dakota State. This is the week to show the season isn't slipping away.

Next week: UMass

The biggest takeaway from Week 3

The top of the Index isn't changing because teams are suddenly discovering how to win football games. It is changing because we're getting a better idea of which wins and losses actually matter.

Fresno State has gone from getting embarrassed by USC to forcing four turnovers against San José State and now sits just four points behind Boise. Oregon State is 1-2 but has a résumé strong enough to sit fourth because the Beavers have played an absurd schedule and haven't been blown out. New Mexico lost at Oklahoma and actually came out of the weekend looking stronger.

Then you have the teams with one result hanging over everything else. Texas State finally got the FBS win it needed. Washington State is still waiting for one. Nevada's Montana State loss isn't nearly as damaging anymore, but the Middle Tennessee loss is. UNLV beat Hawai‘i and still sits four spots behind them because North Texas was that bad. UTEP's schedule is brutal, but at some point brutal schedules need to produce a win.

That's where the Index is starting to get interesting. We're not just counting wins anymore. We're figuring out what those wins and losses actually tell us about these teams.