There are six levels of college football and the Lone Star State has at least two teams ranked in five of them.

In the Non-FBS ranks, the State of Texas has a team in the Top 10 in the FCS, DIII, and at the JUCO level. In total, 11 programs are ranked in their respective levels and a couple of them are considered national championship contenders. 

That starts with Tarleton State in the FCS ranks and continues with Hardin-Simmons in DIII and Tyler Junior College in the NJCAA DI ranks.

Let’s look at those 11 ranked squads as we approach the last few weeks of the regular season. NAIA is the only level without a Texas team ranked. 

FCS

1. Tarleton State Texans

Record: 8-0

Tarleton is the class of the Non-FBS ranks in the Lone Star State for the 2025 season. The Texans are undefeated and atop the standings in the United Athletic Conference standings. A trip to Abilene Christian on Nov. 1 and a home game to conclude the regular season against Austin Peay are the toughest challenges remaining, at least on paper. If the season ended right now, Tarleton would host a playoff game as the three-seed behind North Dakota State and South Dakota State, who play each other this weekend. Todd Whitten’s group is led by the running back duo of Tre Page III and James Paige, as well as the passing attack of quarterback Victor Gabalis. 

2. Lamar Cardinals 

Record: 6-1

Lamar ranks 15th in the FCS Coaches Poll after Week 8 and are in a three-way tie with Southeastern Louisiana and SFA for the lead in the Southland Conference. The Cardinals play those teams in back-to-back weeks starting Nov. 8 at home against SELU. The trip to SFA on Nov. 15 is one of the best FCS games in Texas left on the schedule. Win out and Lamar would win its first conference title since 1971. The Cardinals have only reached the FCS playoffs once and that was in 2018. Head coach Pete Rossomando inherited one of the tougher jobs in the state and has turned the program around in short order. His predecessor was 5-23 over three seasons. 

3. SFA Lumberjacks 

Record: 5-2 

Colby Carthel’s squad picked itself off the mat after an 0-2 start and have won five straight, including all three Southland Conference games. Those early losses were to Houston and Abilene Christian on the road. Since, the Lumberjacks have scored at least 30 points in all five wins and have won each game by at least two touchdowns. The defense is only allowing 77.6 rushing yards per game and QB Sam Vidlak has an 11:2 touchdown to interception ratio. Jerrell Wimbley paces the rushing attack and has scored five times this season.

4. ACU Wildcats 

Record: 4-4 

It’s been an up-and-down season for Keith Patterson’s bunch. Two of the four losses came to FBS program in non-conference, but a Week 2 win over SFA signaled that the Wildcats could contend in the United Athletic Conference. The recent loss to Southern Utah was a major setback, however, and dropped ACU to 25th in the most recent FCS Coaches Poll. The Wildcats do have two weeks to prepare for their home game against UAC favorite Tarleton on Nov. 1. 

Division II 

1. UTPB 

Record: 5-2

UT Permian Basin was leapfrogged by Angelo State in the latest DII Coaches Poll even though UTPB beat those Rams in San Angelo by 14 points two weeks ago. We’ll leave the Falcons atop the DII rankings in Texas since both have the same record entering Week 9. UTPB has lost two straight since beating the Rams, falling to Central Washington at home and then Western Oregon on the road. The schedule sets up for UTPB to run the table down the stretch. 

2. Angelo State 

Record: 5-2

Jeff Girsh’s Rams snapped a two-game losing streak with a 48-24 win over Midwestern State on homecoming weekend. Angelo State lost to UT Permian Basin on Oct. 4 and that defeat spiraled into a second loss when Texas A&M-Kingsville upset them by five points on Oct. 11. A trip to Sul Ross State this weekend should result in an easy win for the Rams and it’ll set up a big out-of-state clash with No. 8-ranked Central Washington on Nov. 1. The Rams currently rank 19th in the DII Coaches Poll. 

Division III

1. Hardin-Simmons 

Record: 6-0

Hardin-Simmons moved up one spot to 5th in the latest DIII Coaches Poll after beating East Texas Baptist, 34-16. The Cowboys are on track to reach the DIII playoffs for the fourth season in a row, matching what the program did from 2015-18. Head coach Jesse Burleson, who has been at Hardin-Simmons for 15 seasons, and his team made a statement on Oct. 11 in a 34-7 victory over rival Mary Hardin-Baylor, the team that’s knocked the Cowboys out of the playoffs in 2024.  

2. Trinity 

Record: 5-1

Trinity knocked Hardin-Simmons out of the playoffs in the first round during 2022 and 2023. Head coach Jerheme Urban hopes his Tigers can reach the postseason yet again and are 2-1 in conference play. They ranked 23rd in Division III and are coming off a 63-0 win over Rhodes. The Trinity defense is only allowing 10.83 points per game while the high-flying offense has scored over 45 points in four of the six contests this season. Wide receiver Alejandro Tavarez has 33 catches for 558 yards and seven touchdowns. 

JUCO 

1. Tyler JC 

Record: 7-0

The only other undefeated team in the recent NJCAA DI rankings was top-ranked Hutchison Community College. The Apaches are winning close games, knocking off New Mexico Military Institute by one point on Oct. 4 and Cisco College by four points last weekend. They did throttle No. 8-ranked Trinity Valley, 31-13, earlier in the season. The last two games on the regular season schedule are at Kilgore this weekend and home against No. 11-ranked Navarro on Nov. 1. 

2. Trinity Valley JC 

Record: 6-1

The Cardinals’ only blemish is against undefeated Tyler Junior College over a month ago. They’ve won four straight since then, including one-score games against Cisco College and Navarro College. 

3. Navarro College 

Record: 3-2

The only two teams to beat the Bulldogs this season are No. 6-ranked Garden City Community College in the opener and No. 8-ranked Trinity Valley last week. Navarro sits at 11th in the most recent NJCAA DI rankings.