Ten of the 13 FBS programs in Texas were in action for a consequential Week 11 of college football. Texas A&M moved one step closer to the SEC Championship game and essentially booked its ticket to the College Football Playoff with its third road win over a ranked opponent. Texas Tech took control of the Big 12 in the 22-point win over BYU. And SMU rode another strong defensive performance to beat Boston College and remain in a crowded ACC race. 

The state went 6-4 in Week 11 to improve the total record of the 13 FBS teams in Texas to 74-47. But Week 11 continued to illustrate the chasm between the seven P4 squads and the six G5 teams here in Texas. For the season, the P4 teams are a combined 51-15 and not one of the seven has a losing record. The six G5 programs are a combined 23-32 and only North Texas, which was idle in Week 11, boasts a winning record. 

Before we spin focus towards Week 12, here are 10 thoughts from Week 11. 

Texas Tech in national title picture because of elite defense 

Texas Tech could always score points, even in the bad years. But the Red Raiders could rarely prevent them, even in the good ones. The reason this team should win the Big 12 and could contend for a national championship is because of Shiel Wood’s defense. The unit entered the game as a Top 5 scoring unit and left it allowing an average of 12.6 points per game after holding BYU to seven in the win. 

Texas Tech held BYU to 3.9 yards per play and 255 yards of total offense. The Cougars turned the ball over three times and were tackled behind the line of scrimmage on four separate occasions. They entered with the second-best rushing offense in the Big 12, averaging 216.63 yards per game and 5.38 yards per rush. Against Tech, that offense was held to 67 rushing yards on 2.5 yards per rush. 

The mixture of transfer stars and homegrown talent is mesmerizing. For every David Bailey, there is a John Curry. For every Lee Hunter, there is a Ben Roberts. Jacob Rodriguez, who McGuire pushed as a Heisman candidate postgame, led the Red Raiders with 14 tackles while adding an interception and a fumble recovery. Cole Wisniewski set the tone early from his safety position and managed 10 tackles. Curry and Roberts combined for 13 stops.  

There is not an offensive line in the Big 12 that can handle the Tech defensive front. The linebacker room is the most productive in America. And while the secondary is considered the weak link, that’s only because of the strength of the front seven. Defense and Texas Tech used to mix like oil and water. Now, thanks to oil money and good coaching, the Red Raiders have the best defense in the Big 12 and one that can lead this program into the national title picture. 

Rank Texas A&M No. 1

A blind resumé test between Texas A&M, Ohio State, and Indiana would favor the Aggies, especially after becoming the only team in America to beat three ranked opponents on the road following the 38-17 victory over Missouri. Texas A&M’s best win is on the road against No. 10-ranked Notre Dame. Ohio State’s is at home against Texas. Indiana’s was a road win over Oregon, but the close shave in Week 11 against Penn State makes this a two-team race between the Aggies and the Buckeyes for the top spot, or at least it should. 

Mike Elko’s program is 9-0 with double-digit wins in four of their last five. The only outlier was a three-point win at Arkansas in Bobby Petrino’s first game as interim head coach. Texas A&M scores more points per game than Ohio State, 37.8 to 36.3. Where Ohio State has the advantage is on the defensive side of the ball, something that CFP committee chair Mack Rhoades said after the first CFP rankings release. But unfortunately for Texas A&M, the Wrecking Crew doesn’t get to face Big Ten offenses on a weekly basis. 

Familiar formula drowns Frogs 

TCU lost in a familiar way against Iowa State in Week 11. The Horned Frogs were outrushed and lost the turnover battle to the Cyclones, while also struggling on special teams, illustrated by allowing a game-winning punt return touchdown in the fourth quarter. TCU has lost the turnover battle and was outrushed in all three losses this year. Furthermore, the team was outscored 38-20 in the fourth quarters of those three games and only managed seven points in the first quarter of those contests. Slow starts, bad finishes, and sloppy execution – penalties, turnovers – continue to cost Sonny Dykes’ program. 

They entered Week 11 still firmly in the Big 12 picture with contenders like BYU and Cincinnati still on the schedule. They left Week 11 in crises mode. TCU is bowl eligible at 6-3 on the season, but it isn’t unthinkable that the Frogs lose the last four on the schedule. They could be underdogs against BYU, Cincy, and Houston. A 6-6 or even a 7-5 record won’t feel like success in Funky Town.   

Give Scott Symons his flowers 

SMU is one of five teams in the ACC with one conference loss and the Mustangs don’t play the other four. They stormed past Boston College, 45-13, and are idle in Week 12 before closing with a home game against Louisville and a trip to Cal.  Rhett Lashlee is now 13-1 in November and 13-1 in ACC play as a head coach. But it isn’t his offenses that deserves the credit for rebounding from two losses in non-conference play. Those flowers should go to the defense. 

Scott Symons’ group was decimated to graduation after a terrific 2024 season. The unit looked like it’d miss the likes Elijah Roberts, Ahmad Walker, Kobe Wilson, and Jonathan McGill when it gave up 48 to Baylor and 35 to TCU in losses. Since the start of conference play, however, the Ponies have the best scoring defense in the ACC at 16.3 points allowed per game. They lead the country with 26 forced turnovers, rank 11th in tackles for loss, and are fourth in sacks. 

Even in the lone loss, the defense allowed just 13 points and forced four turnovers. SMU is sixth in the ACC in scoring offense since the start of conference play, so about middle of the pack. That’s because of a nagging injury for quarterback Kevin Jennings and an inconsistent run game. SMU used to be an offense-only institution. Lashlee changed that by hiring Symons. If the Mustangs get back to the ACC Championship game, Symons should get the lion’s share of the credit. And he should be a hotter name in the coaching carousel. 

Houston escapes in the Space Race 

The Cougars won a game that it lost the turnover margin in for the first time under Willie Fritz when they turned the ball over four times in the 30-27 victory over UCF. Houston had turned the ball over multiple times in a game twice this season and both resulted in losses. Turnovers are starting to creep into the passing game with Conner Weigman throwing three against UCF and two the previous week in a loss to West Virginia. He only threw two interceptions in the first eight games.  

Austin Armstrong’s defensive unit deserves credit for weathering the storm and keeping the Knights at bay, allowing only 10 points from those four turnovers. The Houston defense held UCF to 282 total yards and only 13 first downs. Houston is 8-2 and could reach double-digit wins by beating Baylor and TCU, or splitting those two games and then winning a bowl game. That’s an incredible turnaround in Year 2 under Fritz, but we do wonder if the wear and tear from so many rushing attempts are playing a part in Weigman’s sudden penchant for throwing interceptions. 

Time for a change in San Marcos 

The Bobcats lost their fifth straight and remain winless in the Sun Belt after allowing over 40 points for the fourth straight time. They boast the worst-scoring defense in the Sun Belt during conference play, allowing a staggering 42.6 points per game over their last five. That is almost four points more than Marshall, who is 13thof 14th in scoring defense against conference opponents. Take away the win over FCS Nicholls, and Texas State’s defense is allowing 38.8 points per game against FBS competition and are 130th out of 136 teams in overall scoring defense at 34.8. The only team in Texas allowing more points per game is Sam Houston. 

Head coach G.J. Kinne needs to take a note from Eric Morris at North Texas and make a change at defensive coordinator. The Mean Green failed to reach their potential in 2023 and 2024 because of a bad defense. They allowed 34.2 points per game in 2024 and 37.1 in 2025. Morris hired Skyler Cassity in the offseason and the defense has improved 24.1 points per game allowed in 2025. That ranks 66th nationally, so not elite, but good enough to provide the balance the North Texas offense needs. 

Texas State is scoring 33.4 points per game in conference play and is 0-5. That’s unacceptable. Texas State cannot walk into the Pac-12 with this poor of a defense.  There is too much on the line for the university and athletics program and Kinne is in danger of losing two years’ worth of momentum if he doesn’t relieve defensive coordinator Dexter McCoil of his duties. 

UTSA flops on road…again 

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde continued for UTSA as the Roadrunners fell to 2-10 on the road since the start of 2024 with a 55-23 loss at South Florida on Thursday night. It was an inverse performance to last week’s win against Tulane, providing more evidence of the chasm between home and road outcomes. This program is 5-13 on the road compared to 14-2 at home since the start of 2023. They haven’t posted a winning record away from the Alamodome since the conference championship season of 2022. 

UTSA didn’t just lose, it was embarrassed. USF clearly has more talent than UTSA, but that doesn’t explain the gulf between the two programs on Thursday. Jeff Traylor’s group was outclassed in every phase of the game, from the sideline to the booth, to the playing field. They were provided an up-close view of what a championship program looks like in the current iteration of the American Conference. The Roadrunners were once that, a team competing for championships. They’re now playing for bowl bids. 

There’s not an obvious fix and Traylor is right when he points out the financial advantages as places like USF and Memphis. But that doesn’t account for road losses to Tulsa, Rice, and Temple over the last two seasons. UTSA clearly struggles on the road and the angst in the fan base wouldn’t exist if the program was simply average away from San Antonio. The good news for the Roadrunners is that two of their next three are at home and the lone road game is at Charlotte. Go 2-1 or better and the season is salvaged with a sixth consecutive bowl trip, which is nothing to sneeze at in the G5 ranks. 

Did Rice clinch a bowl trip? 

The stated goal all offseason for first-year head coach Scott Abell was to reach a bowl game in Year 1 with the Owls. That typically means six wins in the regular season, but for Rice, five wins might be enough thanks to a high QR rating. A 5-7 got Rice into the postseason back in 2022. His Owls won their fifth game of the year in a 24-17 victory over UAB as Chase Jenkins threw for two touchdowns and the defense shut out the Blazers in the second half. Picking up a sixth win will be a challenge because Rice closes with North Texas and South Florida. 

Sam Houston wins at Oregon State 

While most of the country was sleeping, the Bearkats were waking up. Phil Longo earned his first win as the head coach at Sam Houston and the program avoided its first-ever 0-9 start in the comeback win over Oregon State. They outscored the Beavers, 21-0, in the second half and used two special teams scores as catalysts to the victory. The defense also deserves a ton of credit. No one will consider the 2025 campaign a success in Huntsville, but the Bearkats also know the value of closing out a poor season with momentum, as they did after starting 0-8 in 2023. Maybe Longo can pull off a similar trick and kickstart some optimism for 2026. 

Another losing season in El Paso 

The three-point home loss to Jax State on Saturday condemned the Miners to another losing season. Now 2-7 with three games remaining, UTEP will finish below .500 for the fourth straight year and for the 10th time in the last 11 seasons. The only two times that UTEP won more than six games in a season since 2005 were in 2014 and 2021. Head coach Scotty Walden said after the game that he can see improvements, but expecting the fan base to notice those details when the results remain the same is a tough ask. The Miners aren’t an awful football team and there are silver linings for those paying attention, but it’ll tangible victories to get Sun City to buy back in.