There are eight games involving Texas programs with stakes across five divisions of college football over the weekend.

Two FBS teams – Texas Tech and North Texas – play for conference championships and tickets to the College Football Playoff. In the FCS ranks, Tarleton, Abilene Christian, and SFA are still alive with ACU and SFA playing each other.

UTPB and Trinity are alive in the third round of the DII and DIII playoffs, respectively, while Tyler JC is in the semifinals of the NJCAA playoffs. Also, Prairie View A&M plays for the SWAC title against Jackson State. 

FBS 

No. 24 North Texas at No. 20 Tulane 

Info: American Conference Championship; Yulman Stadium in New Orleans; Friday at 7 p.m. on ABC 

Breakdown: The Mean Green opened as a 2.5-point favorite on the road because of the nation’s top scoring offense led by QB Drew Mestemaker and RB Caleb Hawkins. The winner of this game secures one of the autobids into the College Football Playoff and could be the 11-seed if Duke beats Virginia in the ACC Championship game on Saturday. Tulane’s offense runs on the dual-threat ability of QB Jake Retzlaff, a BYU transfer who leads the Green Wave in passing and rushing. Tulane’s defense allows 22.8 points per game, which is 1.4 fewer than North Texas. The Mean Green are one of the best defenses in the FBS at forcing turnovers with 25 on the season. 

Prediction: We’re riding with the Mean Green because I’m not sure how Tulane scores enough points to keep up. Maybe the loss at UTSA dampens our opinion on the Green Wave, but North Texas can put up 40 on any G5 defense and we’re not convinced Tulane has the explosiveness to match it. Both coaches are headed to Power Four programs after the season, so we don’t give either the edge because of pending distractions. Give me North Texas 34, Tulane 24 as the Mean Green punch their ticket to the CFP. 

No. 11 BYU vs. No. 4 Texas Tech 

Info: Big 12 Championship; AT&T Stadium in Arlington; Saturday at 11 a.m. on ABC 

Breakdown: Texas Tech is nearly a two-touchdown favorite and that makes sense considering the Red Raiders dominated the first matchup despite struggling to turn red zone trips into touchdowns. That game was in Lubbock, but how much is home field truly worth in this scenario considering that Jerry World will be overrun with Texas Tech fans on Saturday morning? This is a bad matchup for BYU because the Cougars rely on physicality and dominating the trenches, a strategy that won’t work against a Texas Tech team that is loaded up front, especially on defense. The only way BYU can pull the upset is if Texas Tech turns the ball over or sleepwalks defensively.  

Prediction: Texas Tech should win by double digits and lock up a bye into the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff. Give us Texas Tech 31, BYU 17 in a game that doesn’t feel close after the first quarter. The Red Raiders have beaten every opponent by at least three scores when QB Behren Morton has played. 

FCS 

No. 10 ACU at No. 7 SFA 

Info: FCS second-round playoff game; Homer Bryce Stadium in Nacogdoches; Saturday at 1 p.m. on ESPN+

Breakdown: ACU won the first battle between these two teams, 28-20, in a Week 2 game in Abilene. SFA is looking for revenge and received a first-round bye and the 7-seed. A pair of strip sacks, one of which was returned for a touchdown, aided the Wildcats back in September. The Jacks are on a 10-game winning streak. ACU might have the best player in the game with QB Stone Earle, but it is hard to beat a good team twice, especially when that team is rested and at home. Playoff experience is on the ACU side, however. 

Prediction: SFA 27, ACU 21 

North Dakota at No. 4 Tarleton State 

Info: FCS second-round playoff game; Tarleton Memorial Stadium, Saturday at 12 p.m. on ESPN+ 

Breakdown: Tarleton State is the highest-seeded team in the FCS playoffs from the Lone Star State and were idle last week as the FCS playoffs started. North Dakota is 8-5 on the season and lost three of its last four in the regular season. The Fighting Hawks advanced to the second round with a 31-6 win over Tennessee Tech last week, outscoring the Golden Eagles 21-0 in the fourth quarter. There are some QB concerns with North Dakota as Jerry Kaminski exited the win with a concussion. Tarleton is 11-1 on the season with a win over Army. The only loss of the season was to ACU. 

Prediction: Tarleton 31, North Dakota 20

Prairie View A&M at Jackson State 

Info: SWAC Championship; Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium; Saturday at 1 p.m. on ESPN2

Breakdown: Jackson State has won three of the last four SWAC championships and the Tigers are the favorite to reach another Celebration Bowl. They’re 9-2 on the year with a 5-0 mark at home. Their two losses were to FBS Southern Miss and by two points in a rivalry game against Grambling State back in late October. Jackson State averages nearly 34 points per game and does most of its damage on the ground, while the defense is stingy and allows fewer than 19 points per game. PVAMU head coach Tremaine Jackson is in his first year with the Panthers and has them in the SWAC championship for the third time since 2021.

Prediction: Jackson State 35, Prairie View A&M 27

DIVISION II 

UT Permian Basin at Harding 

Info: DII third-round playoff game; Saturday at 1 p.m. on ESPN+ 

Breakdown: UTPB had never won a playoff game before the 37-24 win over No. 4-seeded Colorado State Pueblo in the first round on Nov. 22. The Falcons added another playoff win last week in overtime against Western Colorado University. This will be the third straight road game for head coach Kris McCullough’s bunch with Harding located in Arkansas. Harding is the two-seed and one of the favorites to compete for a national title at the DII level. The Bison are 13-0 on the season and have won all by double digits. They beat Northwestern Missouri State and Pittsburg State to reach the third round. 

Prediction: Harding 31, UTPB 17

DIVISION III 

Trinity at Berry 

Info: DIII third-round playoff game; Saturday at 12 p.m. on ESPN+

Breakdown: This is a rematch of an Oct. 11 conference game that Berry won, 29-6, at home in Trinity’s lone loss of the season. The Tigers advanced to the third round with a 34-24 win over Hardin-Simmons last week, which was sealed by a late pick-six T.J. Scannell. QB Hondo Franklin threw for 226 yards, ran for 125, and scored three total touchdowns in the win. Berry, located in Georgia, won the SAA Conference and is 11-1 on the season. The Vikings haven’t lost since Sept. 20 against Carnegie Mellon. 

Prediction: Berry 21, Trinity 17 

JUCO

No. 3 Tyler JC at No. 2 Iowa Western  

Info: NJCAA D1 Semifinal; Friday at 6 p.m. on ESPN+

Breakdown: Tyler reached the semifinals of the JUCO Division I playoffs behind an undefeated regular season and the SWJCFC championship. Iowa Western is a perennial JUCO powerhouse that should be the Apaches' toughest challenge in 2025. Tyler knocked off Cisco and Northeastern Oklahoma A&M to win the SWJCFC championship and have become a team known for fast starts. Iowa Western enters on a nine-game winning streak. 

Prediction: Iowa Western 34, Tyler 30