{"id":356495,"date":"2025-11-05T03:16:11","date_gmt":"2025-11-05T03:16:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/356495\/"},"modified":"2025-11-05T03:16:11","modified_gmt":"2025-11-05T03:16:11","slug":"texas-still-alive-am-atop-sec","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/356495\/","title":{"rendered":"Texas still alive, A&M atop SEC"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s officially playoff (discussion) season.<\/p>\n

The first weekly installment of the College Football Playoff rankings were released Tuesday night and three teams from the state of Texas were featured. If the playoff started Tuesday, though, only two would likely qualify for the 12-team bracket. <\/p>\n

Here\u2019s one thought on each of the in-state teams that appeared after the playoff committee\u2019s first evaluation. <\/p>\n

Sports Roundup<\/p>\n

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The Longhorns won big, but hurdles remain<\/p>\n

Texas<\/a> undoubtedly saved its competitive season at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium on Saturday when it beat Vanderbilt for its second win over a ranked team this season<\/a>. <\/p>\n

It might\u2019ve catapulted the Longhorns into a legitimate playoff position, too. <\/p>\n

The Longhorns (7-2, 4-1 SEC) debuted at No. 11 in the first CFP rankings this season Tuesday night. It would not empirically equate to a postseason berth if the season ended today because five conference champions will qualify for the 12-team bracket and only three leagues (the SEC, Big 10 and Big 12) are represented ahead of them. <\/p>\n

There\u2019s also a slog of conference teams ranked ahead of them in No. 6 Ole Miss, No. 5 Georgia, No. 4 Alabama and No. 3 Texas A&M<\/a>. The Longhorns will play at Georgia and vs. Texas A&M before the regular season ends. That doesn\u2019t include any movement that could occur by way of the league championship. <\/p>\n

Consider it a reminder that the first rankings of the season may not be worth the weight placed upon them. <\/p>\n

The Aggies are No. 1 in the SEC<\/p>\n

Second-year head coach Mike Elko may have A&M ahead of schedule. <\/p>\n

The Aggies (8-0, 5-0 SEC) earned their highest-ever in the decadelong CFP era at No. 3 in Tuesday\u2019s release. It also certified them as the premier team in college football\u2019s premier conference. It mirrors the AP top 25 poll which also placed A&M behind No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 Indiana. <\/p>\n

The committee believed A&M\u2019s ranked road wins against Notre Dame and LSU and its unblemished record trump No. 4 Alabama\u2019s nation-best four ranked wins overall. The Aggies will have two chances to certify that and match Alabama\u2019s ranked win total with games vs. Missouri and Texas before the season ends.<\/p>\n

Texas Tech vs. BYU remains pivotal <\/p>\n

BYU, at No. 7, was the top-ranked Big 12 team in Tuesday\u2019s release. Texas Tech<\/a>, at No. 8, is directly behind them. <\/p>\n

The two will play Saturday at Lubbock\u2019s Jones AT&T Stadium. <\/p>\n

The winner will undoubtedly be the league\u2019s leader this time next week. <\/p>\n

A win vs. the Cougars (8-0, 5-0 Big 12) would help the Red Raiders (8-1, 5-1) inch closer to a Big 12 championship game berth. It\u2019d also give them a signature win this season and, possibly, in Joey McGuire\u2019s three-year tenure as head coach. <\/p>\n

The Red Raiders own the 10th-best r\u00e9sum\u00e9 in college football this season, per ESPN data, and may climb that list with a second ranked win. That may be required to help Tech pad its playoff mettle as entry into the Big 12 title game remains up in the air.<\/p>\n

Full rankings<\/p>\nRankTeamRecord<\/tr>\n\n1<\/td>\nOhio State<\/td>\n8-0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n2<\/td>\nIndiana<\/td>\n9-0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n3<\/b><\/td>\nTexas A&M<\/b><\/td>\n8-0<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n4<\/td>\nAlabama<\/td>\n7-1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n5<\/td>\nGeorgia<\/td>\n7-1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n6<\/td>\nOle Miss<\/td>\n8-1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n7<\/td>\nBYU<\/td>\n8-0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n8<\/b><\/td>\nTexas Tech<\/b><\/td>\n8-1<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n9<\/td>\nOregon<\/td>\n7-1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n10<\/td>\nNotre Dame<\/td>\n6-2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n11<\/b><\/td>\nTexas<\/b><\/td>\n7-2<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n12<\/b><\/td>\nOklahoma<\/b><\/td>\n7-2<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n13<\/td>\nUtah<\/td>\n7-2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n14<\/td>\nVirginia<\/td>\n8-1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n15<\/td>\nLouisville<\/td>\n7-1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n16<\/td>\nVanderbilt<\/td>\n7-2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n17<\/td>\nGeorgia Tech<\/td>\n8-1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n18<\/td>\nMiami<\/td>\n6-2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n19<\/td>\nUSC<\/td>\n6-2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n20<\/td>\nIowa<\/td>\n6-2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n21<\/td>\nMichigan<\/td>\n7-2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n22<\/td>\nMissouri<\/td>\n6-2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n23<\/td>\nWashington<\/td>\n6-2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n24<\/td>\nPittsburgh<\/td>\n7-2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n25<\/td>\nTennessee<\/td>\n6-3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

*Note: While there are no Group of Five teams ranked, Memphis was listed as the top team from the Group of Five ranks and would be in line for the No. 12 seed according to the committee.*<\/p>\n