Just three weeks are left in the 2026 college football regular season, and the playoff race is still wide open as Week 11 arrives.
There are four games this week featuring AP top 25 teams on the same field, and the ACC is getting extra attention with the committee watching closely.
Wake Forest sits in a strong position to reach the ACC title game and stay in the College Football Playoff conversation. The Deacons are second in the league, and Miami’s loss at Notre Dame tightened that race.
Wake Forest is riding a six-game winning streak and has been putting up 49 points per game during that run. SMU, though, has a chance to blow the ACC picture apart with a home win, and the Mustangs are close underdogs.
Indiana’s route to the Big Ten title game looks cleaner, but the Hoosiers need a little more from their offense. USC comes in after beating Ohio State, yet the Trojans still have not shown they can win major road games against Big Ten opponents. Indiana slipped in this week’s CFP poll, so a statement win matters here.
LSU’s season under Lane Kiffin is teetering after an ugly loss to Alabama. Another defeat would push the Tigers to the brink of falling below .500 in SEC play, which would be a rough turn in Kiffin’s hyped debut.
Texas is trending the right way. The Longhorns have won three straight, sit at 7-2 overall, and just knocked off ranked Missouri.
Arch Manning has been playing better than usual, but this trip brings a tough LSU defense and a loud road setting. Texas still has a path to hosting a first-round playoff game.
The Big 12 race also gets a major test. Texas Tech got a bit more breathing room after BYU lost at Utah last weekend, but the Red Raiders still have little margin for error after their loss at Cincinnati and their 51-48 escape against West Virginia at home. Drew Mestemaker leads a Cowboys offense that tops college football in passing touchdowns and ranks third nationally in passing and scoring, and he has a chance to create more chaos for the Tech defense in Stillwater.
Utah is one of just two undefeated FBS teams and is coming off a huge win over BYU. The Utes sit in first place in the Big 12 and are on track for a first-round bye if they keep winning. Arizona brings a dangerous passing attack of its own, led by Noah Fifita.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
In Other News...
Texas Hits Unexpected Travel Snag Right Before LSU Showdown
Texas ran into an unexpected hurdle on the way to Baton Rouge this week, with the Longhorns caught in a nationwide ground stop ordered by the FAA on Nov. 13. The disruption stemmed from air traffic control communications problems affecting facilities across the country, and it put a wrinkle into a normal game-week routine for a team preparing to face LSU.
For the Tigers, it is another reminder that a marquee matchup can be shaped by more than what happens between the lines. Several college football teams were affected by the same travel issue heading into weekend games, and it remains unclear how long the delays will last or whether they will have any impact on the schedule. [Read more 🡒]
Brian Kelly Could Be Headed For Another Power 4 Chance
Brian Kelly is back in the coaching conversation after interviewing for Marylands head coaching job, a reminder that his name still carries weight in Power 4 circles even after his LSU run ended. Since leaving Baton Rouge, Kelly has shifted into an on-air role with CBS Sports, but his rsum and experience keep him in the mix whenever a major program opens up.
At LSU, Kelly never quite delivered the championship push the school expected when it hired him, and he has acknowledged as much in recent comments. He went 34-14 with the Tigers, a solid mark by most standards, but one that fell short of the national-title benchmark LSU had in mind, leaving his next move a notable storyline for a fan base that watched the fit unravel before the results ever matched the ambition. [Read more 🡒]
LSUs Biggest Texas Question Still Comes Down To Whit Weeks
Whit Weeks remains the name LSU fans will watch closest as the Tigers get ready for Texas, with the final injury report listing the linebacker as questionable but expected to dress and test his leg during warmups. That keeps the focus on one of LSUs most important defensive pieces heading into a matchup that already carries plenty of weight, while starting right tackle Weston Davis is probable and defensive lineman Gabe Reliford is off the report entirely, a sign he could be back in the mix as well.
The other side of the equation may be just as important, since Texas star edge Colin Simmons is not on the injury report after missing time with a high ankle sprain. For LSU, the question is less about the headline names on paper and more about how much Weeks can actually give them once warmups start, because his availability could shape how the Tigers handle a Longhorns front that appears to be getting healthier at the right time. [Read more 🡒]