A single flip from Easton Royal sent a ripple through the 2027 recruiting rankings, and Texas felt it most.
Royal, the No. 1 wide receiver in the class, was once committed to the Longhorns and stood as their top-ranked pledge. But after rumors that LSU could be the landing spot, he made a different move and committed to Florida instead on Oct.
- That decision pushed Texas down in the Rivals rankings, from No. 6 to No. 9 in mid-October.
The Longhorns still have a loaded group. They have 21 commitments, including five-star offensive guard Ismael Camara and 12 four-stars. Even so, losing Royal was enough to knock them back in the national picture.
Florida, meanwhile, got a much-needed lift. The Gators were sitting at No. 8, behind Texas and Oklahoma, but Royal’s flip helped move them up to No.
- Their class now includes 26 commitments, along with Maxwell Hiller, the No. 1 interior blocker in America.
At the top, Texas A&M remains out front with the nation’s best class. The Aggies’ haul includes five five-stars and a composite score of 93.915.
Notre Dame has surged to No. 2 thanks to a deep, highly rated group, while Miami sits third. Oregon is fourth, followed by Florida.
Behind them come Ohio State, Oklahoma, and Texas Tech, showing just how crowded the race still is among the sport’s biggest brands and most aggressive movers.
The SEC still has a strong grip on the top 10, with Texas A&M, Florida, Oklahoma, Texas, and LSU all represented. The Big Ten also stays well in the mix through Oregon, Ohio State, and Michigan, while Texas Tech’s spot underscores the Big 12’s ability to land elite talent.
None of these rankings are close to final. Player evaluations will keep shifting as more film comes in, and the early December signing period is expected to bring more flips, late pledges, and movement throughout the board.
For Texas, the slide is the kind of reminder recruiting always delivers at the top level: the margins are thin, and one big decision can change the entire picture.
In Other News...
Oklahoma Just Sent A Strong Message About Brent Venables Future
Brent Venables place at Oklahoma just got a lot clearer, and a lot more expensive for anyone thinking about making a change. The Sooners coach now has an extension that was approved by the Board of Regents after he led Oklahoma back to the College Football Playoff, a move that signals the program is ready to keep building around him rather than treat last season as a one-off breakthrough.
The financial terms leave little doubt about how strongly Oklahoma is tying itself to Venables, with a buyout that would cost $51.67 million if he were terminated after the 2026 season and then drops each year through 2031. Athletic director Roger Denny, who took over in February, helped guide the contract process, and the structure suggests the Sooners wanted stability, not a short-term reset, as they look ahead under Venables. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma Heads Into Kentucky With A Protection Concern Fans Cant Ignore
Oklahomas offensive front is walking into the Kentucky game with more uncertainty than it would like this late in the week. Eddy Pierre-Louis and Parker Livingstone have both been downgraded to doubtful, while Michael Fasusi and Eli Bowen remain questionable, leaving the Sooners to juggle protection concerns at a time when every healthy body up front matters.
Several other players are already ruled out, so the margin for error is thin before kickoff. Kentucky is dealing with its own injury questions, including Tyler Thomas being out and running back CJ Baxter listed as questionable, but the spotlight for Oklahoma stays on how well it can hold up in the trenches if those availability issues linger into game day. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma Has A Chance To Change Its Season Again Vs Kentucky
Oklahomas season has already lived through a few different versions of itself, and now comes another fork in the road with No. 15 Kentucky coming to town. The Sooners are unranked but favored by 6.5 points, which says plenty about how this matchup is being framed: not as a rescue mission, but as a chance to turn a good win into something bigger. John Mateer and Lloyd Avant are central to that equation, because Oklahoma will need enough production on offense to make Kentuckys defense feel the weight of the night.
A win here would not just add another quality result to the rsum. It could push Oklahoma back into the national conversation and make the College Football Playoff picture a little more realistic than it looked not long ago. Kentucky has already shown enough on defense to make this more than a simple home favorite spot, and that is what gives the game its edge for the Sooners. They have an opening to change the story again, but only if they take advantage of it against a ranked opponent that will make them earn every bit of it. [Read more 🡒]