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 LSU Trip Suddenly Puts Saturday Night Plans In Doubt
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The delays also affected Tennessee, Ole Miss, Baylor and North Texas, leaving several programs waiting to see how the day will shake out. For Texas, the immediate question is whether the travel snag will have any impact on the scheduled game, with that part of the picture still unclear for now. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Is About To Give Texas An Early Reality Check
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For Texas, the matchup also carries a little extra edge after Davis Punch pointed to it as a chance for redemption following the preseason scrimmage loss to St. Johns. Baylors backcourt, led by guards Kayden and Dylan Mingo, figures to keep the Longhorns under stress from the opening tip, making this the kind of game that can either validate Texas early progress or leave it with more questions than answers. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Faces A Late-Season CFP Test It Cannot Afford To Blow
With the College Football Playoff race tightening and every ranked matchup carrying extra weight, Texas finds itself in the middle of a weekend that could reshape the bracket picture. The Longhorns are part of a slate that also features Boise State, Notre Dame, Kentucky, Florida and UCLA, with injury concerns and recent results adding even more pressure to games that already matter for postseason positioning.
For Texas, the broader backdrop is simple enough: there is little room for error now, and the ripple effects of what happens elsewhere could matter just as much as what happens on the field. Coaches are already framing these late-season tests as the kind that reveal who can handle the moment, and the Longhorns will be watching closely as the CFP conversation gets sharper by the week. [Read more 🡒]