Texas went from the edge of the cliff to the top half of the poll in one Saturday night.
After dropping two straight games to unranked opponents and tumbling all the way from No. 1 to No. 18 in the US LBM Coaches Poll, the Longhorns needed a response. They got it with a 34-27 win over Ole Miss, and the voters rewarded them with a hefty move back up to No. 11 this week.
That puts Texas one spot ahead of the Rebels, an odd little twist after the head-to-head result. Still, the message from the poll was clear: win, and the climb can start again.
Miami stayed put at No. 1 for a second straight week, while the top 25 continues to reflect the balance of power in the two biggest conferences. The SEC has nine teams in the rankings, and the Big Ten has five.
There are no undefeated teams left in either league. The ACC placed three teams in the poll, and the Big 12 has four.
Oregon was the only team to fall out, slipping from No. 25 and leaving the latest rankings with one open spot. Among the teams receiving votes were Oklahoma State with 120, Wisconsin with 114, and Cincinnati with 49. New Mexico checked in with 43, followed by Minnesota at 35 and UTSA at 34.
The rest of the receiving-votes group included Nebraska 27, Virginia Tech 16, Oregon State 15, South Carolina 12, Duke 12, Oregon 5, Auburn 4, North Texas 2, Michigan 2, UCF 1, Oklahoma 1, and James Madison 1.
The US LBM Coaches Poll was published October 25, 2026.
In Other News...
Texas Escaped Ole Miss But A Bigger Arch Manning Concern Remains
Texas kept finding trouble early and resilience late, turning another shaky outing into a 34-27 win over Ole Miss after once again coughing up a double-digit lead. For the third straight game, the Longhorns watched an advantage slip away, only to answer in the fourth quarter with a touchdown drive that steadied things just enough to leave Austin with a victory.
Arch Manning did enough to keep Texas in front, throwing for 171 yards and scoring twice on the ground, including the go-ahead run. Even with the win, the broader concern lingers for Texas: the offense still has to prove it can sustain control for four quarters, and Ole Miss nearly forced the issue at the end before an interception in the end zone preserved the result. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Coach Is Still Explaining The Choices Texas Made Hurt
Ole Miss coach Pete Golding spent the aftermath of the Texas game doing what coaches often have to do after a close loss: explaining the calls that looked bold in the moment and costly in hindsight. A late 58-yard field goal attempt was his choice because he believed the game was still within reach, even with the risk attached, and the kick was blocked before Texas answered with a field goal of its own to widen the gap.
Golding also revisited an earlier fourth-down decision late in the second quarter, saying he regretted passing up a short field goal there instead of chasing the conversion. For Texas, those two moments helped shape a win that never really let Ole Miss off the hook, while Golding is left weighing whether the aggressive approach helped his team or handed the Longhorns extra breathing room. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Kept Its CFP Hopes Alive But Exposed A Bigger Problem
Texas kept its College Football Playoff hopes alive with a 34-27 win over Ole Miss, but the game also laid bare how much cleaning up remains. The Longhorns had to fight through turnovers, penalties and injuries to key players Cam Coleman and Trevor Goosby, then lean on a defense that picked off Trinidad Chambliss three times to survive a volatile night.
Raleek Brown gave Texas the kind of ground production it needed with 157 rushing yards, and Arch Manning helped steady things by accounting for both a passing touchdown and a rushing score. Even with the win in hand, the bigger picture lingers for Texas: this was the sort of performance that can keep a postseason path open while also reminding everyone how fragile it still looks. [Read more 🡒]