2023-11-20 15:57:18
Linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. #0 of the Texas Longhorns tackles wide receiver Jaylin Noel #13 of the Iowa State Cyclones as he rushed for yards in the first half of play at Jack Trice Stadium on November 18, 2023 in Ames, Iowa.
David Purdy/Getty Images
In the penultimate week of the regular season, Texas moved one step closer to the College Football Playoff, Texas Tech clinched bowl eligibility and SMU and UTSA remained perfect in conference play. Check out all the action from Texas college football teams in Week 12, as well as our latest power rankings:
Texas reaches 10 wins with victory over Iowa State
Texas hadn’t seen much success when playing in Ames, Iowa in recent years, having come up on the losing end the last two times the Longhorns visited Jack Trice Stadium. But this year’s Texas team is different from the previous teams that previously fell short against Iowa State, having found ways to win close games all season. That trend continued Saturday night as No. 7 Texas used a 20-point second half to take down Iowa State 26-16, breaking the Ames curse.
After nearly 40 minutes of game time without either team finding the end zone, Quinn Ewers hit Jordan Whittington in stride for a 23-yard touchdown. Ewers connected with tight end Gunnar Helm for a 31-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the fourth quarter to put the Longhorns up 14 points after a successful two-point conversion. CJ Baxter rushed for 117 yards on 20 carries in his first game as Texas’ lead back after Jonathon Brooks tore his ACL a week ago.
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Texas (10-1) has reached the 10-win mark in the regular season for the first time since 2009, a season that ended in a trip to the national championship game. With just Texas Tech remaining on its regular-season schedule, Texas is poised for a trip to the Big 12 Championship Game, where it hopes it can strengthen its case for a College Football Playoff berth.
SMU and UTSA one win away from meeting in the AAC title game
UTSA quarterback Frank Harris (0) fends off a defender during the AAC football game against South Florida Friday, Nov. 17, 2023, at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
Sam Grenadier/San Antonio Expres
After dominating American Athletic Conference play all season, SMU finally found itself in a dogfight on Saturday afternoon. In a back-and-forth contest, a late fourth-quarter touchdown pass from Preston Stone to Jordan Hudson allowed the Mustangs to escape Memphis with a 38-34 win over the Tigers.
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Beat Navy in its regular-season finale, and SMU will play in the conference championship game with a chance to end its final season in the AAC with a bang.
Frank Harris had a senior night to remember, accounting for a UTSA-record 523 total yards in the Roadrunners 49-21 win over USF on Friday night. Harris threw for 411 yards and three touchdowns and used his legs to pick up 112 rushing yards and three more scores.
Despite being a newcomer to the AAC, all that stands between UTSA and a trip to the league’s championship game is a Friday afternoon showdown against No. 24 Tulane, also undefeated in conference play, in New Orleans.
Texas A&M starts post-Fisher era with commanding win
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COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 18: Sam Mathews #12 of the Texas A&M Aggies celebrates after a tackle in the fourth quarter against the Abilene Christian Wildcats at Kyle Field on November 18, 2023 in College Station, Texas.
Tim Warner/Getty Images
The post-Jimbo Fisher era at Texas A&M began with a 38-10 victory over Abilene Christian. Jaylen Henderson led the Aggies with 260 passing yards and two touchdowns and Reuben Owens added 106 yards and a score on the ground.
While not much can be taken from a win over an FCS opponent, Texas A&M showed that it hasn’t thrown in the towel despite an up-and-down, ultimately disappointing season.
Rice, TCU keep bowl hopes alive
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Needing a win to keep bowl hopes alive, both Rice and TCU took care of business on Saturday.
TCU took it to in-state rival Baylor, dismantling the Bears on the way to a 42-17 victory. Josh Hoover completed 24 of his 29 passes for 412 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Tight end Jared Wiley had his best game of the season, hauling in seven receptions for a career-high 178 yards and two scores.
Even without JT Daniels, Rice had no problem with Charlotte, cruising to a 28-7 road victory. Dean Connors rushed for a career-high 184 yards in the Owls’ wins.
Both teams are now 5-6 and in need of a win in the final week of the regular season to become bowl eligible. Rice has a favorable matchup, hosting 4-7 Florida Atlantic. TCU has a tougher task, having to go on the road and play No. 13 Oklahoma.
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Texas Tech is going bowling
Texas Tech erased an early 14-0 deficit against UCF to squeak out a 24-23 victory over the Knights, securing a bowl appearance for the third straight season. Tahj Brooks was once again a workhorse for the Red Raiders in the backfield, carrying the ball 24 times for 182 yards and a touchdown. Behren Morton added 256 yards and a pair of touchdowns through the air in the Red Raiders’ win.
After a 1-3 start and multiple quarterback injuries, Texas Tech has turned the ship around in Big 12 play to get to six wins. There is still a chance the Red Raiders could finish in a giant tie for second place in the Big 12 with a win over No. 7 Texas on Friday. Regardless of how the season ends, Joey McGuire has done a masterful job at finding a way to salvage a season that started off as disastrous.
UH eliminated from bowl eligibility
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Houston coach Dana Holgorsen yells at the officials during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Oklahoma State Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023, in Houston.
David J. Phillip/Associated Press
Instead of getting a signature win over No. 23 Oklahoma State, Houston’s bowl hopes evaporated because of undisciplined plays and a stagnant offensive second half in a game that ended in a 43-30 loss to the Cowboys.
The Cougars couldn’t have scripted a better start to Saturday’s game. Isaiah Hamilton opened the scoring with a 57-yard pick-six midway through the first quarter. Donovan Smith connected with Jonah Wilson later in the quarter for a 60-yard touchdown. A perfectly executed trick play resulted in Smith catching a touchdown pass from wide receiver Joseph Manjack. Malik Robinson tackled Ollie Gordon II in the end zone for safety, extending UH’s lead to 14 points.
But the story of UH’s season has been the Cougars’ inability to put together a complete game. This trend repeated itself once again inside TDECU Stadium right when it was starting to look like UH might run away with the game.
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Oklahoma State’s first touchdown was a gift from UH. The Cougars’ defense forced what should have been a three-and-out, but instead turned into a 10-play, 80-yard touchdown drive because of an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on UH linebacker Jamal Morris. Donovan Smith threw an interception close to midfield, setting up another Oklahoma State touchdown. In the fourth quarter, UH was called for having too many men on the field after what would have been a third-down stop. Like it had done all night, Oklahoma State cashed in on that UH mishap with a three-yard touchdown from Gordon to seal the win.
UH is now guaranteed to finish with a losing record for the third time in five seasons under head coach Dana Holgorsen.
North Texas snaps four-game skid
North Texas won for the first time in over a month, defeating Tulsa 35-28 thanks to 420 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns from quarterback Chandler Rogers. The Mean Green can’t make a bowl game but can end their first year in the AAC on a high note with a win over UAB in the season-finale on Saturday.
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Sam Houston, Texas State and UTEP all lose
Vying for its third consecutive victory, Sam Houston came up eight yards short. Trailing 28-23 and facing a fourth-and-goal at the Western Kentucky 8-yard line with under a minute remaining in regulation, Sam Houston quarterback Keegan Shoemaker was picked off in the end zone to end the Bearkats’ upset bid.
Texas State gave up a season-high 77 points and turned the ball over four times in a blowout loss to Arkansas State. The Bobcats have lost two straight since clinching bowl eligibility during the first weekend of November.
UTEP lost 34-30 to Middle Tennessee State in a game that was back-and-forth the entire way through.
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Texas college football power rankings
1. Texas (10-1); previous rank: 1
2. SMU (9-2); previous rank: 2
3. Texas A&M (7-4); previous rank: 3
4. UTSA (8-3); previous rank: 4
5. Texas Tech (6-5); previous rank: 5
6. TCU (5-6); previous rank: 7
7. Rice (5-6); previous rank: 8
8. Texas State (6-5); previous rank: 6
9. UH (4-7); previous rank: 9
10. Baylor (3-8); previous rank: 10
11. North Texas (4-7); previous rank: 11
12. UTEP (3-8); previous rank: 12
13. Sam Houston (2-9); previous rank: 13
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