No. 10 Texas Longhorns vs. No. 5 Georgia Bulldogs
The Longhorns travel to Athens for their 8th game all-time with Georgia, a series that Texas leads 4-3, with Georgia winning the last two. This will be the first time that the Longhorns have played between the hedges in Sanford Stadium. Kickoff is set for 6:49 p.m. (C.S.T.), and the game will be broadcast on ABC. The all-star crew of Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit in the booth and Holly Rowe and Laura Rutledge on the field. Sanford Stadium is the 9th largest football stadium in the NCAA. Supposedly the now famous reference to “playing between the hedges” was coined by the great Grantland Rice in the early 1930’s not long after the Stadium opened.
The game can be heard around the world on the Longhorn Radio Network with the Voice of the Longhorns Craig Way, joined by the Great One, Keith Moreland, in the booth and by Will Matthews on the sidelines. Listen in Austin on the Flagship, KVET 1300 AM and 98.1 FM and in Tyler on KTBB 600 AM and 92.1 FM. Listen in San Angelo and the Concho Valley with Mr. McLaughlin on KKSA 1260 AM. SiriusXM Channel 82. Dr. Rubén Pizarro-Silva and Jesus Mendoza with the call in Spanish on certain Longhorn Radio Network affiliates and streaming on the Texas Longhorn App and online. Stream through the Texas Longhorn app or mobile player https://texas.leanplayer.com/.
A little Arch Manning running for a touchdown to start the day off right, from Derek Ochoa, Director of Creative Media for Texas Football. Sound on!
The early betting odds, Sunday night:
The odds Wednesday night have moved to Texas by a point.
College Football Last Weekend
No. 8 Texas Tech took down No. 7 Brigham Young 29-7, shutting out the Cougars until the fourth quarter. No. 3 Texas Agricultural & Mechanical easily beat No. 22 Missouri 38-17. Wake Forest upset the No. 14 Virginia Cavaliers 16-9 in Charlottesville. No. 4 Alabama rolled over Louisiana State 20-9. No. 10 Notre Dame Fighting Irish hammered Navy 49-10.
College Football This Weekend
No. 9 Notre Dame at No. 22 Pittsburgh, 11:00 a.m. on ABC. I am a bit surprised College Gameday chose Pittsburgh over Athens, but perhaps the McAfee Effect – and some big-time offensive players for the Irish in Love and Carr. Also at 11:00, South Carolina Gamecocks at No. 3 Texas Agricultural & Mechanical, on ESPN. I wonder if Johnny Manziel makes a point of attending Gamecock games? No. 11 Oklahoma at No. 4 Alabama, 2:30 p.m. on ABC. Probably the best game this weekend not being played in Georgia. Roll Tide.
2025 Georgia Bulldogs
Georgia is 8-1 overall and 6-1 in the SEC, with the one loss to Alabama. Kirby Smart remains one of the best coaches in the nation with a roster built for championships.
The Roster
Georgia Offense
Gunner Stockton (No. 14, 6-1, 215 pounds, Junior) is having a very good year, thanks to a very accurate arm and a very good offensive line. 179/258, 69.4%, (3rd in SEC), 2,040 yards, 15 touchdowns, 2 interceptions. A quarterback rating of 153.4 and an 89.4 QBR. He is a threat with his feet too – 321 yards and 7 touchdowns on 77 carries.
Given the magnitude of this game and all that is riding on it, I thought a comparison of the starting quarterbacks would be helpful. I don’t have the rankings for some categories, but as with my regular statistics summary, the first is national, the second is SEC.
Passing |
Arch Manning |
Gunner Stockton |
| Yards per game | #43, #7 – 235.9 | #51, #9 – 226.7 |
| Yards | #44, #8 – 2,123 | #51, #9 – 2,040 |
| Attempts | #39, #7 – 268 | #53, #11 – 258 |
| Completions | #52, #11 – 168 | #36, #5 – 179 |
| Completion Percentage | #70, #13 – 62.7% | #14, #3 – 69.4% |
| Yards/Attempt | #50, #8 – 7.9 | #50, #8 – 7.9 |
| Yards/Completion | #30, #7 – 12.64 | #69, #11 – 11.40 |
| Touchdowns | #26, #6 – 18 | #41, #7 – 15 |
| Interceptions | #97, #11 – 6 | #16, #5 – 2 |
| Rating | #45, #9 – 146.91 | #30, #6 – 153.44 |
| QBR | #59, #12 – 63.1 | #3, #1 – 89.4 |
This is not ranking by position, but overall ranking.
Rushing |
Arch Manning |
Gunner Stockton |
| Yards | #359, #36 – 203 | #231, #28 – 321 |
| Yards per Game | #—, #35 – 22.56 | #—, #27 – 35.67 |
| Yards per Attempt | #266, #37 – 2.94 | #211, #28 – 4.17 |
| Touchdowns | #74, #10 – 6 | #58, #6 – 7 |
The Georgia ground game is solid, with the top 4 guys averaging 5.4 yards per carry. Nate Frazier (No. 3, 5-10, 205 pounds, sophomore out of Mater Dei) leads the team with 575 yards on 101 carries, with a long of 59; 3 touchdowns. Chauncey Bowens (No. 33, 5-11, 225 pounds, freshman) has 474 yards on 86 carries and 6 touchdowns. Stockton is third. Dwight Phillips, Jr. (No. 20, 5-10, 185 pounds sophomore) has 166 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries, and Josh McCray (No. 2, 6 foot, 240 pounds R-Senior) has 35 runs, 92 yards, and 3 touchdowns. Cash Jones (No. 32. 6-11, 195 pounds, Sophomore from Brock, Texas) has no yards rushing, but he has 12 catches for 97 yards. It is a stout running back corps.
A great wide receiver room. Zachariah Branch (No. 1, 5-10, 180 pounds, junior) has 53 catches for 542 yards and 3 touchdowns, averaging 10.2 yards per catch, 60.2 yards per game. He also leads the Dawgs in targets, with 63. London Humphreys has 12 catches for 221 yards and 2 touchdowns. Dillon Bell (No. 86, 6-1, 210 pound senior from Kinkaid in Houston) has 18 receptions, 204 yards, and a score. [Colbie Young has 23 catches for 336 yards and a touchdown, but he is out for the game.]
Oscar Delp (No. 4, 6-5, 245 pounds, Senior) leads a great group of tight ends, 14 catches, 199 yards, 1 touchdown. Elyiss Williams (No. 10, 6-7, 255 pounds, freshman) has 6 catches for 109 yards and a touchdown. Lawson Luckie (No. 7, 6-4, 240 pounds, junior) has 10 catches for 81 yards and 3 touchdowns (tied for most with Branch). That’s an average of 6’, 5.3’, and 249.7 pounds. Large.
Georgia Defense
A linebacker led defense, starting with C.J. Allen (No. 3, 6-1, 235 pounds, junior ILB), who has 75 tackles (39 solo) and leads the Dawgs with 3.5 sacks; he also has 3 passes defended and 2 forced fumbles. We will hear his name a lot. Raylen Wilson (No. 5, 6-1, 235 pounds, junior ILB) has 54 tackles (23 solo) and 2.5 sacks. Chris Cole (No. 9, 6-3, 235 pounds sophomore ILB) has 32 tackles (19 solo), 3 sacks, and an interception.
K.J. Bolden (No. 4, 6 foot, 195 pound sophomore DB) has 47 tackles (17 solo) and an interception. Joenel Aguero (No. 8, 5-11, 205 junior DB) has 31 tackles (18 solo) and an interception. Daylen Everette (No. 6, 6-1, 190 pound Senior DB), 19 tackles (15 solo) and 5 passes defended. Quintavious Johnson (No. 33, 6-4, 255 pounds, sophomore OLB) has 24 tackles (15 solo), and will no doubt collide with Quintrevion Wisner five times in the game.
The 2025 Georgia Season:
Game 1: The Bulldogs opened their 2025 campaign with a solid 45-7 win over the Marshall Thundering Herd. 488 yards of offense and 27 first downs. Gunner Stockton was 14/24 for 190 yards and 2 touchdowns and ran for 73 yards on 10 carries, scoring 2 more on the ground. QBR of 99.4. Dwight Phillips added 60 yards and a touchdown on 5 runs. Nate Frazier 47 yards on 11 carries. Zachariah Branch had 3 catches for 95 yards and a score, long of 47. Oscar Delp, 2 catches for 33 yards, Colbie Young 2 for 30 yards.
Zion Branch 7 tackles, all solo. Raylen Wilson 7 tackles (6 solo) plus 2 TFL with a sack.
Game 2: Georgia beat the Austin Peay Governors 28-6 in a surprisingly low scoring game, given the Bulldogs had 421 yards of offense and racked up 26 first downs. 2 Georgia fumbles didn’t help. Stockton was 26/34 for 227 yards, no touchdowns, only ran for 13 yards. Had a QBR of 36.7. Nate Frazier had 69 yards and 2 TDs on 14 carries. Chauncey Bowens had 56 yards and 2 touchdowns on 11 carries. Dwight Phillips rushed for 55 on 7 rushes. Colbie Youn, 7 catches for 76 yards. Cash Jones 3 for 32. London Humphreys 3 for 29.
C.J. Allen 7 tackles and a sack, Raylen Wilson 7 tackles. Ellis Robinson IV had an interception.
Game 3: Georgia 44, Tennessee 41 in overtime. Tennessee had a 21-7 first quarter lead, scoring on all 3 possessions and driving 75 yards, 75 yards (72 on a touchdown pass), and 83 yards. Georgia won the second quarter, and it was 21-17 at half. Tied at 38 at the end of regulation, after the Vols missed a 43 yard field goal with 3 seconds left. Tennessee gained 1 yard in OT and had to kick a field goal, Nate Frazier gained 21 on the Dawgs’ first play, and 2 plays later Josh McCray punched it in for the win.
Stockton was 23/31 for 304 yards and a touchdown, and he rushed for 38 and a score, QBR of 92.8. The Bulldogs rushed for 198 yards. Nate Frazier, 14 carries for 73 yards. Chauncey Bowens 12 carries for 12 yards. Colbie Young had 4 receptions for 73 yards. Zachariah Branch had 5 for 69 yards and a touchdown. London Lawson, 2 catches for 59 yards and a touchdown.
C.J. Allen 11 tackles, Kyron Jones 10 tackles, and Raylen Wilson had 9 tackles. Joenel Aguero and K.J. Bolden each had interceptions.
Game 4: No. 17 Alabama 24, No. 5 Georgia 21. A heavyweight fight that started with offense and ended up with great defense, as Georgia would score the only touchdown of the second half and the Crimson Tide held on for the big SEC road win despite the Bulldogs rushing for 227 yards. Gunner Stockton was 13/20 for 130 yards and a score, ran for 22. Chauncey Bowens did get 119 yards on 12 carries, including a 43 yard run, 1 touchdown. Dillon Bell also had a 43 yard run. Nate Frazier had 30 yards on 4 carries. Colbie Young had 3 receptions for 59 yards and a touchdown, long of 38. Zachariah Branch had 3 for 35, and Bowens had 4 catches for 22. Frazier with a fumble.
C.J. Allen had 8 tackles, Kyron Jones 7, and Daylen Everette, K.J. Bolden, and Raylen Wilson each with 6 tackles.
Georgia’s 6 penalties for 68 yards and fumble didn’t help the Bulldogs.
Game 5: Kentucky 14, Georgia 35. The Bulldogs outgained the Wildcats 425-270. Stockton was 15/23 for 196 yards, a TD, and an interception, and ran for 48 yards and 2 scores. Chauncey Bowens had 70 yards on 15 carries, and Nate Frazier had 34 yards on 7 carries. Dillon Bell had 4 catches for 68 yards, Elyiss Williams had 3 for 28. 7 other Bulldogs had catches.
Justin Williams and C.J. Allen each had 6 tackles, Quintavious Johnson and K.J. Bolden each had 5. Ellis Robinson IV got another interception for the Dawgs.
Game 6: Georgia 20, Auburn 10. I really wish I had the time to go back and watch this one. I assume PK and his staff did because Auburn’s defense did a nice job. Stockton was 24/37 for 217 yards and ran for 26 yards and a touchdown. McCray and Frazier each had 24 yards. Chauncey Bowens got the other Georgia touchdown, but was held to 5 yards on 4 carries. Zachariah Branch had 9 catches for 57 yards Colbie Young 4 for 53.
C.J. Allen had 10 tackles and a sack, Raylen Wilson had 6 tackles. Daylen Everette and Gave Harris, Jr. each had 5 tackles.
This game was marred by terrible officiating. The most scandalous call was the Jackson Arnold fumble as he was scoring, which was a 10 point swing. Tigers score there, and it is 17-0. At half time. Instead, 10-3
Auburn submitted 11 calls for review by the SEC, including the “fumble”, and 9 were deemed to be the wrong call. Ken Williamson, the crew chief, was suspended for the rest of the season.
Game 7: No. 5 Ole Miss 35, No. 9 Georgia 43. A heckuva football game, as Gunner Stockton accounted for all 5 Bulldog touchdowns. 26/31 for 289 yards and 4 touchdowns, and he tacked on 59 yards and a score on 10 runs. 9.3 yards per attempt and 5.9 yards per carry. Healthy, especially against the Rebels. Nate Frazier added 72 yards, and Bowens picked up 61 yards on 10 carries. Georgia finished with 221 yards on the ground. Big Zachariah Branch had 8 catches for 71 yards. Dillon Bell 2 for 57 yards. Lawson Luckie had 5 receptions for 43 yards and 3 touchdowns.
C.J. Allen had 10 tackles to lead the Dawgs. No sacks, but they stifled Kiffin’s offense. Trinidad Chamblis had 263 yards and a touchdown, but the Rebels only got 88 yards on the ground, of note – 42 and 2 TDs from Chambliss. Texas is going to need that from Arch on Saturday to stay in the game and have a shot at winning.
Game 8: No. 5 Georgia 24, Florida 20. Like Texas, the Bulldogs scuffled a bit with the Gators, but unlike the Horns, the Dawgs got the win. Stockton was 20/29 for 223 yards and 2 touchdowns, one interception. He only picked up 11 yards on 13 rushing attempts. Bowens led the Bulldogs with 70 yards on 9 carries and got their rushing touchdown. Frazier 45 yards on 12 carries. Zachariah Branch 10 catches for 112 yards. Dillon Bell 3 for 43 yards and a score.
C.J. Allen 13 tackles, Raylen Wilson 8. Florida was 2 of 11 on third down and o for 2 on fourth down.
Game 9: Georgia with a 41-21 win over Mississippi State in Starkville. Gunnar Stockton threw for 264 yards on 18-of-29 attempts (62.1%), three touchdowns, no interceptions. He also carried the ball six times for 31 yards. Nate Frazier had 181 rushing yards and a touchdown on just 12 carries, with his longest a 59 yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Noah Thomas had three receptions for 78 yards and one touchdown.
Texas Longhorns vs. Georgia Bulldogs
The Statistics
The first ranking is national, the second is SEC.
Offense
Statistic |
Texas |
Georgia |
| Rushing Offense | #95, #12 – 135.3 ypg | #24, #4 – 197.2 ypg |
| Passing Offense | #51, #7– 246.1 ypg | #60, #10 – 239.1 ypg |
| Total Offense | #72, #10- 381.4 ypg | #32, #7 – 436.3 ypg |
| Scoring Offense | #60, #10– 29.6 ppg | #29, #6 – 33.4 ppg |
| First Downs | #107, #15 – 18.6/game | #5, #2 – 25.6/game |
| Sacks Allowed | #75, #8 – 18, 105 yards | #22, #2 – 11, 34 yards |
| Tackles for Loss Allowed | #100, #11 – 54, 208 yards | #53, #7 – 46, 132 yards |
| Third Down Conversions | #67, #12 – 40.6% | #19, #6 – 47.9% |
| Fourth Down Conversions | #117, #16 – 41.7% (5/12) | #12, #4 – 72.7% (8/11) |
| Touchdowns | #65, #10 – 32 total, 22 | #36, #7 – 38 total, 28 RZ |
| Red Zone Attempts | #54, #10 – 36 | #44, #7 – 37 |
| Red Zone Offense | #80, #13 – 83% / 61% | #58, #10 – 86% / 76% |
| Long Run Plays | #99, #11 – 35/10, 6/20, 4/30, 1/40 | #49, #8 – 47/10, 13/20, 6/30, 3/40 |
| Long Pass Plays | #53, #9 – 87/10, 31/20, 18/30, 8/40 | #69, #11 – 81/10, 30/20, 13/30, 4/40 |
| Long Punt Returns | #3, #1- 7/20, 6/30, 6/40, 2/50 | #66, #10 – 1/20, -0- |
Defense
Statistic |
Texas |
Georgia |
| Rushing Defense | #2, #1– 78.2 ypg | #12, #4 – 100.2 ypg |
| Passing Defense | #96, #12 – 235.3 ypg | #58, #8 – 210.6 ypg |
| Total Defense | #22, #5 – 313.6 ypg | #20, #4 – 310.8 ypg |
| Scoring Defense | #11, #2 – 16.4 ppg | #24, #6 – 19.8 ppg |
| First Downs Allowed | #34, #7 – 17.9/game | #30, #6 – 17.4/game |
| Sacks | #2, #1 – 34, 221 yards | #122, #16 – 11, 67 yards |
| Tackles for Loss | #22, #5 – 62, 298 yards | #129, #16 – 35, 110 yards |
| Third Down Conversions | #23, #5 – 33.8% | #82, #12 – 40.7% |
| Fourth Down Conversions | #7, #1 – 31.8% (7/22) | #22, #2 – 40% (6/15) |
| Red Zone Attempts | #6, #1 – 18 | #22, #5 – 25 |
| Red Zone Defense | #24, #4 – 78% / 61% | #17, #3 – 76% / 64% |
| Long Run Plays Allowed | #14, #4 – 26/10, 3/20, 1/30, -0- | #4, #1 – 21/10, 5/20, -0- |
| Long Pass Plays Allowed | #98, #12 – 85/10, 26/20, 8/30, 6/40 | #38, #6 – 69/10, 22/20, 11/30, 6/40 |
Other
Statistic |
Texas |
Georgia |
| Turnovers | #6, #3 – 7 (1F, 6I) | #25, #5 – 9 (5F, 4I) |
| Turnover Margin | #10, #2 – 15:7 +8 | #88, #10 – 7:9 -2 |
| Penaltiesπ | #129, #14 – 73, 595 yards | #23, #3 – 45, 416 yards |
πBased on total number of penalties.
Match-up Comparison
Texas Offense |
Georgia Defense |
| Rushing Offense – 135.3 ypg | 100.2 ypg – Rushing Defense |
| Passing Offense – 246.1 ypg | 210.6 ypg – Passing Defense |
| Total Offense – 381.4 ypg | 310.8 ypg – Total Defense |
| Scoring Offense – 29.6 ppg | 19.8 ppg – Scoring Defense |
| First Downs – 18.6/game | 17.4/game – First Downs Allowed |
| 3rd Down Offense – 40.6% | 40.7% – 3rd Down Defense |
| 4th Down Offense – 41.7% | 40% – 4th Down Defense |
| Red Zone Offense – 83% / 61% | 76% / 64% – Red Zone Defense |
| LRP – 35/10, 6/20, 4/30, 1/40 | 21/10, 5/20, -0- LRP Allowed |
| LPP – 87/10, 31/20, 18/30, 8/40 | 69/10, 22/20, 11/30, 6/40 LPP Allowed |
Texas Defense |
Georgia Offense |
| Rushing Defense – 78.2 ypg | 197.2 ypg – Rushing Offense |
| Passing Defense – 235.3 ypg | 239.1 ypg – Passing Offense |
| Total Defense – 313.6 ypg | 436.3 ypg – Total Offense |
| Scoring Defense – 16.4 ppg | 33.4 ppg – Scoring Offense |
| First Downs Allowed – 17.9/game | 25.6/game – First Downs |
| 3rd Down Defense – 33.8% | 47.9% – 3rd Down Offense |
| 4th Down Defense – 31.8% | 72.7% – 4th Down Offense |
| Red Zone Defense – 78% / 61% | 86% / 76% – Red Zone Offense |
| LRP Allowed – 26/10, 3/20, 1/30. -0- | 47/10, 13/20, 6/30, 3/40 – LRP |
| LPP Allowed – 85/10, 26/20, 8/30, 6/40 | 81/10, 30/20, 13/30, 4/40 – LPP |
BCF Toys
| FEI | OFEI | DFEI | SFEI – Adj | |
| Texas | No. 16: 0.84 | No. 37: 0.15 | No. 10: 0.56 | No. 3: 0.15 |
| Georgia | No. 4: 129 | No. 2: 0.81 | No. 27: 0.38 | No. 14: 0.11 |
| NAY | OAY | DAY | |
| Texas | No. 35: 0.093 | No. 68: 0.466 | No. 16: 0.373 |
| Georgia | No. 10: 0.192 | No. 11: 0.615 | No. 33: 0.422 |
| NPD | OPD | DPD | |
| Texas | No. 22: 1.02 | No. 54: 2.42 | No. 11: 1.40 |
| Georgia | No. 9: 1.49 | No. 6: 3.47 | No. 46: 1.97 |
Vanderbilt was No. 6 overall when we played them, and No. 2 in OPD at 3.78.
| NPP | OPP | DPP | |
| Texas | No. 52: 0.49 | No. 80: 5.50 | No. 19: 5.01 |
| Georgia | No. 21: 1.27 | No. 23: 6.50 | No. 37: 5.22 |
Vanderbilt was No. 7 overall when we played them, and No. 6 in OPP at 7.25.
| PVE | OVE | DVE | SVE | |
| Texas | No. 21: 0.58 | No. 65: -0.06 | No. 8: 0.51 | No. 3: 0.14 |
| Georgia | No. 8: 0.76 | No. 3: 0.56 | No. 64: 0.12 | No. 17: 0.08 |
In BCF’s F+ ratings (Brian Fremeau’s FEI ratings combined with Bill Connelly’s SP+ ratings).
| F+ | OF+ | DF+ | SF+ | |
| Texas | No. 16: 1.33 | No. 43: 0.59 | No. 7: 1.66 | No. 10: 1.39 |
| Georgia | No. 7: 1.75 | No. 4: 1.82 | No. 18: 1.12 | No. 3: 1.61 |
BCF Game Projection:
| Projected Winner | Projected Loser | PW | PM | PF | PA | PT |
| Georgia | Texas | .787 | 11.7 | 32.9 | 21.1 | 54.0 |
PFF
Texas’ overall rating is 92.0, placing the Horns at No. 11. Georgia’s overall rating is 91.2, placing it at No. 18. The numbers below are just the PFF grades.
Offense |
Passing |
Pass Blocking |
Receiving |
Run |
Run Blocking |
|
UT |
79.0 | 81.2 | 65.2 | 77.1 | 80.0 | 66.9 |
UGA |
83.9 | 86.8 | 77.9 | 74.4 | 84.0 | 66.6 |
Texas grades on offense ticked up a bit. Defense ticked down.
|
|
Defense |
Run D |
Tackling |
Pass Rush |
Coverage |
UT |
92.7 | 93.6 | 88.0 | 88.2 | 84.2 |
UGA |
87.2 | 92.4 | 91.6 | 61.3 | 72.7 |
The Texas run defense is ranked No. 6, Georgia’s No. 12. Both elite.
Special Teams: Georgia and Texas are tied at No. 40 – 78.3 rating.
Parker Fleming’s Advanced Stats Preview
All the terms here: CFB GRAPHS – College Football Analytics
Official Game Notes from The University:
Week 12 Georgia – University of Texas Athletics
Official Game Notes from Georgia:
25FB GameNotes Texas – University of Georgia Athletics
Week 12 Notes from the SEC:
SEC Football Weekly Release – Southeastern Conference
Preview:
Josh Pate, about 10 minutes. Pate says yards after catch will be the most important stat in the game. I think he is probably right about that. He picks Georgia to win and Texas to cover. He’s half right about that.
CBS Sports College Football. 9 minutes:
SEC Now, under 4 minutes:
https://www.espn.com/video/clip/_/id/46937267
On3, about 10 minutes.
PFF preview – stats heavy.
SEC Student Availability Report
Wednesday night
The ESPN Matchup Predictor
TCT Thoughts
First the best news- everyone is healthy. The whole team. First time this season, I think. The most obvious and most important, Michael Taaffe. I am a true believer in that kid, and it took him being out for me to appreciate how much his presence and leadership means to this football team. Second, C.J. Baxter. No secret that we need help in the run game – not a knock on Quintrevion Wisner, who I love, but we just need another strong back. A healthy Baxter is good. Jelani McDonald being back will help, as our young kids are good, but we need the full experienced Texas secondary to go toe to toe with Stockton Saturday night.
That’s where Texas has to improve to win. Without better pass defense, Gunner Stockton and that exemplary array of receivers (wide and tight) will have a big night, really big. One way to have a better pass defense is to tighten up the coverage from that spongy zone we seem to get caught in too often. One way to help the secondary will be to get pressure on Stockton. The pass rush has come on strong, and while the Georgia offensive line has done an excellent job of protecting the quarterback, it is not impenetrable. Especially with some well-timed blitzes. I think it is the “NASCAR” package that Texas runs that has been so effective. I’m hoping for big games from Simmons, Burke, and Vasek, plus some QB pressure from Hill and Lefau and Spence. I can’t help but think that if Texas had stayed with the high-pressure defense against Pavia, the fourth quarter against Vanderbilt would’ve been a bit different. Let’s just hope Kwiatkowski dials up a good aggressive game plan and the Horns execute (RRS style).
The good news is that if Texas just plays as well as it has in other key areas – run defense, offensive line protection for Arch Manning, Manning making his reads, and no turnovers, then I think Stockton versus the Texas secondary is the one place Georgia has a significant edge.
Despite that important edge, when it comes to head-to-head, Arch is (right now, and based on the last few games), in the same league as Stockton. Against Florida: Manning 16/23, 263 yards, 2 TD, 2 Picks, ran for 377; Stockton 20/29, 223 yards, 2 TD, 1 pick, ran for 11 yards. Against Mississippi State: Manning 29/46, 346 yards, 3 TDs, 1 pick, ran for 6 yards and a TD; Stockton 18/29, 264 yards, 3 TDs, ran for 31. So while the Georgia pass defense is much better than the Horns, it is middle of the SEC and high-middle nationally. Both quarterbacks and their offensive schemes have one thing in common: short passes, and especially passes behind the line of scrimmage. Per CJ Vogel, Stockton has the highest percentage of passes behind the LOS in the SEC – 29.8%. Manning is right behind him at 24.5%. Our linebackers and edge guys will have to be ready, as well as the corner or nickel moving with the guy in motion. In that vein, the average distance per target on passes to Zachariah Branch is 3.3 yards. PK had better have the men ready.
If Texas can improve in just one key area, Texas can win this game, and that is pass defense. Against Vandy – 365 yards, 9.6 yards per pass, 13.5 yards per completion, 3 touchdowns; against Mississippi State – 382 yards, 8.9 yards per pass, 14.1 yards per completion, 4 touchdowns; against Kentucky – 258 yards, 6.5 yards per pass, 8.3 yards per completion. I only include Kentucky because relatively speaking, Boley was not exactly the top quarterback in the league. And he still did a decent job carving us up.
Lot of talk about UGA and their lack of sacks. True. While past results are not indicative of future returns, I am optimistic that the improved Texas offensive line play will give Arch Manning better protection and perhaps another half-second or so. As well as Arch was making his reads the last couple of games, that extra half-second could be really be big in terms of Arch Manning making plays.
Emmett Mosley V has really come on strong and he is WR1 or 1A. His route running, sense of the play and position, and hands are fantastic. This catch in the end zone. My goodness. Wingo is healthy, Moore and Niblett have been playing well, and Parker Livingstone can make plays. I feel like we just need one more thing to click in the passing game and Manning will shift into the next gear. My instinct tells me that is more targets to the tight ends, but it is hard to not try to get the ball to all that speed. A strong and productive running game would be accretive as well. We shall see.
I will give Gunner the edge since he is playing at home, but it wouldn’t surprise me if we see some plays, and in particular some plays for Arch Manning, that we haven’t seen yet. Steve Sarkisisan is a highly competitive man, and on top of all the other driving factors for the game, not losing 3 in a row to Kirby Smart is probably up there. There is a weapon that has not been fully unleashed by Steve Sarkisian, and that is Archibald Charles Manning as an unrestricted dual threat quarterback. Run whenever you need to. Laissez les bon temps roulez Arch.
Kirby isn’t sleeping on Arch Manning: https://x.com/ontexasfootball/status/1987971737162489907
In the running game, I think 3 things that will perhaps be on the sheet this week. First, more 2 back sets with Wisner and Baxter. Second, more RPO with Manning and more R than we have seen in the past. Finally, Michael Terry running the wildcat.
Both teams have great run defenses, Texas a little better. In addition to the status above, per Justin Nash, Texas rush defense:
- 1 – 704 yards allowed
- 2 – 2.4 yards per rush
- 4 – 11 Fumbles Forced
- 9 – 6 TDs
- 14 – 26 explosive (10+) yard rushes
- 22 – 62 tackles for loss
The Bulldogs will pound the ball and get some yards, but they won’t be close to their season average. The Texas run defense will thus neutralize the advantage Georgia has, vis-à-vis our stagnant running game. [However, Arch.]
But Georgia’s great running game is going against the No. 1 run defense in the SEC and the second best in the country. They Bulldog ground game has been contained in a couple of games, and I fully believe that the Texas defense can do it again Saturday.
In response to one of the questions at his Monday presser, Sarkisian said about the game: “They’re 51-2 in their last 53 games at home…. It’s going to take 60 minutes. It’s going to take all three phases.” For sure, and if we could get a special teams score this week, that might be the difference maker. Also, I got a feeling it may take more than 60 minutes, just like last December. What won’t be like last December is the result.
Texas Longhorns 38, Georgia Bulldogs 34
History
Texas holds a 4-3 series record against Georgia. Until last year, the only (ever so painful) loss was the 1984 Cotton Bowl. But this will the third time the Horns and the Dawgs have tangled in 392 days, and Georgia has won the last two. 30-15 in Austin last October, in a game where Georgia outrushed Texas 108-29 and the Horns’ 2 touchdowns were Ewers to Bond and Ewers to Blue. Ewers was sacked 5 times, and when Arch came in, he got sacked twice. It was fierce. The SEC Championship Game was much closer, with Texas actually having a 6-3 lead at half. But again, the Longhorns couldn’t run against the Bulldogs (31 yards on 28 attempts), and Ewers 358 yards (and a TD) were offset by 2 interceptions and 6 sacks. Golden had 8 catches for 162 yards, Moore 9 for 114 and a score. Bert Auburn provided the other 12 Texas points, but his 2 missed field goals were, ultimately, the difference in the game.
Some of my favorite historical game notes.
Texas beat the Bulldogs in the 1949 Orange Bowl, 41-28, as Coach Blair Cherry’s Longhorns ran all over No. 9 Georgia, racking up 324 yards in a big win for a team that finished the 1948 season 7-3-1. Leading rusher for Texas in Miami that day was Tom Landry, who carried 15 times for 107 yards and a score (Landry also completed a pass). H.J. Shands, Jr. (of Lufkin, Texas) had 7 carries for 43 yards for the Horns.
Texas and Georgia played a sort of home & home in 1957-58. Texas beat Georgia in Atlanta, 26-7, in Darrell K Royal’s first game as Texas head coach. In 1958, Texas beat the Dawgs in Austin, 13-8. The game winning touchdown was scored by Bobby Gurwitz, whose grandson Zane had a nice baseball career here at Texas. The quarterback for Georgia that year was the great Fran Tarkenton. As the story was told in The Athletic, Tarkenton put himself in the game (Butts was the Georgia coach):
“I just ran on the field,” Tarkenton said. “My teammates were telling me: ‘What are you doing here?’”
Butts either didn’t have enough time to stop him or just didn’t bother. Asked what Butts said to him afterward, Tarkenton said: “Nothing! Nothing!” Either way, what ensued was what is still one of the longest drives in Georgia history: 21 plays, 95 yards, capped by Tarkenton hitting Jimmy Vickers for a 3-yard touchdown, then hitting Aaron Box for the first two-point conversion in program history. (It was a new rule that year.)
Both blue bloods, but Georgia has had a lot of success this decade: 11-2 in 2020, 14-1 in 2021 and a National Championship, 15-0 in 2022 and a National Championship, 13-1 in 2023, and 11-3 in 2024, losing in the CFP Quarterfinal. Smart is 105-19 overall and 62-11 in the SEC.
The University of Georgia
Founded January 27, 1785, the University of Georgia was the first public university to be chartered in the United States. An excellent public university, and a school that has been the college of choice for many friends and other Texans.
Academic Rankings |
||
National |
||
Texas |
Georgia |
|
| Forbes | 46 | 69 |
| U.S. News & World Report | 30 | 46 |
| Washington Monthly | 98 | 93 |
| WSJ/College Pulse | 41 | 143 |
Global |
||
| ARWU | 45 | 201-300 |
| QS | 68 (#4 U.S. Publics) | 525 |
| THE | 50 | 351-400 |
| U.S. News & World Report | 65 | 345 |
Honor Flight Austin
Honor Flight austin is a great organization, led by my friend Matt Mathias. If you are not familiar with Honor Flight, it began years ago, taking World War II veterans to Washington, D.C. to visit the WW2 memorial and be honored and thanked. Since then, it has expanded to Korean and Vietnam veterans, and Honor Flight Austin serves a 14 county area (Bastrop, Bell, Blanco, Burnet, Caldwell, Fayette, Gillespie, Gonzales, Hays, Lee, Llano, Milam, Travis, and Williamson). The 101st Austin Honor Flight was recently completed, and in 13 years, 3,564 veterans have made the trip.
You can help sponsor a flight, or you can just make a donation to support this great cause.
Week Twelve in the Southeastern Conference
South Carolina (3-6, 1-6) at No. 3 Texas Agricultural & Mechanical (9-0, 6-0), 11:00 a.m. on ESPN from Kyle Field in College Station. Gamecocks are 19.5 underdogs, and I would not be surprised to see the Aggies cover the line. Over/under is 47.5. BCF Projection
| Projected Winner | Projected Loser | PW | PM | PF | PA | PT |
| Texas A. and M. | South Carolina | .882 | 17.2 | 32.6 | 15.4 | 47.9 |
An interesting post last Saturday after the Missouri win on X from Zach Barnett about the aggies 6-0 SEC record:
- Four SEC schools have fired their head coaches; A&M played all four.
- Today’s opponent [Mizzou] played with a third-string true freshman QB.
- Next week’s opponent is 1-6 in SEC play and has fired its OC and OL coach.
Luck of the draw, and I give the aggies credit for playing the lucky cards well. Frankly, they haven’t always had a lot of luck, nor have they played their cards as well.
Arkansas (2-7, 0-5) at Louisiana State (5-4, 2-4), 11:45 a.m. on the SEC Network from Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge. Such a pity to see the pigs winless in the SEC. It shall continue. Tigers favored by 5.5, over/under is 56.5. Tigers to win, pigs with the blanket.
Tennessee Tech (10-0) at Kentucky (4-5), 12:30 p.m. on SEC Network+. Undefeated caught my eye. The Golden Eagles play in the OVC-Big South Football Association, an amalgamation of teams from the Big South Conference which was decimated by realignment and by Kennesaw State and North Alabama leaving a couple of years ago. Similar fate for the Ohio Valley Conference, so teams from the two conferences, both of which lacked enough teams for an automatic qualifier for the FCS playoffs, joined up to form the OVC-Big South. Tennessee Tech is ranked 7th in the FCS. ESPN Bet didn’t provide a line, but FanDuel has Kentucky -21.5. Tennessee Tech to cover. That Super Regional at the Disch with Tennessee Tech (all 3 games at noon) is still the hottest I have ever been at any Longhorns game.
No. 11 Oklahoma (7-2, 3-2) at No. 4 Alabama (8-1, 6-0), 6:30 p.m. on ABC from Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa. Alabama favored by 6.5, over/under is 45.5. Crimson Tide to win and cover. BCF Projection:
| Projected Winner | Projected Loser | PW | PM | PF | PA | PT |
| Crimson Tide | Land Thieves | .713 | 8.3 | 27.0 | 18.7 | 45.7 |
New Mexico State (3-6) at No. 23 Tennessee (6-3), 3:15 p.m. on the SEC Network from Neyland Stadium in Knoxville. The New Mexican Aggies in for a long evening. Volunteers favored by 40.5, over/under is 61.5. Those poor New Mexicoans.
Florida (3-6, 2-4) at No. 7 Ole Miss (9-1, 5-1), 6:00 p.m. on ESPN from Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford. Rebels favored by 14.5, over/under is 53.5. Ole Miss for the win and to cover the line. Hotty Toddy! Big day for Trinidad after a huge day in the Grove. Bet it is going to be glorious.
BCF Projection:
| Projected Winner | Projected Loser | PW | PM | PF | PA | PT |
| Ole Miss | Gators | .823 | 13.7 | 33.4 | 19.8 | 53.2 |
Mississippi State (5-5, 1-5) at Missouri (6-3, 2-3), 6:45 p.m. on the SEC Network from Columbia. Missouri favored by 7.5, over/under is 51.5.
Week Twelve: Service Academies
Air Force (3-6) at Connecticut (7-3), 11:00 a.m. on CBSSN on Pratt & Whitney Stadium in East Hartford. Kind of cool that Air Force is playing in Pratt & Whitney Stadium. F-35 Lightning II, F-15, F-16, and the F-22. All powered by P&W engines. Huskies favored by 7.5, over/under is 63.5.
No. 24 South Florida (7-2, 5-1) at Navy (7-2, 5-1), 11:00 a.m. on ESPN2 from Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis. The Midshipmen look to bounce back after the loss at Notre Dame. It won’t be easy against a good South Florida Team. Bulls favored by 9.5, over/under is 65.5.
Top 25 – Week Twelve
Friday
Clemson (4-5) at No. 20 Louisville (7-2), 6:30 p.m. on ESPN. After this game, Clemson has Furman and the big rivalry game with South Carolina to get to 6 wins. Not a given for Dabo and Klubnik. Astounding really. Cardinals favored by 2.5, over/under is 49.5.
Minnesota (6-3, 4-2) at No 8 Oregon (8-1, 5-1), 8:00 p.m. on FOX from Autzen Stadium in Eugene. A big line – Ducks favored by 25.5. Over/under is 44.5. Oregon to win. Not sure about that 4 score line, but I will go with the Ducks to cover too.
Saturday
Wisconsin (3-6, 1-6) at No. 2 Indiana (10-0, -0), 11:00 a.m. on BTN from Memorial Stadium in Bloomington. Hoosiers favored by 29.5, over/under is 44.5. I think Mendoza has a big day, but that Wisconsin win against Washington last week makes me doubt the line.
No. 9 Notre Dame (7-2) at No. 22 Pittsburgh (7-2), 11:00 a.m. on ABC. Fighting Irish favored by 12.5, over/under is 55.5. Notre Dame to win and cover.
BCF Projection:
| Projected Winner | Projected Loser | PW | PM | PF | PA | PT |
| Notre Dame | Pittsburgh | .819 | 13.5 | 32.1 | 18.6 | 50.8 |
No. 18 Michigan (7-2, 5-1) at Northwestern (5-4, 3-3), 11:00 a.m. on FOX from Wrigley Field in Chicago. Such a cool game in The Friendly Confines. Wolverines favored by 11.5, over/under is 41.5. Big Blue to win and cover.
Arizona (6-3, 3-3) at No. 25 Cincinnati (7-2, 5-1), 11:00 a.m. on FS1 from Nippert Stadium. Bearcats favored by 6.5 over the Wildcats. Cinci to win, Arizona to cover.
UCF (4-5, 1-5) at No. 6 Texas Tech (9-1, 6-1), 2:30 p.m. on FOX from Lubbock. I doubt that the Sand Aggies football team will have a hangover from last week’s big win and weekend, but I best some of the kids do. Tech favored by 23.5, over/under is 47.5. Sand Aggies to win and cover. Jacob Rodriguez is something else.
NC State (5-4) at No. 15 Miami (FL) (7-2), 2:30 p.m. on ESPN. Hurricanes are favored by 15.5, over/under is 55.5. Miami to win, Wolfpack to cover.
No. 10 Georgia Tech (8-1, 5-1) at Boston College (1-9, 0-3), 2:30 p.m. on the ACC Network from Alumni Stadium in Chestnut Hill. Tickets as low as $6. That’s sad. Georgia Tech favored by 16.5, over is 58.5. Ramblin’ Wreck to win and cover.
No. 21 Iowa (6-3, 4-2) at No. 17 Southern Cal (7-2, 5-1), 2:30 p.m. on BTN from the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Trojans favored by 6.5, over/under is 49.5. Trojans to win, Hawkeyes to cover.
BCF Projection:
| Projected Winner | Projected Loser | PW | PM | PF | PA | PT |
| Southern Cal | Iowa | .591 | 3.3 | 27.3 | 24.0 | 51.4 |
No. 19 Virginia (8-2, 5-1) at Duke (5-4, 4-1), 2:30 p.m. on ESPN2 from Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham. The Cavaliers are 4.5 point underdogs. Total is 58.5. BCF Projection has a very, very close game. Parker Fleming’s Advanced Stats suggest Duke will cover. Pulling for the Hoos in a close one.
| Projected Winner | Projected Loser | PW | PM | PF | PA | PT |
| Virginia | Duke | .510 | 0.4 | 29.1 | 28.8 | 57.9 |
No. 13 Utah (7-2, 4-2) at Baylor (5-44, 3-3), 6:00 p.m. on ESPN2 from McLane Stadium in Waco. Sawyer Robertson continues to have a great season for the Bears, but I think the Utes will get this one. Utah favored by 7.5, over/under is 60.5. Utes cover.
UCLA (3-6, 3-3) at No. 1 Ohio State (9-0, 6-0), 6:30 p.m. on NBC from the Horseshoe. I think this is the first night game this season for the Buckeyes, maybe their second. Ohio State favored by 32.5 points, over/under is 48.5. Buckeyes to win and cover.
Texas Christian (6-3, 3-3) at No. 12 Brigham Young (8-1, 5-1). 9:15 p.m. on ESPN from LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo. Surprised the line is only Cougars by 4.5. Total is 52.5 points. BYU to win and cover. BCF Projection:
| Projected Winner | Projected Loser | PW | PM | PF | PA | PT |
| Brigham Young | Texas Christian | .721 | 8.6 | 30.2 | 21.6 | 51.9 |
Other Games of Interest – Week Twelve
Wednesday night, the Miami Redhawks got blown up by the Toledo Rockets in Oxford, 24-3. Toledo was favored by 3.5. JNU, not even close!
Saturday
UTSA (4-5) at Charlotte (1-8), 11:00 a.m. on ESPN+. Roadrunners desperately need a win, and this is a good chance to get one. UTSA favored by 18.5.
North Texas (8-1) at UAB (3-6), 1:00 p.m. on ESPN+. Mean Green favored by 18.5, over/under is 69.5. UNT to win and cover.
Texas State (3-6, 0-5) at Southern Miss (7-2, 5-0). 2:30 p.m. on ESPN+ from M.M. Roberts Stadium in Hattiesburg. Golden Eagles favored by 5.5. USM to win and cover. After last week’s embarrassment, it will be interesting to see how the Bobcats perform and behave. And I don’t mean the loss. I mean this, the nasty brawl the kitties started after getting beat by the Ragin’ Cajuns:
https://x.com/CajunSportsTalk/status/1987350485297176626
https://x.com/Keff_C/status/1987336233488654786
Virginia Tech (3-6) at Florida State (4-5), 6:30 p.m. on the ACC Network from Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee. Seminoles favored by 13.5. FSU to win.
The UTRGV Vaqueros (7-3, 3-3) are on the road to Lake Charles for a 6:00 game with the McNeese Cowboys (4-6, 3-3). On ESPN+. No line listed, but I bet there is action in the Golden Nugget.
All the games and schedule here: College Football Scores – FBS 2025 Season – ESPN
Bill Connelly’s SP+ Picks
Spreadsheet here.
Bill gives Texas a 39% chance of winning, and he projects the score to be Georgia 27, Texas 23.
The Austin Horns Fan Dispatch: Online @ AustinHornsFan.com
If you missed last week’s edition, read it here. Some extra Texas stats, plus a lot of photos from Taylor Grandchildren’s Day:
Victory over Vandy – Austin Horns Fan Dispatch
Texas Football Accolades
Bednarik Award: Anthony Hill, Jr. is a semifinalist for the Bednarik Award, given by The Maxwell Football Club to the College Defensive Player of the Year.
Burlsworth Trophy: Michael Taaffe is one of ten semifinalists for the Burlsworth Trophy. This annual award is given to the most outstanding football player who began his career as a walk-on and has shown outstanding performance on the field. Great story behind this trophy.
Texas Basketball
The Sean Miller coached Texas Longhorns played and won their first game at the Moody Center on Saturday, beating the Lafayette Leopards 97-60. Texas had 5 players in double figures, led by Tramon Mark with 16. Our 7 foot Lithuanian, Matas Vokietaitis, had 11 rebounds and 3 blocks. Wednesday night, the Horns thrashed the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights 93-58. Tramon Mark with 20 points, Vokietaitis with 19 points (8 for 8 from the field) and 2 rebounds, and Nic Codie with 8 rebounds and 8 points. Chendal Weaver, the hustlingest player we have, with good points and boards in both games. Texas plays the Kansas City Roos Saturday at noon.
Texas Volleyball
After opening the season 18-0, the Longhorns have struggled a bit. The Longhorns lost in College Station to No. 9 Texas Agricultural & Mechanical, 2-3, and then got swept at home by Kentucky on November 2. They have bounced back with SEC road wins over Florida (3-1) and Auburn (3-2). This Sunday, the Horns are back home in Gregory Gym, South Carolina at 1:00 p.m. on SEC Network+, to finish the regular season.
Week Eleven in the Southeastern Conference
No. 5 Georgia Bulldogs 41, Mississippi State 21. Georgia started a little slow but had a 21 point second quarter to cruise to the win, easily covering the 9.5 point line. ✔️
No. 6 Ole Miss 49, The Citadel 0. It was 35 to nothing at half. Trinidad Chambliss played through the first series of the second half. Still finished with 333 yards and 3 scores (29/33). Very good quarterback.
No. 3 Texas Agricultural & Mechanical 38, No. 22 Missouri 17. The Aggies erased all doubt in my mind about their ranking and ceiling. I thought this would be a reasonably close, good game, and Texas Agricultural & Mechanical whipped the Tigers easily. The Aggies had 243 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns, and Marcel Reed was a solid 20/29 for 2 scores. Mizzou’s third string back-up freshman quarterback was overwhelmed, just 7/22 for 77 yards and a fumble. The Tigers did rush for 207 yards and had 2 guys over a 100. Maybe something Texas can be ready to take advantage of in a few weeks.
Auburn 38, No. 16 Vanderbilt 45 in overtime. Sure wasn’t expecting that. But the Commodores did win and cover. Pavia carried his team – 377 yards and 3 touchdowns passing, 112 yards and a touchdown on the ground. ✔️
Louisiana State 9, No. 4 Alabama 20. Not a big score for the Tide, but they did cover. Ty Simpson is a darn good quarterback.
Kentucky 38, Florida 7. As I said last week, “No idea.” But didn’t think the Gators would get blown out. Lagway was terrible – 11/19 for 83 yards with 1 touchdown and 3 interceptions.
Week Eleven: Service Academies
Army squeaked by Temple, 14-13.
Air Force 26-16 over San José State, a good road win as the underdog for the Falcons.
Navy 10, No. 10 Notre Dame 49. A bigger winning margin that any of the projections or the 26.5 point line.
Top 25 – Week Eleven
Friday
Tulane Green Wave 38. Memphis Tigers 32. Missed on this one, and with that loss, Memphis is probably not even going to make the American Conference championship game.
No. 19 Southern Cal 38-17 over Northwestern, and with that loss the Wildcats pass Indiana for the most losses in college football, with 716, Southern Cal did win and cover. ✔️
Saturday
No. 2 Indiana 27, Penn State 24. Hoosiers were favored by 14.5. “Indiana to win, Nittany Lions to cover.” ✔️
No. 8 Texas Tech 29, No. 7 Brigham Young 7. The Sand Aggies are proof that in the new world of college football, you can spend your way to excellence. That, and part of the evidence that rich Texans will gladly spend their money on their football teams, I am sure outspending any other state by a wide margin (Aggies, Tech, & Longhorns all top-10, and Southern Methodist not far behind). The Sand Aggy defense is just incredibly good – championship good. BYU 188 yards passing, 67 rushing, 2 fumbles, 1 interception.
No. 1 Ohio State 34-10 over Purdue. The Buckeyes keep rolling. Going to be one heck of a Big Ten Championship Game.
No. 9 Oregon 18, at Iowa 16. “Ducks favored by 6.5, over/under is 42.5. Shockingly low line in my opinion, which means Oregon will win by 2.” ✔️
No. 18 Miami (FL) easily beating Syracuse 38-10. Missed on that one. Thought the Orange would cover.
No. 23 Washington lost 13-10 at Camp Randall to Wisconsin, who had just 2 wins and were 0-5 in the Big Ten. Ugly.
Wake Forest 16, No. 14 Virginia 9. The Hoos couldn’t find the end zone. Tough home loss for the Cavaliers. I missed on both the outcome and the line.
California 29, No. 15 Louisville 26 in overtime. The Golden Bears had the ball second in OT after Louisville kicked a field goal. On fourth down at the 3 yard line, Cal went for the win and got it. Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, the Cal quarterback, is solid. I whiffed on this one too, but glad I did. I like this outcome better.
Other Games of Interest – Week Eleven
Houston with a nice 30-27 road win over Central Florida.
Southern Methodist 45, Boston College 13. I thought the Eagles might cover given the game, but the Mustangs were very good.
Rice wins! Owls 24-17 over the UAB Blazers. One more win, and Rice is bowl-eligible.
Jacksonville State 30-27 over UTEP.
Texas Christian falls at home, 20-17, to Iowa State. Sure thought the Frogs were going to get this one. Iowa State did cover, obviously.
Florida State 10, Clemson 24. Tigers were favored by 1.5. “Dabo to win and cover.” ✔️
Nebraska 28, UCLA 21, in an unexpectedly entertaining game. “Big Red to win.” ✔️
UTRGV Vaqueros 28, Nicholls Colonels 21.
Washington & Lee University
The Generals pounded out a big 38-14 win over Roanoke on Senior Day. 393 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns, led by Ryan Clemens who carried for 223 yards on 22 carries and 3 touchdowns. 10.1 yards per carry, and his longest run was 39 yards. Very impressive.
W&L closes out the season on the road to Winchester. 1:00 p.m. game with the Shenandoah Hornets. In the ODAC, Generals are 6-1, Hornets are 5-2. Randolph-Macon is 7-0 and at Hampden-Sydney this weekend.
The Polls
CFP
AP Top 25 & the Coaches:
2025 College Football Rankings – ESPN
ESPN’s FPI
2025 College Football Power Index – ESPN
Bill Connelly’s SP+
SP+ is a tempo- and opponent-adjusted measure of college football efficiency. SP+ is intended to be predictive and forward-facing.
FWAA-NFF Super 16 Poll:
This poll is jointly conducted by the Football Writers Association of America and the National Football Foundation.
Ohio State, Indiana, Texas Agricultural & Mechanical, Alabama, Texas Tech, Georgia, Oregon, Notre Dame, Ole Miss, and Utah. Land Thieves are No. 13, Texas at No. 15.
PFF
PFF has The Ohio State University No. 1, followed by Indiana, Texas Agricultural & Mechanical, Alabama, Georgia, Ole Miss, Texas Tech, Oregon, Brigham Young, and Texas. Land Thieves are 11, Vanderbilt 12, and Notre Dame is ranked 14th.
Kelley Ford Ratings
Max Olson’s Defensive Stop Rates
College football defensive stop rate after Week 11 – ESPN
Georgia is ranked 37th, with a Stop Rate of 66.3% and Points per Drive of 2.07.
PFF Grades
Music
Sister Rosetta Tharpe popped up in my feed a couple of times in the last week, so I will abide the algorithm. Tharpe was a gospel singer (and songwriter), who played the electric guitar going back to the 1930s. She blended R&B and that electric guitar into her gospel singing, and she is credited with being one of the earliest and biggest influences on what would become rock & roll. Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, and Tina Turner were all inspired by Sister Rosetta.
Rock Me, 1938
Didn’t’ it Rain?, 1964
This Train, 1964
Down by the Riverside
https://youtu.be/4xzr_GBa8qk?si=sQMH7TOki5GGDoDw
Jim Nicar
1909: New York architect Cass Gilbert’s vision for a new U.T. Austin library building – today’s Battle Hall – with a balustrade in front that was never built. The design, with its tall, arched windows and the medallions in between them, was inspired by the Boston Public Library.
From Jim’s post on X on November 9, 2025.
Picture of the Week
JType. This photo is from his October 29, 2025, post on Instagram.
On X: @tctayloratx
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Tim Taylor P.O. Box 5371 Austin, Texas 78763-5371