Nov 3, 2025, 07:10 AM ET

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After Arch Manning‘s second straight 300-yard passing game, coach Steve Sarkisian said the improvement of Texas’ offensive line, along with the experience and maturity of Manning at quarterback, means he can get his offense more in attack mode. The one-two punch of Quintrevion Wisner and CJ Baxter returning allows the Longhorns to open up the play-action game, like they did against Vanderbilt as Manning went 12-of-15 for 166 yards and three TDs on play fakes. Texas gets a bye week to heal up before a Nov. 15 showdown in Athens against No. 5 Georgia followed by home games against Arkansas and Texas A&M. Key stats for Texas’ playoff hopes: Sarkisian has 12 wins over ranked teams over the past three campaigns, second only to Kalen DeBoer (13); and Texas is 17-1 at home during that same span, tied for fewest home losses in the FBS. — Wilson

Previous ranking: 16

Late in the 28-16 win over Virginia Tech, Cardinals running back Isaac Brown came up limping near the sideline. Brown has been on fire as of late, and he had another 130 yards on the ground Saturday. But he also has been Louisville’s only consistent big-play threat, and if he is to miss any time, it’s easy to wonder what this Cardinals offense would look like without him. Quarterback Miller Moss has been mediocre for much of the season, and Saturday’s outing was a microcosm of larger concerns. Moss threw a pick and averaged just 4.9 yards per pass. Moss’ 66.1 Total QBR ranks 54th nationally, and he has had at least one turnover in six of eight games this season. Moss was never likely to be as prolific as Tyler Shough had been a year ago for the Cardinals, but Moss probably needs to be a tick or two better than he has been if Louisville wants to make a serious push for the playoff. — Hale

Previous ranking: 7

The Yellow Jackets’ struggles against the run finally caught up with them in Week 10 against NC State, which ran for 243 yards in a 48-36 win. Quarterback Haynes King was still exceptional, accounting for 511 of Georgia Tech’s 559 yards, but some of the cracks in the offensive facade showed through, as well. The rushing attack came up short multiple times in the red zone, forcing Georgia Tech to settle for too many field goals, and the receivers had several key drops. In all, Tech’s offense remains one of the better groups in the country. But the dependence on King to be the superhero was on display in the loss to NC State, and the struggles in stopping the Wolfpack on defense was a reminder that no matter how dynamic King is, someone still needs to stop the other team too. — Hale

Previous ranking: 11

The Commodores clawed back against Texas but were in too big of a hole, starting the fourth quarter down 34-10 before scoring 21 unanswered. The biggest reason was the lack of protection for Diego Pavia, who had been sacked just seven times all season before Texas got to him six times. Vanderbilt also entered the game averaging 203 yards rushing, but it was held to just 58, the lowest output in two campaigns since offensive coordinator Tim Beck arrived (along with Pavia). Pavia was 7-for-12 for 86 yards when he was pressured against Texas but 20-of-26 for 279 when he wasn’t, so solidifying things up front is key for the stretch run. Vandy has home games against Auburn and Kentucky then an end-of-year trip to Knoxville to take on Tennessee. ESPN Research currently gives the Commodores a 25% chance to make the playoff — but a 94% chance if they win out. — Wilson

Previous ranking: 24

The Utes’ offensive turnaround this season has been remarkable. When they’re clicking, they have one of the most fun offenses to watch in college football. The playcalling is creative, and there are huge gaps to run through. It’s pleasing to the eye. In the two games the Utes were stifled — by Texas Tech and BYU — the offensive line just wasn’t able to get the same push, and it threw off the timing of everything. At its finest, Utah might be the best team in the Big 12. But with two conference losses — to teams it trails in the standings — Utah will need a lot of help to reach the title game. — Bonagura

Previous ranking: 18

With Beau Pribula out with a dislocated left ankle, Missouri got a bye week to prepare freshman Matt Zollers for his first career start against No. 3 Texas A&M this Saturday. Zollers was a smooth-passing top-100 recruit, and he went a decent 14-for-23 for 138 yards and a touchdown while nearly leading a comeback against Vanderbilt. But Mizzou needs to do him some favors by reestablishing a solid run game. It’s a lot easier to run than throw against A&M anyway, but after earning early-season All-American hype, Tigers back Ahmad Hardy has averaged only 3.7 yards per carry over his past three games. If Hardy can’t get going again (and the offensive line can’t help a bit more than it has of late), beating a top-five team is going to be awfully difficult. — Bill Connelly

Previous ranking: 9

The Hurricanes have found themselves in quite a pickle headed into the stretch run: All but eliminated from ACC title game contention, they still have an outside shot at an at-large CFP berth. With that in mind, how will Miami fix its offensive issues over the final four weeks of the season? Penalties — in particular pre-snap flags — have killed drives and sapped momentum in losses to Louisville and SMU. But more than that, when the run game stalls, Miami has not done a good enough job stretching the field with explosive plays in the passing game. Some of that is because the Hurricanes do not have a reliable receiver outside of Malachi Toney. CJ Daniels showed he could be that earlier in the year, but he missed the SMU game with an injury. Against a Mustangs defense that had given up its fair share of big passing plays, Miami could not get the ball down the field consistently enough and lost. — Adelson

Previous ranking: 25

The Trojans had a bit of a role reversal in their 21-17 win against Nebraska as the defense was able to will them to a hard-fought road victory while the offense appeared to regress. Until this week, USC’s offense under quarterback Jayden Maiava had been one of the most potent units in the nation (and it still ranks third in SP+). But Maiava struggled, completing only nine passes for 135 yards and throwing one interception. USC has playoff hopes that are very much within its grasp, but it likely needs to trust its own run game even more than it is currently (202 rushing yards against Nebraska) down the stretch. Despite injuries to its top two backs in Eli Sanders and Waymond Jordan, walk-on King Miller has been a revelation, rushing for 357 yards over the past three contests. If the Trojans are set to make a true run at the CFP, both Maiava and Miller will need to be at their best. — Uggetti

Previous ranking: 21

The pregame image of Justice Haynes, the Big Ten’s leading rusher, with a boot on his foot and needing a scooter to get around would be daunting for some teams, but not Michigan. The Wolverines are set up to run the ball productively regardless of who is logging carries. Jordan Marshall stepped in for the injured Haynes and had a career performance against Purdue, finishing with 185 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 25 attempts. Michigan’s growth on offense remains with its passing game and freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood, who contributed to the rushing attack but registered only 145 passing yards along with one interception. Michigan will look for more from Underwood and his pass catchers this month. — Rittenberg

Previous ranking: NR

The Tigers smoothly navigated a potential Friday night trap game at Rice, riding a 31-point first half to a straightforward 38-14 win in Week 10. The first half of Memphis’ season was all about the run game: The Tigers averaged 237.8 yards rushing per game across their 6-0 start. Over the past month, however, things have flipped. Quarterback Brendon Lewis and Memphis’ passing game came to life in October, most prominently in Lewis’ 307-yard performance in the program’s Week 9 win over South Florida. The Tigers have shown they can win in multiple ways on offense. The question now is whether Memphis can get things clicking on the ground and in the air at the same time. If so, coach Ryan Silverfield & Co. will hit the business end of the campaign with a complete offense capable of lifting an American Conference title and, in turn, potentially clinching a spot in the playoff field. — Lederman

Previous ranking: 15

Not including sacks, Tennessee averaged 5.6 yards per carry and 37.4 rushing attempts over its first seven outings. Over the past two: 31.5 carries and 3.4 yards. The run game has abandoned the Volunteers as of late, and in Saturday’s 33-27 loss to Oklahoma, their backs rushed 24 times for just 69 yards. After scoring 10 points on its first three possessions, Tennessee suffered a drought of seven points across seven drives thanks to a one-dimensional attack and a couple of poor decisions from quarterback Joey Aguilar. With a bye week to prepare for the last three games of the season — New Mexico State, at Florida, Vanderbilt — the Vols will need to rediscover the run and give Aguilar more support for any hope of winning out and maybe, with help, salvaging a playoff berth. — Connelly

Previous ranking: NR

That the Huskies have managed to lose only to Michigan and Ohio State is indicative of the quality of the team and the talent they do have, especially on offense and specifically with quarterback Demond Williams Jr. The sophomore has thrown for over 2,000 yards and completed 73% of his passes, and he boasts a 14-to-4 touchdown-to-interception ratio as well as 429 rushing yards. (In fact, he has twice been the Huskies’ leading rusher.) Williams and his offense have had their way against equal and lesser defenses, but their worst two performances have come in those two losses facing elite defenses. (Williams threw three of his four interceptions to date against the Wolverines.) If Jedd Fisch’s team is hoping to keep surprising and rising up the rankings, the rest of its season presents a road map that is within reach, as Washington likely will be favored in three of its final four contests, with the exception being its Nov. 29 home game against Oregon. But it will require the best version of the Huskies’ offense and ask players such as running back Jonah Coleman to step up and help Williams too. That final regular-season matchup against the Ducks will feature one of the best defenses in the country trying to stop it. — Uggetti

Previous ranking: NR

The Hawkeyes are 68th in offensive EPA (expected points added), a considerable jump from last season, when they ranked 88th. If only Iowa could generate a few more big plays in the passing game. The Hawkeyes rank last among Power 4 offenses with just 5.64 yards per passing attempt. Iowa has completed only 14 passes for more than 20 yards and none for over 50 yards. The Hawkeyes did get two big completions (29 and 28 yards) in their resounding 41-3 victory over Minnesota last weekend. They’ll need to find a way to get a lot more of those over these next two weeks if they’re going to knock off Oregon and USC to hang on in the Big Ten title game picture. — Trotter