the eleventh week of the 2025 college football season

introductory comments

as the season draws to a close it is necessary that some teams have their dreams come true and others have their dreams crushed. this place is for evaluating just how much that happened. let's take a look.

the top 25

1. texas a&m - 257 pts. (9-0, +134)
2. vanderbilt - 241 pts. (8-2, +161)
3. south florida - 212 pts. (7-2, +160)
4. oklahoma - 205 pts. (7-2, +133)
5. texas tech - 198 pts. (9-1, +295)
6. pittsburgh - 196 pts. (7-2, +161)
7. usc - 193 pts. (7-2, +160)
8. iowa - 189 pts. (6-3, +143)
9. indiana - 188 pts. (10-0, +324)
10. georgia - 185 pts. (8-1, +123)
11. utah - 183 pts. (7-2, +228)
12. ole miss - 179 pts. (9-1, +177)
13. washington - 179 pts. (6-3, +114)
14. houston - 178 pts. (8-2, +74)
15. ohio state - 174 pts. (9-0, +262)
16. virginia - 171 pts. (8-2, +121)
17. miami - 169 pts. (7-2, +161)
18. tcu - 165 pts. (6-3, +73)
19. texas - 164 pts. (7-2, +118)
20. oregon - 155 pts. (8-1, +224)
21. tennessee - 155 pts. (6-3, +112)
22. old dominion - 155 pts. (6-3, +76)
23. new mexico - 155 pts. (6-3, +39)
24. georgia tech - 148 pts. (8-1, +116)
25. coastal carolina - 147 pts. (6-3, -35)

the bottom 25

1. middle tennessee - -103 pts. (1-8, -107)
2. umass - -95 pts. (0-9, -229)
3. liberty - -86 pts. (4-5, +8)
4. army - -79 pts. (5-4, +3)
5. texas state - -72 pts. (3-6, -1)
6. south alabama - -61 pts. (2-7, -43)
7. toledo - -58 pts. (5-4, +165)
8. penn state - -41 pts. (3-6, +75)
9. appalachian state - -37 pts. (4-5, -7)
10. colorado state - -33 pts. (2-7, -96)
11. northern illinois - -19 pts. (4-6, -42)
12. louisiana - -19 pts. (4-6, -42)
13. boston college - -18 pts. (1-9, -108)
14. san jose state - -15 pts. (3-6, -39)
15. eastern michigan - -12 pts. (3-7, -73)
16. colorado - -6 pts. (3-7, -80)
17. clemson - -3 pts. (4-5, +49)
18. oregon state - -2 pts. (2-8, -94)
19. sam houston - 0 pts. (1-8, -190)
20. new mexico state - 3 pts. (3-6, -35)
21. tulsa - 4 pts. (2-7, -80)
22. arizona state - 8 pts. (6-3, +9)
23. georgia state - 11 pts. (1-8, -176)
24. rice - 12 pts. (5-5, -68)
25. bowling green - 15 pts. (3-7, -73)

adjustments

back to the bottom you go: georgia southern @ appalachian state

we all know appalachian state, so in a year where they didn't get that big upset win it's no surprise that they find themselves in the bottom ten. i think it's safe to say that they haven't been pulling their weight in d tier either, so appalachian state is demoted to e tier. come back when you beat michigan again or something.

georgia southern +21, appalachian state -16

giving austin even more competition: byu @ texas tech

texas tech has continued to play a very good season, and while they cannot at all be compared to texas a&m because they have a loss, they are definitely making texas look like less than the second best school in the state. the committee being impressed by their convincing win over byu this week, texas tech is promoted to a tier. they have two games to earn their spot in the big 12 final and possibly the playoff.

texas tech +21, byu -16

just pretty good, that's about it: southern miss @ arkansas state

southern miss is promoted to d tier. all told, 7-2 is just pretty good. they may have played one of the easiest schedules this year, but they have at least earned their way out of the bottom of the barrel. not much else to say about this one honestly.

southern miss +16, arkansas state -16

the bears fit right in right away: missouri state @ liberty

would you believe me if i told you missouri and missouri state have the same record right now? me neither. after taking their required beating from usc to start the season, it has kept looking better for the bears in their transition season. they have already managed to reach the six-win mark, which will be discussed later. but that definitely earns their way out of the bottom tier with some of the winning they have been up to lately. the committee is proud to announce that missouri state is promoted to d tier.

missouri state +16, liberty -16

the late game does not disappoint: san diego state @ hawaii

this week saw the return of yet another college football tradition, where hawai's home game extends the saturday schedule way beyond where it should normally end. and this time, hawaii actually beat a decent team handily. it's just another formality to pick someone out of the depths again, but hawaii is promoted to d tier.

hawaii 16, san diego state -16

on the subject of unqualified teams in the top 25:

there will be no more. i am putting my foot down. if you can't be bothered to get your sixth win by now, i don't care what your schedule was, you're out. that applied to northwestern and mississippi state this week, who have been duly placed on fraud alert, their points reduced to below the 25th team that cares about the postseason, and that allows georgia tech and coastal carolina back in.

further notes

what: sam houston @ oregon state

yep. sam houston won. against oregon state. that leaves umass as the last winless team this year, oregon state as another team that has no idea what it is, and only one news story this week because everything else pales in comparison.

bowl eligibility: qualification

another round, but this time with a caveat. congratulations to:

• the ohio bobcats
• the coastal carolina chanticleers
• the missouri state bears*
• the jacksonville state gamecocks
• the east carolina pirates
• the arizona wildcats
• the iowa state cyclones
• the wake forest demon deacons

*missouri state, as a transition team, cannot be considered for a bowl game until after all eligible full members are exhausted. however, they will be the first choice after the 6-6 teams.

bowl eligibility: elimination

we say get lost to more teams than ever this week, and the list will keep growing. they are:

• the northern illinois huskies
• the syracuse orange
• the colorado buffaloes
• the bowling green falcons
• the utep miners
• the tulsa golden hurricane
• the stanford cardinal
• the colorado state rams

scorigami recognition

yet again, weird teams top the table as if good teams can only beat up their fcs opponents. congratulations to:

• florida international (56 vs middle tennessee)
• south florida (55 vs utsa)
• utah state (51 vs nevada)
• ole miss (49 vs the citadel)
• notre dame (49 vs navy)
• east carolina (48 vs charlotte)
• smu (45 vs boston college)
• vanderbilt (45 vs auburn)
• akron (44 vs umass)
• toledo (42 vs northern illinois)
• louisiana (42 vs texas state)
• unlv (42 vs colorado state)
• georgia (41 vs mississippi state)
• coastal carolina (40 vs georgia state)
• florida atlantic (40 vs tulsa)
• texas state (39 vs louisiana)
• memphis (32 vs tulane)
• texas tech (29 vs byu)
• west virginia (29 vs colorado)
• california (29 vs louisville)
• georgia southern (25 vs appalachian state)
• delaware (25 vs louisiana tech)
• colorado (22 vs west virginia)
• charlotte (22 vs east carolina)
• oregon (18 vs iowa)
• stanford (15 vs north carolina)

the belt

the belt had a very interesting ride this week. california has taken the belt and five points. they hold it for the third time and the tenth game, their first belt win since 1993. more importantly, this means that after the final bye week for the belt this year, the belt is going to the fabled big game for the third time in its history. only one playoff hope remains for the belt after that: stanford must win, lose to notre dame, and notre dame must receive a bid. drama awaits in week thirteen.

finishing up

but cal-stanford will have to wait. next week: can umass win? can a&m, indiana, or ohio state lose? who will properly prepare themselves for rivalry week, and who will suffer embarrassing defeats? find out tuesday through saturday and see the analysis next sunday.