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File: College Football Playoff logo at the Playstation Fiesta Bowl college football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Clemson Tigers on December 31, 2016. (Photo by Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

AUSTIN – The Lone Star State is shining bright in college football once again. For the first time this season, three Texas football programs, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, and Texas, are ranked among the nation’s top 10 in the College Football Playoff Rankings released Tuesday night.

3 Texas college football programs

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The Texas A&M Aggies maintained their No. 3 spot after a 38-17 win at Missouri. A dominant stretch that included a pair of top 25 victories, sits the Aggies behind top-ranked Ohio State, and No. 2 Indiana. 

COLUMBIA, MO – NOVEMBER 08: Fans congratulate Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed (10) after an SEC football game between the Texas A&M Aggies and Missouri Tigers on November 8, 2025 at Memorial Stadium in Columbia, MO. (Photo by

With the College Football Playoff bracket just a month away, A&M faces a crucial closing stretch that includes a rivalry trip to No. 10 ranked Texas and a potential SEC title clash if they hold their position.

Texas Tech Keeps Rising

Texas Tech rose to No. 8 following its 29-7 win over previously unbeaten BYU. The Red Raiders rise has been one of the season’s biggest surprises. After opening unranked, the team stormed into national relevance, leapfrogging No. 9 Ole Miss, while the Big 12’s leader in total offense holds a 7-1 record.

LUBBOCK, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 08: Mascot Raider Red high fives fa during ESPN’s College GameDay at Texas Tech University on November 08, 2025 in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)

Quarterback Behren Morton has been the engine, leading the Big 12 in total offense, while the Red Raider defense has forced 18 turnovers through nine games. Head coach Joey McGuire’s up-tempo system, now in its third year, has taken full flight. Tech’s 7–1 record includes wins over two top-15 opponents, and the Red Raiders have a legitimate shot at a Big 12 title game berth for the first time in over a decade.

Tech’s opportunistic defense has forced 18 turnovers through nine games, propelling the program toward its first Big 12 title game appearance in over a decade.

Texas Longhorns Back Among the Elite

ARLINGTON, TX – DECEMBER 02: A Texas Longhorns helmet sits on the turf after the Big 12 Championship game between the Texas Longhorns and the Oklahoma State Cowboys on December 2, 2023 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Matthew Pe

The Texas Longhorns rejoined the elite at No. 10 after a four-week climb back into contention. The Longhorns, who opened the season as the preseason No. 1 team, returned to the top 10 ahead of their visit to No. 5 Georgia this week. 

A midseason loss to Florida briefly knocked the Longhorns out of the rankings, but a four-game win streak, including a decisive 23-6 victory over rival Oklahoma, in the Red River Rivalry game held at the Cotton Bowl, helped restore their national standing.

Football in Texas

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The surge by the Texas trio highlights the state’s growing grip on the college football landscape this season. The last time three Texas teams shared top 10 status was in 2008, when Texas, Texas Tech, and TCU all finished among the nation’s elite.

With November underway and playoff positioning intensifying, the eyes of college football will once again turn to Texas, where the Aggies, Red Raiders, and Longhorns are proving the state’s football dominance.

The Source: Information in this article was provided by the College Football Playoff rankings.

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