The halfway point of the 2023 college football season arrived for eight of the 13 FBS teams in Texas following Week 6. That means it is time to build the mid-season team from the Lone Star State. The list contains at least one player from each of the 13 FBS schools, and is built mostly on mid-season stats, team results, and PFF grades. 

Texas (5-1) leads the group with five selections. Texas State (4-2) is next on the list with four. Texas Tech (3-3) had three players make the list, including punter Austin McNamara. Texas A&M (4-2), Houston (2-3), Rice (3-2), and UTEP (1-5) had two players on the list. 

MID-SEASON OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR 

RB JONATHON BROOKS – TEXAS 

Brooks leads the state in rushing at the FBS level with 726 yards, which is third-most in the entire country and most amongst running backs in a Power Five conference. Brooks is averaging 121 yards a contest in 2023. Not bad for a player who didn’t begin the season as the starter for the Longhorns. The sophomore from Hallettsville iced the game against Alabama in Week 2 and has since topped the 100-yard mark in four straight games, including a 200-plus yard performance in Week 5 against Kansas. Over his last four games, the former Mr. Texas Football is averaging 154.25 yards per game. He’s at 151 yards per game in three Big 12 contests. 

MID-SEASON DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR 

LB EDGERRIN COOPER – TEXAS A&M 

The junior from Louisiana is in the process of hitting the Triple Crown for the Aggies defense in 2023. Cooper leads the Wrecking Crew in tackles (41), tackles for loss (12), and sacks (6). He’s also forced and recovered a fumble. His six sacks on the year are tied for sixth in the country. The only linebacker with more in the country is Alabama’s Dallas Turner with 6.5. Cooper’s 12 tackles for loss are second in the country and first in the SEC. 

MID-SEASON OFFENSIVE FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR 

RB PARKER JENKINS – HOUSTON 

Jenkins arrived as a four-star freshman from nearby Klein Forest and has started to shine as the Cougars enter conference play. He only carried the ball eight times over the first three games, but that number grew to 33 combined carries in Houston’s two games before a Week 6 idle date. Jenkins ran for 105 yards and three touchdowns in a blowout win over Sam Houston in Week 4. He followed that up with 71 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries in a Week 5 loss to Texas Tech. The true freshman is averaging 5.3 yards a carry on 41 attempts in his first season. 

MID-SEASON DEFENSIVE FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR 

LB TAUREAN YORK – TEXAS A&M

The Texas A&M front seven might be the best in the nation at the halfway point of the season and York’s emergence as a reliable starter next to Cooper for the second level of the Wrecking Crew is a major reason why the group has taken a giant step forward against the run. The Temple product leads all true freshman with 32 tackles, which is second to Cooper on Texas A&M. York also has 2.5 tackles for loss and a sack. He and Texas freshman Anthony Hill are elite linebacker who’ll make an impact at the college level for multiple years to come. 

Mid-Season All-Texas College Football Team: Offense 

QB: JT Daniels, Rice 
RB: Jonathon Brooks, Texas 
RB: Tahj Brooks, Texas Tech 
WR: Luke McCaffrey, Rice 
WR: Joey Hobert, Texas State 
WR: Sam Brown, Houston 
TE: Ja’Tavion Sanders, Texas 
OT: Patrick Paul, Houston 
OT: Christian Jones, Texas 
OG: Justin Osborne, SMU 
OG: Elijah Klein, UTEP 
OC: Ethan Miner, North Texas 
Utility: Ismail Mahdi, Texas State 
K:  Isaiah Hankins, Baylor 

Mid-Season All-Texas College Football Team: Defense 

DL: T’Vondre Sweat, Texas 
DL: Walter Nolen, Texas A&M 
DL: Ben Bell, Texas State 
EDGE: Trey Moore, UTSA
LB: Edgerrin Cooper, Texas A&M 
LB: Tyrice Knight, UTEP 
LB: Trevor Williams, Sam Houston 
CB: Malik Dunlap, Texas Tech 
CB: Josh Newton, TCU 
S: Tory Spears, Texas State   
S: Jahdae Barron, Texas 
P: Austin McNamara, Texas Tech