Week 11 is a light offering for college football fans in the Lone Star State with six of Texas’s 13 FBS programs idle ahead of the stretch run. That includes four of the state’s seven Power Four programs. 

The 11 teams that played in Week 10 were a combined 7-4. The combined record for the 13 programs in Texas is 66-48. Three of our teams – Texas, Texas A&M, and SMU – were ranked in the Top 14 of the initial College Football Playoff bracket. In short, life is good for most of the teams inside the borders. Twelve of the 13 teams remain in bowl contention. 

MMA fans know underrated cards can sometimes create the biggest explosions. We don’t take weeks off here at DCTF, so these are our five questions heading into the weekend. 

1. Is an upset brewing in Lubbock? 

The biggest game in Texas for Week 11 is in West Texas when good friends Joey McGuire and Deion Sanders clash in Lubbock on Saturday afternoon. The Red Raiders saved their Big 12 chances with a road win over No. 10-ranked Iowa State last weekend to improve McGuire’s road record as a collegiate head coach to 5-10. 

The good news for Texas Tech is that he’s 15-4 at home and 7-2 in November since taking over in 2022. The bad news is that Sheduer Sanders and an explosive Buffaloes passing attack is a bad matchup, at least on paper. Colorado averages 323.9 passing yards per game, which is eighth-most in the FBS. Texas Tech allows 307.2 yards per game through the air, which is second-most in FBS. Only Tulsa allows more passing yards a game. 

Red Raider running back Tahj Brooks is 120 rushing yards away from becoming the program’s all-time leading rusher. He’ll need that type of performance for Texas Tech to win on Saturday as 3.5-point underdogs. The Colorado run defense allows 4.1 yards a carry. 

2. How does North Texas slow Army down enough to win? 

Speaking of bad stylistic matchups for home teams, the Mean Green host Army in an important AAC showdown. The Black Knights, led by Abernathy product Bryson Daily, are undefeated thanks to a potent rushing attack and stingy defense. They average a nation’s best 340.13 rushing yards a game. Next best averages 272.33. The North Texas defense allows 177.38 yards per game on the ground – 104th in the nation. 

Daily did miss last week’s game against Air Force and the Army offense wasn’t as exciting. North Texas must hope for some turnovers – or some luck – on defense while the offense scores on nearly every possession. The Mean Green won’t win this game 21-17. They’ll need to score the points because even a good performance by their defense won’t completely stop Army. The problem is that Army only allows 11.3 points per game, which is best in the nation. 

3. Will TCU rebound from the loss to Baylor? 

A win against Oklahoma State in Week 11 would make TCU bowl eligible for the second time in three seasons under Sonny Dykes. They finish the season with a home game against Arizona and a trip to Cinci, so 8-4 isn’t off the table. There are clearly things that must improve in Fort Worth – most notably the run defense and the running back room. But a strong close to 2024 propels the Frogs into the offseason with momentum and a clear vision of what it requires to return to the top of the Big 12. 

4. Do the Owls keep winning? 

Rallying to prove the admin wrong a week after your head coach is fired is one thing. Repeating that trick as passions subside is another. That’s what is facing the Owls on the road against Memphis. The Tigers should be plenty pissed off after falling to UTSA and ruining a chance at conference championship contention. Rice is 3-6 with three games to play, meaning the group is still alive for its third bowl trip in three years. 

5. Can Texas State win Sun Belt games on the road? 

The Bobcats are 6-6 in Sun Belt play since G.J. Kinne debuted as head coach in 2023. Four of those six losses are on the road. Texas State is the away team Saturday when they face Louisiana-Monroe. Overall, Kinne is 8-3 at home and 3-5 on the road in his tenure. The lone road win of 2024 was a victory over Troy. The two wins on the road last year were his debut at Baylor and in conference play against Southern Miss. Those three teams are a combined 8-25.