College football in November isn't about the sunshine and hopeful tailgates of September. It’s about survival. By the time we hit Week 11, the pretenders have usually been filtered out, and the "Schedule Strength" arguments finally start to hold some water.
Honestly, we’re looking at a week that basically redefined the Big 12 and the Big Ten. If you thought you had a handle on who was making the 12-team playoff, the games on November 8, 2025, probably threw a wrench in those plans. From the white-knuckle finish in Iowa City to the slugfest in Tuscaloosa, the chaos was real.
The Big 12 Heavyweight Bout: BYU vs. Texas Tech
Everyone was talking about this one. You had No. 8 BYU heading into Lubbock to face No. 9 Texas Tech. This wasn't just a Top-10 matchup; it was a "who gets to stay in the driver's seat for Arlington" kind of game.
Texas Tech's defensive line has been scary all year. They came into this week leading the nation in PFF's defensive line grades, and boy, did it show. They basically lived in the backfield. Jacob Rodriguez and that elite front didn't just stop the run; they made life miserable for BYU.
The final score of 29-7 looks like a blowout, but it felt more like a slow grind. Texas Tech asserted themselves as the class of the Big 12. BYU is still a great team, but they ran into a buzzsaw in West Texas. If you're looking at week 11 college football predictions for the future, keep an eye on how Tech handles the red zone—that's their only real weakness right now.
Heartbreak and Near-Misses in the Big Ten
If you didn't watch the Oregon vs. Iowa game, you missed a classic Kinnick Stadium rock fight. The conditions were miserable. Cold, windy, and just generally "Iowa."
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The Ducks weren't clicking. Dante Moore, their sophomore quarterback, struggled to find a rhythm against a Hawkeye defense that just refuses to break. But champions find a way, right? Oregon ground out 261 yards on the floor. It came down to a first-quarter safety and a last-second field goal by Atticus Sappington to secure the 18-16 win.
It wasn't pretty. But in November, a win at Kinnick is worth its weight in gold.
The Hoosiers Survival Act
Then you have Indiana. Yes, the Indiana Hoosiers. Curt Cignetti has done something in Bloomington that feels like a fever dream. They went into Happy Valley—a place they had never won before—and walked out with a 27-24 victory.
- Quarterback Play: Fernando Mendoza was clinical when it mattered.
- The Drive: Down 24-20, Mendoza led a 10-play, 80-yard march.
- The Catch: Omar Cooper’s touchdown grab was the kind of play they'll show in highlight reels for twenty years.
Penn State fans are hurting. After losing to Oregon earlier in the year, the Nittany Lions seem to be reeling. With James Franklin gone and Drew Allar injured, the energy in State College has shifted from "Playoff Hope" to "Wait until next year."
SEC Power Moves: Alabama and Texas A&M
While the Big Ten was having heart attacks, the SEC was just being the SEC. Alabama hosted LSU in what turned out to be the most-watched game of the week—7.5 million people tuned in.
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It wasn't a high-scoring affair. Ty Simpson didn't put up video game numbers, but he was clutch. The Tide defense held LSU to just 232 total yards. Alabama 20, LSU 9. It’s that simple. LSU is in a weird spot after Brian Kelly’s departure, and it showed. They have no run game and the pass protection is, well, shoddy at best.
Meanwhile, Texas A&M is 9-0 for the first time since 1992. Let that sink in. Mike Elko has this team believing. They went into Columbia and handled Missouri 38-17. Marcel Reed is playing beyond his years, and that Aggie ground game (243 yards) is becoming a problem for everyone else in the conference.
What Most People Get Wrong About the 12-Team Playoff
There’s a common misconception that one loss in November kills you now. It doesn't. With 12 spots, the "eye test" is becoming more important than the record.
Look at Georgia. They went to Starkville and beat Mississippi State 41-21. They have a loss, but the committee still loves them because of how they dominate the trenches. Gunner Stockton looks like the real deal, throwing for 264 yards and three scores.
But here is the catch: Georgia has Texas coming up. If they stumble there, that "bye" in the first round of the playoffs is gone. The margin for error is thin, even if the field is wider.
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Breaking Down the Numbers
Sometimes you just need to see the cold, hard stats to understand why these games went the way they did.
| Game | Key Stat | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Texas Tech vs. BYU | 96.7 PFF Run Defense | BYU couldn't establish anything on the ground. |
| Oregon vs. Iowa | 261 Rushing Yards | Oregon won despite a stagnant passing game. |
| Indiana vs. Penn State | 37 Rushing Yards Allowed | Indiana's defense forced PSU to be one-dimensional. |
| Alabama vs. LSU | 2 Takeaways | Bama won the turnover battle and the game. |
Moving Forward: The Road to the CFP
The week 11 college football predictions we saw play out have set up a chaotic finish.
- Ohio State is the clear No. 1. They cruised past Purdue 34-10. Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith are the best QB-WR duo in the country, period.
- Indiana and Ohio State are on a collision course for the Big Ten title.
- Texas A&M vs. Texas at the end of the year might be the biggest game in the history of that rivalry.
If you’re betting or just following along, the smart money is on the teams that can win in the trenches. Texas Tech and Texas A&M are the biggest "risers" this week for a reason. They aren't just winning; they are bullying people.
Actionable Insights for Fans
- Watch the Big 12 Red Zone: If Texas Tech fixes their red zone efficiency, they are a legitimate dark horse for a playoff semifinal.
- Don't Sleep on Notre Dame: They handled Navy 49-10. While everyone is looking at the SEC and Big Ten, the Irish are quietly putting together a massive resume.
- Monitor the Heisman Race: Jeremiah Smith (Ohio State) and Fernando Mendoza (Indiana) have vaulting themselves into the conversation after their Week 11 performances.
Keep your eyes on the injury reports for Penn State and Missouri. Both teams are talented but are struggling with depth at the most important positions. November is a war of attrition, and right now, the healthiest teams are the ones moving up the rankings.
To keep your edge, start looking at the strength of schedule for the remaining two weeks. Alabama has a relatively smooth path (Oklahoma and Auburn), while the Big Ten leaders still have to run a gauntlet. The playoff bracket is starting to take shape, but if Week 11 taught us anything, it's that nothing is guaranteed until the clock hits zero.