Texas FBS rankings week 7
The race to be the No. 1 team in Texas is heating up between Longhorns and Aggies
Oct 10, 2018, 7:05 am
Are the Longhorns No. 1? Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
Texas has 12 FBS teams. Each week we rank them based on season-long performance, the prior game, and success relative to their competition. These are the updated rankings following Week 6 and looking forward to Week 7:
No. 12: UTEP
While UTEP gave 4-1 UNT a serious scare last weekend, the Miners still failed to get their first win of the season. They came up just 3 points short of upsetting the Mean Green in their 24-27 loss. At 0-6, UTEP will hope to get their first win in week 8 vs. Louisiana Tech, after they get a chance to rest and prepare during their bye week.
No. 11: Rice
With a disappointing loss to UTSA in Week 6 where the Owls only scored 3 points, Rice is now on a five-game losing skid and does not look to have any idea of how to turn things around. Rice will face a quietly talented, 4-1 UAB team in Week 7 and needs to make a lot of adjustments if they hope to salvage any part of their season.
No. 10: Texas State
After starting the season 1-1, the Bobcats have lost three straight and do not look to have made any real progressions as a program. Texas State will face off against the 4-1 Georgia Southern Eagles in Week 7 which will be another uphill battle.
No. 9: UTSA
The Road Runners were somehow able to defeat the Rice Owls 20-3 with only 43 total passing yards this past weekend on their way to securing their third straight victory. UTSA now sits at 4-3 on the season and has an interesting matchup with Louisiana Tech in Week 7 as they chase a four-game win streak.
No. 8: SMU
After winning two games in a row in Weeks 5 and 6, the Mustangs took a 48-20 beat down from No. 10 UCF. Luckily SMU will have a chance to bounce back after their bye week when they return to action in Week 8 against Tulane. SMU has continued to show uncertainty about their quarterback position as Ben Hicks and William Brown are still sharing playing time midway through the season. Finding a consistent and reliable quarterback will play a big role on how the second half of the season goes for the Mustangs.
No. 7: Baylor
The Bears stay in the Big 12 hunt after securing their fourth win of the season in Week 6 vs. Kansas State. Baylor has a very respectable 4-2 record this season but will be facing a buzzsaw in Texas this coming weekend. The Bears could make a lot of noise in the college football world if they are able to upset a Longhorn team that has recently lodged themselves in the college football spotlight.
No. 6: TCU
After a full week of rest, the Horned Frogs will be thrown back into the fire with the hope of salvaging the second half of their season. The is not doubt that TCU will return hungry to get back to their winning ways in Week 7 but will have to do so by taking down an explosive Texas Tech team.
No. 5: Texas Tech
While Texas Tech fell short in in Week 6, it happened to be against one of the best teams in the nation, undefeated West Virginia. After falling behind 28-7 in the first quarter, the Red Raiders put on an impressive fight as they climbed back into the game, even after starting quarterback Alan Bowman was forced out with an injury. With Bowman expected to play in week 7 vs. TCU, Tech will be excited to get back on the field.
No. 4: UNT
North Texas drops another spot in these rankings after a measly 3-point victory over a UTEP team who has not won a game in almost two years. The Mean Green still seem to be recovering from their heartbreaking loss to Louisiana Tech that ruined their chance at a perfect season. UNT must get back to the high level of play they displayed early in the season if they hope to finish this year like they started.
No. 3: Houston
Houston jumped three spots in this week’s rankings after they secured their fourth win of the season vs. Tulsa. The Cougars have looked impressive since their week 3 loss to Texas Tech, and with the strong play of quarterback D’Eriq King there is limitless potential for the rest of their season. Houston will face an East Carolina team that recently suffered an embarrassing 49-6 loss to Temple in week 6.
No. 2: Texas A&M
Texas A&M fought their way back into the Top 25 rankings after a Week 6 win over a talented Kentucky team. The Aggies have continued to display their versatility on the offensive side of the ball and have the ability to defeat any opponent that lines up against them. With that said, A&M has without a doubt one of the most difficult schedules remaining in college football. Currently three of their six remaining games will be against Top 25 ranked programs, and all of their final six opponents have winning records this season.
No. 1: Texas
After what will go down as one of the most impressive wins of this college football season, the Longhorns not only re-asserted their position as the No. 1 team in Texas but also jumped into Top 10 national rankings. Texas took down the No. 7 ranked Oklahoma Sooners 48-45 and racked up their third victory over a Top 25 ranked opponent this season. While there are still many games to play this season, the Longhorns now have their sights set on competing for a national championship.
How Astros constructed statement win over Brewers in critical stretch
May 19, 2024, 6:53 pm
One presumes the Chicken Littles have stopped clucking about the Astros’ season being a goner, or if not gone, on life support. It wasn’t when they were 7-19. It wasn’t when they were 12-24. It certainly isn’t now that they’ve won six straight games and eight of their last nine. Another three or four weeks of inept play could have doomed them, but the worm has turned. A 20-25 record is no cause for celebration, but it has the Astros within four games of first place. Yes, getting to play the A’s four times this week helped. And?
I detailed the schedule issue on our Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast this week. The Astros were flat lousy for the season’s first six weeks. But… Starting the week the Astros had played a whopping 32 of their 40 games against teams with a winning record as of Monday. The Seattle Mariners had played 23 such games, the Texas Rangers only 16. The Philadelphia Phillies have been sensational so far and are fully legit. But… The Phillies entered the weekend having played three games vs. teams now sporting a winning record. Three! Out of 45 games. Going into this weekend's series only the Blue Jays, White Sox, and Angels had played more games against winning teams than had the Astros. It’s not mere coincidence that the Blue Jays, White Sox, and Angels are the three last place teams in the American League. The Astros were not up to the challenge of their first quarter schedule, but by no means did it render them dead, particularly in the thus far Mild, Mild, American League West.
A good Brewers team visits Minute Maid Park for three games this weekend. The Astros beat their best starter Friday night. Next the Astros get the pathetic Angels here for three before a three-game series at Oakland. Meanwhile the West leading Mariners start a ten-game road trip this weekend: three at the excellent Orioles, four at the excellent Yankees, three at the respectable Nationals. The Astros stand a good chance of overtaking the M’s by the end of this month if they can win the four-game series they open Memorial Day in Seattle.
Meanwhile, the Texas Rangers snapped a five game losing streak Wednesday to eke back over .500 at 23-22. The reigning World Series champs hope to get somewhat well vs. the Angels in Arlington this weekend but dropped the series opener to drop back to .500. For their sake they better because the Rangers then hit the road for Philadelphia and Minnesota.
Naturally, many Astros fans are upset with Ronel Blanco serving a 10 game suspension for illegally using whatever substance on his glove and non-pitching hand. The suspension is basically automatic. The suspension is also not a big problem. Blanco has been fantastic since getting a starting rotation spot only because of Justin Verlander’s delayed start to his season. It’s said that all life owes us is opportunity. Man, did Blanco seize his. With just seven big league starts to his name before entering this season as a 30-year old, Blanco has made eight this season with a sparkling 2.09 earned run average. So, what’s that about the suspension is not a big problem?
Blanco will miss one start and have another pushed back a day or two. That’s just not a big deal. In fact it may be helpful in the bigger picture. With last year being the first time in his professional career that Blanco topped 100 innings pitched (125 1/3), the Astros need to be wary of Blanco’s workload which is on pace to blow past last year’s career-high innings total. J.P. France probably pitched over his head for a while last year, but went well past his prior career-high innings total and faded badly. Cristian Javier was tremendous in 2022 while pitching more than in any previous year, but he pitched even more in 2023 and faded badly.
Alex Bregman lives! After being nearly inconceivably inept through the first quarter of the season, the Alex awakening in the Oakland series was not shocking but most welcomed. Over his first 37 games Bregman had a paltry seven extra base hits. Even with a feeble .201 batting average and .534 OPS, that Bregman had scored just eight runs over those 37 games was hard to believe. Then Monday and Tuesday saw five extra base hits and four runs scored.
In a trade not commanding any headlines, Dana Brown Wednesday sent outfielder Corey Julks to the White Sox for 20-year-old low minor league pitcher Luis Rodriguez. There is now no reason to call it a great Astros trade but Brown made a smart deal. Julks had no future here, hence he would have been released if no deal was struck. Taking a flyer on a young arm can’t hurt. Frankly, the White Sox are dumb to trade a young arm of any promise whatsoever for a 28-year-old outfielder with limited value. Julks was a nice story for parts of last season. The Clear Brook High School grad and UH product had a couple windows of production, highlighted by a sizzling nine game 17 for 34 stretch straddling June and July. Alas, not two weeks later Julks began what would become an 0 for 36 nightmare. He was sent to the minors for good in late-August.
*Catch our weekly Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast. Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and I discuss varied Astros topics. The first post for the week generally goes up Monday afternoon (second part released Tuesday) via The SportsMap HOU YouTube channel or listen to episodes in their entirety at Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.