The Week 11 college football slate lacked a headlining upset, but that doesn't mean there's not plenty of movement in the Top 25 rankings due in large part to a growing list of four-loss SEC teams.
South Carolina and LSU both took their fourth loss of the year, while Kentucky, USC, Houston and SMU suffered their third defeat, opening the door for some Group of Six teams to sneak into the back of the rankings.
The Saturday slate saved the best for last, as Utah snuck out a 40-39 victory over Arizona to avoid its first loss of the season.
Ahead is an updated look at how the college football experts here at B/R line up the nation's top 25 teams following Week 11 action.
Nos. 25-21
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25. UTSA (8-2, Previous Rank: NR)
Week 11 Result: WIN vs. North Texas (35-16)
Next Week: at UAB
The Roadrunners were pushing for a spot in the AP Top 25 before suffering a 60-29 loss on the road against Florida Atlantic in Week 10, as their only other defeat had come against Texas during nonconference play. They bounced back from that second loss with a quality win against a North Texas squad that also entered the game with a 7-2 record. A'Marion Peterson (11 carries, 179 yards, 4 TD) accounted for all of UTSA's offensive touchdowns, while the defense forced two turnovers and returned an interception for a score.
24. Memphis (8-2, Previous Rank: NR)
Week 11 Result: WIN at South Florida (52-41)
Next Week: at Navy
Marcus Stokes had 313 passing yards, 73 rushing yards and five total touchdowns, and the Tigers finished strong after blowing a 21-0 lead to reach eight wins for the fourth consecutive season. Stokes now has 38 total touchdowns on the year as one of the most productive transfer quarterbacks in the country after playing at West Florida last season. The Tigers lost to Boise State and Tulane on the road, but have built one of the better Group of Six resumes in the country.
23. Houston (7-3, Previous Rank: 16)
Week 11 Result: LOSS at Colorado (32-42)
Next Week: at West Virginia
The Cougars led 20-7 in the first half on Friday against Colorado, but the Buffaloes responded with 28 unanswered points en route to an upset victory. Houston quarterback Conner Weigman had an interception and a lost fumble in one of his worst individual performances of the season, though he still had 272 passing yards and three touchdowns. It's hard to see a path to the College Football Playoff for a three-loss Big 12 team.
22. Louisville (7-3, Previous Rank: NR)
Week 11 Result: WIN at North Carolina (16-14)
Next Week: vs. Pittsburgh
The Cardinals had two field goals and a touchdown on their first three offensive possessions, then had four punts and a missed field goal on their next five drives as both offenses stalled and it was a 13-7 game early in the fourth quarter. A 10-play, 60-yard drive that ended in a field goal made it a 16-7 score with 7:28 remaining, and that ended up being the game-winning score after a late North Carolina touchdown made things interesting. With a 6-2 record in ACC play, they sit third in the conference standings behind Miami and Wake Forest.
21. Liberty (9-1, Previous Rank: NR)
Week 11 Result: WIN vs. MTSU (28-23)
Next Week: vs. Western Kentucky
The Flames pounded out 53 carries for 370 yards and three touchdowns, with Kam Davis (20 carries, 126 yards, 1 TD) and Jaylon Coleman (7 carries, 84 yards, 1 TD) leading the charge. They have now won nine straight since dropping their season opener on the road against James Madison, and are undefeated in Conference USA play. If Boise State falters, Liberty looks like the next team up in the Group of Six conversation after New Mexico lost on Saturday.
Nos. 20-16
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20. Ole Miss (6-3, Previous Rank: 25)
Week 11 Result: at Oklahoma on Sunday
Next Week: vs. Wofford
The Ole Miss vs. Oklahoma game was delayed until Sunday after the SEC postponed the game due to the FAA ground stop on Friday. The Rebels are looking to bounce back from a 42-7 steamrolling at the hands of Georgia in Week 10, which marked their second loss in three games and effectively eliminated them from the playoff conversation. Trinidad Chambliss has 2,359 passing yards and 18 touchdowns, but he has also thrown an SEC-high nine interceptions, including five in his last three games.
19. Arizona (7-3, Previous Rank: 18)
Week 11 Result: LOSS vs. Utah (39-40)
Next Week: at Kansas State
Noah Fifita had 356 passing yards and three touchdowns, and the Wildcats led 39-33 with 3:13 remaining after he hit Isaiah Mizell with a 10-yard scoring strike, but Utah answered with a go-ahead score to avoid the upset. Arizona's resume now featured losses to BYU, Texas Tech and Utah by a combined 20 points, as they have been competitive in every game they've played this year.
18. USC (7-3, Previous Rank: 17)
Week 11 Result: LOSS at Indiana (13-27)
Next Week: vs. Maryland
Jayden Maiava threw three interceptions, including two in the fourth quarter, and the Trojans managed just one touchdown in five trips to the red zone. Waymond Jordan (13 carries, 51 yards) and King Miller (12 carries, 47 yards) were unable to pick up the slack in the running game. The Trojans entered the game still eyeing a potential path to the College Football Playoff, but a third loss almost certainly dashes those hopes.
17. Ohio State (7-3, Previous Rank: 23)
Week 11 Result: WIN vs. Northwestern (28-19)
Next Week: at Nebraska
After back-to-back losses to USC and Oregon, the Buckeyes beat a good Northwestern team on Saturday behind a strong showing from the Luke Faley-to-Jeremiah Smith connection. Ohio State's true freshman quarterback has taken some time to settle in since replacing the injured Julian Sayin, but he threw for 201 yards and three touchdowns, with Smith hauling in 11 catches for 117 yards and a score. Bo Jackson added 20 carries for 114 yards and a touchdown to lead the rushing attack, while the Wildcats were limited to 29 carries for 53 yards.
16. Kentucky (7-3, Previous Rank: 13)
Week 11 Result: LOSS vs. Florida (14-21)
Next Week: at Missouri
The Wildcats ripped off a 15-play, 86-yard touchdown drive on their first possession of the game, but that ended up accounting for half their points and a sizable chunk of their 242 total yards. The Kentucky defense had a tough time containing quarterback Aaron Philo, who finished with 102 rushing yards. Meanwhile, the Wildcats as a team managed just 61 yards on 27 carries. With back-to-back losses, Kentucky has slipped out of the College Football Playoff picture after debuting at No. 6 in the first CFP rankings.
Nos. 15-11
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15. Oregon (7-3, Previous Rank: 22)
Week 11 Result: WIN vs. Michigan (31-7)
Next Week: at Michigan State
Dylan Raiola threw for a season-high 341 yards and four touchdowns in his best game since taking over for an injured Dante Moore at quarterback, and the Ducks have won three straight after briefly falling out of the national picture. The Oregon defense had two takeaways and forced five punts and three turnovers on downs while essentially relegating the Michigan offense to run only as the Wolverines were 6-of-20 passing for 71 yards.
14. Iowa (8-2, Previous Rank: 15)
Week 11 Result: WIN vs. Purdue (28-7)
Next Week: at Illinois
L.J. Phillips Jr. had 23 carries for 123 yards to lead the Hawkeyes rushing attack, while Hank Brown tallied 220 total yards with a passing touchdown and a rushing touchdown. That was more than enough offensive production backed by a defense that forced seven empty possessions as Purdue had a turnover, three punts, two turnovers on downs and a missed field goal. Iowa has now outscored the opposition by an impressive 82-17 margin during its current three-game winning streak.
13. Boise State (9-1, Previous Rank: 14)
Week 11 Result: WIN vs. Oregon State (46-41)
Next Week: vs. San Diego State
Quarterback Maddux Madsen returned after missing Week 10 with a knee injury and threw for 371 yards and four touchdowns in a shootout as both teams eclipsed 500 total yards of offense. The bulk of that production went to Rasean Jones (11 catches, 230 yards, 3 TD), as the passing attack stepped up in a game where Dylan Riley (14 carries, 50 yards) and a rushing attack averaging 237.1 yards per game was held in check.
12. BYU (8-2, Previous Rank: 12)
Week 11 Result: WIN vs. Baylor (28-7)
Next Week: at Kansas
Bear Bachmeier had three first-half rushing touchdowns, then capped off the scoring with a passing touchdown in the fourth quarter as BYU avoided picking up a third loss to stay alive in the College Football Playoff picture. Defensively, the Cougars' secondary held Baylor quarterback DJ Lagway below 200 passing yards for the first time this season while allowing just 238 total yards of offense. Is the victory over Notre Dame enough to prop up their CFP resume if they don't make the Big 12 championship game?
11. Texas Tech (9-1, Previous Rank: 11)
Week 11 Result: WIN at Oklahoma State (52-27)
Next Week: at Baylor
In his third start since replacing Will Hammond as Texas Tech's starting quarterback, Thomas Castellanos had 263 passing yards and four touchdowns to lead the Red Raiders to a lopsided victory. J'Koby Williams (19 carries, 124 yards, 1 TD) helped open up the passing game with a stellar performance on the ground, and the Texas Tech defense also deserves a ton of credit for holding Drew Mestemaker below 300 passing yards for the first time since Week 1 while picking him off twice.
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Nos. 10-6
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10. Wake Forest (9-1, Previous Rank: 10)
Week 11 Result: WIN at SMU (49-7)
Next Week: at Georgia Tech
In a game where they were just 1.5-point favorites, the Demon Deacons built a 42-0 halftime lead and cruised to victory over SMU. The Wake Forest offense piled up 535 total yards, including 286 rushing yards and 6.4 yards per carry. Gio Lopez had 201 passing yards, 34 rushing yards and three total touchdowns in his return from injury, while the defense forced three turnovers and two turnovers on downs in a dominant all-around performance.
9. Alabama (8-2, Previous Rank: 9)
Week 11 Result: WIN at Vanderbilt (21-6)
Next Week: vs. Chattanooga
The Crimson Tide took control of the game with consecutive touchdown drives to start the second half, turning a 7-3 game into a comfortable 21-6 advantage. Keelon Russell had three passing touchdowns, and Alabama overcame two turnovers thanks to a stellar performance from the defense. Vanderbilt finished with 235 total yards, including 12 rushing yards on 23 carries, and went just 2-for-15 on third-down conversions. A cupcake against Chattanooga next week will serve as a reset before the annual Iron Bowl.
8. Tennessee (8-2, Previous Rank: 7)
Week 11 Result: WIN at Texas A&M (22-7)
Next Week: vs. LSU
The Volunteers defense shined once again as they improved to 5-2 in SEC play and kept their SEC championship game hopes alive. The Aggies were held to just 179 total yards and eight first downs, as the Tennessee defense came up with two turnovers and dominated the game from start to finish. DeSean Bishop (34 carries, 97 yards) and Javin Gordon (11 carries, 78 yards) shouldered the load offensively, and Cooper Ranvier nailed all five of his field goal attempts.
7. Texas (8-2, Previous Rank: 8)
Week 11 Result: WIN at LSU (22-21)
Next Week: vs. Arkansas
The Longhorns drove 58 yards on 12 plays in just over two minutes for the game-winning touchdown, as Arch Manning found Raleek Brown for a four-yard touchdown strike with two seconds remaining for a comeback win. In a game where both quarterbacks threw three interceptions, Texas trailed 21-10 midway through the third quarter. However, the Longhorns scored the final 12 points of the game to pull out the win and potentially seal their spot in the College Football Playoff if they can avoid an upset down the stretch.
6. Indiana (9-1, Previous Rank: 6)
Week 11 Result: WIN vs. USC (27-13)
Next Week: at Washington
A healthy Josh Hoover was relegated to the bench in favor of Grant Wilson at quarterback, and he finished with 305 passing yards and two touchdowns while averaging an impressive 11.3 yards per attempt. The Indiana defense picked off Jayden Maiava three times and allowed just 2-of-11 on third-down conversions while holding the high-powered Trojans offense to one touchdown on five trips to the red zone.
5. Miami Hurricanes (9-1, Previous Rank: 5)
5 of 10
Week 11 Result: WIN vs. Duke (36-25)
Next Week: vs. Virginia Tech
Darian Mensah threw for 382 yards and a touchdown against his former team, and Miami bounced back from its first loss of the season a week ago against Notre Dame.
The Hurricanes led the entire game, but never pulled away, settling for three field goals and also punting twice as their high-powered offense was kept in check. Meanwhile, they allowed 131 rushing yards, 93 receiving yards and two touchdowns to Duke's star running back Nate Sheppard, though that was the bulk of the Blue Devils' offensive production.
With a 7-0 record in ACC play and only home games against Virginia Tech and Boston College remaining, a trip to the ACC championship game and a clear path to the College Football Playoff remain.
4. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (9-1, Previous Rank: 4)
6 of 10
Week 11 Result: WIN vs. Boston College (41-7)
Next Week: vs. SMU
The Fighting Irish buried Boston College with 24 points in the second quarter en route to a 31-0 halftime lead, avoiding any letdown on the heels of last weekend's huge victory over No. 1 Miami.
Jonaz Walton (15 carries, 141 yards, 1 TD) and Nolan James Jr. (14 carries, 73 yards, 1 TD) helped the Notre Dame running game average 6.9 yards per carry, while the defensive front limited the Eagles to 2.6 yards per rush attempt on the other side of the ball.
Next week's game against SMU has a little less juice after the Mustangs were steamrolled by Wake Forest on Saturday, but the Fighting Irish have already made their College Football Playoff case with the Miami win.
3. UCLA Bruins (10-0, Previous Rank: 3)
7 of 10
Week 11 Result: WIN vs. Illinois (22-14)
Next Week: at Michigan
The Bruins were squarely on upset alert when quarterback Ty Dieffenbach exited Friday night's game in the second quarter with an elbow injury, but he returned after halftime and led a pair of fourth quarter scoring drives to keep UCLA's undefeated season intact.
Dieffenbach, who is already starting in place of the injured Nico Iamaleava, finished with 232 passing yards and two touchdowns. The Bruins leaned on the passing game as they managed just 3.2 yards per carry on the ground.
The UCLA defense had three interceptions and limited Katin Houser to 4.8 yards per attempt en route to just 240 yards of total offense for the Fighting Illini.
2. Utah Utes (10-0, Previous Rank: 2)
8 of 10
Week 11 Result: WIN at Arizona (40-39)
Next Week: at TCU
Devon Dampier threw the go-ahead 70-yard touchdown pass to Creed Whittemore with 2:35 remaining in the fourth quarter and the Utes defense forced a three-and-out on the ensuing Arizona possession to survive a thrilling shootout on the road.
The Utes led 33-28 early in the fourth quarter, but the Wildcats responded with a field goal, a forced punt and a touchdown to take a 39-33 lead with 3:13 left, setting the stage for Dampier's deep strike to retake the lead.
Dampier finished with 204 passing yards, 100 rushing yards and four total touchdowns, while Daniel Bray pounded out 18 carries for 197 yards and a score in what was the toughest remaining test for Utah in pursuit of an undefeated regular season. TCU and West Virginia are all that stands in the way.
1. Georgia Bulldogs (9-1, Previous Rank: 1)
9 of 10
Week 11 Result: WIN vs. Missouri (48-21)
Next Week: at South Carolina
The Bulldogs scored the first 24 points of the game and built a 31-7 lead heading into halftime, cruising to victory against a ranked opponent to improve to 7-1 in SEC play and maintain their status as the conference's top dog.
Gunner Stockton (18/24, 252 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, rush TD) had an efficient game under center, while Nate Frazier (14 carries, 72 yards, 3 TD) and Dwight Phillips Jr. (7 carries, 66 yards) shined against a Missouri run defense that entered the week 13th in the nation with 95.8 rushing yards allowed per game.
A road game against South Carolina and a home matchup with in-state rival Georgia Tech are all that stands between Georgia and a trip to the SEC championship game and the potential No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff.
B/R Top 25 Rankings After Week 11
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B/R Top 25
1. Georgia
2. Utah
3. UCLA
4. Notre Dame
5. Miami
6. Indiana
7. Texas
8. Tennessee
9. Alabama
10. Wake Forest
11. Texas Tech
12. BYU
13. Boise State
14. Iowa
15. Oregon
16. Kentucky
17. Ohio State
18. USC
19. Arizona
20. Ole Miss
21. Liberty
22. Louisville
23. Houston
24. Memphis
25. UTSA
