Week 11 // 2025
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
If there’s two better receivers in the country, I’d like to see them.
Ohio State Head Coach Ryan Day on season-long performance of wide receivers Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate
TEAM TO WATCH TEAM oF THE WEEK
TEXAS
For the first time since 2016, No. 11 Texas has multiple regular season victories over AP top-10 opponents, most recently last Saturday in a 34-31 victory over then-No. 9 Vanderbilt. Quarterback Arch Manning threw for 328 yards and three touchdowns, while running back Quintrevion Wisner ran for 75 yards and a touchdown. The Longhorns jumped out to a 34-10 lead, started off with a Manning pass to Ryan Wingo on the game’s first play to kickstart the team’s fourth straight victory. Defensive back Derek Williams Jr. led the staunch Texas defense with a career-best eight tackles. Texas is off this week before facing No. 5 Georgia on Saturday, November 15, in Athens at 5:30 p.m. PHX on ABC.
NC STATE
NC State upset then-No.8 and previously undefeated Georgia Tech, 48-36, in front of a home crowd in Raleigh for its highest ranked win since 2012.
After the Yellow Jackets inched ahead, 17-14, the Wolfpack’s Cody Hardy rushed to give NC State the lead with 3:24 left in the second quarter. The second half exploded with offense, but NC State held its lead for the rest of the game. Duke Scott led the Wolfpack with 196 rushing yards on 24 carries, including a touchdown.
NC State had four defenders register double-digit tackles, led by Caiden Fordham tying his career-high of 15 while Kenny Soares Jr. had 14.
NC State is idle this week before facing No. 18 Miami on the road on November 15.
GAMES WATCH to
For a full schedule of Week 11 games, click here. (All times in PHX)
2025 BOWL PREDICTIONS
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FIESTA
GAME OF THE WEEK
#7 BYU AT #8 TEXAS TECH
The first in-conference game between two top-10 Big 12 teams since 2021 hits Lubbock this Saturday, as No. 7 BYU travels to No. 8 Texas Tech for a 10 a.m. PHX kickoff on ABC. The programs hold the top two spots in the Big 12 standings, looking to bolster their chance at a spot in the conference championship in Arlington.
BYU, one of four remaining undefeated FBS teams, looks to remain perfect this season and put itself in a strong position for its first-ever Big 12 Championship Game. The Cougars put up a demanding second half in a 41-27 win at Iowa State on October 25, holding the Cyclones to just a field goal in the final two quarters. The BYU offense struck twice within 42 seconds in the fourth quarter to maintain a two-score lead.
Conversely, Texas Tech is coming off a 43-20 road win at Kansas State on Saturday for its first win in Manhattan, and its best start, since 2008. Behren Morton returned from injury for the Red Raiders, throwing for a strong 249 yards and two touchdowns. The Red Raiders rank third in scoring offense at 43.6 points per game and fifth with only 13.2 points allowed.
ESPN Schlabach – Baylor vs. Northwestern The Athletic – Iowa State vs. Minnesota Pro Football Network – Baylor vs. Nebraska
Athlon Sports – Iowa State vs. Northwestern On3 – Baylor vs. Minnesota
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
TEE HIGGINS
On a 44-yard late first half touchdown, Cincinnati Bengals wideout Tee Higgins surpassed 5,000 career yards and now has a touchdown in each of his last nine home games. Higgins and quarterback Joe Flacco were in sync throughout their matchup against Chicago on Sunday, with Higgins finishing the afternoon with 121 yards on seven receptions and two touchdowns.
Higgins made his mark in the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl in 2019, where he caught the game-sealing two-point conversion to send Clemson to the national championship. Higgins had 33 receiving yards on four catches as Clemson rallied back after being down 16-0 to defeat Ohio State, 29-23.
notable performances
Quarterback Jeff Sims, the AP National Player of the Week, rushed for an ASU quarterback-record 228 yards as the Sun Devils picked up a 24-19 victory at Iowa State last Saturday.
Sims paced the Sun Devils offense as he took over at the helm following Sam Leavitt’s season-ending injury. Sims responded by becoming the first ASU quarterback to rush for more than 200 yards, and he completed 13-of-24 passes for 177 yards with a touchdown in the victory. With the road win, the Sun Devils are now bowl eligible.
Blue Devils quarterback Darian Mensah tallied four passing touchdowns in the first half alone in a 46-45 victory over Clemson. Mensah finished with 361 yards and now has at least two touchdown passes in every game this season.
His 21 passing touchdowns this season are good for the most by a Duke quarterback in his first eight starts. The win at Clemson marked Duke’s first win in Death Valley since 1980 and the first time the Blue Devils had consecutive victories against Clemson since 1969-70.
JEFF SIMS ARIZONA STATE
Darian Mensah DUKE
BIG NEWS
The Rate Bowl will once again feature Bowl Season’s only Big 12 vs. Big Ten matchup at a new time of 2:30 p.m. on Friday, December 26. As we eagerly await kickoff in downtown Phoenix, we’re bringing you weekly game highlights, player reports and other updates from the two conferences. Here’s the BIG news for Week 11:
BIG 12 BIG TEN
• The Big Ten has six teams ranked in this week’s inaugural CFP rankings led by No.1 Ohio State and No. 2 Indiana. Behind them are No. 9 Oregon, No. 19 USC, No. 20 Iowa and No. 21 Michigan
• 10 Big Ten programs are bowl eligible (including seven for the Rate Bowl) with Northwestern just one win away
• Ohio State currently holds the nation’s longest win streak with 12 consecutive wins, the fourth 10-plus game winning streak for Head Coach Ryan Day
• Five Big Ten teams rank within the NCAA’s top 15 in total defense. Ohio State is the NCAA leader with 214.8 yards allowed per game, followed by Iowa (2nd, 234.9), Oregon (4th, 239.4), Indiana (7th, 248.3) and Nebraska (13th, 280.9)
• Oregon and Iowa will face off on Saturday afternoon in Iowa City with both programs ranked in the top-10 nationally in scoring defense. The Hawkeyes are ranked No. 4 with 12.4 points per game while the Ducks are No. 6 with 13.5
• The Big Ten posts the top three teams with the highest third down conversion percentage: Indiana (1st, .582), Washington (2nd, .560) and Ohio State (3rd, .542)
• USC is second in FBS with total offense at 505.9 yards per game while Indiana is third (504.9) and Oregon is ninth (483.9)
• The Big 12 has 10 different teams with a win over an AP Top 25 opponent this season, which is tied for the most of any FBS conference
• Seven Big 12 programs are bowl eligible (five for the Rate Bowl), with four others that are one win away
• For a second consecutive week, ESPN’s College GameDay visits a Big 12 campus as it travels for the top-10 matchup between BYU and Texas Tech in Lubbock
• Utah (36.4 ppg) and Texas Tech (34.6 ppg) rank first and third among Power Four schools in margin of victory this season
• BYU has started 8-0 in consecutive seasons for the first time in program history
• Utah has beaten two AP Top 25 opponents by 30 or more points in the same season for the first time in program history
• Six Big 12 quarterbacks rank in the top 15 nationally for total touchdowns:
- Baylor’s Sawyer Robertson (T-2nd - 28)
- Cincinnati’s Brendan Sorsby (T-2nd - 28)
- Houston’s Conner Weigman (T-5th- 25)
- Arizona’s Noah Fifita (T-9th- 24)
- TCU’s Josh Hoover (T-9th- 24)
- Kansas State’s Avery Johnson (T-14th- 23)
news in the foundation
CFP’S SELECTION COMMITTEE
RELEASES FIRST RANKINGS OF 2025
The College Football Playoff’s selection committee announced the initial 2025 rankings ahead of the second year of the 12-team playoff. Ohio State was the No. 1 team ahead of No. 2 Indiana, No. 3 Texas A&M and No. 4 Alabama.
For the second year in a row, the top five conference champions in the rankings are guaranteed a spot in the playoff with the four highest ranked conference champions receiving a top four seed and a first-round bye. The remaining seven spots will be filled by the seven highest-ranked teams and seeded accordingly outside of the top four.
To view the rankings, click here. To learn more about the 12-team playoff format, click here.
Community spotlight
FIESTA SPORTS FOUNDATION
REFRESHES COMMUNITY RESOURCE
ROOM AT BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF CENTRAL ARIZONA’S PRESCOTT
CLUBHOUSE
As part of Fiesta Sports Foundation’s mission to provide statewide economic impact and charitable resources, the Foundation partnered with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona and Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Arizona (BGCCAZ) for a Community Resource Room refresh. Located in Prescott, BGCCAZ was the recipient of the Foundation’s first-ever community resource room in 2016. Due for a refresh, the Club received $20,000 worth of necessary technology, furniture and supplies to revitalize the existing space. The room serves over 100 local youth daily and allows BGCCAZ to strengthen community connections while supporting its activities and educational programming.
