Former Colorado Buffaloes QB explains why Texas' No. 11 CFP ranking 'actually makes sense' — and what it means for their playoff hopes

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Nick Wright | Last updated Nov 5, 2025 12:27 PM ET

When the College Football Playoff committee unveiled its first 2025 rankings Tuesday night, Texas’ No. 11 spot raised some eyebrows across the sport. However, for Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt, the Texas' ranking was less an insult than a message about how the committee wants to shape the future of college football.

Why Joel Klatt thinks the committee got Texas’ ranking right

“The biggest takeaway from these rankings is Texas at 11,” Klatt said. “That tells us a lot about how the committee is valuing not only Texas, but obviously the SEC — and rightly so.”

Klatt pointed to Texas’ season-opening loss at Ohio State, arguing that the committee sees it as more of a positive than a blemish on their record.

“Behind closed doors, there’s a strong push to value teams that schedule difficult non-conference games,” he explained. “Texas isn’t going to get knocked for playing that game. If we penalize them, we’ll lose those matchups — and nobody wants that.”

In that context, Klatt argued, the Longhorns still have a good chance of making the playoffs despite their two losses. He believes that even if the Longhorns lose to No. 5 Georgia on November 15th, they would still be in contention. The committee, in his words, is “telling us that a 9-3 Texas team is absolutely alive, if not almost certainly in.”

“They’ve got two monster games left — at Georgia and home against Texas A&M. Those are top-five opponents as the committee sees them. So them being at 11 right now? They’re still in a good position. You start to realize those teams behind them aren’t going to pass Texas,” Klatt said. “They’ve got so much ammunition left that even at 9-3, they’re in this thing.”

For Klatt, Texas' No. 11 ranking is neither optimistic nor disrespectful. It's a challenge to prove they belong.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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