Oh, it’s starting to get REALLY good in college football as we head into the home stretch of the 2025 season. There are three undefeated teams in college football after BYU lost in Lubbock to Texas Tech last week and that number will be tested weekly over the last month of the year. So, let’s dive into what we saw in week 11 and prepare for a Separation Saturday type weekend in week 12.

Week 11 Players of the Week

Kinder’s Texas Bowl Player of the Week - Texas Tech LB Jacob Rodriguez - In the biggest game of the weekend, and the only matchup of top ten ranked teams, Texas Tech hammered BYU 29-7. One of the major reasons was the Red Raiders soon-to-be All-American. He finished with 14 tackles, one TFL, one fumble recovery, one impressive INT and one Heisman pose. It’s hard to remember a linebacker posting numbers like Rodriguez has week in and week out during any season in the last decade. Total DUDE performance.

National Player of the Week - Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith - The nation’s best football player played like it, and then some, on Saturday against Purdue. The Floridian finished with a career-high ten receptions for 137 yards and one TD in the win over Purdue. The Buckeyes dominated on the road and Smith was a highlight reel waiting to happen. He should get a visit to New York for the Heisman Trophy ceremony in a few weeks, but it’ll take another couple of games like this down the stretch of the season to ensure that definitely happens..

Week 11 Teams of the Week

Kinder’s Texas Bowl Team of the Week - Texas Tech - The Red Raiders put the clamps on BYU early in the game and then slowly squeezed the life out of the Cougars in a convincing 29-7 win over the formerly #7 Cougars. Rodriguez led the way as the defense played one of its best games in the 2025 season and RB Cameron Dickey went HAM on the Cougar defense with 121 yards rushing on 23 carries and one TD. 

National Team of the Week - Oregon - Down 16-15, in the rain and the cold of a late Iowa City November afternoon, the Oregon Ducks needed a minor miracle to stay in the B1G Championship race. QB Dante Moore threw three dimes on the final drive to set up K Atticus Sappington for the game winning field goal. The Ducks moved to 8-1 after a gut check, “old school B1G”  win against the #20 Iowa Hawkeyes.

Week 11 Kudos

…to the Houston Cougars for a comeback win for the ages in the Bounce House on Space U Night. No team had beaten UCF on Space Night, but the Cougars competed all night long, even when it looked bleak. Houston S Kentrell Webb picked off the final UCF pass in the end zone to end the game.

…to Tulane QB Jake Retzlaff, who one week after getting benched in the second half turned in a stud-ly performance in a must win at Memphis - 16 for 23 for 332 yards and three touchdowns, in addition to 43 yards rushing and one rushing TD.

…to the Texas Aggies for another DOMINATING 38-17 win AT Missouri. If the Aggies beat South Carolina this week at Kyle Field, they’ll essentially lock up a trip to the CFP, no matter what happens in Austin and, potentially, Atlanta over the next month.

…to Aggie LB Daymion Sanford and S Dalton Brooks for making nearly every single impact play in that win over Missouri. Sanford was the SEC Defensive Player of the Week (2.0 TFL, 1.0 sack, 1 FF, 1 QBH), while Brooks returned a Sanford-forced fumble nearly all the way down the field just before the half. He also had a fake punt run that led to a field goal in the third quarter.

…to Cal for an upset win over #15 Louisville on the road, on the east coast. The Golden Bears have won some exciting ACC games this year, but this might have been the most important, and most impressive, one to win.

…to Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia for one of the best QB performances in college football this season. 377 yards passing and three touchdowns. 112 yards rushing and one touchdown. He needed his defense to get a stop in overtime, and the ‘Dores defense delivered, stopping Auburn on downs in overtime to take home a 45-38 win.

…to Indiana WR Omar Cooper Jr’s left big toe for tapping down in bounds, in the back of the end zone, on a game winning catch, to beat Penn State in Happy Valley. Cooper Jr. snatched a pass from QB Fernando Mendoza, then tapped his one foot down just inside the back line of the end zone with under a minute left for the Hoosiers tenth straight win. Some have called it the Greatest Catch in College Football History. Yeah, no, that’s not true, but it will definitely go down in history with Ohio State WR Michael Jenkins’ “Holy Buckeye” catch in 2002 v. Purdue on the road to a national championship, Texas Tech WR Michael Crabtree’s TD with one second left against Texas in 2008, Boston College Gerard Phelan’s “Hail Mary” TD reception to beat Miami in 1984 and Colorado WR Michael Westbrook’s Hail Mary TD at the Big House to beat Michigan in 1994. If, IF Indiana wins the B1G and the national championship, or if Mendoza wins the Heisman, it’ll be remembered in that class for certain.

…to the Georgia Bulldogs for an impressive 20 point win over Mississippi State in Starkville. The Dawgs are just starting to find their level and that could be scary for the rest of the SEC.

…to my man Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love for one of the best runs of the season, a brilliant, jaw dropping 48-yard touchdown run against Navy in the Irish 49-10 win.

…to Rutgers RB Antwan Raymond for his 240 yard rushing performance in a 35-20 win over Maryland.

…to U Conn for an upset over Duke 37-34. HUGE win for head coach Jim Mora.

…to Kentucky for WALLOPING Florida 38-7 in Lexington. What in the name of Steve Spurrier happened to the Gators?

…to Phil Longo and Sam Houston for the first win of the season at Corvallis over Oregon State.

…to Timmy Chang and Hawai’i for crushing a really good San Diego State team 38-6 on the Island. Hawai’i QB Micah Alejado threw three TD passes in the win over the now 7-2 Aztecs team.

…to SMU RB T.J. Harden for his 130 yard performance against Boston College, one week after he scored the game winning TD in overtime in the upset over Miami, FL.

…to Miami, FL OC Shannon Dawson for getting the ball to OT Francis Mauigoa for a 3-yard rushing TD on a lateral from QB Carson Beck. Big Guy Touches are more of a thing in college football lately (see Kadyn Proctor, Alabama) and it’s glorious.

Kinder’s Texas Bowl Projections

SEC

Oklahoma (7-2) - After a bye week, nothing has changed for Oklahoma. A playoff shot is still available. A three game losing streak to end the season is possible. A road trip to Alabama and two home games against Missouri and LSU remain for the Sooners, so like I said last week, EVERYTHING is on the table for Oklahoma at this point.

Tennessee (6-3) - The Volunteers should win two of three, at a minimum, making them, at worst, 8-4, a solid bowl game candidate.

Missouri (6-3) - The Tigers were taken to the woodshed last weekend and have now lost three of its last four. Then again, they lost to the #4, #13 and #3 teams in the nation. That said, win two out of three and 8-4 puts them in contention for the Texas Bowl for certain.

LSU (5-4) - The Tigers should AT LEAST get to 6-6 with a home game against Western Kentucky next weekend. But, Arkansas comes to Baton Rouge and then LSU goes to Oklahoma for the finale. What does that all mean? It means that the Tigers are in contention to come to Houston for the second season in a row. 

Big 12

Houston (8-2) - The Cougars found a way to win on the road at UCF last Friday night to get to win number eight. They have the week off and then two toughies - home v. TCU and a road trip to Baylor. A split puts them at 9-3 and a perfect candidate to stay in Houston for their 2025 bowl game.

TCU (6-3) - The Horned Frogs couldn’t hang onto a lead last week against Iowa State and now have as tough a three game stretch as any Big 12 team to finish the season - @ #12 BYU, home Houston and @ #22 Cincinnati.

Arizona State (6-3) - The Sun Devils have three winnable games on the docket after a bye week this weekend. A 9-3 Arizona State is HIGHLY attractive, but there might be other factors (hurt QB, head coach taking a different job?) that could work against that attractiveness.

Baylor (5-4) - After a bye week, the Bears are back against #15 Utah. That’s just the start of a tough, TOUGH finishing stretch for the Bears. Can they beat two of Utah, Arizona and/or Houston to get to 7-5? Shoot, can the Bears win just one to be bowl eligible?

Week 12 Preview

#9 (7-2) Notre Dame at #22 (7-2) Pitt

Although Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi is downplaying the importance of playing non-ACC member Notre Dame, this one on the national landscape is huge. College Game Day will show up to Pitt for this one. The two young QBs - Notre Dame’s C.J. Carr and Pitt’s Mason Heintschel - have been outstanding and could light up the Acrisure Stadium airwaves with footballs all day long. I love this matchup.

#11 (7-2) Oklahoma at #4 (8-1) Alabama

Last year in Norman, the Alabama offense went AWOL against the Sooners, but QB Ty Simpson won’t allow that to happen this year. The Sooners have a ton on the line for this one, but Alabama has answered every single challenge all season long after losing its opener to Florida State. Oklahoma’s week off came at the perfect time to get QB John Mateer fully healthy, or as healthy as he can be, to tangle with the Alabama defense.

#10 (7-2) Texas at #5 (8-1) Georgia

This is the third time in just over a calendar year that Texas and Georgia have squared off. Georgia dominated the first outing in Austin in the regular season last year. Then, Texas made the SEC Championship interesting but still took an L. Meeting number three should be as intriguing as the other two, especially for Texas. The Longhorns CANNOT afford a third loss, especially with Texas A&M lurking in the finale. But, the Dawgs were as good as they’ve been in years last week in Starkville. So, Texas has its hands full if it still has designs on a playoff run.

The college football picture is getting clearer and murkier all at the same time. Teams ranked #8, #9 and #10 all lost last Saturday, yet the top two teams blew out their opponents by 24 and 45 respectively. So, let’s review last week’s action and then turn our eyes to a full week 11 slate.

Week 10 Players of the Week

Kinder’s Texas Bowl Player of the Week - Oklahoma LB Owen Heinecke - Starting for the first time in his career, Heinecke made a case that he should’ve started long before Saturday night in Knoxville. He had 12 tackles…IN THE FIRST HALF. He finished with 13, 1.5 TFL and a sack. In addition, he forced a fumble that teammate R Mason Thomas returned for the longest fumble return in school history. Heinecke helped Oklahoma keep its playoff hopes alive in a 33-27 win over Tennessee.

National Player of the Week - Ohio State LB Arvell Reese - Reese is the best defensive player in America and he dominated Penn State last Saturday. He finished with 12 tackles (a career high), 2.5 TFL and one sack. He’s on track to not only be defender numero uno in this year’s Harris 100, he’s hitting his head on #1 overall. That’s how great he’s been in 2025 to this point.

Week 10 Teams of the Week

Kinder’s Texas Bowl Team of the Week - Utah - College Game Day made the trek to Salt Lake City for what was supposed to be a celebration of two of the best teams in the Big 12. It turned out to be the prelude to a football funeral. The Utes SMASHED the visiting Cincinnati Bearcats 45-14 and it probably wasn’t even that close. QB Devon Dampier returned and went OFF - 213 yards passing and two touchdowns, 78 rushing. The defense was smothering and it was clear that even though these two teams had the same record that the Utes were in a different class.

National Team of the Week - NC State - There are teams over the course of the last three or four decades that I wouldn’t want to play as an undefeated team. NC State is one of them. I can’t even count how many times the Wolfpack have ended a team’s undefeated dreams in a given season. Dave Doeren’s squad did that to #8 Georgia Tech 48-36 in Raleigh. State QB C.J. Bailey was on a different level, throwing for 340 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for 6.8 yards per carry and one TD. RB Jayden Scott ran 24 times for 196 yards and a touchdown. The State QB-RB duo was magnificent and the previously undefeated Yellow Jackets felt its wrath on Saturday night in Raleigh.

Week 10 Kudos

…to Georgia Tech QB Haynes King for a 400/100 game in a losing effort. He threw for 408 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 103 yards and two touchdowns. He’s been terrific this season but needed to be terrific…er to beat Bailey/Scott/NC State.

…to North Carolina and head coach Bill Belichick for his first ACC win, scoring 21 unanswered second half points to beat Syracuse 27-10 at Syracuse.

…to Indiana for putting up 55 on the road at Maryland. Although the Hoosiers spotted the Terps three in the first quarter, QB Fernando Mendoza and company turned on the jets and exploded away from Maryland post early field goal.

…to Texas QB Arch Manning for blocking out all the noise to throw for 328 yards and three touchdowns in a much-needed 34-31 win over #9 Vanderbilt in Austin. Eight of his receivers had 18 yards or more receiving on the day as Manning spread the ball to his entire group of pass catchers.

… to Brent Venables and Oklahoma for a MASSIVE road win over Tennessee to keep their playoff hopes alive.

…to Jeff Brohm and Louisville for a win at Virginia Tech. Louisville…the best team no one is watching.

…to West Virginia for an upset at Houston over the #22 ranked Houston Cougars. The ‘Eers put 45 up on the board against one of the better defenses in the Big 12.

…to the Miller boys (Kaylon and King) from USC for leading the way in a 21-17 win AT Nebraska.

…to Duke and head coach Manny Diaz for beating hapless Clemson 46-45. Diaz chose to go for two late in the game and QB Darian Mensah made it pay off, completing the pass for two to beat Clemson AT Clemson for the first time in four and a half decades.

…to North Texas for its convincing win over Navy 31-17. North Texas has put itself in position to be in consideration for the Group of five playoff spot at year’s end.

…to Pat Narduzzi and Pitt for doing what many could not this year - beat Stanford on the road. Pitt’s offense has turned over its QB position and continues to be one of the ten best offenses I’ve seen this year in college football.

…to Jeff Lebby for getting his first SEC win AT Arkansas. On fourth down, with the game on the line, QB Blake Shapen threw a pass in the flat to WR Anthony Evans III, who then turned into Derrick Henry, charging into the end zone to give the Bulldogs a 38-35 win over the Hogs in Fayetteville.

Kinder’s Texas Bowl Projections

SEC

LSU (5-3) - The bye week didn’t do much other than to allow LSU to make news for non-football reasons. 8-4 or 7-5 puts them squarely in the Texas Bowl crosshairs.

Oklahoma (7-2) - EVERYTHING is on the table for the Sooners. Beat Alabama on the road a week from now and the CFP is still in view. Lose to Alabama and then Missouri and non-CFP bowls get VERY interested in the Sooners.

Tennessee (6-3) - The Volunteers lost at home to Oklahoma and are all but eliminated from CFP contention. But, the Vols rarely come this far west for a bowl game and there are going to be a handful of SEC teams that make the playoff, so they’ll probably get a Florida/Nashville spot…IMO.

Missouri (6-2) - The Tigers have #3 Texas A&M and #11 Oklahoma on the schedule, in addition to Mississippi State and Arkansas. Say Missouri wins two of those four, an 8-4 Missouri team would be attractive. Like Oklahoma, everything is on the table for Missouri at this point, but those two matchups with A&M and Oklahoma will determine the fate of the Tigers for bowl season.

Big 12

Houston (7-2) - The Cougars had designs on playing in the Big 12 Championship game, then West Virginia happened at TDECU Stadium last Saturday. Regardless, I’d love to see the Cougars in the Kinder’s Texas Bowl, if I’m keeping it a buck.

TCU (6-2) - The Horned Frogs may have trouble getting into the upper four of the Big 12, but 8-4 is well within range and prime Texas Bowl opportunity.

Arizona State (6-3) - The Sun Devils have three winnable games on the docket after a bye week this weekend. A 9-3 Arizona State is HIGHLY attractive, but there might be other factors (hurt QB, head coach taking a different job?) that could work against that attractiveness.

Baylor (5-4) - Last year’s Big 12 Texas Bowl representative had its most dominating win in the 2025 season, whitewashing UCF in Waco. The remaining schedule is tough, TOUGH, but a win or two should put them in consideration again.

Week 11 Preview

#7 (8-0) BYU at #8 (8-1) Texas Tech

A top eight matchup in the Big 12?!? Heck yeah, LET’S GO!! Lubbock hasn’t seen a game of this caliber in a long time and Jones Stadium should be HOPPING! LET ‘EM FLY!

#3 (8-0) Texas A&M at #22 (6-2) Missouri

The Tigers have lost two games by a combined ten points so this is still a dangerous team at home, which the Aggies will find out very quickly if they come out flat after a bye week.

#9 (7-1) Oregon at #20 (6-2) Iowa

Kinnick Stadium is a ROUGH place to play when Iowa is good. News Flash…the Hawkeyes are good. Oregon will have its hands full with the bruising Hawkeyes.

It’s time to make the donuts as the saying goes as we round second with a full head of steam for third base and home plate on the 2025 CFB season. Let’s dive into a full week nine and preview week ten…we’re already at week ten? Dadgum, where did this season go? Let’s rock!

Week 9 Players of the Week

Kinder’s Texas Bowl Player of the Week - Auburn CB Rayshawn Pleasant - The Auburn Tigers trailed the Arkansas Razorbacks in Fayetteville in the fourth quarter. Then, Pleasant struck. He picked off QB Taylen Green to set up the go-ahead score. Then, Pleasant had another pick later in the quarter to set up a field goal that gave Auburn a nine point lead. This was a win that Auburn desperately had to have and Pleasant provided when absolutely necessary.

National Player of the Week - North Texas QB Drew Mestemaker - 608 yards. SIX HUNDRED EIGHT PASSING YARDS?!? Who does that? Mestemaker, that’s who. He LIT UP Charlotte in the Queen City, setting school and personal records in the 54-20 win over the 49ers. The Mean Green are 7-1 and a big reason for the Mean Green’s success is their redshirt freshman gunslinger who went NUTS last Friday night.

Week 9 Teams of the Week

Kinder’s Texas Bowl Team of the Week - Texas A&M - Over the past two second halves against LSU, the Texas Aggies have outscored LSU 66-7. Say what? On Saturday night, the Aggies went into halftime trailing 18-14 and it appeared that this would be a sixty minute game, down to the final moments. Well, that didn’t materialize at all. The Aggies DOMINATED the last 30 minutes and beat #20 LSU going away 48-25. A 35-7 second half butt kicking included run, pass and punt return touchdowns and the loss put the nail in the LSU career of Brian Kelly.

National Team of the Week - Memphis - Don’t look now, but Ryan Silverfield’s Memphis Tigers are right in the thick of the Group of five schools with a realistic shot at the College Football Playoff. Why? A come from behind, 17-point fourth quarter in a wild win over #18 USF. QB Brendon Lewis was banged up and questionable heading into the game, but he played and went nuts with 342 yards total offense and two passing touchdowns, including one to WR Cortez Braham Jr. with a minute remaining to take the lead 34-31. The Tigers defense held and they moved to 7-1 on the season.

Week 9 Kudos

…to Vanderbilt for a defensive performance for the ages at home against #15 Missouri. The ‘Dores held star RB Ahmad Hardy under 100 yards as Vanderbilt won 17-10 with College Game Day in town.

…to Wilie Fritz and the Houston Cougars for their seventh win of the year and a massive victory on the road over #24 Arizona State.

…to Fritz’s signal caller Conner Weigman who ran for over 100 yards (111 and two TD) and threw for over 200 yards (201 and one TD) in the 24-16 win over Arizona State.

…to Utah QB Byrd Ficklin, in his first start, leading the Utes to a MONSTER 53-7 win over Colorado. All Ficklin did was run for 151 yards and one touchdown and throw for 140 yards and two touchdowns in his debut.

…to Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin for one fine performance on the road, after nearly upsetting Georgia last week. This time, the Rebels held on to beat #13 Oklahoma in Norman 34-26.

…to BYU for hanging tough early and responding late with a 41-27 win in Ames, IA over the Iowa State Cyclones. Freshman QB Bear Bachmeier was outstanding and S Faletau Satuala sealed the win with a huge pick six early in the fourth quarter.

…to Texas for a 24 point rally in the fourth quarter to take Mississippi State to overtime and then the Horns stole the win in the first OT session. Matthew Caldwell?? MATTHEW CALDWELL!!

…to Iowa for one of the worst beatings administered last weekend, a 41-3 beatdown of Minnesota in Iowa City. WOW!

…to the most potent offense no one is talking about - the Pitt Panthers are downright scary and scored 53 on NC State on Saturday.

…to San Diego State head coach Sean Lewis for turning SDSU back around, winning the Aztecs sixth win in 2025, a 23-0 shutout of a good Fresno State team IN FRESNO. Maybe Coach Prime and Shedeur didn’t think Lewis could coach, but he’s DAMN good at his job. IYKYK.

…to Temple head coach K.C. Keeler and the Owls for an exciting 38-37 win over Tulsa. That gave the Owls their fifth win of the year. In the previous two years combined, they had six wins. Keeler has five in just eight games.. He’s an absolute stud head coach and Temple is reaping the benefits.

…to the state of Texas…A&M, UT, Rice, TCU, Houston, Texas Tech and the Houston Texans ALL won this weekend. Only Baylor and that other NFL team lost this weekend.

Week 10 Kinder’s Texas Bowl Projections

SEC

Texas (6-2) - The Horns have three top ten teams Vanderbilt, Georgia and Texas A&M on the docket the rest of the season. 8-4 isn’t out of the realm of possibility. As it pertains to the Texas Bowl, unfortunately, the Horns typically get snatched up before the Texas Bowl is allowed to select.

Oklahoma (6-2) - The Sooners took one on the chin at home against Ole Miss and have one of the most difficult schedules down the stretch. An 8-4 Sooners team would look good in Houston, though.

LSU (5-3) - The Brian Kelly firing may make LSU not as attractive as others, but the Tigers always show up IN Houston and FOR Houston.

Auburn (4-4) - The Tigers had a massive win over Arkansas to keep bowl possibilities alive, but the schedule is rough down the stretch.

Big 12

Houston (7-1) - It’s going to be intriguing down the stretch, but if the Cougars finish 9-3, the Texas Bowl would jump at the opportunity, no?

Texas Tech (7-1) - See Houston.

TCU (6-2) - The Horned Frogs may have trouble getting into the upper four of the Big 12, but 8-4 is well within range and prime Texas Bowl opportunity.

Kansas State (4-4) - If the Wildcats win out, it would include wins over Texas Tech and Utah, they would be a strong 8-4 and have always been great to Houston and the Texas bowl over the years.

Week 10 Preview

#9 (7-1) Vanderbilt at #20 (6-2) Texas

The ‘Dores finally have to go on the road, but Texas may not have QB Arch Manning, who is in concussion protocol. However, backup QB Matthew Caldwell threw a game winning DIME in overtime at Mississippi State, so he won’t be scared of one of the most complete defenses in the SEC. This should be a FUN one on Saturday.

#18 (6-2) Oklahoma at #14 (6-2) Tennessee

It’s a long shot as a two loss team to make the CFP, but it’s a NO shot as a three loss team to make the CFP. So, the loser is COMPLETELY dead to the playoff, while the winner keeps hope alive for the time being. John Mateer v. Joey Aguilar is one heck of a QB matchup in this one and the so-called winner of that QB matchup will lead his team to a vital victory.

#17 (7-1) Cincinnati at #24 (6-2) Utah

Back in August, no one would’ve expected College GameDay to make the trek to Salt Lake City for this matchup, but here we are! The Utes rebounded behind first time starting QB Byrd Ficklin in a 53-7 trouncing of Colorado, while Cincinnati won its seventh in a row holding off Baylor 41-20. Two physical football teams will bang pads long and hard in this one - can’t wait!!

Last week was the perfect embodiment of the current state of college football. No team is safe and staying undefeated is going to be a thing of the past. Texas Tech, Miami, FL and Ole Miss, three top seven teams, all fell from the ranks of the undefeated. What will week nine bring? Probably much of the same craziness, so let’s look back at last week’s proceedings and look ahead to another fabulous week in college football.

Week 8 Players of the Week

Kinder’s Texas Bowl Player of the Week - Georgia QB Gunner Stockton - The Dawgs gunslinger threw for 289 yards and a career-high four TDs, in addition to 59 yards rushing in the Dawgs’ win over #5 Ole Miss. Stockton was magnificent in the second half as he completed every pass, literally, in the second half, going 12 of 12 for 135 yards and a TD as Georgia buried the Rebels in the fourth quarter with 17 unanswered points.

National Player of the Week - Ohio State QB Julian Sayin - The Buckeyes signal caller is starting to really shine and Wisconsin saw that brightness clear as day. The Californian completed 36 of 42 passes, a whopping 85.7% completion for a career-high 393 yards and another career-high four TD passes. He was named B!G Offensive Player of the Week for the first time and the B1G Freshman of the Week for the second time.

AND

Notre Dame RB Jeremyiah Love - Whooooo, buddy, he was magnificent against #20 USC. 24 carries. 228 rushing yards. One TD. The best RB in the country played like one of the best in college history with his performance against the Trojans. He averaged nearly ten yards per carry against a top 20, power four well coached defense. He’s been all that he was supposed to be coming into this season; Love is on pace to FAR surpass his rushing total of 1,125 yards.

Week 8 Teams of the Week

Kinder’s Texas Bowl Team of the Week - Arizona State - Don’t forget about last year’s Big 12 Champs!! Head coach Kenny Dillingham didn’t say those words during the week, but he might as well have, because Arizona State was READY for #7 Texas Tech in Tempe. The Sun Devils had Sam Leavitt back at QB and that was a huge boost for an offense that missed him. He threw for 319 yards on one of the nation’s best defenses and his star WR Jordyn Tyson racked up ten catches for 105 yards and one TD in the 26-22 win that shook up the Big 12 in a massive way.

National Team of the Week - UAB - It’s not often that the UAB Blazers are ever really in the running for an award of this nature, but after firing Trent Dilfer last weekend and handing the reins to Alex Mortensen, things didn’t look bright heading into a tough matchup with the undefeated #22 Memphis Tigers. Uh, they’re undefeated no more as the Blazers pulled an upset of massive proportions, knocking off the Tigers in Birmingham 31-24. A late game goal line stand gave Mortensen a seven point win in his first game as interim head coach.

AND…

Louisville - Although not nearly as surprising as the Blazers win over Memphis, the Cardinals win over #2 Miami, FL sent shockwaves through the world of college football. The Cardinals defense intercepted Miami, FL QB Carson Beck four times and Louisville receiver Chris Bell ran over, around and through the Hurricanes secondary for two catch-and-run touchdowns that put Louisville out front to stay. Jeff Brohm’s Cardinals were magnificent in a giant killer role…AGAIN!

Week 8 Kudos

…to Alabama LB Yhonzae Pierre who had three sacks, six tackles in the 37-20 win over Tennessee.

…to his teammate Zabien Brown who took a pick six 100 yards to the house late in the first half that turned the Tide’s win over Tennessee into a double digit one on Saturday evening in Tuscaloosa.

…to Vanderbilt and QB Diego Pavia for beating LSU for the first time since 1990. The ‘Dores leader threw for 246 yards and ran for 86 yards, accounting for three TDs in the process. This just in…Vandy is freakin’ good.

…to Iowa S Xavier Nwankpa who stuffed the stat sheet in Iowa’s come from behind win over hapless Penn State 25-24. The star safety posted 10 tackles, one fumble recovery and an interception that set up an Iowa TD in the first half.

…to the aforementioned Louisville stud WR Chris Bell. DAMN! What a game at Miami, FL! Nine receptions for 136 yards and two HUGE tuddies in the win.

…to Willie Fritz and the Houston Cougars for their sixth win, one that came on the last play of a wonderfully played game on both sides. K Ethan Sanchez knocked home a field goal on the final play for the win over Arizona, the sixth for the Cougars, ensuring a bowl game in year two of Fritz Ball at U of H.

…to Texas A&M QB Marcel Reed, throwing for 280 yards and three TDs, while running for 55 yards on just six carries and a TD in a 45-42 win over Arkansas.

…to Georgia Tech head coach Brent Key and the Yellow Jackets for getting to 7-0 with their nine point win over Duke.

…also, 7-0 is BYU…kudos to them for a strong fourth quarter comeback against rival Utah. After Utah RB Daniel Bray sped 49-yards for a go-ahead TD, BYU answered with two fourth quarter touchdowns to win 24-21 to stay undefeated.

…to Northwestern for a fifth win to get to 5-2 after beating shutting out Purdue, one week after beating Penn State in Happy Valley.

…to the Mustangs of SMU for going to Death Valley (not this year, though) to beat Clemson 35-24, gaining a modicum of revenge for last year’s ACC Championship game.

…to Temple head coach K.C. Keeler and the Owls for a definitive 49-14 win over Charlotte. RB Jay Ducker went off on just nine carries - 114 yards and one TD in the win.

…to North Texas and the Mean Green, for putting up 55 on UTSA for their sixth win of the season. At 6-1, the Mean Green are squarely in position to play for the American Conference Championship game.

…to interim head coach Tim Skipper and UCLA for their third win in a row, beating Maryland 20-17 on the strength of QB Nico Iamaleava’s three late game scoring drives.

…to Stanford fans for rushing the field after the 20-13 win over Florida State, stopping FSU RB Gavin Sawchuk at the six-inch line on the final play of the game. What a win!

Week 9 Preview

#8 (6-1) Ole Miss at #13 (5-1) Oklahoma

The Rebels head out on the road for the second consecutive week, this time to face an Oklahoma team that rebounded from the Texas loss with a win over South Carolina. Oklahoma QB John Mateer isn’t quite the same as he was before his injury but it’s important to just have him back. Ole Miss was hot offensively, scoring TDs on its first five drives at Georgia, but this is a GROWN MAN’S defense in Norman that gives five touchdowns in a game never. So this should be fun.

#15 (6-1) Missouri at #10 (6-1) Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt is one of the best stories in college football the past few decades, but here’s the nasty little secret they don’t want anyone to know…Vandy is REALLY FREAKIN’ good. Missouri is coming off of a solid road win at Auburn, so they’re ready for the Diego Pavia Traveling Circus to come to CoMo. I can’t wait for this game as Missouri RB Ahmad Hardy and Pavia could swap punches all game long.

#3 (7-0) Texas A&M at #20 (5-2) LSU

The Aggies are the only undefeated team in the SEC and can beat teams in a ton of different ways. Offensive blowout. Defensive knockouts. But, winning in Baton Rouge is a test that A&M hasn’t passed since joining the SEC and hasn’t conquered LSU on the road in 31 years. It’ll also be the second straight road game for the Aggies and a staunch challenge for Mike Elko’s Aggies. LSU just hasn’t played great football at all in 2025, but that could change with the Aggies coming to their House of Horrors on Saturday evening.

We’ve reached the halfway mark of the 2025 season and it’s been one heck of a campaign already. Let’s get ready for week eight and look back at week seven’s top performances RIGHT HERE!

Week 7 Players of the Week

Kinder’s Texas Bowl Player of the Week - Texas Tech RB Cameron Dickey - The first time that Dickey touched the rock on Saturday night against Kansas, he took it 71 yards to the house untouched to kick off a magnificent night. He finished with a career-high 263 yards, a 71-yard touchdown run and a 55-yard touchdown run in the 42-17 stomping of Kansas. LONG HAIL THE FLYING TORTILLAS!

National Player of the Week - Washington QB Demond Williams - All he did was become the first Husky ever to pass for 400 yards (402) and rush for 100 yards (138) in the same game. In fact, he’s just the 16th player EVER in the history of College Football to reach those levels in a single game. He broke the Washington single-game record for total offense with 538 total yards.

Week 7 Teams of the Week

Kinder’s Texas Bowl Team of the Week - Utah - The Utes took one on the chin a few weeks ago at home to the #9 ranked Texas Tech Red Raiders, so every Big 12 game is a must win if the Utes hope for a revenge matchup in the Big 12 Championship game. Well, they took care of business in a dominant way last weekend, smashing last year’s Big 12 darlings #21 Arizona State 42-10. In the rain and cold of Salt Lake City, the Utes ran for 276 yards and all six touchdowns, including three from QB Devon Dampier. The Utes impressively led from beginning to end as they moved to 5-1 on the season.

National Team of the Week - Indiana - The undefeated Hoosiers were a decided underdog heading to Eugene to face the #3 ranked team in the nation and left with a resounding double digit win on the road against the Oregon Ducks. Indiana has lost just twice in the Curt Cignetti era and that was to both national championship game combatants last year (Notre Dame and Ohio State). This year, the Hoosiers are even better on both sides of the ball and Cignetti has them playing some of the best ball I’ve seen in a while. The defense is outstanding and Cal transfer QB Fernando Mendoza has lit up the airways about as well and efficiently as possible. Indiana is for real.

Week 7 Kudos

…to Tulane’s fifth win in six games. Again, Jon Sumrall’s Green Wave is leading the American Conference after a 26-19 win over East Carolina.

…to USF and head coach Alex Golesh for turning up the screws starting in the second quarter of the Bulls’ 63-36 win over previously undefeated North Texas. The Bulls scored 56 points over the final 45 minutes for their fifth win of the year.

…to Indiana LB Aiden Fisher who racked up 13 tackles and 1.5 sacks in Indiana’s first ever top five road win against Oregon.

…to USC RB, walk-on freshman King Miller who dominated Michigan out in LA. Miller ran for 158 rushing yards and a TD on 18 carries. That yardage total is the most rushing yards by a USC RB in nearly 50 years.

…to true freshman Pitt QB Mason Heintschel who led the Panthers to a come from behind win over #25 Florida State. He finished 21 of 29 for 321 yards and two touchdowns, tacking on 64 yards on 16 rushes.

…to his Pitt teammate RB/All-Purpose star Desmond Reid, who totaled 200 yards of offense, including 155 yards receiving.

…to Clemson DT Peter Woods for being the first Clemson player with a sack and a rushing TD in the same game since 2018.

…to Alabama OC Ryan Grubb who continues to find ways to get the ball to his biggest, literally, weapon OT Kadyn Proctor in key situations. It’s not just a crazy run play when the Tide has been ahead by three touchdowns. Proctor lined up in the wildcat with the game tied at 17 and took a direct snap for two yards a key first down.

…to BYU, QB Bear Bachmeier and head coach Kelani Sitake for staying undefeated, coming from behind in the second half to beat Arizona 33-27 in overtime in Tucson. BYU RB LJ Martin was the star, rushing for 162 yards and a touchdown.

…to Ohio State for remaining dominant in the B1G as they hammered Illinois in Champaign 34-16.

…to Texas QB Arch Manning for drowning out ALL of the noise, leading Texas to a 23-6 win over formerly #5 Oklahoma in Dallas. That Ryan Niblett punt return helped too!

…to Texas CB Malik Muhammad for catching more John Mateer passes than all but three Sooners in the Texas win.

…to Texas Tech, my goodness, this Red Raiders team is freakin’ GOOOOOOOD.

…to Texas A&M’s defense for giving a vintage Wrecking Crew performance yet again.

…to Notre Dame’s freshman QB C.J. Carr for his 342-yard, two TD performance in a 36-7 win over NC State. The more comfortable he gets, the more dangerous Notre Dame is going to be in 2025 and beyond.

…to Texas edge rusher Colin Simmons for one heck of a performance on Saturday (and one heck of a GameDay segment about his wonderful brother Clayton. If you haven’t seen it, please go check it out)

…to David Braun and Northwestern for a huge upset win over Penn State, the one that ended James Franklin’s career at Penn State.

…to Nebraska QB Dylan Raiola for his game winning TD pass on the road at Maryland. All of the sudden, the Huskers are 5-1.

Week 8 Preview

#10 (5-1) LSU at #17 (5-1) Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt was in control of their matchup with Alabama for the first 30 minutes of action two weekends ago, but in the second half, the ‘Dores melted down in T’Town as Alabama ran away with a 30-14 win over Vandy. But, Vandy has more than proven its worth in the SEC, but can they win a big-time game at home against an SEC power, yet again? LSU eked out a win over South Carolina as the defense stole the show as the LSU offense struggled yet again. However, to be considered as one of the BIG BOYS in the SEC, Vandy has to beat top programs in the league and do it consistently at home; the ‘Dores have the opportunity yet again for Diego Pavia and company to do just that on Saturday with LSU coming to Nashville.

#5 (6-0) Ole Miss at #9 (5-1) Georgia

Auburn QB Jackson Arnold was inches away from perhaps ending an SEC/CFP run for the Georgia Bulldogs. But, the Bulldogs defense punched the ball out of the QB’s hands at the one-inch line, which precipitated a 20-0 run for a 20-10 win at Auburn. Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin was far from happy with his team’s performance in a narrow win over Washington State. Now, Kiffin is back in the role that he loves more than any other - road underdog spoiler.

#11 (5-1) Tennessee at #6 (5-1) Alabama

Like professional wrestling, this is a loser-leaves-town match. Although there are 12 teams in the current playoff, it appears that we won’t have many, if any, in the mix with two regular-season losses. Therefore, the loser of this one won’t have a great shot at making the CFP. Alabama’s been hot, beating three straight ranked teams in a row, including ending both Georgia’s and Missouri’s undefeated seasons on the road. Tennessee has escaped a few SEC deathmatches, but Alabama is the best team the Vols have faced this year.

#20 (5-1) USC at #13 (4-2) Notre Dame

One of the greatest rivalries in all of sport is just that much better when both teams are good and ranked. People wanted to forget about Notre Dame, but two early losses to top five teams had them at 0-2 and the sky had fallen in. But, four convincing wins in a row has them at #13, awaiting an improving USC team that took Michigan out behind the west coast woodshed. The NFL talent at the perimeter positions is at a high level, which should give us an exciting rendition of this rivalry.

We are nearly to the halfway mark of the 2025 season and it’s one of the most exciting first halves of the season ever. Let’s dive into a thorough review of week six and look ahead to some AWESOME week seven matchups.

Week 6 Players of the Week

Kinder’s Texas Bowl Player of the Week - Alabama QB Ty Simpson - In the biggest game of the weekend, Simpson was on fire, yet again. He lit up #16 Vanderbilt with 340 passing yards and two touchdowns, leading Alabama to the win over the ‘Dores 30-14. He could’ve been the Player of the Week any number of the last four weeks, so this was long overdue.

National Player of the Week - Navy WR/SB Eli Heidenreich - In a big 34-31 win over fellow military academy, Heidenreich registered 243 yards receiving and three receiving touchdowns. There have been years in which Navy’s single season receiving leader didn’t have that many yards, much less one game. He played less than 30 snaps in the game. Wow!

Week 6 Teams of the Week

Kinder’s Texas Bowl Team of the Week - Florida - The Gators have had a rocky season, there’s no sugar coating the start from the Gators. However, at home against the #9 ranked Texas Longhorns, Billy Napier’s Gators found some “Work ‘em Silly, Gators” spirit. IYKYK. QB D.J. Lagway won the battle of the two ballyhooed QBs and the Florida defense dominated in the 29-21 win, just the second for the Gators in 2025.

National Team of the Week - UCLA - After firing the head coach one week and then the offensive coordinator the next in the midst of an 0-4 start, no one, I mean NO ONE thought UCLA could beat Penn State. But, that’s what the Bruins did on Saturday afternoon as new OC Jerry Neuheisel put together a new offensive plan to beat formerly #7 Penn State 42-37 in the Rose Bowl. The Bruins’ four miserable losses seemed to be a distant memory as the Bruins stormed the field as the clock hit zeroes. What a win!

Week 6 Kudos

…to Florida true freshman WR Dallas Wilson for giving Florida LIFE…and six catches for 111 yards and two touchdowns in the win over Texas

…to BYU for a fifth dominating win in a row, beating West Virginia 38-24.

…to sneaky hot Cincinnati for another Big 12 win, hanging on after getting a big lead over previously undefeated and #14 ranked Iowa State 38-30

…to Notre Dame’s rushing duo Jeremiyah Love (16 carries, 103 yards and one TD) and Jadarian Price (8 carries, 83 yards and one TD) for a strong performance in a 28-7 win over Boise State.

…speaking of rushing stars, to Michigan RB Justice Haynes, who went over 100 yards again. That makes FIVE straight to start his first season in Ann Arbor.

…to Alabama RB Jam Miller, whose return coincided with the two best Alabama offensive performances of the year against Georgia and Vanderbilt. He finished the Vanderbilt game with 136 yards on 22 carries and a touchdown.

…to Texas A&M RB Rueben Owens for his 142 yard rushing performance against Mississippi State. A&M has SO many ways to beat teams and then throw in Owens to the mix now? Wow.

…also to Aggie edge rusher Cashius Howell who registered three sacks for the second time this season.

…to Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire and his Red Raiders taking care of business on the road for the second time against a hot undefeated Big 12 team. Tech handled Houston 35-11 on Saturday afternoon and strengthened its hold on the Big 12 as a result.

…to Notre Dame CB Leonard Moore, the nation’s best DB, picking off two Boise State passes in his return to the lineup.

…to the HOOS! Virginia is 5-1 and ranked in the top 25. Tony Elliott’s crew went to Louisville and knocked off the previously undefeated Cardinals in overtime to get to 5-1.

…to Baylor’s field goal block unit, getting a hand on a potential game winning Kansas State field goal attempt on the final play of the game, ensuring a 35-34 win.

…to my man KC Keeler and Temple for a BIG win over UTSA at home 27-21.

…to Arizona QB Noah Fifita who threw for 376 yards and five touchdowns in just three quarters of play in a win over Oklahoma State.

…to Jedd Fisch and his Washington Huskies, coming from behind 20-0 to win 24-20 on the east coast at Maryland.

…to UNLV first year head coach Dan Mullen leading the Rebels to a fifth straight win IN THE SNOW at Wyoming 31-17.

…to TCU QB Josh Hoover who led the Horned Frogs to a 35-21 win over Colorado, throwing four touchdowns.

Week 7 Preview

#7 (5-0) Indiana at #3 (5-0) Oregon

Oregon is primed and ready for the arrival of ANY B1G school, but they seem to love the arrival of a ranked team that much Moore. Yeah, I said it, Dante Moore is one of the three best QBs in the nation at this point, but Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza is one of those three as well. Should be a wild afternoon out in Eugene.

#1 (5-0) Ohio State at #17 (5-1) Illinois

Illinois bounced back after getting throttled at Indiana earlier this year with a tremendous home win over USC. But, BUT Ohio State is NOT USC. The Buckeyes have put the defensive clamps on opposing offenses and the Julian Sayin-led offense is finding its level as well. This will be a tough one for the Illini, but crazier things have happened during week seven in CFB in recent years.

#8 (4-1) Alabama at #14 (5-0) Missouri

Alabama’s run through the SEC continues as it goes back on the road after beating Georgia and Vanderbilt the past two weeks. Alabama QB Ty Simpson has been hot and the Tide offense has taken five steps forward since getting beat in Tallahassee in week one. Missouri is riding the back of RB Ahmad Hardy, arguably the best back in the SEC and the country, but the Alabama defense is ready.

#6 (5-0) Oklahoma v (3-2) Texas in Dallas

This game has certainly lost a bit of its luster after Texas lost on Saturday to Florida, but it’s still Texas v. OU. Which Texas team will show up? It needs to play faster and with quicker/more explosive players on both sides of the ball, but it may not have the firepower to hang with a FAST Oklahoma squad. The drama as to whether star QB John Mateer plays will ratchet up throughout the week, but the drama is thicker on the other side with Texas QB Arch Manning and his performances lately.

It’s rare for ANYTHING to live up to the hype, but CFB’s week five schedule of games was hyped as one of the best weekends in a long time. Consequently, last week’s slate of games didn’t just live up to the hype, it EXCEEDED it by leaps and bounds. Let’s look back at a wonderful weekend and look ahead to week six in the CFB season.

Week 5 Players of the Week

Kinder’s Texas Bowl Player of the Week - Tennessee LB Arion Carter - The Volunteer star linebacker was incredibly active in a 41-34 overtime win in Starkville against pesky Mississippi State. 17 tackles. One PBU on the final Mississippi State offensive play of the game. One dominating performance for the Volunteer leader in the middle.

National Player of the Week - Ohio State DE Caden Curry - There were a handful of analysts that thought that Ohio State was due to struggle on the road at Washington. However, the Buckeyes just took care of business, holding the homesteading Huskies to just six points. Why? Curry. He led the team with 11 tackles. He led the Buckeyes with nine solo tackles. He led the team with three sacks. He also racked up five TFL, to again, say it with me…lead the Buckeyes. His arrow is pointing way, WAY up after the start to the season he’s had.

Week 5 Teams of the Week

Kinder’s Texas Bowl Team of the Week - Alabama - After a week one beatdown at the hands of the Florida State Seminoles, EVERYONE wrote off head coach Kalen DeBoer and the Tide. Alabama fans dreamt of winning the lottery to buy out DeBoer after one game in his second season. Wonder how they’re feeling now? The Tide went on the road to Athens and took over Georgia’s trap. Alabama QB Ty Simpson led the Tide to a 24-21 win, one that’ll get Alabama right back into the playoff conversation.

National Team of the Week - Oregon - With a 17-3 lead in the fourth quarter, it appeared that the Ducks had delivered another top ten team defeat to Penn State in front of a White Out home crowd. The Nittany Lions did come back from behind to tie the game and send it to a second overtime. But, Oregon S Dillon Thieneman picked off Penn State QB Drew Allar after Dante Moore/Gary Bryant Jr’s heroics in the second OT to take home a brilliant 30-24 overtime victory. This was supposed to be Penn State’s night - James Franklin wins a big game and Drew Allar makes an NFL statement. But, Dan Lanning’s Oregon squad prevented that from happening…yet again.

Honorable Mention - Virginia - What a win over Florida State, just like 30 years ago!

Week 5 Kudos

…to Virginia head coach Tony Elliott and QB Chandler Morris for an emphatic two OT win over #8 Florida State in C’Ville. Those two cemented their legacies at Virginia after one of the greatest wins in UVa history on The Grounds.

…to Arizona State star WR Jordyn Tyson and his eight reception/129 yard/two touchdown performance against previously undefeated TCU. The 27-24 win keeps Arizona State undefeated in the Big 12.

…to Willie Fritz and the Houston Cougars for waking up just in time to come from behind to beat winless Oregon State in overtime. The win set up a gargantuan Big 12 contest with undefeated Texas Tech, the biggest game at TDECU Stadium in, well, ever.

…to Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss, who accounted for 385 yards ot total offense and a touchdown in an impressive win over #4 LSU.

…to Alabama QB Ty Simpson for a gutty performance on the road at Georgia - 24 of 38 for 276 yards and two TDs. He also scored a TD on the ground in Alabama’s 24-21 win at Georgia.

…to Vanderbilt, head coach Clark Lea and QB Diego Pavia for staying hot and setting up a massive rematch against Alabama this week in Tuscaloosa.

…to Oregon QB Dante Moore…man, what a freakin’ performance on the road!

…to Illinois QB Luke Altmyer for responding after a difficult defeat at Indiana to beat USC in Champaign 34-32. He threw for 328 yards on 20 of 26 passing. He was the first B1G player in 14 years to rush, receive and throw for a TD in the same game.

…to Duke RB Nate Sheppard, starting for the first time at Syracuse. All he did was run for 168 yards and two touchdowns, averaging a whopping 11.2 yards per carry. Holy cow!

…to Louisville’s ball boy Zephian Wade for chasing after Pitt defenders after a pick six, fighting to get Louisville’s ball back on the Pitt sideline. The Cardinals must have taken inspiration from Wade as they came back from behind to win on the road against Pitt in Acrisure Stadium.

…to Texas A&M’s defense for LOOKING like the great Wrecking Crew units of the late 1980s/early 1990s in a win over Auburn.

…to Georgia Tech for a gritty win at Wake Forest to stay 5-0 and maintain top 15 status in the country. Long live the toughness of QB Haynes King!!

…to Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love, my new favorite player perhaps ever (go watch ESPN’s College GameDay segment on him and his family). Love and the Irish dominated Arkansas in Fayetteville 56-13.

…to North Texas for a 5-0 start to the 2025 season!

…to Cal and QB Jaron Keawe Sagapolutele for a wonderful 28-24 win on Chestnut Hill against Boston College. J-KS hit TE Mason Mini on a 51-yard catch-and-run to take a late lead, but it took LB Luke Ferrelli’s interception in the end zone to finally put BC away with under just ten seconds in the game.

…to Cincinnati QB Brendan Sorsby who threw for 388 yards and two touchdowns, while rushing for 52 yards on 13 carries (440 yards total offense) in a scintillating 37-34 win over Kansas.

…to Kansas QB Jalon Daniels, in a losing effort. All he did was account for 500 yards total offense and threw for four TDs…in a loss to Cincinnati. His WR Emmanuel Henderson Jr. deserves mention as he had five catches for 214 yards (just under 43 yards per catch) and two touchdowns.

Week 6 Preview

#16 (5-0) Vanderbilt at #10 (3-1) Alabama

After two gut punches losses left Vanderbilt at 2-2 during the 2024 season, the Dores upset #1 Alabama 40-35 with a performance no one saw coming. Since starting 2-2 last season, the Dores are 10-4 and are undefeated and ROLLING in 2025. But, Alabama’s win over Georgia set up a revenge matchup that the Tide won’t take lightly. However, to stop Vanderbilt, it means that a defense has to slow down QB Diego Pavia and the underrated, UNDERRATED Vandy perimeter speedy playmakers. That said, I’d be shocked if Alabama looks past the best offense it has faced all season long. This should be fun.

#11 (4-0) Texas Tech at (4-0) Houston

I was really worried late in last week’s Friday night matchup against Oregon State that Houston would get tripped up before this massive matchup. But, the Cougars got things straight to stay undefeated for this matchup. As I said above, this is probably the most important game for Houston IN HOUSTON in quite some time. Tech will go back to injured QB Behren Morton, but Will Hammond will be ready. I have a feeling TDECU will be rocking, but the Red Raiders just came from beating Utah in what is one of the toughest places to win on the road. They won’t be intimidated in the slightest; likewise, I don’t expect Willie Fritz’s Cougars to back off one ounce.

#3 (4-0) Miami, FL at #18 (3-1) Florida State

Last week’s Virginia-Florida State contest was one of the five to ten best games in the early part of the 2025 season. Unfortunately, for the sake of this matchup, the Seminoles took an L in preparation for the arrival of the Canes. Mario Cristobal’s Canes are HOT and it’s going to take a gargantuan effort from the Seminoles to keep Carson Beck and company out of the end zone. I’m just glad that this rivalry is BACK - CFB is just better when these two rivals are playing great football.

Week four of any college football season is one of the most intriguing of a particular season because teams start to show themselves. The real ones continue to play well. The fakers fall by the wayside, sometimes in ugly fashion. Underdogs bark loudly. Overrateds get knocked off. Week five, then, presents an even clearer picture for all teams throughout the nation. As such, let’s look back at an eventful week four and preview an OUTSTANDING week five.

Week 4 Players of the Week

Kinder’s Texas Bowl Player of the Week - TCU WR Eric McAlister - The TCU Horned Frogs are one the best comeback stories in college football in 2025 and they dominated SMU thanks to a record-setting day for their star receiver. McAlister racked up eight catches for a whopping 254 yards and three touchdowns. The three touchdowns were 27, 44 and 70 yard receptions to break open the Iron Skillet battle in Fort Worth.

National Player of the Week - Washington QB Demond Williams - In the Apple Cup against Washington State, Williams took over the game with five total touchdowns. Williams accounted for nearly 400 yards total offense (298 through the air, 88 on the ground) as he ran over, around and through the WAZZU defense. He led the Huskies in passing AND rushing, totaling those five touchdowns in the 59-24 win on the road in Pullman, WA.

Week 4 Teams of the Week

Kinder’s Texas Bowl Team of the Week - Texas Tech - I said last week that the least talked about GREAT game in week four was going to be Texas Tech at Utah. I was off a bit because it was one-sided for the most part. The Red Raiders made such a statement that it didn’t feel like a great game. Regardless, it was one heck of a performance for the Red Raiders in a 34-10 win AT Utah. QB Will Hammond replaced injured starter Behren Morton and led the Red Raiders to 24 fourth quarter points in the win. This is one heck of a football squad in Lubbock.

National Team of the Week - Memphis - The Tigers were down for much of the game against Arkansas, but Ryan Silverfield’s Tigers chipped away until late in the fourth quarter. Then, with just under five minutes remaining RB Sutton Smith took a run 64 yards to the house for a 32-31 lead. The defense forced a fumble in the low red zone when it appeared Arkansas would kill the clock and then kick a game winning field goal. But, the defense saved the day! The Tigers are now 4-0 as they enter American Conference play.

Week 4 Kudos

…to Head coach Scott Abell and Rice for a third win in four games to start the 2025 season. The Owls knocked off Charlotte in North Carolina 28-17 to get to 3-1.

…to Tulsa’s Tre Lamb and the Golden Hurricane for knocking off in-state rival Oklahoma State for the first time in 27 years.

…to Indiana for showing that 2024 was no fluke. The Hoosiers HAMMERED Illinois in primetime 63-10, making a SERIOUS statement on Saturday night.

…to Vanderbilt for putting up a 70-burger against another FBS team (Georgia State). Wow.

…to Missouri RB Ahmad Hardy for another stellar performance (22 carries for 138 yards and a TD) in back-to-back weeks. I’m a huge Jeremiyah Love fan, but it’s hard to think Hardy isn’t the best RB in the nation right now. Total stud.

…to Micihgan and interim head coach Biff Poggi for an impressive road win at Nebraska.

…likewise to Michigan RB Justice Haynes for his fourth consecutive 100-yard game, rolling up 149 yards on 17 carries and a touchdown.

…to North Texas for its OT win at Army and a 4-0 start on the 2025 season.

…to Virginia QB Chandler Morris for throwing four TDs and 380 yards on 23 of 31 passing in a convincing primetime win over Stanford.

…to Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables and the Sooners for a gutty, physical win over #22 Auburn in Norman. Unfortunately, star QB John Mateer will be lost for a stretch of time, but that defense was just awesome!

…therefore, to the Oklahoma defense for setting a record for sacks in a game (TEN!) against former Oklahoma QB Jackson Arnold…and that unit played without star DE R Mason Thomas in the first half.

…to the least talked about STUD QB USC’s Jayden Maiava for a stellar 20 for 26, 234 yard, three touchdown performance in a 45-31 win over Michigan State.

Week 5 Preview

#6 (4-0) Oregon at #3 (3-0) Penn State

The last time these two saw each other, they put up a ton of points in the 2024 B1G Championship game in Indianapolis. December. Neutral site. End of the year. This one couldn’t be any more different. 107,000 Penn State fans will make life tough on Oregon QB Dante Moore and the Ducks offense in Happy Valley. But, Penn State head coach James Franklin teams have wilted against top ten teams throughout Franklin’s Penn State coaching career. Can the Nittany Lions channel all of their talent into a quality performance against these confident and talented Ducks?

#4 (4-0) LSU at #13 (4-0) Ole Miss

The Rebels have lived with The One that Got Away last year as LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier led the Tigers to a great win that should’ve been an Ole Miss win in Baton Rouge. Ole Miss players have said this week that they have harbored ill will all summer and can’t wait for this game in Oxford. QB Trinidad Chambliss should probably start again for Ole Miss as starter Austin Simmons didn’t appear to be ready any time soon with that bad ankle. That said, this one is going to be a little bit ugly, a little bit pretty and a 100% COMPETITIVE!

#17 (2-1) Alabama at #5 (3-0) Georgia

The Dawgs went to Tennessee a couple of weeks ago and even though it appeared they were dead in the water, QB Gunner Stockton became a legend, bringing the Dawgs back from behind for a massive win. Now, he gets to face an Alabama team that is still seeking respect after its loss to Florida State in week one. Beat Georgia AT Georgia and people will think differently about the 2025 Crimson Tide. Alabama QB Ty Simpson has improved each week and he certainly took notes as to what Tennessee QB Joey Aguilar did to the Dawgs two weeks ago. This one may not be as fun as last year’s contest, but it’ll be just as intriguing. 

College football continues to deliver, even when the lights are the brightest. The hype wasn’t even enough for Tennessee v. Georgia and Notre Dame v. Texas A&M. Those two games, alone, were enough for the price of admission, but the rest of the college football slate was bonkers as well. How about Georgia Tech’s win over Clemson in Atlanta? Wild. Let’s dive into a review of week three as well as looking forward to a number of fun/sneaky hot matchups in week four.

Week 3 Players of the Week

Kinder’s Texas Bowl Player of the Week - (tie) LSU DB Dashawn Spears - Doing a search on the world’s largest internet AI search engine, here’s what it shot back to me

Spears - recorded eight tackles and a pass breakup, helping LSU defeat Florida in a road win.

First of all, the Tigers won at home and Spears had just two tackles. But, AI buried the lede…BADLY. (and it’s why I don’t use it - I was looking up how to spell Dashawn actually) Spears had TWO interceptions of Florida QB D.J. Lagway, one of them going for a pick six in LSU’s HOME victory 20-10. The sophomore safety was all over the field, baiting Lagway into poor decisions and, eventually, five interceptions, of which Spears had two. Trust HI, Harris Intelligence to give you the right answers.

Texas A&M WR Mario Craver - In the offseason, the Aggies offensive staff and Elko sought out pass catchers that could get separation from defensive backs and Craver and KC Concepcion fit that ticket 100%. The decisions to sign those two all came to fruition, especially for Craver, on Saturday night in South Bend. He finished with seven catches for 207 yards and an 86-yard touchdown against what many thought entering the season was the best secondary in the country. Last year, the Aggie defensive backs raved about Craver after facing him and then Elko and company went out to make him an Aggie this year when he went into the transfer portal. GREAT move.

National Player of the Week - Georgia Tech QB Haynes King - Against what many thought heading into 2025 was the best defense in the nation, King went 200/100, throwing for 211 yards and rushing for 103 yards in an upset win over Clemson 24-21. He led the Yellow Jackets on the game winning drive, setting up the 55-yard game winning field goal as time expired. As tough as they come, King is driving Georgia Tech to amazing victories each and every week. What more can he do? I don’t know, but I’m here for it!

Week 3 Teams of the Week

Kinder’s Texas Bowl Team of the Week - Texas A&M - The win at Notre Dame wasn’t just a simple victory. This is the victory that Aggies head coach Mike Elko had been wanting/needing for the past two years (and Aggies clamoring for a win like this for decades). Since losing to Notre Dame in week one last year, it felt as if the Aggies desired not only a win, but revenge and got it when QB Marcel Reed hit TE Nate Boerkircher in the end zone with just 13 seconds to pull the 41-40 upset. Reed was magnificent down the stretch and he also threw for 360 yards, a number MANY never imagined he’d reach leading this Aggie offense.

National Team of the Week - Vanderbilt - Beating #1 Alabama at home is one thing, cakewalk really (okay, tongue in cheek). But, going to #11 South Carolina and putting up a 30-burger, while holding the Gamecocks to seven points??? Wow. QB Diego Pavia continues to lead the way for the Commodores, but former defensive coordinator-turned-head coach Clark Lea MUST LOVE what his defense is doing to teams this year. His ‘Dores defense has given up a total of just 30 points in wins over Charleston Southern, Virginia Tech and aforementioned South Carolina. Two sure wins are up on the docket for Vandy before the Gauntlet hits - @ Alabama, v LSU, v Mizzou, @ Texas and v Auburn. But, the way that Vandy has played, those games are just as difficult for those NAME opponents now. It’s a five star matchup because of Vandy, remember that.

Week 3 Kudos

…to New Mexico head coach Jason Eck and the Lobos for DOMINATING a B1G team in their own building UCLA 35-10.

…to West Virginia for the OT win in the Backyard Brawl. That was a Pitt win…until it wasn’t. Congrats to Rich Rodriquez v 2.0 after WVU lost to Ohio the week prior.

…to Georgia Tech’s field goal team for executing the perfect Firedrill field goal opportunity as the clock ticked down to zero against Clemson. Georgia Tech K Aidan Birr knocked home a 55-yard field goal to give Georgia Tech a huge 24-21 win over the 12th ranked Tigers in Atlanta.

…to Willie Fritz and the Houston Cougars for their 3-0 start. I’ve seen so much Houston football in my lifetime and this is the most disciplined, organized and competent team I’ve seen. Yes, it’s early, but it’s tracking with the Fritz Way as it did at Sam Houston, Georgia Southern, Tulane and now Houston.

…to Georgia/Tennessee/Texas A&M/Notre Dame for living up to the hype. Wow, those two ball games were Games of the Year types in just the third week of the year.

…to Alabama S Bray Hubbard for his two picks, including a pick six over Wisconsin. Hubbard was called out by MANY on social media for what they perceived as “loafing” in the week one loss to Florida State. Then, to bounce back like this two weeks later? Kudos, my man.

…to Oklahoma for not falling prey to the Owls of Temple after a big night win over Michigan the week prior and Auburn coming up this week. It was the perfect trap game until Oklahoma went to Philly and took care of business.

…to Stanford for its first win of the year as interim head coach Frank Reich beat Boston College led by Bill O’Brien. It’s not the first time Frank’s squad has beaten an O’Brien coached unit, but it was the first time in college.

…to Mizzou RB Ahmad Hardy for racking up 250 rushing yards on 22 carries and three TD in the Tigers’ blow out win over Louisiana 52-10.

…to Georgia QB Gunner Stockton for his 304 yard/two TD performance in his first road start, leading Georgia back to a 44-41 OT win. Throw in 38 yards rushing and a rushing TD and it was Stockton’s best performance as a Dawg. His 4th down TD throw to London Humphreys in the 4th quarter? Ridiculously good.

…to Tennessee WR Chris Brazzell II, in a losing effort, six catches for a whopping 177 yards and three touchdowns against Georgia. The NFL paid attention to that performance for sure.

…to Utah QB Devon Dampier for his brilliant second half performance against Wyoming. Perhaps sleepwalking a bit, or looking ahead to the matchup with #17 Texas Tech in week four, Utah had just three points at half. However, Dampier led the Utes to four straight TD drives and a 31-6 win in Laramie.

…to North Texas QB Drew Mestemaker for his 24/29 for 211 yard/four TD performance against Washington State. The two Texas schools (North Texas and Texas Tech) beat the Pac-12 in Texas a combined 104-24

Week 4 Preview

#22 (3-0) Auburn at #11 (3-0) Oklahoma

There are so many story lines in this one, but the biggest one is that Auburn QB Jackson Arnold returns to the place that many thought he was going to be a better Baker Mayfield. It never clicked for Arnold in Norman, but it seems to be doing so at Auburn. Oklahoma QB John Mateer is the QB that the Oklahoma fans thought they were getting when they signed Arnold. Regardless, there is going to be a TON of NFL talent locking horns on Saturday afternoon in Norman, OK.

#17 (3-0) Texas Tech at #16 (3-0) Utah

The sneakiest HOT game of this short season thus far is this game. Wow. Utah QB Devon Dampier has given the Utes life on offense and a chance to put points up on the board at any time. Meanwhile, the Red Raiders became the hottest team this summer for NIL signings/Free agents and, thus far, it’s worked magically. This is Texas Tech’s first road trip and that means the MUSS will be loud and obnoxious for the Red Raiders offense, led by QB Behren Morton. Also, it’s the first time that these two teams have faced one another since 1973 (although AI tried to tell me they met in 1996 and 2000). I love this matchup.

#9 (3-0) Illinois at #19 (3-0) Indiana

Speaking of sneaky hot, the B1G is all about the Ohio State, Penn State and Oregon love triangle, but these two teams have done nothing but improve the past few years. Indiana hasn’t played anyone with a pulse and QB Fernando Mendoza will get his first true B1G test against Bret Bielema’s fast and physical Illinois defense. QB Luke Altmyer has been through many tests throughout his career, but this one on the road might be his toughest in a while.

Whenever it appears that a CFB weekend has the look of a boring, ‘ol weekend slate of games, expect, EXPECT, the unexpected. That’s EXACTLY what week two was in the world of college football. Now, Week three has some outstanding games, on paper, mind you, and that could make it a no-doubt, all day TV watching affair on Saturday. So, let’s look back at week two, doling out some hardware in the procces and then look forward to week three in college football.

Week Two Players of the Week

Kinder’s Texas Bowl Player of the Week - (tie) Oklahoma QB John Mateer - In the one ranked matchup of the weekend, the best player on the field, performed at the highest level. Mateer was 21 of 34 for 270 yards and accounted for three total touchdowns in a 24-13 win over #14 Michigan in Norman. He totaled 344 yards and those three touchdowns in a convincing performance at home against a talented Wolverines defense.

Baylor QB Sawyer Robertson was incredible in a comeback win over SMU in Dallas. In a game that appeared early to be going sideways for the Bears, Robertson kept slinging the rock all over the field, 50 times to be exact for 440 yards and four TD in the 48-45 upset win over the Mustangs. He could’ve shared this award with his top receiver Josh Cameron who caught nine passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns, but in a close vote, Robertson got the nod.

National Player of the Week - Texas A&M DE Cashius Howell - A “Sack Trick” hadn’t happened in ten years until Howell did it against Utah State in A&M’s 44-22 win over the other Aggies. Howell sacked Utah State’s QBs three times in a row on consecutive plays in a single drive. He’ll have all eyes on him when the Aggies invade South Bend this weekend and those eyes were on him last week as he did something rarely done at any level of football.

Week Two Teams of the Week

Kinder’s Texas Bowl Team of the Week - Mississippi State - Bulldogs head coach Jeff Lebby and his squad pulled out the best win of his short two year career. After Lebby's first year in Starkville in which he was unable to lead Mississippi State to a win over a Power four team, a win of any kind is due to be celebrated. But, #12 ranked Arizona State walked into Davis Wade and got popped 24-20 in a scintillating win for Lebby and the Bulldogs. What a win for the Bulldogs, now 2-0, with a strong chance to 4-0 before entertaining Tennessee in Starkville in a few weeks. The next SEC win will be MSU’s first conference win since October 21, 2023; but that discussion can wait as it’s time to celebrate what a great win Lebby, his players and staff strung together on Saturday night.

National Team of the Week - USF - There’s a sign in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium that says “Only Gators get out alive.” Well, the Gators died, metaphorically speaking, in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium as USF K Nico Gramatica knocked home the game winner from 20-yards out on the final play of the Bulls 18-16 win. That’s two straight upset wins over ranked teams for head coach Alex Golesh and the Bulls - Boise State at home in the opener and #13 Florida in The Swamp. QB Byrum Brown was brilliant for a second week in a row, completing 23 of 36 for 263 and a TD, in addition to 66 yards rushing. What a great win for Golesh and company!

Week Two Kudos

…to Oregon and Dan Lanning for, just wow, WOW, taking care of business against Oklahoma State 69-3.

…to Illinois WR Hank Beatty who had 128 yards receiving on eight catches and added a 25-yard rushing TD in a 45-19 win at Duke.

…to Mississippi State WR Brenen Thompson for his 58-yard catch-and-run TD late in the fourth quarter to lead the Dogs to a 24-20 win over #12 Arizona State. He had 133 receiving yards on six catches and another TD in the victory.

…to Baylor for their comeback win over SMU in Dallas in one of week two’s best games. Such beautifully competitive and sloppy football, at the same time, but compelling as all get out.

…to Iowa State DT Dominique Orange who has the best nickname in all of college football - the Big Citrus, dominating the Iowa interior in a 16-13 CyHawk win.

…to NC State QB CJ Bailey and RB Hollywood Smothers for leading the comeback 35-31 win over a pesky Virginia squad. Bailey threw for 200 yards and accounted for three touchdowns, while Smothers had 140 rushing yards on 17 carries and two touchdowns.

…to Mizzou QB Beau Pribula outdueling Kansas QB Jalon Daniels with 334 yards passing on 30 of 39 passing and three touchdowns in Mizzou’s 42-31 win in Columbia.

…to the Ohio Bobcats for knocking off a Power four conference foe West Virginia 17-10 in Athens, OH.

…to Wake Forest RB Demond Claiborne who ran for 193 yards on just ten carries and three touchdowns in a blowout 42-10 win over Western Carolina.

…to Arizona QB Noah Fifita for throwing five touchdowns in a 48-3 win over Weber State in Tucson.

…to Michigan State QB Aidan Chiles who threw four TD passes, a career high. In addition, Chiles ran in the game tying TD and completed the game winning two point conversion to WR Omari Kelly for the 42-40 scintillating win over Michigan State.

…to Syracuse players for hanging on for dear life and beating U Conn in overtime and then surviving being forced to run sprints after the game by their head coach.

…to Colorado QB Ryan Staub who threw two TDs in relief of the two QBs seemingly ahead of him on the depth chart, leading Colorado to a 31-7 win over Delaware in Boulder.

…to Washington RB Jonah Coleman for tying the Washington Huskies’ record of five TDs in a game in the 70-10 win over UC Davis.

…to Ohio State QB Julian Sayin who threw just one incompletion (18 of 19) and at one time completed 16 passes in a row in a 70-0 win over Grambling.

Week Three Preview

#16 (2-0) Texas A&M at #8 (0-1) Notre Dame

These two beat on each other in the heat of College Station last year and the Irish came out with the victory. This year, they’ll meet in South Bend after an Irish bye week and two straight Aggie victories to start the season. I expect low scoring and a lot of physicality in this matchup, if nothing else.

#6 (2-0) Georgia at #15 (2-0) Tennessee

When Tennessee lost QB Nico Iamaleava to the transfer portal, they didn’t so much as settle on QB Joey Aguilar to be its next starting quarterback, but it felt a little like that at the time. Well, that’s changed. That’s certainly not the tune that Tennessee fans are singing after watching Aguilar in the first two weeks, as he’s driven this offense to huge success in their two wins. But, can he do it against the Big Red Menace? If he does, he’ll approach Peyton Manning status in Knoxville. Okay, not to that degree…yet, but close. The Dawgs have beaten the Vols EIGHT times in a row. Can Aguilar prevent a ninth?

#18 (2-0) USF at #5 (2-0) Miami, FL

Did many think Miami was going to be 2-0 through two games? A decent number of people would’ve said no with Notre Dame the opponent in the opener. But, the Hurricanes took care of business that night and look to be even better than last year. On the flip side, NO ONE had USF going 2-0 to start the year with wins over Boise State and Florida on the road. This Alex Golesh-led Bulls squad will hit you right in the mouth and has playmakers on offense to put the ball in the end zone. If USF can survive a potential early onslaught from Miami, this could be a REAL fun watch in the second half.

Sneaky hot non-top 25 ranked game, that should’ve been…

(2-0) Vanderbilt at #11 (2-0) South Carolina

Oh, I can’t wait for the QB matchup in this one. Vandy QB Diego Pavia and South Carolina QB LaNorris Sellers are as important to each player’s team as any QBs in the nation. Pavia backs down from no one and Sellers is an intelligent, freak of nature who does things no QBs in the nation can do. I love this matchup in Columbia and can’t wait to see how each defense game plans against each QB.