headtopics
As Week 11 of the college football season approaches, Alabama stands out as the premier two-loss team in the hunt for College Football Playoff berths and conference championships. The Crimson Tide are the sole team in the current standings to receive an A rating, placing them ahead of Texas and Tennessee, which hold A- ratings, and Memphis and James Madison, which earned C+ marks.
Twenty programs from the SEC, Sun Belt, and other conferences remain in contention despite having suffered two defeats. Among SEC contenders, Alabama secures the top spot, with Texas and Tennessee close behind at A-, and Kentucky also enters Week 11 with a 7-2 record. Memphis and James Madison round out the group with C+ ratings, reflecting their standing in the competitive race. The Crimson Tide's dominance in the rankings highlights their position as the most likely two-loss team to reach the postseason.
Key Analysis
Toledo and Jacksonville State face significant hurdles due to weak schedules. The Rockets rank 137th in ESPN's strength of schedule, the weakest among all teams in this group, despite their 7-2 record. They score 32.0 points per game (28th nationally) and maintain a plus-0.3 turnover margin per game. Jacksonville State ranks 135th in schedule difficulty while holding a top-three spot in Conference USA. The Gamecocks allow 20.8 points per game (29th nationally), but their offense averaging 26.6 points per game has not lifted them higher in the rankings.
Air Force, UTSA, and North Texas struggle with defense. Air Force leads the nation with 319.6 rushing yards per game in Troy Calhoun's 20th season and commits only 4.0 penalties per game, tied for second nationally. Their losses came by scores of 38-32 to North Dakota State and 28-14 to Wyoming, where they lost three fumbles. UTSA scores 31.5 points per game but allows the same amount, ranking 107th nationally, a vulnerability Florida Atlantic exposed. North Texas leads FBS in total offense at 521.4 yards per game and scoring at 42.4 points per game but allows 33.0 points per game, ranking 116th nationally.
Memphis and James Madison boast offensive strengths but carry risks. Memphis piles up 506.8 yards per game, third in the country, with 36.6 points per game ranking 12th. The Tigers sit 4-1 in the American, one game behind North Texas in Charles Huff's first season. James Madison owns the most wins of any team here with an 8-2 record built against the 131st-ranked schedule in ESPN's metrics. JMU scores 35.4 points per game, 16th nationally, but gives up 251.9 passing yards per game, ranking 114th in the country under Billy Napier's leadership.
Looking ahead, Louisiana Tech can clinch a spot in the Sun Belt Championship Game with a win over Southern Miss this week in its first season as a conference member. The Bulldogs have won six straight, their longest streak since 2019. Duke has outscored Boston College and NC State by a combined 88-5 over the past two weeks, capped by a 41-3 win vs. NC State. Duke allows 13.8 points per game, tied for fourth nationally, and 296.1 yards per game in a strong defensive performance.
Originally reported by headtopics.