College football enters the final week of the 2023-24 regular season with conference championship berths and postseason chances on the line.
Here is the schedule for schools in Texas and across the Big 12 during the final weekend.
Friday 11/24
TCU (5-6, 3-5 in the Big 12) at No.13 Oklahoma (9-2, 6-2), 11 a.m. CT, Fox
Bowl eligibility and Big 12 Championship chances are at stake in this one. TCU is trying to avoid becoming the third team to miss a bowl game following an appearance in the national championship game during the previous season, while Oklahoma is looking to set up a rematch with Texas in the Big 12 Championship. The Sooners need to win Friday and have BYU beat Oklahoma State on Saturday.
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Texas San Antonio (8-3, 7-0 in the American Athletic Conference) at No.23 Tulane (10-1, 7-0), 2:30 p.m. CT, ABC
The winner of this game will head to the American Athletic Conference Championship game, and Tulane will host the game with a win. Tulane has been the top Group of Five team all year and has a chance to repeat as conference champion. However, UTSA won seven games in a row and the last two conference championships in Conference USA before joining the AAC this season.
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Texas Tech (6-5, 5-3 in the Big 12 ) at No.7 Texas (10-1, 7-1), 6:30 p.m. CT, ABC
Texas Tech has clinched a bowl berth but would love to spoil Texas’ playoff chances. Tech has rebounded after a slow start amid injuries at key positions like quarterback, while Texas has been on fire all season and will likely play for the conference title next weekend.
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Saturday 11/25
Texas A&M (7-4, 4-3 in the SEC) at No.14 LSU (8-3, 5-2), 11 a.m. CT, ESPN
This will be Texas A&M’s second game since firing Jimbo Fisher and first against a Power Five opponent. All three of LSU’s losses this season have come against ranked teams, while A&M has played some elite opponents closely but has yet to pull out wins. Quarterback Jayden Daniels will be a challenge to defend, and A&M will have to answer all sorts of questions about being ready to play an elite team under an interim head coach.
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Houston (4-7, 2-6 in the Big 12) at UCF (5-6, 2-6), 11 a.m. CT, FS1
Houston is playing for pride, while UCF is trying to reach a bowl game. Houston has seen some growth from its team throughout the year but, much like A&M, has not finished the games. Meanwhile, UCF has been a polarizing team. The Knights started the year 3-0 but have struggled in conference play despite taking Oklahoma to the wire and destroying Oklahoma State 45-3.
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Navy (5-5, 4-3 in the American Athletic Conference) at SMU (9-2, 7-0), 11 a.m. CT, ESPN2
SMU plays its most significant game in decades when Navy visits Dallas on Saturday. The Mustangs are tied for first place in the AAC with Tulane and UTSA and could even host next week’s conference championship game with a win and a UTSA upset. Navy and SMU play contrasting styles of football, which should make for an intriguing battle once they hit the field.
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Florida Atlantic (4-7, 3-4 in the American Atheltic Conference) at Rice (5-6, 3-4), noon CT, ESPN+
Rice is trying to clinch back-to-back bowl berths for the first time since reaching three consecutive bowls from 2012 to 2014. This year’s team has significantly improved, but finishing games against the conference’s top teams has been an issue. Luckily, Florida Atlantic is a mid-tier team in the conference.
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UAB (4-7, 3-4 in the American Athletic Conference) at North Texas (4-7, 2-5), 1 p.m. CT, ESPN+
North Texas is looking to finish the first year under head coach Eric Morris on a positive note. The Mean Green had a rough start to the season but have been competitive against the top contenders in the conference. While a bowl game is not within reach, closing the season with a win could bring some momentum for next season.
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BYU (5-6, 2-6 in the Big 12) at No.20 Oklahoma State (8-3, 6-2), 2:30 p.m. CT, ABC
BYU is also trying to reach bowl eligibility this weekend as it visits Oklahoma State. The Cougars have lost six of their last eight games, while Oklahoma State would make the Big 12 Championship with a win.
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West Virginia (7-4, 5-3 in the Big 12) at Baylor (3-8, 2-6), 6 p.m. CT, FS1
Baylor’s season was a disappointment from the start, dropping the season opener to Texas State and failing to become competitive throughout most of the conference slate. The Bears hung with TCU in the first half last week but ultimately fell apart in the second half. Meanwhile, West Virginia has beaten the bad teams in the Big 12 while losing to its top programs.
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South Alabama (6-5, 4-3 in the Sun Belt) at Texas State (6-5, 3-4), 6 p.m. CT, NFL Network
Texas State has had an exciting season, but the recent struggles have caused some concerns. The Bobcats had a chance to set a program record for wins in a season, yet have lost three of their last four games and allowed 77 points last weekend. Getting back on track before the bowl game will be crucial for first-year head coach G.J. Kinne and his program.
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Kansas (7-4, 4-4 in the Big 12) at Cincinnati (3-8, 1-7), 6:30 p.m. CT, ESPN2
Kansas head coach Lance Leipold has put himself in coaching conversations for other Power Five jobs with his performance this season, guiding a historically downtrodden Jayhawks team to a respectable record in the Big 12 despite playing most of the season with backup quarterbacks. Their reward is playing last-place Cincinnati in the regular season finale.
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Iowa State (6-5, 5-3 in the Big 12) at No.19 Kansas State (8-3, 6-2), 7 p.m. CT, Fox
This game is the last link to the Big 12 Championship. Defending conference champ Kansas State could set up a rematch with Texas, who won the first matchup in Austin in overtime, with a win and losses from Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.
