All four pool teams featured in this week’s Valero Alamo Bowl projections are ranked in the AP Top 25 Poll. No. 11 BYU, No. 13 Texas Tech and No. 22 Houston represent the Big 12 pool, while No. 21 Oregon represents the Pac-12/former Pac-12 pool.
Texas Tech improved to 2-0 with a 35-24 road win over Oregon State. Junior running back J’Koby Williams recorded his fourth career 100-yard game, after finishing with 116 rushing yards. BYU opened Big 12 play with a 28-17 win over Arizona, shutting out the Wildcats in the second half to earn its sixth-straight series victory.
The Ducks are the new face in Week 3’s Valero Alamo Bowl projections after a 39-31 defeat against unranked Oklahoma State last weekend. Dating back to the start of the 2022 season, Oregon has scored 30+ points in 46 games, the most in the nation and three more than any other team during that span.
Week 3 features several notable matchups across the two pools. Houston travels to Texas Tech on Friday night for the only ranked matchup featuring pool teams this week. Arizona State and Kansas meet across the pond in London, England, for the Union Jack Classic, while Utah hosts Utah State in the Battle of the Brothers rivalry. Former Pac-12 schools No. 12 USC and Colorado prepare for their respective road contests against Rutgers and Northwestern.
Media Projections:
CBS Sports: Houston vs. Oregon
College Football News: BYU vs. Oregon
On3: Houston vs. Oregon
Pro Football Sports News: Texas Tech vs. Oregon
Game Schedule:
*all times CST
Big 12 Pool:
Friday, September 18:
No. 22 Houston @ No. 13 Texas Tech | 7 p.m. | FOX
Saturday, September 19:
Bowling Green @ Iowa State | 11 a.m. | ESPNU
Tulane @ Kansas State | 11 a.m. | ESPN2
Arizona State vs. Kansas (London Game)| 11 a.m. | FS1
Miami (OH) @ Cincinnati | 2:30 p.m. | ESPN+
Louisiana Tech @ Baylor | 3 p.m. | ESPNU
Georgia State @ UCF | 6 p.m. | ESPN+
Murray State @ Oklahoma State | 6 p.m. | ESPN+
No. 11 BYU @ Colorado State | 6:30 p.m. | CBS
West Virginia @ No. 25 Virginia| 6:30 p.m. | ACCN
Arkansas State @ TCU | 7 p.m. | ESPNU
Pac-12 / Former Pac-12 Pool:
Friday, September 18:
Portland State @ No. 21 Oregon | 9:30 p.m. | BTN
Saturday, September 12:
Arizona State vs. Kansas (London Game)| 11 a.m. | FS1
Utah State @ No. 17 Utah | 2:30 p.m. | FOX
Wagner @ Cal | 2:30 p.m. | ACCN
Duquesne @ Washington State | 2:30 p.m. | USA
No. 12 USC @ Rutgers| 2:30 p.m. | CBS
Stanford @ Duke| 3 p.m. | CW
Eastern Washington @ Washington | 6:15 p.m. | BTN
Colorado @ Northwestern | 6:30 p.m. | FOX/FS1
Northern Illinois @ Arizona | 9:30 p.m. | TNT
Purdue @ UCLA | 10 p.m. | BTN
Montana @ Oregon State | 10 p.m. | USA
Team Selection Rights:
The Valero Alamo Bowl will continue its current selection format for the 2026 season, matching the first selection from two 12-member pools following the announcement of the College Football Playoff (CFP) field.
- Big 12 Conference Pool – Baylor, BYU, UCF, Cincinnati, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas Tech, and West Virginia.
- Pac-12/former Pac-12 Pool – Arizona, Arizona State, California, Colorado, Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford, UCLA, USC, Utah, Washington, and Washington State.
As part of this agreement, two of the Pac-12’s current members (Oregon State and Washington State) and the former Pac-12 members Cal and Stanford (ACC), Oregon, USC, UCLA, and Washington (Big Ten), and Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah (Big 12) will remain in the Pac-12 bowl lineup for the 2026-27 season.
The official team selection will be announced on Sunday, December 6 at 2:00 p.m.. Purchase your tickets here to watch another Top 25 matchup battle it out Tuesday, December 29th at 8 p.m. in the Alamodome.