CLASS OF 2019 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | State | Position | Team

CLASS OF 2020 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | State | Position

Recruiting is starting to heat up as the college football regular season is coming to an end and the Early Signing Period looms large on the horizon. In the state of Texas, schools are jockeying for position with the top remaining targets in the region. Here are five programs we expect to make the most noise in the Lone Star State over the coming weeks.

MORE: Midwest programs that should make noise | Southeast | Florida | Mid-Atlantic | West

This one is pretty easy, as the Horns are always a major factor in the state and recruiting efforts have picked up in recent weeks. The Longhorns are now within striking distance of Oklahoma for the Big 12 conference recruiting crown and the win over the Sooners earlier this year certainly has helped their efforts. Texas has taken a more national approach to recruiting this cycle, landing highly regarded commits from California, Georgia and Missouri, among other locations.

But the key to winning the conference crown and finishing the class strong could be right in their backyard. Uncommitted Rivals250 wide receiver Elijah Higgins is still strongly considering Texas, and while the Horns are fighting Stanford and Florida to land his commitment, if he stays home it will be another sign of the belief that in-state prospects have in Tom Herman and company.

The Sooners' recent run of success continues to pay major dividends in the Lone Star State, including a pair of five-star receiver commitments in Texas natives Trejan Bridges and Theo Wease. All told, Oklahoma has eight commits from the state of Texas in the 2019 class, seven of which are ranked as four-stars or higher.

But the Sooners don’t appear to done in the state just yet, recently hosting Texas four-star defensive end Marcus Stripling for an official visit. Assuming the Sooners hang on to their current bounty from Texas and add a few more names down the stretch, it will be a very noisy finish to the cycle.

The Aggies have been recruiting very well since Jimbo Fisher took over in College Station, with a heavy emphasis on keeping in-state talent close to home. Texas A&M holds commitments from three of the state’s top seven players, including five-stars Erick Young and Kenyon Green. The trio near the top of the state rankings are part of 14 in-state commits ranked as four-star or higher in the class of 2019.

But if current targets are any indication, the Aggies aren’t done just yet. Despite Marcus Stripling’s visit to Oklahoma, many think he eventually ends up in the Texas A&M class. He’s just one of several high-profile targets still in play for the school, along with defensive back Marcus Banks and tight end Jalen Wydermyer. Even with few spots remaining, the Aggies are likely to continue to make noise down the stretch.

The Wildcats have always done their share of recruiting in the state of Texas, but things have gone up a notch since Kevin Sumlin took over the job earlier this year. The school’s efforts in Texas are highlighted by quarterback commit Grant Gunnell, but also includes three other Texas natives.

Where the school could really make noise down the stretch is with some elite targets. Rivals100 wide receiver Jalen Curry, a friend and teammate of Gunnell’s, recently visited campus and remains a top priority. The same can be said for former Texas A&M defensive back commit Bobby Wolfe, who actually backed off his pledge to the Aggies while on campus at Arizona. The Wildcats are also a player with three-star Baylor wide receiver commit Jaylen Ellis, who has seen his stock climb in the eyes of many coaches this fall. If the Wildcats can add those three names to their commitment list over the next month, it would be a great finish to the cycle.

With Arkansas head coach Chad Morris being a former Texas high school head coach and spending the last few years at SMU, it’s not surprising the Razorbacks are making a major push into the state. This year, Arkansas has seven commits from the state of Texas, a high number considering the school signed just two Texas natives in the last full class before Morris arrive in Fayetteville.

If all goes according to plan, the Razorbacks aren’t done making noise in Texas, either. Uncommitted four-star Jalen Catalon is still very much in play for the school, with the potential to play both football and baseball at the next level. Even if the Hogs don’t close with Catlon or Bobby Wolfe, another major target, the noise in Texas is likely to continue on a yearly basis.