The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
10.26.2026 | Football
The senior linebacker earns the weekly honor for the second time this season.
AUSTIN, Texas – No. 11/11 Texas Football senior linebacker Rasheem Biles was named the Southeastern Conference's (SEC) Co-Defensive Player of the Week, the league office announced Monday. It's Biles' second conference weekly honor and his first since earning the SEC's Co-Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 7.
Biles is the third Longhorn to receive weekly honors from the SEC office this season and first since senior offensive lineman Trevor Goosby (Co-Offensive Lineman of the Week) and senior quarterback Arch Manning (Co-Offensive Player of the Week) hauled in SEC weekly honors on Sept. 14.
Biles tallied four tackles, one tackle for loss, one interception, two pass breakups and four pressures to help lead Texas to a 34-27 win over No. 7 Ole Miss on Oct. 24 at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium. Biles produced a critical interception that came on fourth-and-goal from the 2-yard line for the Rebels with 1:37 to go in the first half, maintaining the Longhorns' 24-3 lead. It was his team-leading third interception of the season, and it also marked the first time this season the Rebels had been held out of the end zone after obtaining a first-and-goal. The Columbus, Ohio, product's first pressure of the game came on Ole Miss' second possession of the first quarter on a third-and-10, causing an early throw and incompletion to a potential open receiver for a touchdown and forcing a field goal. He registered two more pressures on the next possession with the second being part of the series that forced a punt. His final pressure came in the fourth quarter with the game tied, 24-24, on second down of the series that forced a punt to give the ball back to the offense for the drive to take the lead. Biles' pass break-up came on Ole Miss' last drive of the game where the Longhorns stopped the Rebels to secure the win.
Overall, Biles and the Texas defense held Ole Miss to 82 yards below their average of total offense, including 41 yards below both their rushing and passing averages. Biles now ranks third in the conference and 13th nationally with 0.43 interceptions per game (3). He leads the team with seven pressures, ranks second with 53 total tackles, and his 5.5 tackles for loss are second on the team only to Colin Simmons, who leads the nation with 16. His four pass breakups are also tied for second on the team.
Biles is an integral part of a Texas defense that leads the SEC and ranks 11th nationally in team passing efficiency defense (107.66) and 15th in the FBS in total defense (285.4). Texas ranks 14th in the FBS in team tackles for loss (7.1), 19th in team sacks (2.71), 21st in passing yards allowed (178.1), 27th in rushing defense (107.3), 29th in red zone defense (0.778) and 30th in scoring defense (19.1).
Up next, Biles and the Longhorns host Mississippi State at 6:30 p.m. CT Saturday, Oct. 31, at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium. The game will broadcast on ESPN with Joe Tessitore (play-by-play), Jesse Palmer (analyst) and Kris Budden (reporter) on the call.
