When I read the thread title I was thinking, well, if you're leaving from west Texas then somewhere in the middle of Texas...
If I break our trip up into 2 days instead of one, I try to get more distance covered on the first day leaving a shorter second day. This may take too much effort depending on the time of day we leave home. In either case, I try to push a little harder on the first day to get more miles over with.
So, in your case, if you don't think you will be too tired, then go a little farther; Pensacola would be a better choice. It will also get you past some of the heavier morning traffic around Mobile. Depending on how you feel, Hwy 79 off of I-10 near Bonifay, FL has a couple of hotels as well.