The Lone Star Update

Photo Credit: Austin American-Statesman

Another Saturday, another scorecard. With another week in the books, our Lone Star power rankings saw a bit of a shakeup in the upper half of the standings. See which teams rose and fell in week two.

Baylor Bears (1-1)
Utah def. Baylor 23-12

After a deflating first half, the Baylor Bears couldn’t claw their way back to a win against the Utes. Of his 21 passes, Bears quarterback Dequann Finn only completed nine, managing just 115 yards. The Baylor ground game didn’t fare much better, combining for 108 yards. In a relatively low-scoring game, Utah had a pair of standouts in running back Micah Bernard (19 ATT, 118 YDS, 1 REC TD) and receiver Money Parks (3 REC, 80 YDS, 1 TD), but suffered a huge blow as quarterback Cameron Rising was forced to leave with a hand injury. Utah started hot, with Bernard and Parks catching first-quarter touchdowns in quick succession. The Utes then made it 17-0 in the first quarter with a 30-yard field goal. Things went from bad to worse when Utah defensive end Logan Fano blocked a field goal attempt and safety Tao Johnson took it to the house for a 71-yard scoop-and-score. Down 23-3, the Bears made a stronger defensive stand in the second half and didn’t allow a single point. However, it was too little too late, and Baylor returned to Waco (1-1). They will host the (1-1) Air Force Falcons in week three.

Houston Cougars (0-2)
Oklahoma def. Houston 16-12

The Cougars may have fallen to 0-2, but they managed to stay within one score of the #15 Oklahoma Sooners. With the exception of a fourth-quarter interception, Donovan Smith had a solid game, completing 24 of 28 passes for 260 yards and a touchdown. On the defensive side, defensive back A.J. Haulcy broke up a pass and made 11 tackles. Oklahoma went three-and-out on their first drive, but a muffed punt by Houston returner Mekhi Mews allowed the Sooners to score a quick touchdown. Houston responded with a field goal, and neither team would score again until the second quarter, when Jackson Arnold threw an 11-yard touchdown to Jake Roberts for a 14-3 Oklahoma lead. Houston drew closer with another field goal right at halftime, a 44-yarder by Joseph Kim. In the third quarter, a Houston interception was overturned by pass interference on the Sooners’ defense, allowing Smith to throw a 44-yard touchdown pass. They failed the two-point conversion, leaving Houston behind 12-14. Though the Houston defense held steady, not surrendering a single point to Oklahoma, the Cougars failed to mount a fourth-quarter comeback, actually allowing 2 points as a result of a safety. It was a strong game for the defense, and hopefully a positive sign as they prepare to face an easier opponent in Rice.

North Texas Mean Green (2-0)
North Texas def. Stephen F. Austin 35-20

Chandler Morris continued to launch balls all over the field in week two, passing for 322 yards during the Mean Green’s 35-20 win over the Lumberjacks. He ranks second in the FBS in passing yards, trailing only Jaxson Dart of Ole Miss. Though he threw three interceptions, Morris had four scores, three of which went to junior DT Sheffield (6 REC, 74 YDS, 3 TD). SFA opened the scoring with a field goal, but UNT struck back with two straight receiving touchdowns from Sheffield. The Lumberjacks got one back when linebacker Jermaine Brown returned Morris’s second pick for a 70-yard defensive touchdown. The two teams exchanged touchdowns in the second quarter, making it 21-17 Mean Green at halftime. The UNT defense locked it down in the latter half of the matchup, surrendering only a single field goal for the rest of the game. Oscar Hammond snagged a touchdown, and Damashja Harris ended a 142-yard rushing performance with an 80-yard score to seal the game for North Texas. Now 2-0, UNT heads to Lubbock to take on Texas Tech.

Rice Owls (1-1)
Rice def. Texas Southern 69-7

The Owls flew past the Tigers in a 69-7 blowout. Senior running back Dean Connors had a career game, rushing nine times for 113 yards and three scores, including a 71-yard dash to open the second half. His backfield partner, Taji Atkins, had 11 attempts for 91 yards and two touchdowns of his own. Rice quarterback EJ Warner joined the party with two passing touchdowns on 189 yards. On the defensive front, Tyson Flowers and Marcus Williams both picked off Texas Southern, and the secondary allowed a mere 49 passing yards total. Thanks to the effort on both sides of the ball, Rice only punted once compared to Texas Southern’s 10. Rice scored at least two touchdowns in every quarter and didn’t allow a Tiger score until the fourth. The massive win will certainly be a confidence boost as the Owls get ready to face their in-city opponent, the University of Houston.

Sam Houston Bearkats (1-1)
UCF def. Sam Houston 45-14

Sam Houston fell back to Earth after their big week one victory against Rice. The Bearkats struggled to defend against the UCF Knights’ run game, which accumulated 384 yards. RJ Harvey dashed his way to four rushing touchdowns and 126 yards. All of Sam Houston’s runners combined only picked up 67 yards. They split time between Hunter Watson (9-13, 82 YDS, 2 INT) and Jase Bauer (7-10, 73 YDS, TD) at quarterback, but the best pass of the night actually came from wide receiver Noah Smith, who threw a 64-yard touchdown on a fake jet sweep. The trick play was the only score of the first half for Sam Houston, who went down 17-0 to start the game. Three more Knights touchdowns later, and the game was soon out of reach for the Bearkats. Simeon Evans (3 REC, 89 YDS) caught a fourth-quarter touchdown, but Sam Houston otherwise went down quietly as they fell to 1-1. Week three will be Sam Houston’s first home game of 2024 in Huntsville as the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors come to town.

SMU Mustangs (2-1)
BYU def. SMU 18-15

Despite another stellar defensive showing, the SMU Mustangs couldn’t beat the BYU Cougars, falling 15-18 at home. Perplexingly, head coach Rhett Lashlee once again limited Preston Stone’s opportunities, sticking primarily with Kevin Jennings at the helm. Jennings completed 15 of 32 passes for a minimal 132 yards and an interception. He also had 38 yards on the ground, the second-most for the Ponies behind senior Brashard Smith (14 ATT, 75 YDS, 5.4 AVG). BYU opened the scoring with a touchdown pass from Jake Retzlaff to Ta’ase Mata’ava (2 REC, 42 YDS, TD) in the first quarter. SMU wouldn’t score until the second, when kicker Collin Rogers nailed three field goal attempts. The first two were both from 50+ yards, and the final to close out the half was from 38 yards. In the second half, Rogers continued to boot the ball with a fourth field goal (28 YDS), but BYU responded with a rushing touchdown and two-point conversion to make the score 15-12, Cougars. Despite finding the red zone numerous times and picking off Retzlaff twice, the SMU offense repeatedly squandered scoring opportunities. Rogers picked up one final field goal, setting a school record for field goals made in a single game, but it wouldn’t be enough as BYU’s own kicker, Will Ferrin, nailed a go-ahead 26-yarder with 1:58 left. Jennings couldn’t lead a game-winning drive, and the Mustangs ultimately fell to 2-1 on the season. They have a rivalry game against TCU at home after a needed bye week and require an improved offensive performance to win the Iron Skillet.

TCU Horned Frogs (2-0)
TCU def. Long Island 45-0

TCU did not pick on someone their own size in a beatdown of Long Island University. From start to finish, the Horned Frogs controlled the game, collecting 425 total offensive yards and only allowing the Sharks 127. Josh Hoover looked steady, completing 20 of 25 passes for 267 yards and 2 touchdowns. Running back Cam Cook legged out three scores on 58 yards of rushing, and Savion Williams led the receiving corps with 69 yards. In total, 13 Horned Frogs caught a pass on Saturday. Namdi Obiazor reeled in his first interception of the game, and the Horned Frogs defense picked up two sacks. TCU scored 10 points in the first quarter, 21 in the second, and a touchdown apiece in the third and fourth quarters. The Long Island Sharks, on the other hand, never even entered the red zone. TCU moves to 2-0 and will face the UCF Knights, who stomped over Sam Houston, in week three.

Texas Longhorns (2-0)
Texas def. Michigan 31-12

The Longhorns handled business on Saturday, going on the road to Ann Arbor and walloping the 10th-ranked Michigan Wolverines. Quinn Ewers was stellar in the 31-12 victory, completing 24 of 36 passes with three touchdowns and zero interceptions. Gunnar Helm led both teams in receptions (7) and receiving yards (98), including a first-quarter touchdown. Helm had the only score of the first period, but Michigan opened the second with a 37-yard field goal. It was all Texas for the rest of the half; three straight touchdowns from Texas made it 24-3 with two quarters to go. Michigan kicker Dominic Zvada hit a 52-yarder, but a third passing touchdown from Ewers put the game out of reach. Semaj Morgan of the Wolverines caught a 31-yard score in garbage time, but the Longhorns came away with a convincing victory. The Longhorn defense deserves great praise for their performance, coming away with three takeaways and only allowing 284 offensive yards on the road. The Longhorns moved to second in the AP Poll and are slated to face UTSA next Saturday.

Texas A&M Aggies (1-1)
Texas A&M def. McNeese 52-10

The Aggies earned their first win of the season in a 52-10 blowout of McNeese State University. Texas A&M ran for five touchdowns and 333 yards, with Le’Veon Moss (9 ATT, 84 YDS, 2 TD) leading the way. Texas A&M rattled off 38 points in the first half while also snatching two interceptions and preventing McNeese from passing the Aggie 45-yard line. In a peculiar second half, Texas A&M only got the ball three times due to a 10:30 touchdown drive by the Cowboys. The second of those was a one-play drive, as freshman defensive back and return specialist Terry Bussey rumbled for a 65-yard score on his only run of the game. The Aggies will look to take their momentum into their week three matchup against Bowling Green.

Texas State Bobcats (2-0)
Texas State def. UTSA 49-10
See UTSA below.

Texas Tech Red Raiders (1-1)
Washington State def. Texas Tech 37-16

Fifty-eight pass attempts from Red Raiders quarterback Behren Morton weren’t enough to surmount the Washington State Cougars’ high-powered offense. Morton (34-58, 323 YDS, TD, 2 INT) had only a few missteps in the loss. Washington State’s QB John Mateer only passed for 115 yards but had a monster game on the ground, rushing for 197 yards and a touchdown. Rushing defense proved to be a point of weakness for Texas Tech, who surrendered 301 total yards to the Cougar run game. Mateer opened the scoring with a rushing touchdown, which the Red Raiders countered with a 37-yard field goal. Washington State running back Wayshon Parker found the end zone on a 43-yard dash, and after a Tech fumble on the 2-yard line, the Cougars converted to make the score 21-3. A trick pass from Red Raider wide receiver Eakin Coy found Johncarlos Miller II in the end zone, making it 21-10, but the Cougars scored another touchdown before half to extend the lead. A touchdown pass to Cameron Dickey was the only scoring Morton and the offense could muster in the second half, allowing Washington State to run away with the game. Texas Tech will face an in-state opponent in the UNT Mean Green on Saturday and will hope to knock off the undefeated squad.

UTEP Miners (0-2)
Southern Utah def. UTEP 27-24 (OT)

The Miners lost again, this time in crushing fashion to the Southern Utah Thunderbirds. Quarterback Skyler Locklear performed well, completing 22 of 29 passes for 295 yards and a touchdown. He also picked up a score on the ground, rushing for 77 yards but losing 30 on sacks. UTEP took a first-quarter lead on Locklear’s passing and rushing touchdowns, which sandwiched a Southern Utah score. Up 14-6, UTEP kicker Buzz Flabiano drilled a 43-yarder to add to the lead. Things unraveled in the third, when Targhee Lambson (20 ATT, 183 YDS) rushed for two consecutive touchdowns to give Southern Utah their first lead. Then, the Thunderbird kicker made a field goal of his own, putting Southern Utah up 24-17. UTEP kept the game alive, running a perfect two-minute drill to score a game-tying touchdown in the closing seconds of the fourth. The magic ended in overtime, sadly, as after Southern Utah scored a field goal, Flabiano missed a 32-yarder to tie it up, granting the Thunderbirds the win. UTEP’s season doesn’t get any easier in week three, where they will have to travel to Virginia to take on the dangerous Liberty Flames.

UTSA Roadrunners (1-1)
Texas State def. UTSA 49-10

The Bobcats impressed on Saturday, bulldozing UTSA 49-10. Jordan McCloud scored twice in the air and twice on the ground, accumulating 342 all-purpose yards with his arm and his legs. Redshirt junior Lincoln Pare averaged nearly 10 yards a carry, rushing for 109 yards and scoring once on 11 carries. UTSA started out with Owen McCown (10-23, 105 YDS) at quarterback, but after a 3-point first half, switched to junior Eddie Lee Marburger (14-27, 147 YDS, TD, INT). The Roadrunner run game was poor, and the team’s only touchdown was a 2-yard reception by senior Willie McCoy (3 REC, 59 YDS, TD). Texas State erupted in the first half, taking a quick 35-3 lead. They made it 42-3 with a Chris Dawn Jr. score before the Roadrunners finally converted for a touchdown of their own. One Bobcat touchdown later, and Texas State had an all-around dominant victory over UTSA. Texas State, now 2-0, plays Thursday against Arizona State. UTSA gets no breathing room, as they will take on the #2 Texas Longhorns in Austin.