Saturday NCAA Football Recap
Expected victories and losses throughout the Lone Star State in Week 8 of college football
Oct 21, 2018, 2:45 pm
Major Applewhite and the Cougars are on a roll. Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images
Let’s admit it - this week panned out exactly as we expected. Here’s what happened:
Houston 49, Navy 36
Star quarterback D’Eriq King and the dazzling Cougar offense rallied in the second half to overcome a 24-21 deficit to defeat the Midshipmen 49-36 on Saturday afternoon. "It's great to be a Cougar and see home-grown talent like D'Eriq continue to make play after play," Houston coach Major Applewhite said. "We just need to get more guys like him." King was 25-or-38 passing with 413 yards, three touchdowns and one rushing score. Receiver Marquez Stevenson caught eight passes for 141 yards and rushed for a score for the now bowl-eligible Cougars. Senior corner back Nick Watkins scored on a perfectly timed 50-yard interception in the fourth quarter, securing the win for Houston. "I'm proud of the way they responded," Applewhite said, "because we didn't always play well in the first half."
Oklahoma 52, TCU 27
The ninth-ranked Sooners dominated from start to finish and bounced back from thier only loss, rolling over TCU in for a 52-27 victory on Saturday. "It was just perfect how the game unfolded, we came out and played like we were capable of, carrying over some momentum we had," Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley said. The Horned Frogs were held to a mere 275 total yards and two offensive touchdowns. Freshman running back Kennedy Brooks ran for 168 yards and two scores on 18 carries and sophomore Trey Sermon ran for 110 yards and two scores on 17 carries. This win marks the Sooners’ 18th consecutive road victory. Oklahoma has not lost consecutive games in the regular season since 1999 and could be on the path to the College Football Playoff. TCU has a road game against Kansas next Saturday and OU is home for the first time in short of a month to play Kansas State.
Texas Tech 48, Kansas 16
Alan Bowman stuns in every game he plays and Saturday’s 48-16 victory over Kansas was no exception. Playing for the first time since suffering a partially collapsed lung three weeks ago, the freshman quarterback completed 36-of-46 passes with 408 yards and three touchdowns for the Red Raiders. "It's been a while. We just wanted to make sure practice went well. Didn't want any setbacks," coach Kliff Kingsbury said. "We felt confident ... a few days after he got out of the hospital that he'd be ready for this date. We just wanted to make sure he held up, felt good. His breathing was fine." Texas Tech receiver Antoine Wesley had nine receptions for 155 yards and one score.
LSU 19, Mississippi State 3
What should have been a exciting victory was spoiled for Tigers fans after LSU linebacker Devin White was ejected for targeting in the fourth quarter, making him ineligible in the first half of the Tigers’ upcoming game against undefeated, top-ranked Alabama. White seemed to lower his head as he slammed into Mississippi quarterback Nick Fitzgerald, seconds after he released a pass that was intercepted by defensive back Kristian Fulton. Not only was LSU penalized for targeting, two flags were drawn for unsportsmanlike conduct for excessive celebration, resulting in 45 yards in penalties on one play. "I've got to look at it. The call is the call. They reviewed it," LSU coach Ed Orgeron said. "That's the rule. The rule is you can't lead with your head." Quarterback Joe Burrow was 16-of-28 with 129 passing yards for the Tigers.
Florida International 36, Rice 17
Junior quarterback James Morgan, completed 20-of-29 passes for 229 and two touchdowns, leading the Panthers to a dominating victory over the Owls on Saturday night.
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The Astros returned from the All-Star break facing two pivotal turning points: a season-defining road series in Seattle and an increasingly hard-to-ignore situation at first base. And while their draft-day gamble on high school slugger Xavier Neyens speaks to long-term optimism, the questions swirling around Christian Walker feel far more immediate.
Houston’s decision to select Neyens 21st overall was a surprise to some, not because of his talent, but because of the organization's pressing need for bats in the upper minors. Still, those inside the draft room saw too much upside to pass on.
Considering the Astros reluctance to sign players long-term, he might be the Jeremy Peña or Isaac Paredes replacement down the road if Cam Smith stays in right field. The bat speed is elite, and the belief is he’ll grow into real power.
Neyens, a 6-foot-4 shortstop projected to possibly shift to third base, may someday be a middle-of-the-lineup anchor. But in the near term, it’s Houston’s lack of middle-of-the-lineup production at first base that casts a shadow over their playoff push.
Walker, acquired in hopes of stabilizing the position after José Abreu’s departure, has not delivered. He’s hitting .229 with a .660 OPS and has already been dropped to seventh in the lineup. With the Astros quietly monitoring alternatives, Jon Singleton, yes, that Jon Singleton, has reemerged as a name worth watching. The left-handed slugger has already hit four homers in 16 games for Sugar Land, posting an .850 OPS. That’s not nothing, even if his career numbers don’t scream long-term fix. In a more typical scenario, the Astros could implement a platoon at first base. But Walker is actually hitting worse against left-handed pitching (.180).
Unless Singleton forces their hand by continuing to look like Babe Ruth in Sugar Land, they’ll likely keep riding with Walker. But the leash is shorter than it was.
The Astros cut ties with Abreu just 1.5 seasons into a 3-year contract. A similar timeline isn’t out of the question for Walker if things don’t turn around. Especially with free agency and trade deadlines presenting chances for Dana Brown to build in contingency plans.
In the meantime, Houston’s most important series of the season so far gets underway this Friday in Seattle, where the Mariners enter just five games back after bludgeoning the Tigers heading into the break. The Astros’ lead, once seven games, feels less secure with Yordan Alvarez, Peña, and Jake Meyers all still sidelined.
The good news: the Astros lead MLB in strikeouts and WHIP, and are TOP 5 in ERA. Their OPS over the past month is second in the league. The concern: Hunter Brown has been shaky in back-to-back starts, and the back of the rotation is a patchwork of question marks.
The Astros apparently have similar concerns about Brown, opting to give him more rest coming out of the All-Star break. He won't be pitching against the Mariners. MLB.com's Brian McTaggart is reporting that the Astros will start Brandon Walter on Friday, Lance McCullers on Saturday, and Framber Valdez on Sunday.
Astros rotation against Seattle:
Friday: LHP Brandon Walter (1-2, 3.98)
Saturday: RHP Lance McCullers Jr. (2-4, 6.48)
Sunday: LHP Framber Valdez (10-4, 2.75)
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) July 17, 2025
Big picture
A sweep in either direction would shift the momentum dramatically. But even a closely contested series could reveal more about where this roster stands, and whether first base remains a tolerated flaw or becomes an active problem.
For now, the Astros are winning enough to keep the conversation quiet. But the noise is building. And if Walker can’t find another gear soon, first base might again become a defining storyline for a team trying to hold off a charge in the West.
There's so much more to get to! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.
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