Here's a look at what happened in the Lone Star State:
Saturday NCAA Football Recap: Baylor remains undefeated; Houston still doesn’t know which way is up
Nov 3, 2019, 12:32 pm
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UCF 44, Houston 29
My annoyance with Dana Holgorsen know no bounds. The Cougars have only won three games this season and it's starting to feel like Holgorsen is attempting to introduce tanking to college football. But the gag is, the only thing a 3-5 record gets you in college football is bad recruits. I digress. Houston actually started off pretty well in their 29-44 loss to UCF on Saturday. The Cougars jumped out to an early 10-0 lead on Mulbah Car's 37-yard touchdown run and a 45-yard field goal by Dalton Witherspoon. UCF pulled away with three third-quarter touchdowns and Houston never recovered. Houston quarterback Clayton Tune finished 18-for-30 for 179 yards, one touchdown and one interception. UCF quarterback Dillion Gabriel hit 21-of-30 passes for 298 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. Houston is off next week to hopefully do some soul-searching before hosting Memphis at home on Nov. 16.
Oklahoma State 34, TCU 27
Oklahoma State running back Chuba Hubbard racked up 223 yards and two long touchdowns, leading the Cowboys to a 34-27 victory over a TCU team with one of the best defensive coached in college football. According to a TCU spokesperson, Hubbard became the first player to rush for at least 200 yards against TCU in Gary Patterson's 19-year run as head coach. "When Chuba gets through there, nobody can catch him," Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy said. "That makes him different than other players." OKST quarterback Spencer Sanders threw for 158 yards and two touchdown passes to Dillon Stoner who finished with three receptions and 93 yards for the Cowboys, who became bowl eligible for the 14th straight year. The Horned Frogs entered the day allowing just 103.7 yards rushing per game but surrendered 307 on Saturday. TCU hosts an undefeated Baylor on Saturday.
Texas A&M 45, UTSA 14
The Aggies fell behind early on Saturday against UTSA and needed a spark to bounce back and secure the victory. Isiah Spiller was the match that lit the flame for Texas A&M. The freshman running back set season highs with 217 yards rushing and three touchdowns, leading the Aggies to a demoralizing 45-14 victory over UTSA. "He was the catalyst today," Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher said of Spiller. "He's growing each and every day." The Aggie's win over UTSA is their third straight victory and makes them bow-eligible for the 11th-straight season. Texas A&M quarterback Kellen Mond threw for 211 yards, one touchdown and a one-yard touchdown in the ground to lift the Aggies to 42-7 in the fourth quarter. UTSA quarterback Lowell Narcisse threw for 90 yards passing and racked up 54 yards and a touchdown on the ground before suffering a right thumb injury early in the third quarter. The Aggies are off next week and host South Carolina on Nov. 16.
Baylor 17, West Virginia 14
Bad Baylor has come a long way from their one-win 2017 season. The 12th-ranked Bears put on a defensive showdown on Thursday night to hold off West Virginia and improve to 8-0. Baylor quarterback Charlie Brewer threw for 277 yards and two touchdowns, and the defense blocked a late field goal, securing Baylor's 17-14 victory over West Virginia. This marks the first time Baylor has won a game when scoring less than 20 points since 2006. "A tremendous, tremendous defensive game," coach Matt Rhule said after the 17-14 victory over West Virginia on Thursday night. "We are still learning that it's OK just to play defense and not worry." Bad Baylor is the only undefeated Big 12 team and one of eight among FBS teams. Baylor's defense may have won the game but its offensive line was all but useless, allowing Brewer to be stuffed by West Virginia eight times. The game-winning play came when Baylor nose tackle Bravvion Roy blocked Casey Legg's 48-yard field goal with 3.5 minutes left. "A lot of guys hurt in that locker room. I hurt for them," first-year Mountaineers coach Neal Brown said. "I hurt because they invested. They came up short. I don't' know if we necessarily got beat, but we came up short." Baylor travels to TCU to face the Horned Frogs next week.
Louisiana 31, Texas State 3
Running back Elijah Mitchell rushed for 126 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries for the Rajin' Cajuns and Louisiana-Lafayette clobbered Texas State 31-3 on Saturday. Bobcat quarterback Tyler Vitt finished 24-of-34 for 206 yards-passing and two interceptions for Texas State.
Marshall 20, Rice 7
Isaiah Green threw for 269 yards and a touchdown and Marshall rolled to 20-7 victory over winless Rice on Saturday.
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Wichita, Kansas – Saturday, 8:40 p.m. EDT
The No. 1 seed Houston Cougars (31-4) take on the No. 8 Gonzaga Bulldogs (26-8) in a highly anticipated second-round showdown of the NCAA Tournament. The Cougars, dominant in the Big 12 with a 22-1 record, bring the nation’s top-ranked defense to the court, while the Bulldogs, the West Coast Conference powerhouse, counter with one of the most efficient offenses in the country.
Defense vs. offense: The ultimate battle
Houston boasts the best defense in the Big 12, holding opponents to just 57.9 points per game on 38.1% shooting. The Cougars will be tasked with slowing down a Gonzaga squad that averages 84.6 points per game over its last 10 outings and shoots an impressive 50.1% from the field.
On the other side, Houston’s offense is averaging 72.1 points per game in its last 10 contests, a figure that will be tested against a Gonzaga defense allowing 67.6 points per game. The Cougars have a slight edge from beyond the arc, making 8.1 three-pointers per game compared to Gonzaga’s 7.3 allowed.
Key players to watch
For Houston, LJ Cryer has been the go-to scorer, averaging 15.2 points per game, while Milos Uzan has stepped up recently, contributing 14.7 points over the last 10 games. The Cougars will also lean on their defensive intensity and ability to force turnovers to disrupt Gonzaga’s rhythm.
Gonzaga is led by Graham Ike, who is averaging 17 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. Khalif Battle has also been a key contributor, posting 15.3 points and 1.6 steals per game in the past 10 contests. The Bulldogs’ ball movement will be crucial, as they average 20.4 assists per game in their last 10 contests, a stark contrast to Houston’s 9.0.
Game outlook
Houston enters as a 5.5-point favorite, according to BetMGM Sportsbook, with the over/under set at 140.5 points. If the Cougars can impose their defensive will and limit Gonzaga’s transition game, they stand a strong chance of advancing. However, if the Bulldogs find their offensive groove early, Houston may be in for its toughest test of the tournament so far.
Expect an intense, physical battle where the team that dictates the tempo will likely punch its ticket to the Sweet 16.