Week 1 saw some expected victories and a few surprises from the Lone Star State:

Houston 45, Rice 27

Trailing 24-17 at the half, it was apparent the Cougars thought they were playing the same team they destroyed in the Bayou Bucket last year. They were not. The Owls dominated the first half but D’Eriq King and the Cougars rallied in the second half for their 45-27. King ran 4 yards in the third quarter, then completed scoring passes of 57 yards to Marquez Stevenson and 18 yards to Courtney Lark. Stevenson displayed dazzling speed in his first game after being out last season due to injury. Patrick Carr included a 37-yard touchdown run to seal the deal for the Cougars in their season opener against their city rivals. It is worth mentioning Aaron Cephus caught a few impossible passes with impeccable situational awareness for the Owls throughout the game on Saturday.

A&M 59, Northwestern State 7

In their season opener, the Northwestern State Demons were simply outmatched against the Aggies. However, NW State quarterback Clay Holgorsen completed 9 passes for 105 yards and one touchdown which should translate to more success when they play other FCS schools. As for the Aggies, they had little trouble in Jimbo Fisher's debut as head coach.

TCU 55, Southern 7

As expected, No. 16 TCU dominated both sides of the field in their 17th consecutive home opening victory. The Horned Frogs were favored to win, obviously, but with their second quarter touchdown, the Jaguars became the first SWAC team to score against TCU.

Maryland 34, Texas 29

Tom Herman had an entire game to prove he could outcoach a team with no coach and somehow the Longhorns still came up short. Maryland dedicated its season to their fellow Terrapin, Jordan McNair, who tragically died of heatstroke during the offseason. Freshman receiver Jeshaun Jones ran for a score, threw for a score, and caught a 65-yard touchdown pass, playing a pivotal role in Maryland’s victory. Interim coach Matt Canada was full of pride during his post-game interview. “I just can't say enough about our players, everything they've been through and the way they stuck together,” Canada said. The Terrapins came to play but the Longhorns essentially beat themselves. In addition to three turnovers, Texas committed 10 penalties for 102 yards.

Rutgers 35, Texas State 7

“It’s been three years to get here,” Rutgers coach Chris Ash said on starting with a win for the first time in his tenure. Running backs Raheem Blackshear and Jonathan Hillman had two touchdowns apiece, leading Rutgers to their 35-7 win over Texas State.

Mississippi 47, Texas Tech 27

Mississippi racked up more than 500 yards in the blowout of Texas Tech on Saturday. Quarterback Jordan Ta’amu threw for 336 yards and two touchdowns, leading Ole’ Miss to their 47-27 victory over Tech

Baylor 55, Abilene Christian 27

The Bears snapped their eight-game home losing streak in their 55-27 win over Abilene Christian on Saturday evening. Baylor quarterback Charlie Brewer and Jalan McClendon threw for a combined 311 yards, leading the Bears to victory.