A LOOK AT THE AAC
The UH/AAC Report: UH loses Battle of the Cougars, plus other blowouts and big wins
Sep 18, 2019, 6:55 am
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This week saw UH falling to Washington State by seven, UCF continuing to roll, a couple blowouts, and Temple picking up a big upset win. Let's dive into week three of the AAC:
UH loses Battle of the Cougars
Losing to a top 25 team on a "neutral site" by seven isn't what you want from a program looking to gain more respect nationally, but it isn't necessarily a bad thing either. The Fighting Holgorsens will get right. Dana said as much on The Bench With John and Lance. While he estimates it could take up to two years. I think it could happen much faster if they get transfers.
Other Key Results
UCF 45, Stanford 27: It's the Golden Knights' world and all other AAC teams are living in it. Good win over a PAC 12 team.
Tulane 58, Missouri State 6: The Green Wave beat up on a lesser talented team in a tune up before their Thursday night showdown with UH.
Temple 20, Maryland 17: The Owls threw a cold bucket of ice water on one of the hottest teams in the country. They held the #21 ranked Terps 54 points under their early season average.
Navy 42, ECU 10: The Midshipmen picked up the first conference win of the season by besting the Pirates. They even outpassed the Pirates 153 to 138.
Memphis 42, South Alabama 6: The Tigers continue to roll despite losing NFL talent. This team will be one to watch this season.
Stars of the week
Tyjae Spears, RB, Tulane: The freshman had eight carries for 89 yards and a touchdown. He added one catch that went for an 88 yard touchdown. Not bad for your third collegiate game.
Dillon Gabriel, QB, UCF: He completed 73% of his passes for 347 yards and four touchdowns against Stanford at home. This performance makes the loss of McKenzie Milton sting a lot less.
Temple's Defense: The Owls held the high scoring Terps to 3.5 yards per rush, 4.6 yards per pass attempt, and only 17 points. Considering Maryland scored 79 and 63 in their first two games respectively, I was impressed.
Five games to watch this week
UH vs Tulane
UCF vs Pitt
SMU vs TCU
Temple vs Buffalo
UConn vs Indiana (Indiana is a -27 favorite. Who's taking the Huskies and the points?)
Three players to watch this week
Dillon Gabriel, UCF: Coming off last week's performance against a Power Five school at home, can Gabriel replicate or one up himself on the road against another Power Five School?
TJ McDaniel & Xavier Jones, SMU: The two running backs combined for 267 yards and four touchdowns on 28 carries last week against TX State. TCU offers a much different type of opponent as they allow only 62 yards a game on the ground.
UH Offense: The Tulane defense gives up 14.7 points, 181 yards passing and 95 on the ground on a per game basis so far in this young season. That's a stingy defense to go against considering the Coogs offense has struggled to get going and rev up to full potential.
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The Houston Texans enter the 2025 season with momentum, expectations, and no shortage of spotlight games. A 9.5-win total in Vegas reflects growing national respect—but also pressure to deliver.
Hot start, big stage
Houston opens with a tough but marquee road test in Los Angeles against the Rams before returning to NRG for a Monday Night Football showdown against the Buccaneers.
Division duels define the path
As always, the AFC South is crucial. Houston faces five division games from Week 3 to Week 13, including a big Jaguars rematch in Week 10. If Trevor Lawrence takes the leap, and his top targets Brian Thomas Jr. and Travis Hunter live up to the hype, Jacksonville could be Houston’s biggest in-division threat. Still, with win totals sitting at 7.5 for both the Colts and Jaguars (and 5.5 for the Titans), the Texans have a clear path to control the South.
Midseason grind, late-season edge
The Week 6 bye comes at a smart spot, especially with brutal road games on the horizon: at Seahawks (MNF), home for the 49ers, and a revenge date in Baltimore—all within Weeks 5–8. The stretch from Week 12 to Week 14 (Bills, at Colts, at Chiefs) could define the Texans’ playoff seeding—or whether they make it at all.
But there’s hope in the home stretch. Three of their last four games are at NRG, where Houston has played its best football. If the team’s still in the hunt, hosting the Cardinals, Raiders, and potentially playing for the division title in Week 18 vs. the Colts is a favorable setup.
Key questions ahead
- Can Houston shake off last year’s road struggles? The trip to Kansas City, as well as cross-country flights to L.A., Seattle, and Baltimore, will test their resolve.
- Will they flip the script against NFC teams? Houston struggled in interconference matchups in 2024, and the 49ers, Rams, and Seahawks aren’t soft spots.
- Is C.J. Stroud ready for primetime pressure? Four national games—including two Mondays and a huge Sunday night at Arrowhead—give the Texans the stage. Now it’s about the performance.
Bottom Line:
The Texans’ 2025 schedule is packed with statement opportunities and divisional tests. There’s enough home cooking in December to fuel a playoff push—but Houston will have to prove it can handle the road, the spotlight, and the rising competition in its own backyard.
Offseason observations
The Texans made some calculated and intriguing moves this offseason, especially on offense. They added dynamic weapons in WRs Christian Kirk, Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins, along with RB Woody Marks, who profiles as the best receiving back in the draft—likely influenced by the Patriots’ historical use of third-down specialists like James White and Shane Vereen. OC Nick Caley, OL Coach Cole Popovich, and GM Nick Caserio all have a history with the Pats.
Protecting C.J. Stroud remains a clear priority too, as the Texans added OT Aireontae Ursery in the draft and created a true open competition on the offensive line through free agency, featuring a deep group.
One of the most notable moves recently was Higgins’ fully guaranteed four-year, $11.7 million deal—a rarity for non-first-rounders. That level of commitment from Caserio signals strong conviction in both Higgins’ talent and character. It also hints that Houston may have considered him with their original 25th overall pick before trading back. With Patriots alumni like Caley and Popovich now on staff, and Caserio pulling the strings, it’s clear the Texans are building a system that blends New England and Rams discipline with Houston’s new-wave of offensive firepower.
We have so much more to discuss. Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
*ChatGPT assisted.
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