Around the Region: A Roundup of Saturday’s College Football Action

Clovis Shropshire
September 10, 2022
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10 minutes read

TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS (2-0, 0-0 Big 12)

Result: Won 33-30 vs #25 Houston

Texas Tech hosted the 25th-ranked Houston Cougars at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock on Saturday, as both schools looked to stay unblemished in the early going. The visiting Cougars were sloppy early, committing six penalties in the first quarter accounting for 71 yards. Tech would take advantage, heading into halftime with a 17-3 lead behind two touchdowns from backup quarterback Donovan Smith.

Last year, it was Texas Tech storming back from a halftime deficit at NRG Stadium in Houston, running away with a 17-point win. This year’s meeting flipped the script, with the road Cougars outscoring the Red Raiders 17-3 in quarters 3 and 4 to tie the game at 20 heading into overtime. The Red Raiders missed starting QB Tyler Shough in the second half, as Donovan Smith’s three interceptions and a crucial intentional grounding call opened the door for Houston’s comeback.

Houston QB Clayton Tune found Matthew Golden on a tunnel screen for a touchdown, giving the Coogs a 27-20 lead to start overtime. On the ensuing possession, Donovan Smith and the Red Raiders converted a crucial 4th-and-20 to keep the game alive before powering the ball into the end zone with running back Tahj Brooks.

At 27-27, the game headed to double overtime – despite Texas Tech looking dead to rights in the final minutes of regulation and again in the first overtime exchange. Tech then held at the goal line, forcing Houston to settle for a field goal and a 30-27 lead. Finally, the Red Raiders would convert, as Donovan Smith charged into the end zone for a 9-yard game-winner. It wasn’t a perfect day for the Red Raiders by any means, but a resilient performance sets up quite a showdown next week in Raleigh.

Next Week: at #18 NC State (2-0)

Things certainly didn’t come easily for the Red Raiders today against Houston, and the schedule only gets tougher next week as Tech heads to NC State for their final non-conference game.

TCU HORNED FROGS (2-0, 0-0 Big 12)

Result: Won 59-17 vs Tarleton State

Sonny Dykes’ first home game as TCU’s head coach was a resounding success, just as most would have expected. The Horned Frogs easily handled their business against Tarleton State, punishing the Texans from the opening kick en route to a 42-point victory.

TCU jumped out to a 21-0 first-quarter lead behind two Max Duggan touchdown passes and one touchdown run from Kendre Miller. After returning to a familiar role as TCU’s starting quarterback with Chandler Morris sidelined, Duggan took full advantage of the opportunity. He would finish the night with 390 yards, five touchdowns, and zero interceptions.

Beau Allen, Tarleton’s transfer quarterback from Kentucky, struggled on the road in Fort Worth against the feisty Frogs defense. Allen would finish just 11 of 25 passing, with one touchdown, two interceptions, and just 210 yards.

Next Week: at SMU

TCU, now 2-0 by a combined score of 96-30, has one more non-conference showdown next week on the road at SMU. A date with the Mustangs figures to be a stiff challenge for the Horned Frogs before they come home to play Oklahoma.

#9 BAYLOR BEARS ( – , 0-0 Big 12)

Result: at #21 BYU

As expected, the Baylor Bears were greeted by a massive, sellout crowd at Lavell Edwards Stadium in Provo for a Saturday night battle against a future Big 12 foe. Baylor managed to keep their distance from the Cougars last year, eventually winning 38-24 in an impressive showing in Waco.

A physical, back and forth first half ended with BYU taking a 10-6 after a Cougar touchdown withstood review with two seconds remaining. Blake Shapen led a strong, 77-yard drive to start the third quarter for the Bears, culminating in a Qualan Jones touchdown run that gave Baylor a 13-10 lead. After a BYU field goal knotted the game at 13 with 6:15 to go in the third quarter, both quarterbacks would exchange clutch touchdown passes down the stretch to set up a 20-20 deadlock heading into the game’s late stages.

BYU quarterback Jaren Hall would lead the Cougars into Baylor territory in the game’s final minute, making big plays with his legs while receiving an assist from a questionable pass interference call. After a holding call on the Cougars set them back, Hall delivered a clutch throw for 37 yards to Chase Roberts deep into Baylor territory with 25 seconds left. With just eight seconds to play, Junior BYU kicker Jake Oldroyd shanked a 35-yard field goal – sending the late night showdown into overtime.

Baylor’s opening drive in overtime saw a 17-yard run to right outside the goal line called back for holding, setting up a badly missed 43-yard field goal by Isaiah Hankins. BYU, left with an opportunity to win the game from the Bears’ 25-yard line, set Jake Oldroyd up again for a game winning kick – again from 37 yards. After Oldroyd again missed to the left, the game would head to a second overtime with both head coaches wondering if lining up their kickers would be worth doing moving forward.

BYU would make it look easy to start the second overtime, scoring within 4 plays to jump back in front 26-20. The Cougars then elected to go for two, but failed to convert after being given two opportunities by a defensive holding call on their first attempt. The Baylor drive that followed was a grind, repeatedly running the football until they’d done so more than 50 times overall on the night. Facing a fourth and goal opportunity at the 7-yard line that could determine the game, Baylor committed their second false start in three plays to back themselves up to the 12. Blake Shapen’s throw would sail high on the game-deciding play, and the BYU students rushed the field to celebrate a 26-20 win over the top-10 Bears.

Next Week: vs Texas State

Baylor’s evening in Provo ended in heartbreak, falling in double overtime to a BYU team they’ll see a lot of in years to come in the Big 12. For now, the Bears will look forward to hosting FCS foe Texas State next weekend at home in Waco.

OTHER SATURDAY SCORES AROUND TEXAS AND LOUISIANA

Football Bowl Subdivision Scores:

Tulane 52, Alcorn State 0

UTSA 41, Army 38 (OT)

Texas State 41, Florida International 12

Florida Atlantic 42, Southeastern Louisiana 9

UL Monroe 35, Nicholls 7

SMU 45, Lamar 16

Louisiana Tech 52, Stephen F. Austin 17

Rice 52, McNeese 10

UTEP 20, New Mexico State 13

Football Championship Subdivision Scores: