COMMENTARY: How Texas college football programs are doing through Week 8

SAN ANTONIO — Well that’s eight weeks of the college football season in the books, and man oh man, the SEC is just different! 

It’s college football’s “professional” conference in my opinion. 

Both Big 12 defector’s have now been baptized, Oklahoma twice, and Texas on Saturday night with apparently the new replay rule that if fans throw enough debris onto the field after any bad call, they’ll have sufficient time to change their mind for their own safety. Something like that anyway. The scene was bizarre to say the least. 

Let’s check the happenings in college football around the Great State Of Texas.

U-T-S-A! They just needed to win, and they did. 

And it was by no means textbook, but it was a whole lot better than (2-5) at the end of the day. The now (3-4) Roadrunners SHOULD get to five hundred by next Saturday night visiting the basically hapless Tulsa. 

The Golden Hurricane managed ten points last week at Temple, nearly as hapless at T-Town. 

Offensively the evolution continues for QB Owen McCown. There was good and there was bad on Saturday. We’ve all had to adjust to life without Frank Harris. McCown was picked off twice and fumbled once, and that was returned for six, but he’s filling legendary shoes, and has flashed at times. He’s also dealt with some skill player injuries, but what team hasn’t at this point of the season. 

UTSA has three straight at home after the Tulsa trip, with North Texas, Memphis and Temple all coming to the Alamo City. 

Their bowl prospects would certainly trend up if they could get two of those three, and who knows where the conversation might go if they win the trio. And with the way the defense hammered away against FAU, especially in the second half Saturday at the Alamodome, Coach Traylor’s bunch will start believing what’s more and more with each passing week. #BirdsUp

Most everybody thought my social joke at halftime was really funny, and I’ll admit I did, too. I posted, ‘Quinn might need to call The 4’s’. Funny, right? You laughed. You can admit it. 

Texas did show some fight in the second half, and it really felt like Georgia’s lead was within reach for portions of the first two quarters. 

Everybody is talking about the PI call that did not stand and was eventually overturned, but not before the student section garbage throwing incident. It didn’t really change the outcome of the game for Texas as they finished the drive with a touchdown, so not to complain about on their end of things. 

Georgia, meanwhile, did. 

Texas got the score to within one possession with two and change left in the third quarter, but the Bulldogs answered that with a clutch TD drive that hit the board at the twelve minute mark of the fourth quarter. It was up to their defense after that, and did they ever deliver. 

Texas finished the game with four turnovers and only 259 yards of total offense. 

The SEC, man. It is different. 

Georgia came to town to leave town with the win, and they looked awfully impressive doing it. 

Texas hits the road to face sudden SEC powerhouse (kinda joking, but kinda not) Vanderbilt. The Commodores have already used their “stunned” card a few weeks ago with the win against Alabama. And here we go again, right? 

If Texas is who they always tell us they are, they should beat Vandy hands down. I mean Vanderbilt’s 2024 style might not be your grandpa’s Vanderbilt, but come on. I’d expect the Texas Baseball Team to have concerns about beating the Commodores, not Longhorns Football. Really looking forward to watching this one because I’m expecting Texas to do what they should. 

And what they should do is DOMINATE. #HookEm

That’s right! The 12th Man awoke Sunday morning knowing their beloved Aggies are in first place in the SEC. 

(4-0) after their Saturday win at Mississippi State. The Ags got it up to 31-17 after three quarters. And what a showdown they have this weekend! 

The second place team makes the trip to Aggieland, No. 8 LSU. 

It’s kinda funny, both teams are (6-1) and undefeated in league play, but 14th ranked A&M is in first in the SEC standings by virtue of having played one more conference games, but LSU is still ranked six spots higher in the polls. 

Need any more evidence that the rankings game and such is very much an inexact science? And by the way, I’ve been to Saturday night under lights at both LSU and Texas A&M, and I can tell ya, both are special environments. 

The Kyle Field enthusiasm is gonna be off the charts this weekend! #GigEm

What a missed opportunity for the Red Raiders. 

Joey McGuire wants the Big 12 to run through Lubbock, but the Bears were the only thing that ran through the 806 on Saturday, passing actually. 

South Plains native Sawyer Robertson had himself quite the homecoming throwing FIVE touchdown passes as Baylor boat raced TTU 59-35. Maybe it was the ole ‘Homecoming’ jinx? Although I’m not sure what to think about that? Some people have told me over the years that it’s the ultimate disrespect to be scheduled as a Homecoming opponent. The final score would indicate that BU certainly felt that way. 

The Red Raiders visit TCU this weekend. #GunsUp

See the above paragraph. Bears Head Coach Dave Aranada’s office chair won’t feel as warm this week. 

And you know what, the rest of their schedule is doable. 

Home games with struggling Oklahoma State and mediocre TCU followed by road games at West Virginia, Houston and Kansas doesn’t look all that bad. 

Could the Bears suddenly run the table? 

The three Top 25 teams in the first half of schedule have come and gone. Coach Aranda probably doesn’t need to finish (5-0) to save his job, but maybe four of those five? #SicEmBears

How do you do?! 

How about 40-10 at Stanford on Saturday. And how about (6-1) through seven games. 

They are ranked 21st in the nation and have three “prove it” games on the way with Duke, Pittsburgh and Boston College. 

The Ponies have plans to crash the CFP, and I wouldn’t count them out. 

It’s great to see SMU the last several years be nationally relevant again. And one programming note, if you’ve never seen the ESPN documentary “Pony Excess” about their payment scandal back in the 80’s, it is worth the watch. 

See, you just don’t get gridiron commentary from me, you get Netflix documentary suggestions, too. #PonyExpress

Check off another one in the win column! 

The Cardinals are (5-2) overall and (2-0) in conference play. 

Quarterback Zach Calzada didn’t have another 300 yard passing day, but that’s because the rush attack picked him up with nearly 200 yards on the ground. 

They travel to (4-4) SE Louisiana this weekend. 

The Lions are actually at the top of the league standings after starting the year with four losses in five games, but they’ve now run off three straight conference wins. The Cardinals are right behind them in second place. #TheWord

TCU won at Utah late Saturday night. 

I stayed up for almost the entire game, but 12:30 a.m. was late enough for me. Especially after another stop of the Utes offense. They’re just not the same without Cam Rising at QB, but still credit the Horned Frogs defense for the solid effort in some “Big12 After Dark”.  

Houston lost, again. It was the battle of the basketball schools. Somebody had to win. KU did.

 Looking forward to Week 9!