In The News

Tax Act Texas Bowl Team of the Week - Oklahoma State - Before the season started, I was convinced that this was the year, finally, that Oklahoma State was not going to be in this Big 12 race. But, head coach Mike Gundy has done a whale of a job keeping his Cowboys right in the mix. Oklahoma State knocked Oklahoma off its potential playoff perch with a scintillating 27-24 win in Stillwater…Bedlam will be decked in orange and black for the foreseeable future. RB Ollie Gordon II put on a show for the third straight week, rushing for 137 yards and two TD, while junior WR Rashod Owens took over the game with his receptions and runs after the catch. Oklahoma State moved to 7-2 on the season and 5-1 in the conference. What a win.

Tax Act Texas Bowl Honorable mention Team of the Week - Houston - QB Donovan Smith ran in a QB Draw on a two point conversion to beat Baylor in Waco 25-24 to move within two games of bowl eligibility. That would be a MAJOR feather in head coach Dana Holgorsen’s cap - first year in the Big 12 and the Cougars find a bowl?? Wow.

Tax Act Texas Bowl Player of the Week - Alabama QB Jalen Milroe - The Katy, TX product just kept scoring touchdowns against LSU. He threw for 219 yards, but he ran for 20 times for 155 yards and FOUR touchdowns in a come from behind win over rival LSU in Tuscaloosa

Tax Act Texas Bowl Honorable mention Player of the Week  - Oklahoma State RB Ollie Gordon II - as noted above, Gordon was instrumental in the 27-24 win over Oklahoma. He’s now run for 136, 168, 282, 271 and 138 in his last six games. In fact, he only ran the ball 19 times in his first three games for 109 yards.

National Team of the Week - Washington - Head coach Kalen DeBoer’s undefeated Huskies went to Los Angeles and dropped a 50-burger on the USC Trojans in a 52-42 win three weeks after beating Oregon in Seattle.

Honorable Mention National Team of the Week - Army - The Black Knights were decided underdogs heading to Denver to take on the undefeated Air Force Falcons. They left Denver with a win for the ages 23-3, knocking Air Force from its undefeated perch. With a win over Navy in the finale, Army will take home the Commander in Chief trophy after the massive upset in Air Force’s backyard. Congrats to Jeff Monken and his Army squad.

National Player of the Week - Washington RB Dillon Johnson - All the Greenville, MS native did was run for a career high 256 yards and four touchdowns in that 52-42 win over USC. He tacked on 11 more receiving yards for a total of 267 all-purpose yards and those four tuddies.

Honorable mention National Player of the Week - Penn State QB Drew Allar - 25-34 for 240 yards and FOUR touchdowns against Maryland in a 51-15 win.

Quick Kudos

…to Sam Houston for its first win as an FBS program - 24-21 win over Kennesaw State on a Colby Sessums game ending FG.

…to UCF for its first Big 12 win against Cincinnati 28-26

…to James Madison for continuing its dominant 9-0 run through CFB this year…even though James Madison can’t go to a bowl. It can STILL finish 12-0 with wins over UConn, Appalachian State and Coastal Carolina.

…to West Virginia for getting to bowl eligibility under head coach Neal Brown in a dominant 37-7 win over BYU.

…to Ole Miss for a hard fought win over Texas A&M in Oxford. Ole Miss hung on as Texas A&M kicker Randy Bond missed a game tying kick at the buzzer.

Week 11’s Big games

#3 (9-0) Michigan at #11(8-1) Penn State - Can Penn State finally win a BIG game against a top five team? Michigan is arguably the best team in the nation, so Penn State is in for a fight at home.

#18 (7-2) Utah at #5 (9-0) Washington - Utah can make a complete mess of the situation in the Pac-12 with an upset win in Seattle. Washington WR Rome Odunze is the absolute truth and Utah must stop him…and RB Dillon Johnson…and WR Ja’Lynn Polk…and QB Michael Penix Jr.

#17 (7-2) Tennessee at #12 (7-2) Missouri - The Tigers gave Georgia all it could handle in Athens, so returning home for Tennessee could make things tough on the Vols.

Tax Act Potential Bowl teams

Big 12 candidates

(6-3) Kansas State - the Wildcats have a great history with the bowl here in Houston

(6-3) West Virginia - without that late loss to Houston, Neal Brown’s Mountaineers would be 7-2

(4-5) Houston - the Cougars would be one heck of a story, but need two difficult wins to get to 6-6, at a minimum.

(5-4) BYU - The Cougars need a win to get to bowl eligibility, but if they do, they’ll bring fans in droves to H-Town.

SEC candidates

(6-3) LSU - If LSU finishes out with three wins, the Tigers will get snapped up by a New Year’s Bowl

(5-4) Texas A&M - the Aggies have had some gut punch losses this year, including last week’s 38-35 barnburner in Oxford.

(5-4) Auburn - In his first year at Auburn, Hugh Freeze has put Auburn in position to get into a bowl game, but must beat one of Arkansas, New Mexico State or Alabama to get to six wins.

HOUSTON – Today, the Houston Texans and NFL Mexico, in partnership with Tec de Monterrey and NRG Park, announced the creation of the inaugural Mexican College Football Showcase, which will be held on Friday, Sept. 8 at NRG Stadium. 

Known as the “Clásico Regio” in Mexico, this notable matchup between the Borregos from Tec de Monterrey and the Tigres from Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León marks the first ever ONEFA regular season game to be played in the United States.

“We are proud to partner with NFL Mexico and Tec de Monterrey to bring this historic matchup to NRG Stadium this fall,” Houston Texans President Greg Grissom said. “This partnership presents an exciting opportunity to establish an international network for college football and grow the game on a global level while offering passionate local fans the chance to enjoy the best rivalry in Mexican college football right here in Houston.”

This partnership between the city of Houston and Monterrey highlights the longstanding history of collaboration in industry and sport between the two communities that will enable a broader audience to partake in the rich traditions of this historic game. 

“I am looking forward to this thrilling opportunity for the city to host the first-ever regular season ONEFA college football game at NRG Stadium,” Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said. “As a sports city, we are well-prepared to welcome fans from all over the world. Houston is eagerly awaiting the exciting game ahead and further strengthening our ties with Monterrey.”

The matchup between Tec de Monterrey and Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León leads up to the NFL’s celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, which begins on Sept. 15 and runs through Oct. 15.

“This is an exciting and historic moment for college football in Mexico, and it is fantastic to see two of the top college teams represent our country in the United States,” added Arturo Olive, Director General NFL Mexico. “It will be a great showcase of the Mexican college game at the highest level and promises to be a great spectacle for fans.”

A press conference with Tec de Monterrey Rector David Garza Salazar, UANL Rector Santos Guzman Lopez, NFL Mexico Director General Arturo Olive, and Houston Texans President Greg Grissom will be held on Thursday, June 29 at 5:30p.m. CT and may be viewed at live.tec.mx. Tickets and additional information can be found at MCFS.com.

About Tecnológico de Monterrey

Tecnológico de Monterrey (http://www.tec.mx) is a private nonprofit multi-campus university system founded in 1943, and distinguished globally for its academic excellence, innovation in education, entrepreneurship, and global vision, along with its deep engagement with industry and employers, and its high executional capability. With a presence across 28 cities in Mexico, the institution has more than 67,000 enrolled undergraduate and graduate students, almost 7,000 faculty members, and more than 26,000 high school students served by 2,500 professors. The institution has been accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACSCOC) since 1950. According to the QS World University Rankings (2023), Tecnológico de Monterrey ranks 170th globally and among the top 30 private universities worldwide. The QS Graduate Employability Rankings (2022) places the institution 1st in Latin America and 26th globally for Employer Reputation. The Times Higher Education Latin America University Rankings (2022) ranks the institution 1st in Mexico and 5th in Latin America. Tecnológico de Monterrey is the only university outside the USA included in The Princeton Review & Entrepreneur magazine ranking of Top Schools for Entrepreneurship Studies (2023), placing 4th for undergraduate entrepreneurship programs. Tecnológico de Monterrey belongs to several prestigious global networks including, the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU), Universitas 21 (U21), and The Worldwide Universities Network (WUN).

HUNTSVILLE — A rivalry will be renewed when Sam Houston plays Texas State at NRG Stadium in Houston during the 2024 season.

Sam Houston football has played annually at NRG Stadium since 2010 and that will continue into the FBS as the Bearkats join Conference USA on July 1. It was announced in October that Sam Houston will play Air Force at the home of the Houston Texans this upcoming season. 

The Bearkats and Bobcats have previously played each other 91 times from 1915 to 2011 with the only break in the series coming during World War II (1943-45). Texas State leads the all-time series 50-36-5.

“Anytime two rivals with over a century of history come back together, it’s exciting for the fans, the schools and the community. We couldn’t be more thrilled for NRG Stadium to play host next fall to welcoming back this great Texas rivalry for the first time in over a decade,” said David Fletcher, General Manager of Lone Star Sports and Entertainment.

 The game will take place on Sept. 28, 2024, and the Bearkats will be considered the home team. The last time the two teams met on the field were as members of the Southland Conference in 2011 before Texas State joined the Sun Belt with Sam Houston coming away with a 36-14 victory in San Marcos.

NRG Stadium is a venue that Sam Houston first started playing at in 2010 when it joined forces with Stephen F. Austin and Lone Star Sports and Entertainment to move the Battle of the Piney Woods rivalry to Houston.

 The game against Texas State concludes the 2024 non-conference portion of the schedule for the Bearkats. Sam Houston will play at Rice on Aug. 31, at Central Florida on Sept. 7 and host Hawai'i on Sept. 14.

Crowned by Sports Illustrated as "unassailably the best bowl week diversion," the 2022 Rodeo Bowl presented by Kroger took home the esteemed "Best Event Award" at the Bowl Season Awards during the industry's annual conference.

As the Rodeo Bowl basks in its well-deserved accolade, the college football world gears up for the spring transfer portal, which brings with it the potential for significant changes in teams' dynamics.

The annual migration of college football players in search of new opportunities is in full swing, and the sport is bracing for the ripple effects these changes will have.

The spring transfer portal, which opened on April 15, provides 15 days for athletes to seek fresh horizons and for programs to reinforce their squads.

The portal has become a focal point of excitement this season, sending tremors through the college football world as star players embark on bold new journeys.

Among the early transfers, former Michigan Wolverines' starting quarterback Cade McNamara has bid farewell to Ann Arbor for a fresh start with the Iowa Hawkeyes. 

McNamara's move comes after a mixed-success season at Michigan, and the change of scenery could be the catalyst he needs to thrive truly.

In another attention-grabbing move, DJ Uiagalelei, once considered Trevor Lawrence's successor at Clemson, has opted to leave the renowned program for new opportunities at Oregon State.

The highly sought-after quarterback's decision holds the potential to disrupt the Pac-12 and establish the Beavers as a formidable presence on the national stage.

As the spring transfer portal spins, college football fans and analysts eagerly anticipate more announcements. With additional high-profile players expected to reveal their decisions in the coming days, the impact of this year's portal will undoubtedly reshape the sport's landscape and set the stage for an exciting and unpredictable 2023 season.

Here's a list of some players who have decided to enter the transfer portal and attend a new school this fall:

1. WR Jordan Hudson, TCU

2. CB Bobby Taylor, Texas A&M

3. DB Jahquez Robinson, Alabama

4. DT Tywone Malone, Ole Miss

5. TE Elijah Brown, Alabama

6. RB Sy'Veon Wilkerson, Jackson State

7. LB Brenden Grant, Florida State

8. CB Jalil Tucker, Oregon

9. WR Brenen Thompson, Texas

10. DB Jaden Davis, Oklahoma

HOUSTON – Today, in the 17th edition of the Concacaf Gold Cup, (the Confederation of North and Central America and Caribbean Association Football) announced that NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas will host the matchups of Haiti vs. Qatar and Mexico vs. Honduras in the 2023 Gold Cup. The two matches are scheduled for Sunday, June 25, with Haiti vs. Qatar scheduled for 5 p.m. CT and Mexico vs. Honduras starting at 7 p.m. CT. 

The Concacaf Gold Cup, which takes place biannually, is the official national team championship of the region, which includes North America, Central America and the Caribbean. This year’s tournament is scheduled to take place from June 16 to July 16, 2023 and marks the seventh time NRG Stadium will host the Gold Cup, which is tied with Soldier Field for a record number in the history of the tournament. NRG Stadium hosted over 70,000 fans per match in 2019 and 2021, which marked the most attended matches in the entire tournament.  

“We are honored to once again host the Concacaf Gold Cup at NRG Stadium,” said Lone Star Sports and Entertainment General Manager David Fletcher. “Houston is home to the best soccer fans in the country and we look forward to providing them another edition of this world-class event. Our community is excited for this draw and we are looking forward to welcoming the participating teams to our vibrant city.”

Mexico and Honduras will open their respective tournament runs at NRG Stadium. The 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup marks the Mexican National Team’s 20th visit to NRG Stadium, the most appearances at any venue in the United States. In 2021, Mexico defeated Honduras 3-0 in the Gold Cup quarterfinal to advance to the semifinal at NRG Stadium against Canada.

Haiti will face off against Qatar, the host-nation team of the 2022 World Cup, in the first match of the doubleheader. Qatar is returning to the Concacaf Gold Cup for the second time, following their appearance in 2021 which also featured a match in Houston.  

In addition to two matches being played at NRG Stadium, the city of Houston will host four other matches at Shell Energy Stadium, making Houston the only market with two host venues in this year’s tournament.   

The full match schedule and venue assignments for all 15 stadiums were announced at today’s tournament draw in Los Angeles. For more information about the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup, including schedules, tickets and other details, click here.  

About Lone Star Sports & Entertainment

Lone Star Sports & Entertainment is an event management company founded in 2003 that is closely affiliated with the NFL’s Houston Texans. Since its founding, LSSE has established itself as the leading sports event promoter in Houston. In addition to producing annual college football events such as the TaxAct Texas Bowl, LSSE has emerged as a premier promoter for international soccer matches, including the Copa de Lone Star, Copa America Centenario, the 2010 MLS All-Star Game featuring Manchester United, the 2006 FC Barcelona U.S. tour, the International Champions Cup, the 2003 and 2008 matches between the United States and Mexico, and the 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2019, 2021 and 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cups.