Week 10 of the college football season provided a few surprises in the state of Texas in the form of upsets. TCU continued its dominance over Baylor in recent years with a 30-28 victory powered by quarterback Chandler Morris and an inspired defensive effort. SMU lost its second straight game after starting the season 7-0, but head coach Sonny Dykes was adamant that the rumors circling about his future impacted the performances. And UTSA remained undefeated with an easy win on the road over UTEP. 

The weekly 411 provides readers with four truths, one prediction, and one question as we look back on the weekend slate the included 11 of the 12 FBS programs in Texas. Texas Tech was the lone team idle in Week 10. 

Four truths

TCU found a spark: The odds were against TCU when the Horned Frogs hosted Baylor on Saturday afternoon. Gary Patterson was absent for the first time in the 21st century. Quarterback Max Duggan and Zach Evans were unavailable. And Baylor entered the game 7-1 and rolling towards a Week 11 showdown against Oklahoma for the inside track to the Big 12. championship game. 

Then Chandler Morris welcomed himself to college football and TCU remembered how to play defense in a 30-28 win over Baylor to improve to 4-6 on the season and keep bowl hopes alive. Morris, an Oklahoma transfer and Highland Park product, completed 29 of 41 passes for 461 yards and four touchdowns. He also led the team with 70 rushing yards and scored a touchdown with his feet on 11 carries. 

Something good was needed in Fort Worth. Ends of eras are never easy. There are conflicting emotions. An inspired effort and an upset win at home against a rival to spoil its conference title hopes helps. It’s also a reminder of the quality of job opening at TCU. Morris looks like a star. Quentin Johnston is an incredible talent. Evans is a former five-star recruit. That’s one of the better jobs in the country. 

The Wrecking Crew is alive and well: There were flashbacks to the previous century inside Kyle Field thanks to the defensive effort turned in by Texas A&M in the 20-3 win over Auburn. The Wrecking Crew accounted for two turnovers, including a fumble return for a touchdown by Michael Clemons, four sacks, six tackles for loss, five passes defended, and five quarterback hurries. Texas A&M’s defense allowed three points. It scored six. 

Auburn quarterback Bo Nix finished with 153 passing yards and an interception on 20 of 41 passing. As a team, Auburn managed 226 total yards and averaged 2.5 yards a carry. The Tigers were only 4 of 16 on third down and 1 of three on fourth down. Aaron Hansford and Andre White Jr. led the Aggies with nine tackles each. Jaylon Jones accounted for the one interception. 

Texas A&M is now on a four-game winning streak. Jimbo Fisher’s program still holds a chance of reaching the SEC championship game, but it’ll require Alabama to falter. The main reason Texas A&M is back on track after a two-game losing streak to start SEC play. The Wrecking Crew has allowed 31 total points in its last three wins. A trip to Ole Miss will require another superb performance by the defense. 

UTSA is one of the best 25 football teams in America: Call Jeff Traylor’s program UTSA or UT-San Antonio or even USTA like the broadcast of the College Football Playoff did last week when it left the Roadrunners off the initial ranking. UTSA was the only undefeated team to not crack the top 25 of a list that favored Power Five schools. The Roadrunners remained undefeated with a convincing win over UTEP late Saturday night. UTSA was up 30-9 at halftime and did enough to earn a spot in the rankings as one of only four FBS teams remaining unbeaten after Week 10. The final score was 44-23. 

The Roadrunners are a complete team. Quarterback Frank Harris is the most improved player in the state. He finished the game with 286 passing yards, 76 rushing yards, and four total touchdowns. Zakhari Franklin was once again his favorite target, recording 10 catches for 114 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Running back Sincere McCormick totaled 169 yards and a score on 21 carries. And the defense is loaded with talent at  defensive line, linebacker, and secondary. 

SMU lacks offensive balance: SMU went into Amon G. Carter Stadium on Sept. 25 and walked out with a 43-34 win thanks to 300 yards rushing. Tanner Mordecai threw for 245 yards in that win as the Mustangs leaned on the Horned Frogs until TCU broke. The SMU offense no longer possesses the balance displayed in the win against its crosstown rivals. The Mustangs lost their second straight on Saturday in a 28-25 defeat to Memphis. They ran the ball 29 times for 61 yards, averaging just 2.1 yards a carry as a team. The group averaged that same 2.1 yards a carry in the loss to Houston the previous week. 

Mordecai and the passing attack can’t be asked to carry the entire offense. He was 19 of 28 for 262 yards and two touchdowns to one interception in the loss. Not great by his standards, but not a performance that cost the Mustangs. It was the lack of balance that put the SMU in bad positions down the stretch. 

The team needs Ulysses Bentley to get healthy. He ran the ball 20 times for 153 yards and a touchdown in the win over TCU. He’s only registered six carries for 17 yards since due to injury. Tre Siggers and Tyler Lavine are fine complimentary running backs. SIggers led the team with 12 carries for 53 yards. Lavine had 20 yards and a touchdown on five carries. But neither of those players are game-breakers and SMU needs one of those at running back to restore balance back to a once vaunted offensive attack.  

One question

Is Texas’ starting quarterback in 2022 on campus? 

The answer to the question of who is best positioned to lead Texas’ offense at quarterback between Casey Thompson and Hudson Card might be neither. Card was replaced in the fourth quarter of the loss at Arkansas in Week 2. Thompson looked like a natural. He threw 14 touchdowns to just three interceptions as Texas won three of its next four and looked poised to compete for a spot in the Big 12 title game. Since suffering a thumb injury in the loss to Oklahoma, Thompson three touchdowns and three interceptions. He was benched on Saturday in the loss to Iowa State, but Card was unable to inject any life into the offense. Card was 14 of 23 for 101 yards and a touchdown. 

The Longhorns need to hit the transfer portal prior to Steve Sarkisian’s second season at the helm. Texas needs a few offensive linemen and at least one wide receiver on offense. That list might grow to quarterback if Sarkisian doesn’t feel confident with the prospect of starting the 2022 season with the same options as he currently possesses. Texas does hold a commitment from four-star Maalik Murphy in the 2022 class but counting on a true freshman is risky. Lincoln Riley built the current Oklahoma dynasty on transfer quarterbacks and Sark might need to follow that blueprint early in his own tenure. 

One prediction 

Houston reaches the AAC championship game

A big limb, I know, but it will be Houston and not SMU playing for a conference title. That felt unlikely a month ago. Houston sits at 8-1 after a 54-42 victory at South Florida. The Cougars are on an eight-game winning streak following the Week 1 loss to Texas Tech. And now Houston holds the inside track to the AAC championship game with three games remaining on the schedule. The three teams remaining – Temple, Memphis, and UCONN) are a combined 9-18 on the season. Only Memphis (5-4) possesses a winning record. 

Houston started slowly against South Florida, trailing 28-26 at halftime. The Cougars outscored South Florida 28-14 in the second half. Clayton Tune passed for 385 yards and three touchdowns. Nathaniel Dell caught eight of those passes for 164 yards and a touchdown. Kesean Carter added six catches for 123 yards. Running backs Ta’Zhawn Henry and Alton McCaskill each rushed for more than 100 yards in the win.