Article by Senior Writer, Albert Alvarado / Twitter: @Alvarado_Sports
Smith leads Tulsa to upset of SMU: Grandview alum throws for 3 TDs against Mustangs
Redshirt senior quarterback Zach Smith helped the Tulsa Golden Hurricane score 21 unanswered points in a 28-24 upset win over then-No. 19 SMU on Saturday.
Smith completed 26 for 38 passes for 325 yards and three touchdown as Tulsa beat an Associated Press ranked team for the second time this season. Tulsa (4-1, 4-0 American Athletic Conference) earned the No. 25 ranking in the latest poll because of the win while SMU (7-2, 4-2) dropped out of the rankings.
The Golden Hurricane defense shut out the high-powered Mustang offense in the second half.
Smith helped cut into the SMU lead with a 35-yard touchdown pass to Josh Johnson early in the fourth quarter and put Tulsa ahead with a four-yard scoring toss to James Parker with 2 minutes, 11 seconds remaining.
Smith threw for 10,217 yards and 113 touchdowns in high school and played 19 games at Baylor in 2016 and 2017 before transferring to Tulsa.
Tulsa is currently in second place in the AAC standings, a half game behind No. 7 Cincinnati (7-0, 5-0). The Golden Hurricane hosts Tulane (5-4, 2-4) Thursday at 6:30 p.m. on ESPN.
Trask, Florida dominate Arkansa
Florida quarterback Kyle Trask has the Heisman Trophy hype going in Gainesville after throwing for six touchdowns in a 63-35 win over Arkansas on Saturday at The Swamp.
The Manvel graduate completed 23 of 29 passes for 356 yards to go along with his six scores. Florida (5-1, 5-1 Southeastern Conference) held its spot as the No. 6 ranked team in the latest Associated Press College Football Poll after the route of Arkansas (3-4, 3-4).
Trask has thrown for 28 touchdown passes this season and is ahead of 2019 Heisman Trophy Winner and current Cincinnati Bengal quarterback Joe Burrow’s Football Bowl Subdivision passing touchdown record.
Burrow set that mark in 15 games at LSU last season, however COVID-19 would limit Trask to 12 games if the Gators finish out their regular season schedule with no cancellations, play in the SEC Championship Game and then a bowl game.
Trask helped Manvel to an 11-3 record as a senior and a berth in the Class 6A, Division II Area Quarterfinals.
The Gators lead the SEC East by a game over Georgia (4-2, 4-2) and hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Bulldogs. Florida visits Vanderbilt (0-6, 0-6) at 11 a.m. on Saturday on ESPN.
Watson, Badgers get big win in Big House
Sophomore running back Nakia Watson scored two touchdowns to help the Wisconsin Badgers blow out the Michigan Wolverines 49-11 on Saturday in Ann Arbor, Mich.
The former Austin Westlake star finished with 12 rushes for 66 yards as Wisconsin (2-0, 2-0 Big Ten) moved up six spots to No. 10 in the latest Associated Press College Football Poll after beating Michigan (1-3, 1-3).
Watson opened the scoring with a two-yard touchdown run less than six minutes into the game. He added a nine-yard rushing score early in the second quarter that extended the Badger lead to 28-0.
Watson was a two-time AP All-State selection at Westlake and helped the Chaparrals make it to the state semifinals.
Wisconsin visits No. 19 Northwestern (4-0, 4-0) at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday on ABC.
Wisdom helps UTSA overcome adversity, UTEP
Sophomore safety Rashad Wisdom helped the UTSA Roadrunners shut down the UTEP Miners in the second half of a 52-21 home win on Saturday at the Alamodome.
Wisdom, a former Converse Judson standout, was a part of a Roadrunner defensive unit that was playing without defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix. Nix is on administrative leave amid an internal investigation.
UTSA (5-4, 3-2 Conference USA) held UTEP (3-4, 0-3) to just 71 total yards in the second half while the Roadrunner offense posted a school-record 600 yards of offense and scored the final 35 points of the game.
Wisdom posted nine tackles and forced two Miner fumbles.
Wisdom was a two-time all-state honorable mention at Judson where he finished with seven interceptions, 14 pass deflections and four fumble recoveries in three varsity season
UTSA is a game behind Alabama-Birmingham for the CUSA West Division lead. The Roardrunners go for their first conference road win of the season on Saturday when they visit Southern Mississippi (2-6, 1-3) at 2 p.m.
Wright helps Tulsa tame Pony offense
Redshirt sophomore linebacker Justin Wright and the Tulsa Golden Hurricane defense tamed the high-octane Mustang offense in Tulsa’s 28-24 upset win of SMU on Saturday.
The former Abilene Cooper star posted nine tackles in as the Tulsa defense shut out SMU in the second half while the Tulsa offense scored the final 21 points of the game.
Tulsa (4-1, 4-0 American Athletic Conference) earned the No. 25 ranking in the latest poll because of the win while SMU (7-2, 4-2) dropped out of the rankings. The Golden Hurricane has two wins over ranked teams this season.
Wright was a three-year varsity letter winner at Cooper and had 91 tackles, including 15 tackles for loss, as a senior. He also played tight end and punted.
Tulsa is currently in second place in the AAC standings, a half game behind No. 7 Cincinnati (7-0, 5-0). The Golden Hurricane hosts Tulane (5-4, 2-4) Thursday at 6:30 p.m. on ESPN.
