We Speak College Football

Re’Shaun Sanford’s 51 Yard Sprint Lifts Houston Past Cincinnati 31-24

Published

1 hour ago

November 8, 2026

Houston players celebrate the win over Cincinnati

Houston celebrates its win over Cincinnati at TDECU Stadium. Photo via Houston Football.

No. 17 Houston spent most of the afternoon in control, gave the lead away in the fourth quarter, and then won the game on one explosive run. Re’Shaun Sanford broke free for a 51 yard touchdown with 5:10 left, and the Cougars held on to beat Cincinnati 31-24 at TDECU Stadium.

Sanford carried 15 times for 126 yards, and his game winner drew praise from head coach Willie Fritz, who said Sanford “did a good job of hitting it clean and sprinting between the two guys.” Conner Weigman completed 17 of 24 passes for 227 yards and two touchdowns and added a rushing touchdown. Both of his scoring throws went to Amare Thomas, who caught six passes for 78 yards and scored from 8 and 31 yards in the first quarter as Houston built an early cushion on the way to 468 yards of offense.

Cincinnati refused to fold. JC French IV completed 19 of 30 passes for 217 yards and two touchdowns, including a 34 yard score to Gavin Grover in the third quarter. French then tied the game 24-24 with 6:21 left on a 1 yard touchdown run, finishing a 16 play, 96 yard drive that followed a long injury stoppage. Cincinnati receiver JV Gibson was carted off during that sequence after catching five passes for 54 yards.

After Sanford’s touchdown restored the Houston lead, Cincinnati drove for the tie in the final minutes. The threat ended with 2:11 left when a French throw was ruled a backward pass, ruled a fumble, and recovered by Houston’s Christian Brathwaite.

Houston improves to 7-2 and 4-2 in the Big 12, with a home win that required surviving a real scare. Cincinnati falls to 5-4 and 2-4 in the league.

Statement In Beaumont: No. 12 Lamar Knocks Off No. 2 Stephen F. Austin 45-28 In The FCS Game Of The Week

Published

19 minutes ago

November 8, 2026

Julie Isbell

Lamar quarterback Aiden McCown hands the ball off to running back Parker Jenkins against Stephen F. Austin at Provost Umphrey Stadium

Lamar quarterback Aiden McCown hands off to Parker Jenkins against Stephen F. Austin at Provost Umphrey Stadium in Beaumont. Photo by Julie Isbell.

This was the biggest game in the FCS this weekend, and it played like it. On Saturday at Provost Umphrey Stadium in Beaumont, No. 12 Lamar beat No. 2 Stephen F. Austin 45-28 in the STATS Perform FCS Game of the Week, a showdown between the top two teams in the Southland Conference. The Cardinals never trailed, answered every Lumberjacks comeback, and pulled into a tie for first place in the Southland with two weeks left in the regular season. Photographer Julie Isbell was on the sideline for We Speak Media.

The Fast Start

Lamar opened the game like a team that had been waiting for it. Andres Sandoval kicked a 27 yard field goal, Aiden McCown found Davin Driskell for a 7 yard touchdown late in the first quarter, and Parker Jenkins added a 3 yard touchdown run in the second quarter to build a 17-0 lead. Stephen F. Austin finally answered just before halftime, when Gavin Rutherford hit Clayton Wayland for a 22 yard touchdown with 25 seconds left in the half.

Every Answer

*Stephen F. Austin quarterback Gavin Rutherford throws against Lamar. Photo by Julie Isbell.*

The second half turned into a heavyweight exchange. Stephen F. Austin cut the Lamar lead to three points three separate times, and every time the Cardinals answered with a touchdown of their own. Jenkins capped an eight play, 75 yard drive with a 13 yard touchdown run, and McCown connected with Driskell again to push the lead back to ten. The loudest moment came late: JT Kitna found Bugs Mortimer for a 71 yard touchdown that pulled the Lumberjacks within 31-28. On the next Lamar possession, McCown hit Blake Thomas for a 62 yard touchdown strike with 4:45 remaining to make it 38-28.

The Close

The defense finished it. Alexandre Dedieu strip sacked the quarterback on Stephen F. Austin’s next play and Lamar recovered, setting up Jenkins’ third rushing touchdown of the night, a 4 yard run that sealed the 45-28 final.

By The Numbers

*The Stephen F. Austin offense huddles its ground game against Lamar. Photo by Julie Isbell.*

McCown completed 17 of 29 passes for 307 yards and three touchdowns. Jenkins carried 30 times for 138 yards and three touchdowns in a career night. Lamar rolled up 488 total yards, including 181 on the ground, scored on all five of its red zone trips, and held the ball for 12 minutes longer than the Lumberjacks. Stephen F. Austin turned the ball over four times, two fumbles and two interceptions, including picks by Bryce McDonald and Mar Mar Evans, and Lamar turned those mistakes into 17 points. For the Lumberjacks, Wayland caught nine passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns. Quarter by quarter: Lamar led 10-0 after the first, 17-7 at the half, and the teams traded 14 points each in the third before Lamar closed the fourth quarter 14-7.

What It Means

The loss is Stephen F. Austin’s first of the season, ending a 19 game regular season winning streak that was the longest active run across the FBS and FCS. The Lumberjacks fall to 9-1 overall and 6-1 in the Southland. Lamar improves to 8-2 and 6-1, and now owns the head to head tiebreaker in the race for the Southland’s automatic playoff bid. The Cardinals are home again on Saturday, November 14, hosting East Texas A&M, while Stephen F. Austin travels to UT Rio Grande Valley.