Texas A&M quarterback Conner Weigman (15) passes down field against McNeese State during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday in College Station. (Sam Craft/AP Photo)

Staff, Wire Reports

Texas A&M (1-1) vs. Florida (1-1)

When: 2:30 p.m. Saturday.

TV: ABC. Radio: KTBB 600-AM

Where: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville, Florida.

BetMGM College Football Odds: Texas A&M by 4 ½.

Series record: Tied 3-3.

WHAT’S AT STAKE?

Texas A&M and Florida try to avoid a second loss as they begin Southeastern Conference play. The Aggies lost to then-No. 5 Notre Dame before dominating overmatched McNeese State (52-10). The Gators lost to then-No. 19 Miami before blowing out lower-division Samford (45-7). But what they do against league competition will provide a better indication of where the programs are under first-year A&M coach Mike Elko and embattled, third-year Florida coach Billy Napier.

KEY MATCHUP

Florida’s Montrell Johnson vs. Texas A&M’s shaky run defense. Johnson has 177 yards rushing and three touchdowns in two games and could find space against the Aggies, who rank 15th in the SEC against the run. Texas A&M has allowed 378 yards on the ground and is giving up a league-leading 5.25 yards a carry.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Texas A&M: Junior Le’Veon Moss leads the Aggies with 154 yards rushing and three touchdowns, including two last week against McNeese State. Moss helped A&M finish with the program’s most rushing yards (333) in a game since 2018.

Florida: Freshman DJ Lagway is expected to see significant action after throwing for 456 yards and three touchdowns against Samford. The consensus No. 1 QB recruit in 2023 likely will split time with veteran Graham Mertz, who missed last week’s game with a concussion. But an SEC opponent should provide a better indication of how close Lagway is to taking over in Gainesville.

FACTS & FIGURES

Two former Florida coaches and two former Florida starters are returning to the Swamp in a pseudo homecoming. Defensive coordinator Jay Bateman, defensive line coach Sean Spencer, LB Scooby Williams and DB Jaydon Hill will be on the opposite sideline at Florida Field. … Another potentially awkward moment: Former Florida legend and NFL great Emmitt Smith, whose son EJ is a backup running back for the Aggies, will serve as the honorary “Mr. Two Bits” before kickoff. His appearance comes six months after Smith publicly blasted his alma mater for eliminating its entire Diversity, Equity and Inclusion department. … The Gators have scored in an NCAA-record 450 consecutive games, 53 longer than anyone else in college football history.

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North Texas (2-2) vs. Texas Tech (1-1)

When: 11 a.m. Saturday.

TV: FS1. Radio: The Team 92.1-FM

Where: Jones AT&T Stadium, Lubbock.

BetMGM College Football Odds: Texas Tech by 10 1/2.

Series record: Tied 4-4.

WHAT’S AT STAKE?

Texas Tech opens a three-game homestand by playing North Texas for the first time since meeting in five consecutive seasons from 1997-2001. Second-year Mean Green head coach Eric Morris was a receiver for the Red Raiders from 2005-08, and later on their coaching staff from 2013-17. North Texas has a four-game winning streak, dating to last season, and has started 2-0 for first time since 2018. Texas Tech is coming off a turnover-plagued 37-16 loss at Washington State.

KEY MATCHUP

There will be a lot of balls in the air with this game featuring two of the nation’s top passing quarterbacks. Two-time transfer Chandler Morris starts for North Texas and Behren Morton for Tech. Morris, who previously played for Oklahoma and TCU, ranks second nationally with 737 yards passing in his first two starts for the Mean Green. He has completed 58 of 85 passes (68.2%) with seven touchdowns and three interceptions. Morton has 701 yards on 64-of-100 passing for six TDs and two interceptions.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

North Texas: Junior receiver DT Sheffield, who attended Washington State last year after three junior college seasons in Mississippi, had six catches for 74 yards and his first three FBS touchdowns last week in a 35-20 win over Stephen F. Austin.

Texas Tech: Josh Kelly is the FBS leader with 19 catches, including 10 in the season opener against ACU before nine against Washington State. He has 251 yards and one touchdown receiving.

FACTS & FIGURES

Texas Tech has won its last 46 games against unranked opponents from non-power conferences. The last such loss was to North Texas in 1999. … The Red Raiders are 49-3 in non-conference home games since the start of 2000. … North Texas entered the season with an FBS-high 77 newcomers, including 36 transfers. … The Red Raiders’ four turnovers last week led to 13 points for Washington State.

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UCF (2-0) vs. TCU (2-0)

When: 6:30 p.m. Saturday.

TV: FOX.

Where: Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth.

BetMGM College Football Odds: TCU by 1 1/2.

Series record: First meeting.

WHAT’S AT STAKE?

This is the first game this season that will count in the Big 12 standings and the only one this weekend. TCU is facing a team from the state of Florida for the first time since a 45-10 loss at Miami in 1992. The Knights, on the road for the first time this season, are 2-0 for the third time in four years under coach Gus Malzahn. There have been two games so far when Big 12 newcomers played another league opponent in games that didn’t count in the conference standings.

KEY MATCHUP

UCF’s nation’s-leading rushing attack (419 yards per game) against the TCU defense. Knights running back RJ Harvey has run for 268 yards in the first two games and his six rushing TDs are the most for any power conference player. Peny Boone (135 yards) and Myles Montgomery (128 yards) have both scored two touchdowns. The Horned Frogs have allowed 90 yards a game and only one score on the ground. UCF is the only team in the nation with at least 140 yards rushing in each of the last 15 games.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

UCF: Transfer KJ Jefferson is the FBS active leader for rushing yards by a quarterback with 1,876 yards. The 6-foot-3, 247-pound Jefferson spent five seasons at Arkansas, including 2020-22 when current TCU offensive coordinator Kendal Briles was the OC and QB coach for the Razorbacks.

TCU: Cam Cook has run for 139 with four TDs, three of those scores coming in the Frogs’ 45-0 win last week over FCS team LIU. He is now the lead running back after 58 yards in nine games as a freshman last year.

FACTS & FIGURES

The Knights have scored a Big 12-high 102 points in the first two games, and allowed 17, which is second behind the 12 points given up by Utah. … Josh Hoover tied a TCU single-game record with 14 consecutive completions last week against LIU. … UCF’s defense has four interceptions, by four different players. … TCU LB Namdi Obiazor is tied for third in the Big 12 with four tackles for loss, and also got his first career interception last week.

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UTSA (1-1) vs. No. 2 Texas (2-0)

When: 6 p.m. Saturday.

TV: ESPN. Radio: KTBB 97.5-FM

Where: Campbell-Williams Field at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, Austin.

BetMGM College Football Odds: Texas by 33 1/2.

Series record: Texas 1-0.

WHAT’S AT STAKE

Texas’ dominant win at Michigan elevated the Longhorns to their highest ranking since ending the 2009 season at No. 2. The Longhorns definitely don’t want to blow that and coach Steve Sarkisian was urging his team to avoid any kind of letdown between now and the start of the SEC season in two weeks. The Roadrunners should be overmatched across the field but also sense their chance at a historic upset for the program.

KEY MATCHUP

UTSA linebackers vs Texas tight end Gunnar Helm. Much has been made of Texas elite group of wide receivers, but Helm was Quinn Ewers’ favorite target at Michigan with seven catches for 98 yards and a touchdown. Look for Helm to be a big part of the Longhorns offense the rest of the season.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

UTSA: The Roadrunners used both Owen McCown, former Rusk High School standout, and Eddie Lee Marburger at quarterback last week’s blowout loss to rival Texas State. McCown started, but UTSA trailed 35-3 by halftime. Marburger took over in the second half and passed for 147 yards.

Texas: Edge rusher Trey Moore transferred from UTSA, where he holds the program’s single-season sack record of 14 set in 2023. He was the American Athletic Conference defensive player of the year. He does not have a sack yet in Texas’ first two games but has a chance for a breakout performance against his former team.

FACTS & FIGURES

Texas has four interceptions by four players. The Longhorns forced three Michigan turnovers last week. Each time, the ball gets impaled on a sideline sword “Texcalibur” … UTSA has a streak of 12 consecutive games with a forced turnover … Texas kicker Bert Auburn has made a school record 125 consecutive extra points, making him perfect for his career. He is eight field goals shy of the school record of 60. … Gilmer native Jeff Traylor is head coach UTSA. Traylor is a former assistant coach for the Longhorns.

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Air Force (1-1) vs. Baylor (1-1)

When: 6:30 p.m. Saturday.

TV: FS1.

Where: McLane Stadium, Waco.

BetMGM College Football Odds: Baylor by 14 1/2.

Series record: Baylor leads 3-1.

WHAT’S AT STAKE?

Air Force has won the last five games it has played against power conference teams, the most recent being 30-15 over Baylor in the 2022 Armed Forces Bowl when it was 13 degrees and breezy at kickoff in Fort Worth. Both teams are coming off losses, with the Falcons falling 17-7 at home against San Jose State and Baylor losing 23-12 at 12th-ranked Utah in a game that didn’t count in the Big 12 standings. The Bears fell behind 23-0 after a lost fumble set the Utes up at the 3 and a 77-yard TD return of a blocked field goal.

KEY MATCHUP

Baylor defense against the Air Force offense, though the Falcons’ vaunted rushing game hasn’t really gotten on track with 10 new starters on offense this season. They were were the national rushing leaders three seasons in a row, from 2020-22, and second last year with 281.5 yards per game. At 154.5 yards a game this season, they are eighth in the Mountain West Conference and 72nd nationally. Air Force rushed for 276 yards in that bowl game against Baylor.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Air Force: Junior nose guard Payton Zdorik has a sack in both games this season, and a tackle for loss in five consecutive games.

Baylor: Keaton Thomas, a former defensive back now playing linebacker, is Baylor’s leading tackler with 19, and also has an interception. He had 12 tackles against Utah.

FACTS & FIGURES

Clemson’s Dabo Swinney, Oklahoma State’s Mike Gundy and Utah’s Kyle Whittingham are the only active FBS coaches with more wins at the same school than Troy Calhoun’s 131 in his 19 seasons at Air Force. The only coaches at their schools longer are Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz (26th season), and Gundy and Whittingham, both in their 20th season. … Baylor punter Palmer Williams leads the nation with a 57.9-yard average after all six punts at Utah went more than 50 yards. That included kicks of 79 and 76 yards. … Air Force’s previous trips to Waco were in 1961 and 1977, which was the teams’ last regular-season meeting. … Dawson Pendergrass, a sophomore who was a star at Mineola High School, led the Bears in rushing last week in a 23-12 loss to Utah. He rushed for 69 yards on nine carries. He had a long run of 46 yards.

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Rice (1-1) vs. Houston (0-2)

When: 7 p.m. Saturday.

TV: ESPN+.

Where: TDECU Stadium, Houston.

BetMGM College Football Odds: Houston by 4.

Series record: Houston leads 33-12.

WHAT’S AT STAKE?

Houston looks to avoid going 0-3 for the first time since 2012 and to snap a five-game losing streak dating to Nov. 11. The Cougars have won seven straight games at home against Rice. The Owls won last season 43-41 in double overtime at Rice Stadium. Rice will try for its first two-game winning streak in the series since 2000-01. The Owls aim to start 2-1 for a third straight season.

KEY MATCHUP

Rice pass rush vs. Houston offensive line. Rice has a nation-best 11 sacks through its first two games, with five players who have at least 1 ½ sacks led by defensive end Demone Green, who has two. Houston’s offensive line allowed eight sacks in its first two games, including six in the Cougars’ season-opening home loss to UNLV. Houston QB Donovan Smith was much better last week at Oklahoma as he had more time to throw than he did in the opener.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Rice: QB E.J. Warren has thrown for 416 yards and three touchdowns in his first two games with the Owls. Warren, a transfer from Temple, has completed 63.5% (47 of 74) of his passes, but he has also thrown three interceptions.

Houston: WR Joseph Manjack IV caught three passes for 72 yards last week against Oklahoma, including a 44-yard touchdown. Manjack, who entered the season as the Cougars’ leading returning receiver, tops the team with two touchdown receptions — the only touchdowns Houston has scored in its first two games.

FACTS & FIGURES

Saturday will mark exactly 50 years since the first Bayou Bucket game between Houston and Rice. The two schools are located roughly five miles from each other, the shortest distance between FBS schools. … Houston DL Keith Cooper Jr. has four tackles for losses, which ranks 11th nationally. … Rice RB Dean Connors is tied for fifth nationally with four touchdowns rushing. … Houston ranks 113th nationally with 144 penalty yards in two games. … Rice has averaged 41.5 points per game in its first two games, while Houston has averaged 9.5 points per game.

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No. 13 Oklahoma State (2-0) at Tulsa (1-1)

When: 11 a.m. Saturday. TV: ESPN2.

Where: Chapman Stadium, Tulsa, Oklahoma.

BetMGM College Football Odds: Oklahoma State by 20 1/2.

Series record: Oklahoma State leads 44-27-5.

WHAT’S AT STAKE?

Oklahoma State and Tulsa are coming off inconsistent performances and would like to become more stable. Oklahoma State gave up 648 yards against Arkansas. but managed to beat the Razorbacks 39-31 in two overtimes after trailing 21-7 at halftime. Tulsa led Arkansas State 17-7 at the half, but was outscored 21-7 in the third quarter and lost 28-24 in a game Golden Hurricane coach Kevin Wilson said his team “should have won.”

KEY MATCHUP

Oklahoma State offensive line vs. Tulsa defensive front. Both units need to up their production this week. The Cowboys couldn’t get Ollie Gordon II, last year’s Doak Walker award winner for the nation’s best running back, going against Arkansas (49 yards, 2.9 yards per carry). He’s due for a big game behind his experienced offensive line.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Oklahoma State: LB Obi Ezeigbo. The D-II transfer from Gannon University stepped up against Arkansas in place of Collin Oliver, a preseason All-Big 12 selection who will be out indefinitely (right leg). Ezeigbo recorded nine tackles, two sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss against Arkansas was named Big 12 Newcomer of the Week.

Tulsa: QB Kirk Francis. The redshirt freshman has thrown five touchdowns in two games but only one came in last week’s loss. He also threw his first interception of the season. His favorite target has been WR Kam Benjamin, who has caught 11 passes for 196 yards and two scores so far.

FACTS & FIGURES

Oklahoma State has won nine straight against Tulsa, which last beat the Cowboys in 1998. … Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy is 6-0 vs. the Golden Hurricane. … The teams played for the first time in 1914. … This is the first year of an eight-year scheduling agreement between Oklahoma State and Tulsa, which are separated by 72 miles. The teams will meet annually from 2024 to 2031. … Oklahoma State linebacker Nick Martin, a preseason All-America pick, was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week for his 16-tackle performance vs. Arkansas. Martin also recorded 4.5 tackles for loss and three QB hurries. … Wilson has been a part of 13 seasons with 10 or more victories and has coached in four national championship games, including three at Oklahoma and one with Ohio State. … True freshman Zach Williams, a safety from Tyler High, has seen action in two games for Tulsa. …

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Tulane (1-1) at No. 15 Oklahoma (2-0)

When: 2:30 p.m. Saturday. TV: ESPN.

Where: Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, Norman, Oklahoma.

BetMGM College Football Odds: Oklahoma by 13 1/2.

Series record: Oklahoma leads 2-0.

WHAT’S AT STAKE

Oklahoma struggled to beat Houston last week despite being a heavy favorite. Now, the Sooners face a Tulane squad that led Kansas State at halftime last week before losing by just seven points. The Sooners need to win before the team heads into Southeastern Conference play. Oklahoma quarterback Jackson Arnold has shown promise but has struggled behind an offensive line hampered by injuries. Tulane nearly got a signature win last week and would love to get one against the Sooners. The Green Wave lost 40-35 in Norman in 2021.

KEY MATCHUP

Tulane QB Darian Mensah vs. Oklahoma pass rush. Mensah passed for 342 yards against Kansas State. Oklahoma ranks eighth nationally with four sacks per game.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Tulane: WR Mario Williams. He started his career at Oklahoma, then went to USC before landing at Tulane. He has 10 catches for 252 yards in two games this season. He had six catches for 128 yards against Kansas State last week and has 1,568 yards receiving and 11 touchdowns in his career.

Oklahoma: DT Gracen Halton. He was named the SEC’s Defensive Lineman of the Week after tallying a critical safety late against Houston. He leads the team with 2.5 sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss this season. He has spearheaded a defense that has allowed just 15 points in two games.

FACTS & FIGURES

The Sooners were held to 249 yards against Houston. … Oklahoma has a 100% scoring rate in the red zone this season. … Tulane outgained Kansas State 491 yards to 396. … Oklahoma is tied for the national lead with eight takeaways. … Oklahoma has won 47 straight non-conference games against unranked teams. … Tulane has won a school-record 10 consecutive road games, the third-longest streak nationally. … Tulane’s Makhi Hughes ran for 128 yards against Kansas State. He’s rushed for at least 100 yards in eight of his past 12 games.