C.J. Stroud has 300 yards, two TDs as Texans lead 49ers 23-7

The Texans struggled offensively on Monday night against the Seahawks, unable to generate significant momentum. In contrast, they have dominated the 49ers, who are currently without key defensive players Nick Bosa and Fred Warner.

Houston’s offense has been impressive today, with four drives consisting of double-digit plays, totaling 57 plays for 393 yards. Their latest drive was particularly effective, covering 94 yards in 12 plays. Quarterback C.J. Stroud connected with Xavier Hutchinson for a 30-yard touchdown during this drive, putting Houston ahead 23-7.

Despite the lead, the game shouldn’t be this close. The Texans have been just 1-for-4 in the red zone today, missing opportunities to extend their advantage. Stroud has completed 27 of 35 passes for 317 yards, throwing two touchdowns and one interception, all while missing key wide receivers Nico Collins and Christian McCaffrey.

Xavier Hutchinson has been a standout, with five receptions for 69 yards. Meanwhile, the 49ers’ offense has struggled, amassing only 89 yards so far.
https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/c-j-stroud-has-300-yards-two-tds-as-texans-lead-49ers-23-7

North Texas’ QB Drew Mestemaker throws for insane 608 yards vs. Charlotte

North Texas quarterback Drew Mestemaker delivered a historic performance on Friday night, throwing for 608 yards and four touchdowns as the Mean Green crushed Charlotte 54-20 in American Conference action.

Mestemaker’s 608 passing yards set a new school record and American Conference single-game mark. To put this in perspective, Army has thrown for just 599 yards as a team this entire season through seven games, according to On3’s Brett McMurphy. He completed 37 of 49 passes with only one interception in the dominant road victory.

He’s the 22nd player in FBS history to surpass 600 passing yards in a game. The Mean Green offense was unstoppable throughout the night, totaling 754 yards. Mestemaker connected on touchdown passes of 41, 6, 7, and 70 yards.

His top target, Wyatt Young, caught nine passes for 190 yards and a touchdown.

North Texas jumped out to an early lead and never looked back, scoring 37 unanswered points at one stretch. The game was tied 17-17 at halftime before the Mean Green exploded in the second half to pull away.

Just one week earlier, Mestemaker threw for 277 yards and four touchdowns in a 55-17 victory over UTSA. That performance earned him two conference awards for his outstanding play. His consistency over the past two games has been remarkable.

The win improved North Texas to 7-1 overall and 3-1 in American Conference play, keeping them in the hunt for a conference championship. Charlotte’s loss dropped the 49ers to 1-7 and 0-5 in conference play.
https://clutchpoints.com/ncaa-football/north-texas-football-news-drew-mestemaker-throws-insane-608-yards-vs-charlotte

Today in Sports – Jerry Rice sets an NFL record for receptions in consecutive games, 184 straight

**On This Day in Sports History – October 25**

**1947**
In front of a capacity crowd of 35,000 at Columbia’s Baker Field in New York, the Lions ended Army’s 32-game unbeaten streak in a stunning 21-20 upset. An interception on Army’s final drive sealed the win, marking Columbia’s first victory over an Army team that had not surrendered a point all season until that loss.

**1964**
Cotton Davidson of the Oakland Raiders threw for 427 yards and five touchdowns in a dominant 40-7 rout of the Denver Broncos.

**1980**
Mike Weaver knocked out Gerrie Coetzee in the 13th round in Sun City, Bophuthatswana, to retain the WBA heavyweight title.

**1990**
Evander Holyfield knocked out Buster Douglas in Las Vegas to become the undisputed heavyweight champion.

**1998**
Jerry Rice set an NFL record for receptions in consecutive games with a 12-yard catch from Steve Young on San Francisco’s first offensive play. Rice caught passes in 184 straight games, breaking the previous mark set by Art Monk from 1980 to 1995.

Also in 1998, Denver’s Jason Elam kicked a 63-yard field goal, tying Tom Dempsey’s 28-year-old NFL record. Elam’s kick came at the end of the first half and matched the record set by Dempsey for the New Orleans Saints against Detroit on November 8, 1970.

**2003**
Trainer Richard Mandella made history by winning a record four races at the Breeders’ Cup, capping one of the greatest days in racing history. His victories included the $4 million Classic at Santa Anita with Pleasantly Perfect, the $1 million Juvenile Fillies with Halfbridled, the $1.5 million Juvenile with long-shot Action This Day, and the $2 million Turf with Johar, who dead-heated with High Chaparral.

Also in 2003, Florida’s Josh Beckett pitched a shutout to lead the Marlins to a 2-0 victory over the New York Yankees, clinching the World Series. Pitching on three days’ rest, Beckett allowed five hits in Game 6 and earned MVP honors.

**2006**
Joe Sakic became the 11th player in NHL history to reach 1,500 career points with an assist during the first period of Colorado’s 5-3 loss to Washington.

**2008**
In a game played in driving rain, Navy did not attempt a single pass in a 34-7 victory over Southern Methodist.

Also in 2008, Raven’s Pass pulled off an upset by winning the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic, stunning defending champion Curlin on the new synthetic surface at Santa Anita. Ridden by Frankie Dettori and sent off at 13-1 odds, Raven’s Pass earned a 1 3/4-length victory in his first race on the synthetic track.

**2014**
Trevone Boykin threw a school-record seven touchdown passes as No. 10 TCU scored the most points in its history in an 82-27 rout of Texas Tech.

**2015**
Kirk Cousins led the Washington Redskins to the largest comeback in franchise history with three second-half touchdown passes, including the go-ahead score with 24 seconds left. The Redskins overcame a 24-0 deficit against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to win 31-30. Cousins also ran for an 8-yard touchdown to get Washington on the board.

**2017**
Houston’s George Springer hit a two-run homer in the 11th inning to help the Astros win a thrilling home run derby at Dodger Stadium. Houston defeated Los Angeles 7-6, tying the World Series at one game apiece. The teams combined for a Series-record eight homers.

**2024**
Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Freddie Freeman hit the first-ever ‘walk-off’ grand slam in World Series history, leading the Dodgers to a 6-3 win over the New York Yankees in 10 innings at Dodger Stadium.
https://wtop.com/nfl/2025/10/today-in-sports-jerry-rice-sets-an-nfl-record-for-receptions-in-consecutive-games-184-straight/

Sunday Night Football: Christian McCaffrey’s big night powers 49ers to 20-10 victory

Christian McCaffrey entered Week 7 with 780 yards from scrimmage and four total touchdowns. However, 444 of those yards and three of those touchdowns came on 46 receptions. His rushing average was just 3.1 yards per carry over the first six games of the season.

Things looked much more like 2023 on Sunday night against the Falcons. McCaffrey torched Atlanta for 129 yards rushing and two touchdowns, adding seven receptions for 72 yards, leading the 49ers to a 20-10 victory. McCaffrey was clearly the best player on the field, as reflected by how often San Francisco relied on him throughout the game.

He opened his scoring with a 1-yard touchdown run with 1:48 left in the second quarter. Later, he helped seal the win with a crucial 17-yard catch on third-and-3 from the Atlanta 21-yard line. Following that reception, McCaffrey capped the drive with a 4-yard touchdown run, giving the 49ers a 10-point lead with just 2:26 remaining in the fourth quarter.

This performance marked McCaffrey’s first 100-yard rushing game in the regular season since Week 16 of 2023. Additionally, it was his best rushing output since Week 14 of last year when he gained 145 yards.

The 49ers, who had been averaging only 3.1 yards per carry this season, flipped the script on Sunday, rushing 39 times for 174 yards—an impressive 4.5-yard average.

Quarterback Mac Jones contributed 17 completions on 26 attempts for 152 yards but threw one interception. Filling in for Fred Warner, linebacker Tatum Bethune recorded 10 total tackles, including one for loss.

On the Falcons’ side, Michael Penix Jr. completed 21 of 38 passes for 241 yards, including one touchdown, but also lost a fumble. Penix had a costly intentional grounding penalty late in the first half, which ran out the clock and ended the second quarter prematurely.

Midway through the fourth quarter, with the Falcons trailing 13-10 and facing fourth-and-1, coach Raheem Morris opted to go for it instead of attempting a 53-yard field goal. Unfortunately, Penix’s pass to Drake London was slightly late and broken up, resulting in a turnover on downs.

Running back Bijan Robinson was limited to just 40 yards on 14 carries but contributed six receptions for 52 yards.

Despite numerous injuries this season, the 49ers have improved to 5-2 and maintain first place in the NFC West, thanks to their head-to-head tiebreaker over the Rams. San Francisco will travel to face the Houston Texans next weekend.

Meanwhile, the Falcons, now 3-3, return home to face the struggling Miami Dolphins, who hold a 1-6 record, in Week 8.
https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/sunday-night-football-christian-mccaffreys-big-night-powers-49ers-to-20-10-victory

Allen’s 3 rushing touchdowns lead North Alabama to 35-14 win over Eastern Kentucky

FLORENCE, Ala. — Allan’s touchdowns came from 1, 2, and 23 yards out, showcasing his versatility and scoring ability.

Noah Gregg contributed with an impressive 18-yard reception up the middle, while Kaleb Heatherly added to the offense with a 5-yard catch for North Alabama.

These key plays helped define the team’s performance in the latest AP college football matchup.
https://wtop.com/ncaa-football/2025/10/allens-3-rushing-touchdowns-lead-north-alabama-to-35-14-win-over-eastern-kentucky/

Byrum Brown, No. 19 South Florida run over Florida Atlantic, 48-13

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Byrum Brown threw three touchdown passes and rushed for a score as No. 19 South Florida delivered a standout performance.
https://wtop.com/ncaa-football/2025/10/byrum-brown-no-19-south-florida-run-over-florida-atlantic-48-13/