TAAF Winter Games of Texas kick off January 17 in Victoria

By Chris Price
Copyright 2026 All Rights Reserved

VICTORIA, TEXAS (January 3, 2025) Two weeks from today, Victoria will once again take center stage for amateur sports when it hosts the opening weekend of the 2026 Texas Amateur Athletic Federation (TAAF) Winter Games of Texas on January 17-18. The event gives local residents and visitors the opportunity to watch some of the state’s top amateur athletes.

Competitions during the first weekend include disc golf at Riverside Park, cornhole at Texas A&M University-Victoria’s Galvan Community Hall, golf at Riverside Golf Course, and swimming at the Victoria ISD Aquatics Center. Events will begin throughout the day, with start times varying by sport. 

Hosted in Victoria since 2022, the TAAF Winter Games are expected to attract between 1,500 and 2,000 visitors over two weekends. 

Texas State dominate Rice Owls in Armed Forces Bowl

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2026 All Rights Reserved

FORT WORTH, TEXAS (January 3, 2026) On Friday, January 2, 2026, the Texas State Bobcats overwhelmed the Rice Owls in the 23rd annual Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl at Amon G. Carter Stadium. The Bobcats, representing the Sun Belt Conference, secured a convincing 41-10 victory over their in-state rivals from Conference USA.

The Armed Forces Bowl, one of the marquee postseason games concluding the 2025 FBS season, blends college football with patriotic celebrations honoring U.S. military service members. Sponsored by aerospace and defense giant Lockheed Martin, the bowl showcases not only athletic competition but also flyovers, parachute demonstrations and tributes to all six branches of the armed forces.

Texas State entered the game with a 6-6 record after closing the regular season with a three-game winning streak. Under head coach G.J. Kinne, the Bobcats’ balanced offense and opportunistic defense set the tone early, building a lead that Rice could not recover from. Rice, which finished the year 5-7 and only received a bowl invitation after other eligible teams declined, struggled to find offensive traction against a disciplined Bobcats unit.

Despite the lopsided score, the event had its share of dramatic moments off the field. One of the pregame parachutists became briefly entangled in equipment above the end zone before descending safely to the ground, an alarming sight that fortunately resulted in no reported injuries.

Parachute accident at Armed Forces Bowl

Video courtesy of New York Post Sports via YouTube.com.

By Chris Price
Copyright 2026 All Rights Reserved

FORT WORTH, TEXAS (January 2. 2026) It has been reported by various media outlets, including the Houston Chronicle and USA Today, that one of the parachutists that was to land on the infield at Fort Worth’s Amon G. Carter Stadium accidentally got caught in a cable supporting the field-goal netting and remained suspended in mid-air for a second, before a fall of several yards.

The incident occurred during the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl, leaving fans stunned. It was also reported that the parachutist appeared to have avoided serious injury.

Texan Amber Glenn: A rising star in U.S. Figure Skating

Photo credit: U.S. Figure Skating Used with permission.

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2026 All Rights Reserved

PASADENA, TEXAS (January 2, 2026) Amber Glenn has become one of the most exciting U.S. figure skaters today. Born on October 28, 1999, in Plano, Texas and training with the Dallas Figure Skating Club, she started skating when she was just five years old. Now 26, she has worked hard for years and is finally getting huge wins on the ice.

Glenn is a two-time U.S. national champion, winning in 2024 and 2025. She also made history by winning the 2024-25 Grand Prix Final, the first American woman to win it in nearly 15 years,

One reason fans love Amber is that she can land very hard jumps. She is one of the few women in the world to land a clean Triple Axel in big competition.

At the 2025 World Championships, Glenn skated strong and finished fifth overall; her best result at that event. Her performances helped the U.S. earn three spots for women at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

She, along with other skaters will compete in the 2026 Prevagen U.S. Figure skating  Championships on January 4-11, 2026 in St. Louis, Missouri.  The U.S. Championships also will serve as the final qualifying event prior to the selection of the U.S. Olympic Figure Skating Team that will represent Team USA at the Olympic Winter Games Milano-Cortina. 

Miami shocks Ohio State 24-14 in Cotton Bowl Playoff Game

By Chris Price
Copyright 2026 All Rights Reserved

ARLINGTON, TEXAS (January 1, 2026) The No. 10 Miami Hurricanes pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the college football season on Wednesday (December 31) night. Miami beat the defending national champion Ohio State Buckeyes 24-14 in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.

Miami didn’t let Ohio State score in the first half and built a 14-0 lead by halftime. The Hurricanes scored on a short touchdown pass and then made a huge play when Keionte Scott returned an interception 72 yards for a touchdown. That big play helped Miami take control early.

Ohio State tried to come back in the second half. The Buckeyes scored a touchdown early in the third quarter and then got past Miami’s defense again in the fourth, making it 17-14. But Miami answered right away with a long touchdown drive that gave them a 10-point lead.

The Hurricanes’ defense played very well all night. They pressured Ohio State’s quarterback, Julian Sayin, and forced him into mistakes. Sayin threw two interceptions, including the one that Scott took back for a score. Miami also forced another interception late to seal the win.

Miami’s quarterback Carson Beck did a good job leading his team. He completed most of his passes and threw for one touchdown. Running back Mark Fletcher Jr. also had a strong game, rushing for good yardage and catching a key pass for six points.

For Ohio State, the loss was a hard end to the season. The Buckeyes came in as a top-ranked team and were favorites to win, but Miami’s defense and big plays kept Ohio State from taking charge. Even though the Buckeyes had more total yards, Miami’s plays when it counted were the difference.

Now they will move on to the CFP semifinal game at the Fiesta Bowl on January 8 against either Georgia or Ole Miss.

Penn State powers past Texas in 1972 Cotton Bowl Classic

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2026 All Rights Reserved

DALLAS, TEXAS (January 1. 2026) On January 1, 1972, college football fans watched a big game in Dallas, Texas; the 36th Cotton Bowl Classic at the Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas. The matchup was between the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Texas Longhorns.

Both teams came into the game with strong seasons. Penn State had a record of 10–1 and was ranked No. 10 in the country. Texas was 8–2 and ranked No. 12. Texas also was the Southwest Conference champion. Penn State was an independent team with no conference.

The first half was a tight battle. Each team scored two field goals, and at halftime Texas led 6–3. But the second half was very different. Penn State scored 27 unanswered points.

Penn State’s offense came alive. Running back Lydell Mitchell had a big game and scored a touchdown. Quarterback John Hufnagel ran for a touchdown and also threw a touchdown pass to Scott Skarzynski. Kicker Alberto Vitiello added three field goals for Penn State. Texas only had the two field goals they scored in the first half.

The final score was Penn State 30, Texas 6. This big win helped Penn State move up in the final rankings, while Texas dropped lower in the polls.

Two Penn State players were named the Most Valuable Players of the game. Those honors went to linebacker Bruce Bannon, a defensive end and running back Lydell Mitchell.

On a side note, the writer of this article (Robert H Kelly) was in attendance at the game. At the time, he was a senior at Killeen High School and a member of the Kangaroo Marching Band, who preformed during the pregame activities.

Louisiana Tech wins big in Independence Bowl comeback; downs Coastal Carolina 23-14

Photo credit: Darla S Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved

SHREVEPORT, LOUISIANA (December 30, 2025)  The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs pulled off an amazing comeback to beat the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers 23–14 in the 2025 Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl in Shreveport, Louisiana. The Bulldogs trailed by 11 points at halftime, but they shut out the Chanticleers in the second half to win the game.

Coastal Carolina looked strong early. Their quarterback threw two touchdown passes in the first half, and Coastal led 14–3 at the break. Louisiana Tech only managed one field goal before halftime.lldogs came out ready in the second half. Their defense stopped Coastal Carolina again and again. A long punt return gave Tech good field position, and they kicked another field goal to make the score 14–6.

Late in the fourth quarter, Louisiana Tech really took control. Quarterback Trey Kukuk (shown above), who was selected at the game's offensive MVP, hit Marlion Jackson with a 52-yard touchdown pass, making the score 14–12. The two-point try didn’t work, but the momentum had changed.

After another defensive stop, Tech drove the ball again. Kukuk ran for a long gain, and Andrew Burnette scored a short touchdown to give the Bulldogs the lead 20–14. Then, kicker Kaegan Kent hit a 35-yard field goal late to make it 23–14.

Louisiana Tech’s defense helped seal the win by stopping Coastal Carolina on their last chances. The Bulldogs also got an interception late in the game to end the final threat.

With the win, the Bulldogs finish 8–5 on the season and earn a bowl championship. It was their ninth bowl victory ever and their biggest comeback in a bowl game. The victory also gave Louisiana Tech its first winning season since 2019. 

Houston Cougars win Texas Bowl thriller, down LSU 38-35

Houston quarterback Conner Weigman hands off the ball to
running back to DJ Butler in the Cougars win over LSU.
Photo by Darla S Tamulitism La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (December 27, 2025) The Houston Cougars capped off a big season with a 38-35 win over the LSU Tigers in the Kinder’s Texas Bowl at NRG Stadium on Saturday night. It was a close and exciting game that fans will remember for a long time.

The Tigers jumped out to an early lead and looked strong at first. On the very first play of the game, Barion Brown returned the opening kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown to put the Tigers up 7-0. LSU then added another score to make it 14-0 in the first quarter.

However, the Cougars did not give up. Quarterback Conner Weigman, who was selected the game's MVP, as voted by the media, led a big comeback for the Cougars. He was sharp all night, throwing four touchdown passes and finishing with 236 passing yards. Weigman connected with key receivers like Amare Thomas and Tanner Koziol to help Houston erase the early deficit.

In the post game press conference, the UH quarterback was asked about his favorite moment on the field, from the celebration or in the locker room; something that he thought was goin to stick with him.

Yeah, just some of the seniors; Tanner (Kozios), Dean (Conners), Matt (Wykoff), all those guys; that was the last time I'm going to be able to play football with those guys. It meant a lot to me. Those are my brothers.

Houston took the lead and did not look back. Ethan Sanchez hit a 25-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter to push the Cougars ahead 31-28. Then Dean Connors scored a 20-yard rushing touchdown with just over two minutes left, making it 38-28 and giving Houston a big boost.

LSU tried to rally late, and Zavion Thomas scored a rushing touchdown with about a minute to play, cutting the deficit to 38-35. But Houston recovered the onside kick and ran out the clock to seal the victory.

The win gave Houston a 10-3 final season record with the Tigers finish 7-6,

UTSA dominates FIU 57-20 in First Responder Bowl

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved

DALLAS, TEXAS (December 26, 2025)  The UTSA Roadrunners put on a big show Friday night at the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl, beating the Florida International Panthers 57-20 at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas. UTSA came from behind and scored 38 straight points to take control of the game after FIU jumped out to an early lead.

FIU looked strong early. The Panthers scored first on a touchdown pass from Joe Pesansky and then seemed to take charge when Maguire Anderson returned a punt 97 yards for another score. For a moment, the Game looked like it might be close.

But UTSA answered with a big push. Quarterback Owen McCown started the comeback with a short run by Will Henderson III, then connected with Henderson on a 40-yard touchdown pass to tie the game. After a field goal, McCown threw a 23-yard touchdown to Devin McCuin to give UTSA the lead. Running back A’Marion Peterson added a 10-yard score to put the Roadrunners up 31-14 at halftime.

In the second half, UTSA kept scoring. Henderson scored again on a short run, and McCown added another passing touchdown. Backup players also got in on the scoring action, including Bryson Donnell with a touchdown run. The Roadrunners built a big lead and never looked back.

McCown had a strong night, finishing 18 of 28 for 295 yards and three touchdowns. UTSA’s offense outgained FIU 481 yards to 255 yards, showing its power on both run and pass plays.

The win gives UTSA its seventh straight winning season and third bowl win in a row. For FIU, the season still ended with a 7-6 record, and the bowl appearance marked the Panthers’ first postseason game since 2019.

Texas Longhorns fire two staff members over sports betting breach

By Chris Price
Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved

AUSTIN, TEXAS (December 25, 2025) It is being reported by MySA.com that The University of Texas at Austin has fired two staff members in its athletic department after discovering sports betting rule violations, school officials confirmed this week.

The issues happened between January and October 2025 when six people tied to the athletics department placed 121 bets totaling just under $1,100 on daily fantasy sports platforms. Although these sites are legal in Texas, NCAA rules still bar people connected to college teams from placing any wagers.

The Longhorns self-reported the violations after finding them in internal reviews. Two of the six people involved were immediately fired. One person had already left the university, and three others remain employed.

Some of the wagers were tied to Texas Longhorn sporting events, including Longhorn women’s basketball and softball games. 

Texas A&M secures NCAA volleyball title with 3-0 win over Kentucky

By Chris Price
Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI (December 21, 2025) The Texas A&M Aggies beat the top-seeded Kentucky Wildcats 3-0 to win their first-ever NCAA women's volleyball championship. The game, which was played at T-Mobile Center. It was an all-SEC final, with both teams from the same conference fighting for the big prize.

The match was exciting from the start. In the first set, Kentucky jumped ahead early, leading 10-4. The Aggies looked in trouble, but they fought back hard. Ifenna Cos-Okpalla made big kills and blocks to spark the comeback. Texas A&M won the close set 26-24.

After that, the Aggies took control. In the second set, their strong blocks stopped Kentucky's attacks. Players like Kyndal Stowers and Ifenna Cos-Okpalla kept scoring. Texas A&M won easily, 25-15. Kentucky made too many mistakes and could not catch up.

The third set was similar. Texas A&M built a big lead and never let go. Logan Lednicky and Stowers added key points. Cos-Okpalla ended the match with a final kill, winning the set 25-20.

Kyndal Stowers and Logan Lednicky also played well on defense; forcing Kentucky into errors throughout the game.

This win was sweet revenge for Aggies after dropping their match against Kentucky on October 8 by the score of 1-3 (25-21, 22-25, 15-25, 25-27) in conference play.

DeSoto downs C.E. King 55-27 to capture UIL 6A title

Submitted Photo

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved

ARLINGTON, TEXAS (December 20, 2025) In the UIL Class 6A Division II state championship game on Saturday night at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, the DeSoto Eagles beat the C.E. King Panthers 55-27 to win the state title.

DeSoto started strong and played great on both offense and defense. Right from the first quarter, the Eagles took control of the game. SaRod Baker scored the first touchdown on a short run. He added another long touchdown later, helping DeSoto build a big early lead.

DeSoto’s Legend Howell was the star on offense. He threw for 280 yards and four touchdowns. Ethan Feaster caught many passes and scored two touchdowns himself.

The Eagles also made big plays on defense. Damarion Ross intercepted a pass and ran it back 94 yards for a touchdown. That score helped put DeSoto even farther ahead before halftime.

Even though C.E. King scored some touchdowns in the second half, DeSoto stayed in control and never let the lead slip. King had a great season, and just getting to the state title game was a big accomplishment for the Panthers.

North Shore wins tough defensive game, downs Duncanville 10-7 for 6A-1 title

Photo by Darla S Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved

ARLINGTON, TEXAS (December 20, 2025) North Shore High School won a hard-fought game over Duncanville 10-7 to become UIL Class 6A Division 1 state champions. The game was played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington in front of 39,436 fans.

The first half was a defensive battle. Neither team could score and the game stayed 0-0 at halftime. North Shore finally broke the tie early in the second half. Quarterback Kaleb Maryland threw a long 44-yard touchdown pass to Jaylen Bocard (shown right). That made it 7-0.

Later in the fourth quarter, Daniel Cruz kicked a 27-yard field goal to make it 10-0. Duncanville did not give up. With about six minutes left, Trenton Yancey threw a 32-yard touchdown pass to Zach Turner. That cut the lead to 10-7 and brought Duncanville close.

Duncanville moved the ball late in the game, but North Shore’s defense made the big stop when it mattered. With less than a minute left, North Shore stopped Duncanville on fourth down to seal the win.

This was the sixth time North Shore and Duncanville met in the state title game since 2018. North Shore now leads the rivalry with four wins in those six matchups.

South Oak Cliff tops Richmond Randle for UIL 5A Division II state title

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved

ARLINGTON, TEXAS (December 20, 2025)  The South Oak Cliff Bears won the UIL Class 5A Division II state football championship, beating the Richmond Randle Lions 35-19 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Saturday. South Oak Cliff finished the season 15-1 and brought home its third state title in school history.

From the start, the Bears played strong offense and defense. South Oak Cliff’s defense made life tough for Randle’s offense all game. Randle did not score an offensive touchdown until late in the fourth quarter. Their star running back, Landen Williams-Callis, finished with 121 rushing yards and one touchdown. He also scored on a 100-yard kickoff return in the first quarter.

The big star for South Oak Cliff was Mikail Trotter. Trotter ran for 143 yards and three touchdowns, and all of his scoring runs were longer than 30 yards. He helped the Bears get ahead early and kept them in control.

Quarterback Jayden Williams was sharp, completing 12 of 13 passes for 89 yards and a touchdown. That efficient play made it hard for Randle’s defense to slow down South Oak Cliff’s offense.

Even though Randle fought hard, South Oak Cliff’s strong play all day made the difference. Randle showed effort and talent, but the Bears made the plays needed to win a state championship

North Shore downs Dickinson 46-29

Story and photo by Robert H Kelly

Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS  (December 6, 2025) The North Shore Mustangs knocked off the Dickinson Gators 46–29 in the quarterfinals of the UIL Class 6A Division I playoffs on Friday night at TDECU Stadium.

From the start, North Shore’s offense showed they had too much firepower. Quarterback Kaleb Maryland threw a 51-yard touchdown pass to junior receiver Jaylen Bocard (shown above) early in the first quarter to put the Mustangs up 7–0.

In the second quarter, North Shore kept rolling. Maryland hit wide-out Aubery Johnson on a 53-yard strike and later ran in a 26-yard touchdown himself, stretching the lead. Dickinson responded right before halftime when senior quarterback Lorenzo Aguirre found Ja’Marion Payne in the end zone; bringing the score to 20–10 at the break.

In the second half, North Shore turned up the pressure again. They scored two touchdowns in the third quarter; one by Maryland on the ground and another on a pass to receiver La’Damian Defreeze — widening their lead to 34–10. Dickinson tried to rally after recovering a fumble, with Washington hauling in a touchdown catch.

In the fourth quarter, North Shore added a field goal and another rushing score to make it 44–23. Dickinson scored once more before time expired, but the Mustangs sealed the win when a blocked extra point was returned for two points.

With the win, North Shore advances to the regional semifinals where they will face the Lake Travis Cavaliers on Saturday, December 13 at Aldine's Thorne Stadium. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m.