Watson, Texans beat Bengals
CINCINNATI (AP) — Deshaun Watson ran 49 yards for a touchdown in his first NFL start and led the Houston Texans' depleted offense to a late clinching field goal in a 13-9 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday night.
Watson showed up in a black tuxedo for his first NFL start — it was his 22nd birthday, no less — and showed the flash that helped him lead Clemson to a national title. He avoided the rush and ran 49 yards for a 10-3 lead late in the first half, dashing past befuddled defenders.
The Texans (1-1) got the most out of their depleted offense, and then let their defense do the rest. The Bengals (0-2) have failed to score a touchdown in their two games to open a season for the first time in their 50 seasons.
1. Alabama (58)…(2-0)
2. Clemson (2)…(2-0)
3. Oklahoma…(2-0)
4. Southern California…(2-0)
5. Penn State…(2-0)
6. Washington…(2-0)
7. Michiigan…(2-0)
8. Oklahoma State…(2-0)
9. Ohio State…(1-1)
10. Florida State…(0-1)
11. LSU…(2-0)
12. Wisconsin…(2-0)
13. Georgia…(2-0)
14. Louisville…(2-0)
15. Miami (Fla.)…(1-0)
16. Virginia Tech…(2-0)
17. Auburn…(1-1)
18. Kansas State…(2-0)
19. Stanford…(1-1)
20. TCU…(2-0)
21. South Florida…(2-0)
22. Washington State…(2-0)
23. Tennessee…(2-0)
24. Utah…(2-0)
25. Florida…(0-1)
Others receiving votes: West Virginia 74; Colorado 70; Oregon 68; UCLA 57; South Carolina 27; Maryland 26; Notre Dame 24; San Diego State 19; Memphis 11; North Carolina State 10; Minnesota 9; Houston 7; Navy 6; Vanderbilt 5; Iowa 4; Duke 3; Army 2; Central Florida 2; Michigan State 2; Appalachian State 1; Boise State 1; Kentucky 1.
Mississippi State 37; National Schedule
All Times EDT (Subject to change)
Today, Sept. 15 EAST
UMass (0-3) at Temple (1-1), 7 p.m.
SOUTH
Illinois (2-0) at South Florida (2-0), 7 p.m.
SOUTHWEST
Arizona (1-1) at UTEP (0-2), 10:15 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 16 EAST
Oklahoma St. (2-0) at Pittsburgh (1-1), Noon
San Diego (1-1) at Princeton (0-0), Noon
Delaware St. (0-2) at West Virginia (11), Noon
Bryant (1-1) at Brown (0-0), 12:30 p.m. Yale (0-0) at Lehigh (0-2), 12:30 p.m. Wagner (1-1) at Columbia (0-0), 1 p.m. E. Washington (0-2) at Fordham (1-1), 1 p.m.
Marist (1-1) at Georgetown (1-0), 1 p.m.
Ohio Dominican (0-2) at Penn (0-0), 1 p.m.
Harvard (0-0) at Rhode Island (1-1), 1 p.m.
New Hampshire (2-0) at Holy Cross (11), 1:05 p.m.
VMI (0-2) at Robert Morris (1-1), 3 p.m. Cornell (0-0) at Delaware (1-1), 3:30 p.m.
Notre Dame (1-1) at Boston College (1-1), 3:30 p.m.
Morgan St. (0-2) at Rutgers (0-2), 3:30 p.m.
Cent. Michigan (1-1) at Syracuse (1-1), 3:30 p.m.
Colgate (1-1) at Buffalo (0-2), 6 p.m. Sacred Heart (2-0) at Stony Brook (11), 6 p.m.
Lafayette (0-2) at Villanova (1-1), 6 p.m. Monmouth (NJ) (2-0) at Albany (NY) (1-1), 7 p.m.
Towson (1-1) at St. Francis (Pa.) (2-0), 7 p.m.
Georgia St. (0-1) at Penn St. (2-0), 7:30 p.m.
SOUTH
UCLA (2-0) at Memphis (1-0), Noon UConn (1-0) at Virginia (1-1), Noon Furman (0-2) at NC State (1-1), 12:20 p.m.
Baylor (0-2) at Duke (2-0), 12:30 p.m. The Citadel (2-0) at ETSU (1-1), 1 p.m. Walsh (0-2) at Jacksonville (0-1), 1 p.m. Coastal Carolina (1-0) at UAB (1-1), 1
p.m.
Howard (1-1) at Richmond (1-1), 2 p.m. Johnson C. Smith (0-2) at SC State (01), 2 p.m.
Utah St. (1-1) at Wake Forest (2-0), 3 p.m.
Virginia Tech (2-0) at East Carolina (02), 3:30 p.m.
Tennessee (2-0) at Florida (0-1), 3:30 p.m.
Norfolk St. (0-2) at James Madison (20), 3:30 p.m.
North Carolina (0-2) at Old Dominion (2-0), 3:30 p.m.
Mercer (1-1) at Auburn (1-1), 4 p.m. NC A&T (2-0) at Charlotte (0-2), 6 p.m. UT Martin (1-1) at Chattanooga (0-2), 6 p.m.
Charleston Southern (0-1) at Elon (1-1), 6 p.m.
W. Carolina (1-1) at Gardner-Webb (02), 6 p.m.
Livingstone (0-2) at Hampton (1-1), 6 p.m.
Indiana St. (0-2) at Liberty (2-0), 6 p.m. Dartmouth (0-0) at Stetson (0-2), 6 p.m. Florida A&M (1-1) vs. Tennessee St. (20) at Tampa, Fla., 6 p.m. Bucknell (1-1) at William & Mary (1-1), 6 p.m. Bethune-Cookman (1-1) at FAU (0-2), 6:30 p.m.
Kent St. (1-1) at Marshall (1-1), 6:30 p.m.
Colorado St. (2-1) at Alabama (2-0), 7 p.m.
McNeese St. (1-1) at Alcorn St. (1-0), 7 p.m.
Morehead St. (1-1) at Austin Peay (02), 7 p.m.
Guilford (2-0) at Davidson (1-1), 7 p.m. Jackson St. (0-2) at Grambling St. (11), 7 p.m.
Southern Miss. (1-1) at Louisiana-Monroe (0-1), 7 p.m.
LSU (2-0) at Mississippi St. (2-0), 7 p.m.
Prairie View (0-1) at Nicholls (1-1), 7 p.m.