HOUSTON, ARLINGTON and AUSTIN, Texas -- His entire team had already trickled into the locker room, but Texas coach Charlie Strong lingered on the field at Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on Sunday, stopping for extra photos, hugs and handshakes as fans in each end zone chanted, Char-lie! Char-lie! Char-lie!Linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary ran toward him, giving him the signal to wrap it up.Man, youre the last one at the party! he yelled. Lets go!Texas hasnt partied like this in years.We needed tonight to get this program back in the spotlight, and this is a big win for us to get the program headed back, Strong said after an instant-classic, 50-47 double-overtime win against Notre Dame. I know one game does not make a season. We have many more to go, but this is a great start for us, a record crowd.Our fans really needed that. Weve been down for so long and people have been talking about us. It was a night for us to just make it right. At least for one game, for one game.It was an epic culmination to a Texas-sized tripleheader that featured Houston-Oklahoma, USC-Alabama and Notre Dame-Texas. Those three games revealed the juxtaposition of college footballs newest contenders in the College Football Playoff conversation -- the Cougars and Longhorns -- and its mainstay, the Crimson Tide.In a whirlwind tour of three games in two days in one state, it became clear that Alabama is still No. 1; Houston is to be taken seriously until it loses; and Texas has the potential to be a dark horse under the two-quarterback system of 18-year-old phenom?Shane Buechele?and senior battering ram Tyrone Swoopes.We know how to win, Buechele said.Texas won in the most entertaining fashion, but it was Houstons shocking 33-23 upset of No. 3 Oklahoma that resonated most in the premature playoff picture.Houston freshman defensive tackle Ed Oliver, the No. 4 recruit in the country last year, bounced through a swarm of his celebrating teammates on Saturday evening, soaring from the Cougars shocking upset of the Big 12s front-runner.I knew I made the right choice when I committed here, Oliver shouted to nobody in particular as he disappeared into the red-clad celebration at NRG Stadium.Houston seems to be winning everyone over lately.Oliver and the Cougars, though, are like the freshmen in the fraternity -- theyve pledged, but havent exactly been initiated into the exclusive CFP house. A few hours after Houstons win and about 270 miles away, Alabama reminded us who has lasted the longest in a sport steeped in tradition.Were still rollin, center Bradley Bozeman said after his teams 52-6 dismantling of USC in Arlington. Were still trying to hold up to the Alabama name.This weekend in Texas was tangible proof that college football isnt just alive again; it was inhaled with every grill that was fired up, and consumed with every beer, brat and burger in sight. Fans have been thirsty for these high-risk, high-reward marquee matchups, and Week 1 delivered, thanks in large part to the emphasis placed on strength of schedule by the CFP selection committee.The beauty of these games is that nobody was eliminated. Notre Dame is not doomed if it wins out. USC certainly wont be penalized for losing to the defending national champs if it goes on to win the Pac-12. And OU still has Ohio State and Big 12 play on tap -- but it certainly cant afford to lose to Texas again.Each game was significant to the CFP race, and it felt like all signs in the state of Texas pointed to the biggest opening weekend in the history of college football.At Hobby International Airport in Houston, there was a vibrant Welcome Sooners sign on a flat-screen TV on the way to baggage claim that had the O and U in red in the word Houston. On Highway 35 East en route to Arlington, a billboard proclaimed, Roll Dallas! Proud home of Bama students, fans and alums. A few miles later there was another sign, reminding commuters Notre Dame vs. Texas tomorrow.Who knew it would be the kind of thriller well be talking about for tomorrows to come?It was a fitting end to a Week 1 party that stretched across the state, linked together by a fondness for cowboy boots and hats, folding tables and chairs, tents and tailgates.On a plane from Dallas to Austin, a flight attendant said, Go Longhorns!Boo! yelled some Notre Dame fans, waking up some USC fans who were sleeping off the previous evenings nightmare.What made the entire scene so unique, though, was the combination of college footballs most storied programs (Texas, Notre Dame, Alabama, USC and Oklahoma) joined by rising star Houston.Oliver, the big-time, baby-faced five-star recruit, had seven tackles and two sacks in his first collegiate start -- a statement win that legitimized the Group of 5 programs playoff hopes.Wait, the Group of 5?It has nothing to do with where theyre playing at, said Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops. The bottom line is theyve got a really good football team.The question is whether they can sustain it.Last year, Houston was 10-0 before it was derailed by an unexpected 20-17 loss at unranked UConn. At 12-1 it was still the selection committees highest-ranked team from the Group of 5, guaranteeing Houston a spot in the Chick-fil-A Bowl, where it beat No. 9 Florida State, 38-24. That game flipped the switch on the expectations for this fall, but it wasnt until Houstons performance against OU that they were validated.We all believed we could do it, said Houston quarterback Greg Ward Jr. We shocked the nation.With Saturdays win over Oklahoma, Houston defeated back-to-back top-10 teams for the first time. The Sooners were left sulking, but hardly as embarrassed as USC. It was the Trojans worst opening loss of the season. Alabama, meanwhile, was having fun and dancing in the locker room.Its a whole different team than last season, said Alabama defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick. We had a lot of people leave and we have a lot of experience at the same time, but I think the way we play, its a new identity. Were trying to establish a new identity every game that we play.Texas has also been searching for a new identity, and it found it with Buechele and first-year offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert.It feels different because we know that we put it all out there, said receiver John Burt. ... The team last year wouldnt have done that. This is a different team. This is a better team.Linebacker Malik Jefferson described the feeling on the field after the game as a deep breath, a relief.All of the pressures off, he said. Now we just go play Texas football like its always been.Well, not always.Texas and Strong have been desperate for a signature win, and this was the kind that could get the Longhorns into the real party at the end of the season. Problem is, its a short guest list.Houston wants an invitation, Alabama never left, and Texas is looking to crash -- even if Strong is the last one in. Vapormax Cheap Sale . Thousands of fans at Mosaic Stadium will be cozying up to each other in an effort to stay warm in chilly temperatures and block the Prairie wind that locals say can knock your socks off. Vapormax 2019 Cheap . Argentina winger Ezequiel Lavezzi and France midfielder Blaise Matuidi scored, with star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic setting up both despite having a poor game by his high standards. Forward Eduardo gave Ajaccio the lead in the sixth minute after being set up by right winger Benjamin Andre, and the Corsican side looked comfortable in the first half, with the lively Johan Cavalli causing problems with his probing runs from midfield. http://www.airvapormaxcanada.com/vapormax-off-white-cheap.html . The 17-year-old native of Marystown, N.L., pulled out of Skate Canada International last month in Saint John, N.B., with the same problem. Vapormax Flyknit 3 Cheap . After the whistle, Thornton skated the length of the ice, pulled Orpik to the ice from behind and punched him in the face several times. Vapormax Plus Cheap . He was followed closely by David Clarkson, donning red, seconds later. Clarksons actions one night earlier, leaping off the bench in defence of Kessel during a pre-season game against the Buffalo Sabres, will cost him the first 10 games of the regular season. KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Ryon Healys long shot left the Kansas City Royals a longshot to return to postseason play.Stephen Vogt drove in five runs, Healy hit a mammoth three-run homer and the Oakland Athletics routed Kansas City 14-5 on Thursday night.Oakland put a huge dent in the Royals diminishing playoff chances, sweeping a four-game road series at Kansas City for the first time. The As outscored the Royals 43-12, the largest Oakland run differential in a four-game series in franchise history.Vogt had a two-run double in a five-run third, walked with the bases loaded in the fourth and hit a two-run homer in the sixth. The five RBI matched a career high.Healy, who had three hits, homered in third with Khris Davis and Yonder Alonso on base. The ball traveled an estimated 480 feet, landing above the left-field fountains.Has he ever hit a ball further?I really dont think so, Healy said. It was a changeup. I saw it well. I kept my hands back and tried to drive the ball to the outfield to score those runs.Marcus Semien, who knocked in four runs and hit a three-run shot in the eighth for his 25th home run, could not believe the distance on Healys drive.Ive never seen a ball hit up there, Semien said.Healy went 9 for 17 (.529) with two doubles, two home runs and seven RBI in the series.Id like to say I hit one out there in BP in 1992 (when he played for the Royals), but I didnt, Athletics manager Bob Melvin said. I never saw it land -- 480 feet, thats impressive.Joey Wendle had his first career four-hit game and scored three runs as the As banged out 16 hits.Rookie right-hander Daniel Mengden (2-7), who was 0-4 with a 9.39 ERA in his previous seven starts, was the beneficiary of the offensive outburst. He held the Royals to three hits over seven scoreless innings to pick up the victory, striking out six with no walks.Everything was down in the zone. I was locating really well, Mengden said. I got a lot of quick, early outs, weak contact, which is what we try to do. I went in every inning and tried to establish strike one, which has been one of my biggest I guess flaws since Ive been up here.Royals starter Edinson Volquez (10-11) faced 22 batters and nine scored in 3 1/3 innings. He aallowed nine runs on seven hits and four walks.ddddddddddddn his past four starts, Volquez has allowed 20 earned runs on 32 hits and nine walks in 18 1/3 innings for a 9.82 ERA.I was inconsistent, Volquez said. Ive been getting hit with all my pitches. I think my changeup always gets me out of trouble, but Im still getting hit with that pitch, so thats a bad sign for me.Chris Young, the third Royals pitcher, yielded the home run to Vogt and has given up 28 in 85 innings.Christian Colon hit a three-run homer in a five-run ninth as Kansas City avoided being shut out for the second straight game.The Royals have lost eight of their past nine home games.Its been tough, Colon said. Were not used to this.VARGAS TO STARTRoyals left-hander Jason Vargas, who has not pitched in the majors since July 21, 2015, and needed reconstructive elbow surgery, will start Saturday against the White Sox. Vargas will be on a 45-pitch limit over three innings. Kansas City manager Ned Yost said the goal is for Vargas to pitch 10-15 innings before the season ends. Vargas was 5-2 with a 3.98 ERA in nine starts before the injury last year.OVERTON RETURNSThe As recalled LHP Dillon Overton from Triple-A Nashville and he will be used out of the bullpen. Overton gave up all five runs in the ninth.TRAINERS ROOMAthletics: RHP Henderson Alvarez will undergo another shoulder surgery Tuesday and wont pitch this season. Dr. James Andrews will perform arthroscopic surgery. Alvarez was a 2014 All-Star with the Marlins, but made only four starts last season before needing shoulder surgery on July 28.Royals: OF Lorenzo Cain, who has appeared in only one September game because of a sore left wrist, probably wont return this season. Hes not making great progress, Yost said. Hes getting a little bit better, but were starting to run out of time.UP NEXTAthletics: RHP Kendall Graveman, who is 9-4 with a 3.64 ERA in his past 19 starts, will pitch the series opener Friday at Texas.Royals: RHP Ian Kennedy, who is 5-0 with a 2.16 ERA since the start of August, will start Friday against the White Sox. ' ' '