Matt & Ross In The Morning

University of Houston Cougars football head coach Willie Fritz joins The Matt Thomas Show with Ross following Saturday's 34-0 road loss to the Cincinnati Bearcats. The Cougars offense was held to 233 total yards, turned the ball over three times and committed seven penalties for 68 yards. Houston is the first Power Four team to be shut out this season. "We didn't give ourselves any kind of momentum at all," Fritz said. To beat a tough opponent on the road, "we got to make some good things happen, and we just didn't do that." Quarterback Donovan Smith struggled against the Bearcats, finishing 11-of-16 for 73 yards. Smith was taken out of the game in the second half for backup Zeon Chriss. While Fritz has stated that Smith will start when the Cougars host the No. 18 Iowa State Cyclones on Saturday, he has not ruled out giving Chriss another look. "It's a whole unit that has to improve, not just the quarterback."

Brian McTaggart, Astros beat reporter for MLB.com, joins The Matt Thomas Show with Ross to discuss the Astros securing their fourth consecutive American League West title with Tuesday's 4-3 victory over the Seattle Mariners. The Astros are now locked into the AL's No. 3 seed in the Wild Card Series. The final regular-season home game Wednesday afternoon saw Alex Bregman start at third base. However, in the fourth inning, manager Joe Espada removed Bregman from the game to receive an ovation from the fans at Minute Maid Park in what could be his final regular-season home game with the Astros. "I thought it was a nice moment," McTaggart said. "This could be it... It will be weird next year if [Bregman] won't be here." The Astros selected Bregman with the No. 2 pick in the 2015 MLB draft, with Bregman making his debut a year later. As a two-time All-Star who helped the Astros earn their first two World Series championships, Bregman has "taken on a huge leadership role." Bregman is set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason, and while general manager Dana Brown has said he will engage agent Scott Boras with talks of an extension, "it's hard to imagine [Bregman's] going to stay with the Astros," especially with the organization's history of not retaining homegrown players, such as Carlos Correa and George Springer. The Astros final series of the regular season starts Friday in Cleveland, and Yordan Alvarez will not be with the team. Alvarez is recovering from a sprained right knee, and even if he returns in time for the Wild Card Series, he will most likely not play left field for perhaps the entire playoff run. "They do have a whole week to rest him." The best-of-three AL Wild Card Series begins Tuesday at Minute Maid Park, and McTaggart expects Framber Valdez, Hunter Brown and Yusei Kikuchi to lead the postseason rotation in that order. "That's a pretty tough 1-2-3."

Matt Thomas and Ross Villarreal of "The Matt Thomas Show with Ross" recap the Houston Astros dropping the first of a three-game series to the Seattle Mariners. Manager Joe Espada joins to discuss the Astros being one win over the Mariners away from clinching the AL West title. Former Astros starter Roy Oswalt also joins to discuss the 2005 World Series team and how the game has changed since his time in Houston. Matt and Ross review future Texans' opponents playing on Monday Night Football, react to the new Rockets practice facility, give their latest "Gut Feelings," break down Week 3 in "Ross' NFL Rewind" and more.

Former MLB starter Roy Oswalt joins "The Matt Thomas Show with Ross" to discuss the Houston Astros being one win over the Seattle Mariners away from clinching their seventh American League West title in the past eight seasons. Oswalt made his Major League debut with Houston in 2001 and helped the Astros reach their first World Series appearance in 2005. Oswalt talks about catching up with former teammates, his thoughts on the new rules of baseball and his insight into Justin Verlander fighting to stay at the top of the rotation.

Houston Astros manager Joe Espada joins "The Matt Thomas Show with Ross" following the Astros' 6-1 loss to the Seattle Mariners on Monday. Hunter Brown allowed a run on three hits and three walks while striking out eight over six innings. Jason Heyward scored the Astros only run with a solo home run during the eighth inning. "They threw the ball really, really well," Espada said. The Astros, who are one win away against the Mariners to clinching their seventh American League West title in the past eight seasons, are already getting a taste of the postseason following a tight, three-game series against the San Diego Padres last week. "It's that time of the year...we're close, we're there." The Astros have overcome numerous injuries and being down 10 games in the division earlier in the season to now being on the doorstep of another playoff birth. "That's success right there." Framber Valdez will take the mound in the second of a three-game series against the Mariners as the Astros look to celebrate a division crown. "We need another one of those good starts tonight." Espada also gives an update on Yordan Alvarez, who has been out with a sprained right knee, and praises the growth of Yainer Diaz and Jeremy Pena.

Matt Thomas and Ross Villarreal of The Matt Thomas Show break down the Houston Texans 34-7 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. The Texans defense did not have an answer for Sam Darnold and Justin Jefferson. The Texans had 11 penalties in their first loss of the season, with offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil committing six of those penalties. Quarterback C.J. Stroud threw two interceptions, and the offense was shut out the entire first half. Matt and Ross also react to Josh Hader blowing a save chance in Sunday's 9-8 loss, allowing four runs on three hits and two walks in the ninth inning, discuss the Cincinnati Bearcats shutting out the Cougars, discuss Jerry Jones' inappropriate comments at a Dallas Cowboys practice, play "To Tell the Truth" and more.

Matt Thomas and Ross Villarreal of The Matt Thomas Show recap the Houston Astros defeating the Los Angeles Angels 3-1 on Thursday. Brian McTaggart, Astros beat reporter for MLB.com, joins to discuss Yusei Kikuchi remaining undefeated when starting in an Astros uniform. Matt and Ross also preview the Texans facing the Minnesota Vikings for their Week 3 matchup, react to Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani making MLB history by becoming the fist player to achieve 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season, discuss the possibility of Houston getting an NHL team, tell their "Non-Florida Stories" and more on this "Anything Goes Friday."

Brian McTaggart, Astros beat reporter for MLB.com, joins The Matt Thomas Show following Thursday's 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels. Yusei Kikuchi started on the mound, allowing one run on five hits while striking out nine batters in six innings. After acquiring the veteran left-hander prior to the MLB trade deadline, the Astros have been 9-0 in games that Kikuchi has started. "They paid a really high price," but "he sort of changed the ascent of this team," McTaggart said. Kikuchi has cemented himself in the top three of the Astros pitching rotation as the postseason approaches. Justin Verlander, who has struggled as of late, has a chance to "reestablish himself" Friday against the Angels. McTaggart also discusses the Astros beginning to rest players sitting at five games ahead of the Seattle Mariners to lead the AL West and the picture for the rest of the regular season as the Wild Card round approaches.

Matt Thomas and Ross Villarreal of The Matt Thomas Show recap the Houston Astros getting shut out by the San Diego Padres 4-0 on Wednesday. The Astros will host the Los Angeles Angels for a four-game series in an attempt to clinch the AL West title. Matt and Ross react to the Seattle Mariners losing to the New York Yankees in embarrassing fashion, break down the drama surrounding C.J. Stroud's postgame advice to Caleb Williams, talk with Ian Eagle of CBS, TNT and TBS about his upcoming call of the Texans at the Minnesota Vikings, discuss the University of Houston Cougars football earning their first win of the season with head coach Willie Fritz, receive a fantasy football diagnosis from Dr. Roto, review the NFL's worst team in "Ross' Rotten Five" and more.

University of Houston Cougars football head coach Willie Fritz joins The Matt Thomas Show following a dominant victory over the Rice Owls to reclaim the Bayou Bucket and earn Fritz his first win in Houston. Donovan Smith threw for 142 yards and three touchdowns, and Stacy Sneed rushed for 82 yards and a touchdown in the 33-7 victory on Saturday. "We hadn't had much success running the ball in Week 1 and Week 2," but the Cougars "have made some progress here through three games," Fritz said. The Cougars will go on the road to take on the Cincinnati Bearcats in a Big 12 matchup this upcoming Saturday.