Stroud’s Run and Pass TDs Lift Texans Past Titans, 26-3

Houston Pulls Away

C.J. Stroud supplied Houston’s two touchdowns Sunday, running for a 2-yard score in the third quarter and throwing a 9-yard touchdown pass to Jaylin Noel in the fourth as the visiting Texans defeated the Tennessee Titans 26-3 at Nissan Stadium.

The Texans led 12-3 at halftime after Ka’imi Fairbairn made four field goals. Fairbairn’s kicks covered 45 yards in the first quarter, then 35, 26 and 53 yards in the second. Joey Slye gave Tennessee its only points with a 30-yard field goal in the first quarter.

Second-Half Separation

Houston added seven points in the third quarter on Stroud’s 2-yard run, followed by Fairbairn’s kick. The Texans finished the scoring in the fourth when Stroud connected with Noel for 9 yards, with Fairbairn again converting the kick.

The quarter-by-quarter scoring was Houston 3, 9, 7, 7 and Tennessee 3, 0, 0, 0. The result left Houston with 26 points and Tennessee with 3 for the game.

Key Performances

Stroud completed 26 of 34 passes for 261 yards and one touchdown for Houston. Woody Marks carried 15 times for 62 yards, while Xavier Hutchinson caught four passes for 65 yards.

For Tennessee, Cam Ward completed 23 of 36 passes for 170 yards and one interception. Tony Pollard rushed 14 times for 52 yards, and Wan’Dale Robinson had six receptions for 53 yards.

Records

Houston moved to 1-4 after the victory. Tennessee fell to 0-5. The game was played Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026, at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, with an attendance of 52,097.

Sources

ESPN