5 Immediate Takeaways from No. 25 Houston's Win Over Georgia Southern
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The No. 25 Houston Cougars wrapped up their non-conference schedule with a 42-28 win in Week 4 over the Georgia Southern Eagles on Saturday evening in Statesboro, Georgia.
Houston improved to 3-1 on the season while the Eagles fell to 1-3. The Cougars were incredible on offense and that is what carried them to the closer than expected road win. Houston ultimately did bounce-back after the road loss to Texas Tech in Week 3.
This was Houston's first win in the state of Georgia since 1974 against the Bulldogs.
Here are five takeaways from the victory.
Sanford’s Explosiveness
While senior running back Makhi Hughes is still the leader at the position, it was redshirt junior Re'Shaun Sanford II who put on a show in the backfield against Georgia Southern. This was the first 100-yard rushing game of Sanford's career.
He had 17 carries for 120 yards, with an average of 7.1 yards per carry. He ended up with one more carry than Hughes. His explosiveness and speed was on full display. Sanford continuously picked up big chunks on the ground. Houston still had over 200 yards on the ground.
Trent Walker Involved
Houston had been looking to get fifth-year wide receiver Trent Walker more involved in the offense, and that is exactly what happened in the game.
Walker pulled in his first receiving touchdown with Houston. It was a special 23-yard spectacular catch. He ended up with six catches for 83 yards and the touchdown. That's a great sign for Houston going forward.
Weigman’s Efficiency
Houston's senior quarterback Conner Weigman had one of the best games of his career. He went 17 out of 22 (77 percent completion) with 239 yards and four touchdowns. Weigman also had two rushing touchdowns for six scores total.
This was the first time in Weigman's career that he had multiple passing and rushing touchdowns and hit that milestone in the first half. This was also the third straight game for Weigman with at least three passing touchdowns. That also happened for the first time in his career.
Defense Allowing Big Plays
Houston's defense surprisingly struggled in this game, especially in the secondary. There were many big passing plays allowed, and that has been an issue during the first four weeks. Georgia Southern 355 total yards, with 289 of them through the air. Houston also gave up 22 first downs.
The Cougars also couldn't get off the field, as the Eagles were three out of four on fourth down and seven out of 13 on third down. Houston gave up almost 11 yards per completion. The secondary did drop a couple of interceptions.
Eagles quarterback Max Johnson threw three touchdown passes and went 26 out of 38 overall. Additionally, wideout Alex Taylor reeled in six catches for 119 yards and two touchdowns.
Amare Thomas in the End Zone
Houston's senior wide receiver Amare Thomas snagged an 11-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter. This was the eighth straight game with a touchdown reception for Thomas, which is one of the best marks in the sport.
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Maanav Gupta is a staff writer for Houston Cougars on SI. He graduated from the University of Houston in the summer of 2025 with his bachelor’s in journalism and a minor in Spanish. Gupta spent three years at the student newspaper, The Daily Cougar, and also covered the 2025 Final Four and National Championship as Houston beat writer for College Basketball Review. He also has his own YouTube channel, Maanav’s Sports Talk, where he has interviewed professional athletes and broadcasters like Jim Nantz, Jose Altuve, J.J. Watt, Rich Eisen, and Alperen Sengun. Gupta was also a contributor to the Houston athletic program as a student. You can find Gupta on X, Instagram and TikTok @MGSportsTalk.