Houston Cougars Run Game Stays Consistent in Win Over Baylor

Houston quarterback Conner Weigman was once again a large part of the Cougars' ground game.

Houston Cougars quarterback Conner Weigman carries the ball against Baylor Bears linebacker Kyland Reed during the second half at McLane Stadium. | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

For the first time since 2021, the Houston Cougars reached the nine-win mark with a 31-24 victory over the Baylor Bears. After scoring early in the first quarter, Willie Fritz's offense never looked back as the run game totaled over 200 yards on the ground.

Quarterback Conner Weigman accounted for over 320 yards of offense for the Cougars on Saturday. While the junior completed 21 of 31 passes for 201 yards and a touchdown, Weigman really impacted the game by using his legs. The Houston quarterback totaled over 120 rushing yards while averaging 5.5 yards per carry.

Weigman has been a top rusher for the Cougars on several occasions this season. Across all 12 games this season, the Texas A&M transfer has totaled 523 rushing yards and nine touchdowns in Slade Nagle's offense.

The Bears Had No Answer for Weigman

Nov 29, 2025; Waco, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars quarterback Conner Weigman (1) runs the ball for a 28 yard touchdown against the Baylor Bears during the first half at McLane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

This late in the college football season, standout players for each program seem to play their best football. For the Cougars, Weigman set the tone offensively from kickoff.

After finding Amare Thomas for a 27-yard touchdown pass early in the game, the Cougars further separated themselves from the Bears with a 28-yard rushing touchdown.

Traffic? DIVERTED🚦😤@ConnerWeigman pic.twitter.com/MOKHhs7SdQ

— Houston Football (@UHCougarFB) November 29, 2025

With how much the Bears have struggled with defending the run this season, it isn't exactly shocking that the Cougars accumulated 200 rushing yards, even if the majority of those yards came from a quarterback. DJ Butler and Dean Connors totaled 50 yards each against the Bears as well.

Through the 2025 regular season, Baylor held the No. 124-ranked rushing defense. Even against a TCU team that struggled to establish the run, the Bears gave up nearly 200 rushing yards.

Early-Season Injuries Didn't Affect Houston's Rushing Attack

Nov 29, 2025; Waco, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars running back Dean Connors (44) is stopped for a short gain by Baylor Bears defensive lineman Jackie Marshall (0) during the first half at McLane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

After offensive lineman David Ndukwe went down for the season during the Colorado win, many thought that the Houston run game that had shown a lot of promise would come to a screeching halt.

Instead of Houston having to rely on Weigman to throw the ball, Fritz's reach in the transfer portal once again proved to be reliable. With depth pieces like Dalton Merryman and Matthew Wykoff, the Cougars were able to sustain an above-average rushing offense for the rest of the season.

With consistent production from Weigman, Connors, and Butler, Houston's offense ended the season with a run game that was serviceable. The Cougars weren't exactly great on the ground, but they could make defenses adjust when they wanted to dominate a game with the run. After their win over Baylor, Houston ended the season with just over 2,100 rushing yards averaging over 4.0 yards per carry.