Houston Cougars Survive vs. UCF In Annual Space Game
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Houston football narrowly escaped the Space Game against UCF on Friday night, leaving Orlando, Fla. with a 30-27 victory.
Junior quarterback Conner Weigman struggled throughout the game and he threw three costly interceptions which is the most he’s thrown in a game all season.
Nonetheless, Weigman along with Houston’s running backs stepped up big late in the game and they power their way to the team’s eight victory of the season.
Houston vs. UCF Recap
Despite the interceptions, Weigman had to find the way to make an impact in the game, and it was with his legs.
He finished the game with 223 passing yards and two touchdowns through the air, but he also totaled 22 carries for 82 yards on the grown and picked up several key first downs.
The credit for the win goes mostly to the offensive line and running backs with their late performance.
With Houston and the Knights tied late in the game, the Cougars rushing attack carried them to a 15-play 62-yard drive that resulted in a 22-yard field goal by senior kicker Ethan Sanchez.
Sophomore running back D.J. Butler led the way with 14 carries for 69 yards. Senior running back Dean Connors followed with 10 carries for 68 yards.
Junior defensive back Kentrell Webb made a game sealing interception with the game on the line with 11 seconds remaining in the game to stun the Knights on the road.
Junior receiver Amare Thomas and senior tight end Tanner Koziol continue to be the top targets in the offense, combining for 13 of the team’s 20 receptions.
Koziol led the team with eight catches for 66 yards while Thomas followed with six receptions for 103 yards and a 64-yard touchdown reception.
Even though Houston committed four turnovers, the Cougars defense held strong and won this game for them.
They had two interceptions in the game, with the first by senior defensive back Latreveon McCutchin, which resulted in a 45-yard pick six to take a 14-10 lead.
The other was Webb’s clutch last second interception to seal the game and it was his first career takeaway.
Overall, the Cougars played well enough to win, but in two straight games Weigman has committed three turnovers.
Houston picked up a rare win in which they lost the turnover battle and they will look to get the offense cleaned up with the bye week ahead.
Next Up
After the bye week, Houston hosts the TCU Horned Frogs on Saturday, Nov. 22, inside TDECU Stadium.
Ashton Grissom is a staff writer for Houston Cougars on SI. He is currently a senior at the University of Houston and majoring in Sports Media Production with a minor in Marketing and Spanish. He also works for two student organizations: The Cougar and CoogTV. You can find Grissom on his Instagram (@ashtonagrissom8) or Twitter (@ashtongrissom8).