Houston Struggled in an Uncharacteristic Way Against Utah
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The Houston Cougars fell short against Utah, losing 21-13.
However, for two and a half quarters, it looked like Houston was going to run away with a victory.
Which leads to a critical question Houston is now facing.
What happened to the running game against Utah?
Prior to this game, the Cougars had been averaging around 220 rushing yards per game, with the running backs Makhi Hughes and Re'Shaun Sanford II leading the way.
However, the Cougars were held to 86 rushing yards against the Utes, which raises the question of whether they are too reliant on the run.
In the fourth quarter against the Utes, Houston generated a fumble, a turnover on downs and two punts.
Utah safety Jackson Bennee came through a hole and sacked Weigman, forcing a fumble and giving the ball back to Utah with two minutes left. The Utes would then score on the next play to go up 21-13.
Once Utah's defense shut down the run game, it had no respect for it. Houston had the highest third-down conversion rate in the conference at 61.4% coming into this game. However, the Cougars went 9-for-19 on third-and-fourth downs.
In the first quarter, the Cougars were lined up inside Utah's 10-yard line. Instead of kicking a field goal to go up 3-0, they went for it on fourth down and failed to convert.
In the second quarter, quarterback Conner Weigman overthrew wide receiver Trent Walker, which caused Houston to kick a field goal. Those simple mistakes showed what happens when the passing game has to perform without the run game.
Weigman still passed for 282 yards and wide receiver Amare Thomas had 133 receiving yards. However, the run game failed to produce yards. Against Texas Tech, the Cougars were able to run for 175 yards against a defense that held opponents to under 100 yards.
Through this season, it looks as if Houston builds the passing game on the running game. If the Cougars thrive in the run, they can thrive in the pass.
There have been examples of this happening. Against Oklahoma State, Weigman threw for 343 yards and five touchdowns to one interception, while the Cougars totaled 162 rushing yards.
However, in the game against Utah, Houston's run game fell apart, which led to the passing game falling apart too.
Houston faces Cincinnati at TDECU Stadium on Nov. 7, which gives head coach Willie Fritz and Houston some time to fix its offensive problems. The Cougars have to get more proficient in the red zone against tough teams. Settling for field goals or always going for it on fourth down isn't an option.
Finally, finding a way for the passing game to succeed even when the run can't will be important if Houston wants to make it to the Big 12 Championship game.
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Micah Clay is a staff writer for the Houston Cougars on SI. He is currently a freshman at the University of Houston and majoring in Sports Administration. He also works for The Cougar organization. You can find Clay on his Instagram(@mcjosh_btw_podcast)