Houston Upset At Home By West Virginia: Houston Cougars vs. West Virginia Mountaineers Live Game Updates
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For the first time since the 2022 season, the Houston Cougars are one of the nation's top 25 college football teams in the eyes of the Associated Press, sitting at No. 22 as they play host to the West Virginia Mountaineers.
The two teams meet up for just the second time ever, the last time occurring in the 2023 season, resulting in a 41-39 victory for the Cougars off of a 49-yard Hail Mary touchdown from Donovan Smith to wide receiver Stephon Johnson in front of a lively Houston crowd.
The Houston Cougars sit 7-1 on the season, and West Virginia sits 2-6, searching for conference win number one on the year.
Coogs vs. Mountaineers
The Houston Cougars are led by quarterback Conner Weigman, who has truly seen a turnaround in his collegiate career during his first season in Houston, completing 123 of 193 passes for 1,581 yards and 12 touchdowns with only two interceptions.
Running back Dean Connors, another big transfer pickup for the Cougars in the offseason, has paced the ground game with 586 yards and four scores, and to finish out the takeover of transfers, wide receiver Amare Thomas has been phenomenal as well, catching 30 passes for 535 yards and four touchdowns.
The two teams will kick off at 11:00 AM from TDECU Stadium in Houston, and be sure to check back here at game time for live updates as the action unfolds from "The Cage."
Follow below for live updates as the game progresses.
Box Score, Live Updates
1st Quarter | 2nd Quarter | 3rd Quarter | 4th Quarter | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
West Virginia | 14 | 7 | 10 | 14 |
No. 22 Houston | 7 | 14 | 7 | 7 |
The Cougars win the toss and defer, West Virginia will receive opening kick.
First Quarter
The Cougars' rushing defense is exposed early, allowing 57 yards, including 31 to Diore Hubbard as the Mountaineers march into the red zone, and quarterback Scotty Fox Jr. keeps it for a six-yard scoring run.
Mountaineers 7, Cougars 0
change of possession
Conner Weigman comes out hot, completing his first three passes for 20 yards, but after nearly losing the football on a fumble and an incomplete pass from Weigman on third down, the Coogs punt it away.
change of possession
The Mountaineers again torture the Cougars defense with their rushing game, which concludes with Cyncir Bowers running for a 21-yard touchdown.
Mountaineers 14, Cougars 0
change of possession
A 30-yard pass play from Weigman to Koby Young gets 15 added to it after a facemask call on West Virginia, and the Cougar offense finally comes alive with a touchdown connection between Weigman and tight end Tanner Koziol.
Moutaineers 14, Cougars 7
Second Quarter
A false start by West Virginia on 4th and 6 forces them to punt for the first time on the day.
change of possession
The Cougars struggle to come up with an answer, and on third down, Conner Weigman loses the football and it is recovered by the Moutaineers.
change of possession
West Virginia wastes no time taking advantage, as Fox Jr. finds Cam Vaughn for a 24-yard touchdown pass.
Mountaineers 21, Cougars 7
change of possession
The Cougars are able to respond with an eight-play drive that sees Conner Weigman connect Amare Thomas for 18 yards, before keeping the ball and running it twice for an additional 24 yards, the second carry resulting in six points.
Mountaineers 21, Cougars 14
change of possession
A three-and-out results for the Mountaineers, unable to record any offense of note.
change of possession
The Cougars follow suit with a three-and-out of their own.
change of possession
After pinning the Mountaineers at the one-yard line, Houston forces another three-and-out.
change of possession
Weigman finds Harvey Broussard for a 19-yard gain, and later checks it down for 10 yards to running back Dean Connors, before lobbing up a nine-yard pass to Amare Thomas, who climbs the ladder and makes the game-tying catch.
Cougars 21, Mountaineers 21
change of possession
West Virginia successfully converts a fourth down, but a short run and two incompletions force a punt.
change of possession
A couple of rushes by Dean Connors runs out the clock on the first half of play.
Third Quarter
Conner Weigman starts the second half doing the only thing that Willie Fritz doesn't want him to do, and is intercepted by Derek Carter Jr.
change of possession
West Virginia again takes advantage of the takeaway, and sails a field goal through the uprights to retake the lead.
Mountaineers 24, Cougars 21
change of possession
Tanner Koziol runs the 25-yard hurdles, right before Weigman nearly coughs up the football again, with Houston lineman Dalton Merryman jumping on it before disaster could strike again. An incomplete pass follows, and Houston punts it away.
change of possession
Another three-and-out from West Virginia as a short pass and two incompletions fail to garner decent progression downfield.
change of possession
A 15-yard strike to Tanner Koziol from Conner Weigman and a 22-yard run from Dean Connors quickly puts Houston in the red zone, but for the second time in three drives, Weigman is picked off, and this time, Jordan Scruggs takes it 80 yards to the house for the pick-six.
Mountaineers 31, Cougars 21
change of possession
Weigman is having a tough time hanging onto the ball it seems, as he fumbles the pigskin yet again but is able to recover it, and later converts a 4th and 1 with a two-yard scramble. He makes up for the mishap with a 28-yard connection to Harvey Broussard and later finds Amare Thomas in the end zone for the second time on the afternoon.
Mountaineers 31, Cougars 28
Fourth Quarter
Quarterback Scotty Fox Jr. again makes Houston's shady run defense pay, turning a 4th and 4 play into a 34-yard touchdown run.
Mountaineers 38, Cougars 28
change of possession
Conner Weigman is sacked on third down, and Houston punts it away.
change of possession
Fox Jr. dices up the Cougar defense with his arm this time, connecting with wide receiver Jeff Weimer for a 53-yard pickup, which leads to a Diore Hubbard touchdown and a further extension of the Mountaineers' lead.
Mountaineers 45, Cougars 28
change of possession
A third down incompletion is erased by a defensive pass interference call, giving Houston a fresh set of downs, and for the third time on the day, Weigman connects with Amare Thomas for a 27-yard touchdown.
Mountaineers 45, Cougars 35
change of possession
Diore Hubbard lays down some runs to kill some clock, and as West Virginia punts it away, Chance Bryant muffs the punt and the Mountaineers get the ball right back, adding to an already long day for the Cougars.
After converting on fourth down, Scotty Fox Jr. kneels out the clock, giving West Virginia a big upset win over the Cougars.
FINAL: West Virginia Mountaineers 45, Houston Cougars 38
