Houston Cougars football defeats the Arizona Wildcats 31-28 on a game-winning 41-yard field goal from senior kicker Ethan Sanchez to improve to 6-1 on the season and are now bowl eligible for the first time since 2022. This was a memorable homecoming win for Houston as they piled on 396 total yards, and junior quarterback Connor Weigman had four total touchdowns. It is the best start for the program since 2021.
Here are four takeaways from the game:
Oct 18, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars head coach Willie Fritz looks on during the third quarter against the Arizona Wildcats at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images / Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images
For the second straight week, it was a bad start for the Cougars defense. Arizona scored right out of the gate on a 70-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Noah Fifita to sophomore wide receiver Tre Spivey on third and five.
Fifita stepped up, avoided a sack, and threw it right over the middle for the big play. The Wildcats scored in 1:18 and followed it up with a very methodical 11-play, 73-yard drive that also resulted in a touchdown. Houston’s defense was unable to stop anything that Arizona did, and Fifita found senior wide receiver Luke Wysong for the 13-yard score.
Head coach Willie Fritz was disappointed in the unit’s tackling, and the Cougars also struggled on third-down defense early as Arizona went 3/4 in those situations. Fifita kept finding ways to convert, and they could not contain him or their running backs as they were able to get to the outside.
In the fourth quarter, Houston gave up 14 points, and the 28-14 lead was erased. Arizona had two drives of at least 70 yards and over six minutes. Pass interference penalties hurt them, and sophomore cornerback Will James had two obvious DPI calls during the game.
Oct 18, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars quarterback Conner Weigman (1) runs the ball into the end zone for a touchdown during the second quarter against the Arizona Wildcats at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images / Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images
After the quick touchdown drive to start the game, Houston’s offense struggled for the next two series. That all changed in the second quarter when the Cougars started incorporating quarterback keeper runs in the offensive game plan. It worked wonders for the team as the offense could not be stopped after that.
Weigman had four quarterback keepers on that drive for 31 yards, and it ended on his 10-yard touchdown run where he used his power to drive through tacklers. It was an incredible drive that was very much needed. The Cougars went 96 yards down the field and established the running game to get things going. The drive took up over six minutes, and Houston put together 13 plays. Weigman had two third-down and short conversions thanks to his legs.
The 6-foot-3, 210-lb quarterback started the next drive with a 28-yard run that continued the offense’s momentum. His quarterback runs really started to open up the run game with senior running back Dean Connors. Making the game 11-on-11 truly becomes difficult for any defense to work against, and Arizona was unable to contain it.
Connors had some room against a top rushing defense and got chunk yards to make it easy to string together first downs. Houston had 121 total rush yards at the half, which is very impressive against a good Wildcats run defense.
The Cougars ended their drive before halftime on a 15-yard touchdown pass from Weigman to senior tight end Tanner Koziol. The drive was 69 yards on nine plays for just over a minute. Koziol was UH’s leading receiver with six catches for 40 yards.
“Coach Nagle called a great game,” Fritz said postgame.
Weigman had five carries for 59 yards, and Connors had nine carries for 47 yards at halftime. The final numbers on the running game were very impressive. Connors had 100 yards on 20 carries, and Weigman ended up with 98 yards on 14 carries plus his touchdown.
Elite Running Game
“Dean Connors ran the ball with a lot of power and hitting it vertical,” Fritz said.
Houston had two straight touchdown drives to end the second quarter with momentum. The Cougars got the ball to start the second half and picked up where they left off, this time on the longest drive of the season that took up more than half of the third quarter. Houston held the ball for over nine minutes and ran 17 plays for 75 yards, which was tied for the most this season.
UH used the running game to convert first downs, and Weigman was quite effective on short passing, being able to get rid of the ball quickly as Houston gave up 0 sacks. Houston had 232 total rushing yards against the third-ranked defense in the Big 12 and was truly the key to the offense’s success.
Junior wide receiver Amare Thomas made his special impact immediately with a 52-yard touchdown reception from Weigman. Thomas made the contested catch and then broke multiple tackles on his way to the end zone. It was very impressive from the transfer from UAB. This gave Houston an opening drive touchdown in back-to-back weeks. The Cougars went 75 yards in four plays and took up under two minutes.
With senior wide receiver Stephon Johnson out this week, Thomas was the one who had to lead the wide receiver group and did so well. The 6-foot, 205-lb wideout had four total catches for 69 yards and two touchdowns.
Thomas then hauled in a two-yard touchdown pass from Weigman. The former five-star quarterback extended the play outside the pocket and threw it back over the middle to a wide-open Thomas who went down and got it. This speaks to the chemistry the two have quickly developed. Weigman referred to Thomas as a dawg in the postgame.
While the Houston defense will not be pleased with their performance, they played a critical role in the second quarter that turned the game in UH’s favor. The Cougars gave up no points and just 45 total yards in that frame by going after Fifita.
On Arizona’s fourth drive of the game, Houston had back-to-back sacks that helped bring some momentum to the team. Senior hybrid defensive back and linebacker Wrook Brown got the energy with a fierce take-down, followed by senior defensive lineman Eddie Walls on third down as the UH defense settled in.
On the next Wildcats drive, the Cougars forced a critical fourth and one on their own 31-yard line. Arizona declined the field goal and went for it, but paid the price. Houston was ready for the run to Kedrick Reese, and they stopped him short of the line thanks to Brown.
On the last play of the first half, standout senior defensive tackle Carlos Allen Jr. got home for another sack to close out the second quarter. Houston had 4 sacks at halftime that were critical in order for the offense to take the lead.
Houston will look to continue their great season next Saturday as they take on Arizona State in Tempe for a strong Big 12 clash.