What started Saturday morning as a game of high hopes for Houston Cougars fans quickly spiraled into anything but that, as a 14-point deficit early in the game led to a horrific second half that resulted in the Cougars dropping their second game of the 2025 season, a 45-35 loss to the West Virginia Mountaineers.
Once 15.5-point underdogs, the Mountaineers proved that it was all just numbers.
Conner Weigman threw for four touchdowns and wide receiver Amare Thomas reeled in three of them, but in the end, a generous run defense and turnovers were truly what did Willie Fritz’s team in in front of the home Houston crowd.
The 60 minutes of action seemed to be a matter of one step forward and then two steps back for Houston, the team committing not one, not two, but four turnovers throughout the course of the action, the sole difference maker in the game.
Nov 1, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars quarterback Conner Weigman (1) completes a pass to running back Dean Connors (44) as West Virginia Mountaineers linebacker Curtis Jones Jr. (18) rushes the quarterback in the first half at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images / Thomas Shea-Imagn Images
Weigman committed the first turnover of the game in the opening stages of the second quarter while driving to tie the game, fumbling the ball after going backwards 13 yards, which was recovered by Jimmori Robinson of West Virginia, and led to an easy 24-yard connection between quarterback Scotty Fox Jr. and Cam Vaughn.
The second half, unfortunately, did not fare much better for Weigman or the Coogs, as his second pass of the opening second half drive was intercepted, and led to a 50-yard field goal for West Virginia.
Two possessions later was perhaps the most damning turnover for the team. Right after Dean Connors ran 22 yards to put Houston in the red zone, Weigman was again picked off, and this time, West Virginia’s Jordan Scruggs took it all the way back for the pick-six, furthering the Mountaineers’ lead.
The final turnover was the nail in the coffin for the Cougars, as Chance Bryant muffed the West Virginia punt with 4:40 left in the contest, a muff that was recovered by the Mountaineers and effectively ended Houston’s hopes for a comeback, as the team would convert a fourth down and kneel out the clock to hand Houston loss number two in 2025.
With this loss certain to kick Houston out of the AP Top 25 rankings and their Big 12 Championship hopes taking a devastating hit, the Coogs will now shift their focus to getting back on track as they take on the UCF Knights Friday night in Orlando.