WACO, Texas – University of Houston junior quarterback Conner Weigman threw for 201 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 121 yards and two more scores to lead the –/rv Cougars to a 31-24 win over Baylor inside McLane Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Houston held a 24-9 lead early in the fourth quarter before Baylor rallied with 15 points in the final period to tie the game at 24-24 on Josh Cameron’s 31-yard touchdown pass from Sawyer Robertson with 8:53 left in the game.
Taking over on Houston’s 26-yard line, Weigman led the Cougars on a 15-play, 74-yard drive that consumed nearly seven minutes on the clock. Weigman and the Cougars converted on a third down at midfield and a fourth-and-7 from the Baylor 41 to extend the drive.
Facing third-and-3 on the Baylor 13, Houston took advantage of a defensive pass interference call on third down and seized the lead for good on senior running back Dean Connors’ 1-yard touchdown plunge two plays later with 1:57 remaining.
Baylor took the ensuing kickoff and moved to the Houston 13 with under a minute remaining. However, the Cougar defense held and turned the ball over on downs on Bears quarterback Sawyer Robertson’s incomplete pass on fourth down.
Junior wide receiver Amare Thomas hauled in nine catches for 97 yards and gave the Cougars the first points of the game with a 27-yard touchdown catch midway through the first quarter.
The Houston defense forced two Baylor turnovers and was led by junior defensive back Kentrell Webb, who posted 10 solo tackles. Junior linebacker Sione Fotu added four solo stops with a quarterback hurry and a fumble recovery.
With the win, –/rv, Houston improved to 9-3 overall and 6-3 in the Big 12. The Cougars recorded their first nine-win season or better since the 2021 team finished 12-2. It also stands as the program’s second-highest win total in the last 10 years.
Houston improved to 6-0 on the road with the win, becoming the only FBS team with a 6-0 record on the road this season. The 6-0 road record is Houston’s third in program history – all since 2015.
Baylor fell to 5-7 overall and 3-6 in Big 12 play.
Robertson led Baylor with 309 yards and a touchdown on 23-of-46 passing. Running back Joseph Dodds led the team with 61 rushing yards and a touchdown on 12 carries while Kole Wilson posted seven receptions for 69 yards.
After forcing Baylor to punt on its opening possession, the Cougars took over on their 18-yard line and marched 82 yards on 12 plays and took the lead when Weigman connected with Thomas on a 27-yard touchdown strike with 7:47 left in the first quarter.
Taking over on their own 31-yard line following a Robertson fumble, the Cougars pushed their lead to 14-0 when Weigman weaved his way through the Bear defense on a 28-yard scamper into the end zone with 14:13 left in the second quarter.
Baylor took advantage of field goals of 54 and 34 yards from kicker Connor Hawkins to move to within 14-6 midway through the second quarter, but Houston senior kicker Ethan Sanchez pushed Houston’s lead to 17-6 with a field goal with only 1:40 remaining in the first half.
Hawkins’ third field goal of the first half moved Baylor to within 17-9 at the break.
The score remained that way until Weigman burst into the end zone from one yard out to give the Cougars a 24-9 lead with 4:58 left in the third quarter.
Baylor closed to within 24-17 on Dodds’ 1-yard touchdown plunge and the ensuing 2-point PAT with 12:19 remaining in the game.
UP NEXT
The Cougars wait to learn their bowl destination. Fans should stay tuned to UHCougars.com and Houston Football social media platforms for the latest information.
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