The Coogs had No. 10 Utah on the ropes for three quarters. Then the fourth quarter happened. No. 14 Houston led 10-0 in the third and 13-7 going into the final period Saturday night at Rice-Eccles Stadium, but Utah scored the last 14 points to win 21-13 in front of a sold-out crowd of 51,864 and the College GameDay spotlight.
Houston falls to 6-2 overall and 3-2 in the Big 12. Utah stays unbeaten at 7-0 (4-0 Big 12) and pushed the longest active winning streak in college football to 13 games, per the AP.
How Houston Built the Lead
Both defenses owned the first half. Houston broke through with a 15-play, 74-yard drive that ended in a 24-yard Jonathan Dimas field goal with 3:44 left in the second quarter, and the Coogs took a 3-0 lead into the locker room. Utah was shut out in the first half, as Devon Dampier threw an interception and the Utes missed a short field goal, per Sports Illustrated.
Houston opened the third quarter with another long march: 15 plays, 75 yards, and more than eight minutes off the clock. Makhi Hughes finished it with a 2-yard touchdown run at the 6:46 mark to make it 10-0.
Dampier Flips It
Utah needed only five plays to answer. Dampier ran for 16, then 12, then took off on a 22-yard touchdown run to cut it to 10-7. Houston hit right back, with Conner Weigman finding Amare Thomas for 45 yards to set up a 47-yard Dimas field goal that made it 13-7 late in the third.
Then Utah took over. The Utes went 80 yards in 10 plays, and Wayshawn Parker scored from 5 yards out with 11:57 left to put Utah ahead 14-13 for the first time all night.
The Turning Point
Houston’s defense got two straight stops and gave the offense the ball at its own 20 with 2:20 to go, down one. On the first snap, Utah safety Jackson Bennee came free on a blitz and sacked Weigman, forcing a fumble that Jireh Moe recovered at the Houston 9. Dampier scored on a 9-yard run on the very next play with 2:09 left to make it 21-13.
The Coogs had one more shot at a tying touchdown and 2-point try, and the two-minute drill got deep into Utah territory. It ended without points, per UHCougars.com.
By the Numbers
Weigman went 19-of-35 for 282 yards, his third straight game over 250 passing yards. It was also the first game this season in which he didn’t throw or run for a touchdown. Amare Thomas was the star for Houston with five catches for 133 yards, including a 56-yarder and the 45-yarder. Hughes led the Coogs on the ground with 52 yards and the touchdown, and Dimas went 2-for-2 on field goals.
Utah held Houston to 368 total yards and just 86 rushing yards, well under the Coogs’ season average of 230 rushing yards per game, per Utah Athletics. Dampier ran for 150 yards and two touchdowns and completed 18-of-26 passes for 204 yards with two interceptions. Utah outgained Houston 430-368.
What’s Next
Houston has a bye week before hosting Cincinnati at TDECU Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 7. Kickoff time and TV network are still to be announced. Catch up on the build-up with our preview, Coogs Head to Utah, and stay locked on LFG Houston’s college coverage.
Stats via the official box score at UHCougars.com. Reporting from the AP, UHCougars.com, Utah Athletics and Sports Illustrated.
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