Houston beats Oklahoma State 35-32 as Weigman throws five touchdowns
Web StoryWatch this story in 15 seconds →Key takeaways
- Number 20 Houston beat Number 18 Oklahoma State 35-32 on Saturday night in Houston.
- Conner Weigman threw five touchdown passes for Houston. He gained 343 yards.
- Oklahoma State scored 29 points in the second half but still fell short.
Number 20 Houston beat Number 18 Oklahoma State 35-32 on Saturday night. The Big 12 game took place at TDECU Stadium in Houston. Quarterback Conner Weigman threw five touchdown passes.
A touchdown is worth six points. The team then kicks for one more point. A field goal is worth three points.
Those small scores added up to a wild finish.
What happened
Oklahoma State scored first. The Cowboys got an early break on defense. Lyrik Fields grabbed a Houston pass.
An interception means the defense catches the other team's pass. Sam Keltner then kicked a 23-yard field goal. Oklahoma State led 3-0.
Houston answered with a long drive. Weigman found Patrick Overmyer for a 2-yard score. Houston led 7-3. The Cougars had the lead for the rest of the night.
Houston then caught another break. Mestemaker threw a pass that Houston caught. Weigman found Amare Thomas for a 7-yard score.
Houston led 14-3 at halftime.
Oklahoma State had chances early. The Cowboys reached the 2-yard line twice. They came away with only three points.
The red zone is the last 20 yards before the goal line. Teams must score there to win big games. Oklahoma State did not score there in the first half.
The second half was a shootout. A shootout means both teams score a lot. Oklahoma State came out fast.
Ayo Adeyi ran 13 yards for a score. The lead shrank to 14-10.
Houston struck back at once. Weigman found Trent Walker for a 2-yard score. The lead grew to 21-10. The Cougars had their answer ready.
Oklahoma State answered again. Mestemaker found Wyatt Young for a 2-yard score. The score stood at 21-17. The Cowboys were back in the game.
Weigman found Thomas again for 21 yards. Houston led 28-17 late in the third quarter. Thomas had two scores by then.
He was hard to stop all night.
The fourth quarter brought more drama. Mestemaker found Caleb Hawkins for 66 yards. Hawkins ran down the side line for the score.
Bowick caught the two-point try. A two-point try adds two points instead of one. Oklahoma State trailed 28-25.
Houston answered with a big play. Weigman found Koby Young for 48 yards. Houston led 35-25. The long pass gave Houston room to breathe.
Oklahoma State refused to quit. Mestemaker led an 88-yard drive. He found Justin Bowick for 8 yards.
The score stood at 35-32 with 4:54 left. The Cowboys were one score away.
Houston then ran out the clock. Walker caught an 18-yard pass on third down. Weigman ran for a first down late.
A first down means the team keeps the ball. Oklahoma State never got the ball back.
The quarter scores tell the same story. Houston led 7-3 after the first quarter. The lead grew to 14-3 at halftime.
Both teams scored 14 points in the third quarter. Oklahoma State won the fourth quarter 15-7. It was not enough.
Why it matters
Houston won its fourth game in a row. The Cougars now sit at 6-1. They are 3-1 in Big 12 play. They stay in the race for the league title.
A title race means the top teams fight for first place.
Weigman was the star. He threw five touchdown passes. That tied his best mark.
He finished 24 of 33 passes for 343 yards. He also threw one interception. He rushed for 52 yards too.
One week before, he threw four scores at Kansas State. He now has nine scoring passes in two weeks. That is a hot streak.
A hot streak means great form over many games.
Houston's receivers shared the load. Thomas caught seven passes for 126 yards. He scored twice.
Walker caught seven passes for 104 yards. He scored once. Overmyer and Koby Young also scored.
Four players caught a touchdown pass for Houston.
Oklahoma State showed real fight. The Cowboys scored 29 points after halftime. They gained 499 yards in all.
Mestemaker threw for 365 yards and three scores. Hawkins starred with 125 receiving yards and 68 rushing yards. He caught seven passes.
He also ran the ball well.
But two turnovers hurt Oklahoma State. A turnover means the team loses the ball. Houston scored after Oklahoma State mistakes.
The Cowboys also missed early chances near the goal line. Those missed chances added up.
The loss was Oklahoma State's first in Big 12 play. Oklahoma State now sits at 4-2. The Cowboys are 2-1 in the league. They still have a path to the title game.
But they now need help from other results. They need other teams to lose.
It was one more wild finish on a busy college football weekend. For another wild finish from the same weekend, see BYU beats Notre Dame 28-24. Read our recap of Washington vs Purdue for another game with a late push.
Overtime drama is not new this season, as Bills beat Rams in overtime showed.
What happens next
Houston plays at Number 11 Utah next. A win there would keep Houston near the top of the league. The Cougars control their own path.
They win the league if they keep winning.
Oklahoma State plays at home next week. The Cowboys host Colorado on Saturday. They need a fast start this time.
They also need to fix their red zone work. Early scores would change the whole game.
Both teams still have big games left. The Big 12 race stays open. Fans can expect more close finishes.
This league loves late drama.
Houston left the field with a big win and a hot quarterback. Oklahoma State left with a tough loss and clear lessons. The next week will test both teams again.
Fans can expect more late drama in the Big 12.
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