Houston overcomes sluggish start to top crosstown-rival Rice

Field Level Media|published: Sat 6th September, 22:32 2025

Sep 6, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars running back Dean Connors (44) runs with the ball as Rice Owls safety Peyton Stevenson (9) attempts to make a tackle during the first quarter at Rice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Conner Weigman passed for 188 yards and accounted for a pair of touchdowns, and Will James returned an interception for a touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter as the visiting Houston Cougars claimed a 35-9 road victory over their crosstown rival Rice Owls on Saturday.

Weigman paired a 9-yard touchdown run midway through the third quarter with a 74-yard scoring strike to Stephon Johnson in the fourth that answered a lengthy touchdown drive from the Owls (1-1). The Cougars (2-0) labored offensively for most of the first half, but Weigman converted a critical third down before Houston delivered a quick strike just before the break.

Trailing 3-0 and with the Cougars facing third-and-long from their 21-yard line, Weigman completed a 21-yard pass to Tanner Koziol that set the table for Dean Connors to break off a 54-yard touchdown run that put the Cougars ahead 7-3 with 40 seconds left in the first half.

Houston amassed 161 yards on 31 plays before the intermission, including Connors' 54-yard dash. The Cougars had as many punts (five) as first downs before the intermission.

The Cougars' first possession of the second half, however, covered 76 yards in 15 plays, with Connors (13-yard run), Koziol (15-yard reception) and Stacy Sneed (14-yard reception) converting timely chunk plays before Weigman extended the lead to 14-3 with his score on a delayed quarterback draw at the 6:24 mark of the third quarter.

Defensively, the Cougars forced the Owls into a 3-and-out on their first second-half possession before Brandon Mack II, Sione Fotu and Eddie Walls III combined for two sacks to stifle the Owls after the Cougars scored. James followed by nabbing a pass from Rice quarterback Chase Jenkins that was tipped by Latreveon McCutchin and returning it 37 yards for a touchdown.

Jenkins' 3-yard run pulled the Owls to within 21-9, but Weigman hit Johnson for a score before Connors added a 42-yard touchdown with 3:40 left. Connors rushed for 135 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries.

--Field Level Media