West Virginia Snaps Losing Streak with 45-35 Win Over No. 22 Houston
HOUSTON (AP) — Scotty Fox Jr. threw for 157 yards and accounted for three touchdowns as West Virginia snapped its five-game losing streak with a 45-35 victory over No. 22 Houston.
Fox completed 13 of 22 passes, including a 24-yard touchdown pass to Cam Vaughn. He also rushed for 65 yards and scored two rushing touchdowns on runs of 6 yards and 34 yards.
Running back Diore Hubbard contributed 108 yards and a touchdown on the ground, while Cyncir Bowers added 65 rushing yards and another touchdown. The Mountaineers (3-6, 1-5 Big 12) dominated on the ground, outrushing Houston 246 to 82 yards.
West Virginia forced four turnovers by Houston and converted those opportunities into 17 points.
For Houston (7-2, 4-2), Conner Weigman completed 25 of 35 passes for 309 yards, four touchdowns, and two interceptions. He also rushed for a touchdown but lost one of his three fumbles. Dean Connors rushed for 71 yards, while Amare Thomas caught 10 passes for 99 yards and three touchdowns. Tanner Koziol contributed with five receptions for 54 yards and a touchdown.
Second Half Surge
With the score tied at 21 at halftime, West Virginia outscored Houston 24-7 in the second half to secure the win.
After gaining the lead with a field goal, Jordan Scruggs extended the Mountaineers’ advantage with an 80-yard interception return for a touchdown with just over six minutes remaining in the third quarter.
The Cougars narrowed the gap to three points on an 8-yard touchdown pass from Weigman to Thomas. However, Fox responded with his 34-yard rushing touchdown, and Hubbard sealed the victory with an 11-yard touchdown run midway through the fourth quarter, putting West Virginia comfortably ahead by 17 points.
The Takeaway
- West Virginia: The Mountaineers avoided bowl elimination and recorded their first win over a ranked opponent since a 38-31 win over Iowa State on Oct. 30, 2021.
- Houston: The loss severely impacts the Cougars’ chances of reaching the Big 12 Championship game, and their stay in the national rankings will likely last only one week.
Up Next
West Virginia will host Colorado on Saturday. Meanwhile, Houston travels to Central Florida on Friday.
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