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September 12th – at Houston Houston 36, Colorado 20
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Houston dominated the first and third quarters, opening up a 13-0 first half lead on the way to a convincing 36-20 victory over Colorado. Cougar quarterback Conner Weigman completed 15-of-24 passes for 222 yards, with 17 carries for 83 yards and two touchdowns. Houston kicker Ethan Sanchez went 5-of-6 on field goal attempts, with a long of 52, as the Cougars scored on eight drives, punting only once all game.
Ryan Staub started the second game of his career, finishing 19-of-35 for 204 yards and a late 37-yard touchdown pass to Joseph Williams after the game was decided. Staub was also sacked three times, and was intercepted twice.
The Buffs clawed their way back to make it a 16-14 game at halftime, with a Simeon Price 38-yard scoring run and a Zach Atkins recovery of a Ryan Staub fumble in the end zone giving CU new life. In the third quarter, however, two Houston drives at up over 13 minutes of game clock, making it a 26-14 game. Two fourth quarter interceptions – CU’s first two turnovers of the season – ended any hope of a Buff comeback.
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Game Story … The Colorado offense got the first possession of the game, and set the tone early, with running back Micah Welch losing two yards on the game’s first play from scrimmage. After a ten-yard completion from quarterback Ryan Staub to wide receiver Joseph Williams and a three-yard run by Welch, the Buffs were moving in the right direction with a first down.
Two plays later, Staub connected with wideout Dre’lon Miller for 16 yards, putting the ball on Houston’s side of the field. Thereafter, however, the Buffs went backward, with the Buffs punting the ball away.
Starting at their three-yard line after a 44-yard punt by Damon Greaves, the Houston offense was not intimidated, with a run of eight yards and a pass for 16 yards quickly giving the Cougars better field position. Two plays later, a 22-yard completion from quarterback Conner Weigman to Amare Thomas gave Houston a first down at the Buff 34-yard line. Three more plays netted zero yards, with Houston kicker Ethan Sanchez giving the Cougars a 3-0 lead midway through the first quarter.
CU’s next drive lasted all of a minute of game clock, with the Buffs gaining eight yards in three plays before punting the ball away.
On Houston’s next play from scrimmage, quarterback Conner Weigman channeled his inner Haynes King (the Georgia Tech quarterback who ran all over the Buffs in the 2025 opener, including a 49-yard game-winning touchdown run with 1:49 to play) with a 49-yard run of his own. Three plays later, running back Dean Conners made it a 10-0 game with a four-yard touchdown run.
CU’s next drive lasted just over a minute of game clock, with the Buffs gaining four yards in three plays before punting the ball away.
Houston finished off the first quarter again in Colorado territory (for the quarter, the Cougars had 183 yards of total offense; the Buffs 45). The second quarter started off well for the Buff defense, though, with defensive linemen Amari McNeil and Alex McPherson sacking Houston quarterback Conner Weigman for a two-yard loss on third-and-eight at the CU 25 yard line. Ethan Sanchez was called upon for the second time, hitting a 43-yard field goal to make it a 13-0 game in the first minute of the quarter.
CU’s next drive lasted just over a minute of game clock, with the Buffs gaining two yards in three plays before punting the ball away.
The Houston offense, three-for-three on scoring drives to open the game, also went three-and-out on its next possession.
The Buffs were primed to go three-and-out for the fourth consecutive drive, but were bailed out on a pass interference call against the Cougars on a third-and-ten. Three plays later, quarterback Ryan Staub moved the chains with an 11-yard run on third-and-nine. On the next play, running back Dekalon Taylor went around the left side for 11 yards and another first down at the CU 45-yard line.
After an eight-yard completion from Staub to Omarion Miller gave CU a third-and-one at the Houston 46, with Simeon Price gaining another first down at the Cougar 38-yard line. On the next play, Price went up the middle for a 38-yard score. Midway through the second quarter, it was a game again. Houston 13, Colorado 7.
The Colorado defense tried to build upon its first stop of the evening, but the Houston offense continued to produce. The Buffs forced a third-and-one and a third-and-two, but each time Cougar quarterback Conner Weigman was able to run for a first down. At the two minute break, the Buffs did get a stop on third down, but the Cougars had made it as far as the Buff 29-yard line. Houston kicker Ethan Sanchez made it three-for-three in the first half, with his 47-yard field goal making it a 16-7 game at the 1:45 mark of the first half.
Third-string quarterback Ryan Staub earned the starting nod against Houston in part based upon a last minute first half drive for a touchdown the week before against Delaware. After a penalty on the kickoff pushed the CU offense back to its 12-yard line to start its possession, a touchdown drive didn’t seem likely.
But Staub delivered once again.
On third-and-two at the CU 20-yard line, Staub connected with wide receiver Omarion Miller for a 36-yard gain to the Houston 44 yard line. On the next play, a short pass to running back Micah Welch for 25 yards to the Houston 19. After an incomplete pass, Staub scrambled up the middle. Tackled at the Houston one-yard line, Staub fumbled, with the ball recovered by tight end Zach Atkins in the endzone. Instead of being CU’s first turnover of the season, the Buffs were on the board, with the score coming with 26 seconds remaining before the break.
Halftime score: Houston 16, Colorado 14
After being out-gained, 183 total yards to 45, the Buffs turned the tables in the second quarter, out-gaining the Cougars, 168 total yards to 44. Instead of being run out the stadium, it was a game again at halftime.
Unfortunately for the Buff Nation, the second half got off to a similar start to the first half. Houston took the third quarter kickoff and set off on a 17-play drive which consumed over half of the third quarter. Along the way, the Cougars converted a fourth-and-one, a third-and-one, and a fourth-and-four. Setting up shop at the CU 22, though, an intentional grounding penalty finally halted the drive. The Buffs were still alive, with a 35-yard field goal by Ethan Sanchez, keeping it one score drive.
Houston 19, Colorado 14.
Ball in hand with a chance to take the lead for the first time since the first quarter, the Colorado offense took over with only 6:25 left in the third quarter. Three plays and 50 seconds later, the CU defense was back on the field.
Nine plays and 76 yards later, the Cougars had a two-score lead once again. An 18-yard completion and a pass interference penalty quickly put the Houston offense back on the CU side of the field. An 18-yard run by Dean Conners set the Cougars up with a first-and-goal at the one, with quarterback Conner Weigman taking it in on the next play.
Houston 26, Colorado 14, with 1:21 left in the quarter.
With a two-yard loss on a sack of Ryan Staub to open CU’s next possession, the Buffs officially finished the third quarter with five plays for zero yards.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, matters for the CU offense, if anything, got worse. After 11 quarters of turnover-free football to open the season, the Buffs suffered their first, an interception thrown by Ryan Staub. Defensive back Blake Thompson picked off Staub at the Buff 35, setting the Houston offense up for the kill.
Instead, the Buff defense finally got a stop. Three plays netted only three yards. Kicker Ethan Sanchez came in for field goal attempt No. 5, but his 50-yard attempt went left, keeping it a 26-14 game.
The CU offense responded to the new opportunity … by going three-and-out, with three incomplete passes leaving CU with zero offensive yards in the second half.
Three plays later … Houston punted the ball back … Nope.
Three plays later, Houston scored again. After a 54-yard pass from Conner Weigman to Stephon Johnson put the ball at the CU seven-yard line. On the next play, Weigman scored again, putting the game out of reach at 33-14 with 11:39 left to play.
The CU offense managed to get its first first down of the second half on its next drive, but, on a fourth-and-four at their own 38-yard line, Ryan Staub was sacked, giving the ball back to the Houston offense at the Buff 26-yard line.
Running up the score was an option, but the Cougars instead chose to run the ball up the middle four straight times up. On fourth-and-one at the CU 17, Buff defensive lineman stopped running back Dean Conners for no gain, giving the ball back to the CU offense.
The Buffs were poised to give the ball right back after another sack, but, on fourth-and-eight, Ryan Staub ran for 29 yards and a first down, with a facemask penalty giving the Buffs a first down at the Houston 37. Two plays later, Staub hit wide receiver Joseph Williams for a 37-yard touchdown. After a failed two-point conversion run, the new score was Houston 33, Colorado 20, with 4:41 to play.
A failed onside kick gave the ball at the CU 38-yard line. Three plays and seven yards later, Ethan Sanchez put through his fifth field goal of the game, this time from 49 yards out. Houston 36, Colorado 20, with 3:34 remaining.
Ryan Staub did post a 13-yard completion to Sincere Brown to open CU’s final drive, but then Staub ended his fourth quarter the way it began … with an interception. Thereafter, Houston mercifully ran out the clock to end the game.
Final score: Houston 36, Colorado 20
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One Reply to “Houston 36, Colorado 20”
If they play like that next week. Wyoming will happily hand them their third loss of this young season. Gotta improve.