Houston quarterback Zeon Chriss (2) sprints with the ball toward the end zone during the second half of an NCAA College Football game, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, in Houston, Texas. | Oscar Herrera/The Cougar
Houston defeated No. 17 Kansas State 24-19 on Nov. 2. This was the Cougars’ first time beating a ranked team since they beat No.19 SMU inside TDECU Stadium on Oct. 30, 2021.
Houston’s junior defensive back Jeremiah Wilson intercepted a pass from Kansas State sophomore quarterback Avery Johnson and returned it to the KSU nine-yard line at the beginning of the fourth quarter to keep Houston’s hopes alive.
A 1-yard touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Zeon Chriss to senior tight end Maliq Carr cut Kansas State’s lead to two points.
In the final minutes of the game, Chriss broke away for a 41-yard touchdown run to regain the lead. On the next drive, senior linebacker Michael Batton intercepted Johnson’s pass, putting the Cougars one step closer to victory.
The rain may have delayed the game by 55 minutes, but it couldn’t extinguish the Cougars’ blackout magic.
At the end of the game, Kansas State had a shot at a last-second Hail Mary, which was a familiar moment for the Cougars, who experienced a thrilling win over West Virginia during last season’s blackout game in the same fashion.
As Johnson’s final pass was batted down by Houston’s junior defensive back Latrell McCutchin Sr., the remaining students stormed the field to celebrate the Cougars’ upset victory.
“This is just the beginning,” Batton said. “The sky’s the limit with this team.”
On the first drive of the game, Kansas State led a 15-play, 70-yard drive capped off by a 23-yard field goal from senior kicker Chris Tennant.
On fourth and 2, Chriss threw a 44-yard pass that was caught by senior wide receiver Joseph Manjack IV just shy of a touchdown at the end of the first quarter.
To begin the second quarter, senior quarterback Donovon Smith’s 1-yard run earned UH its first touchdown.
This was Houston’s first-ever scoring drive against the Wildcats after their first matchup ended with a 41-0 shutout in 2023.
Following a Kansas State three-and-out, UH went on a nine-play 55-yard drive that ended in a 22-yard field goal by senior kicker Jack Martin.
Kansas State responded with a two-yard rushing touchdown by junior running back DJ Giddens, but McCutchin Sr. blocked the extra point attempt, preventing the Wildcats from tying the score at 10.
With 38 seconds remaining in the half, Chriss was sacked by KSU’s sophomore defensive end Tobi Osunsanmi, which resulted in a recovery by Kansas State’s junior linebacker Desmond Purnell at midfield.
A seven-yard pass from Johnson to junior wide receiver Keagan Johnson was caught in the endzone, and the Wildcats reclaimed the lead.
The Cougars trailed 10-16 heading into halftime.
“I didn’t like the way some of the guys came into the locker room,” said head coach Willie Fritz. “Luckily, the strong guys imposed their will in the locker room, and we came out fighting.”
In the third quarter, a KSU drive ended with a botched snap on a 53-yard field goal attempt, resulting in a loss of downs and a Kansas State turnover on the Houston 45-yard line.
On the following drive, Smith was stopped short on fourth down, giving Kansas State the ball at their own 47.
Kansas State ended the third quarter with a five-play 55-yard drive and a 47-yard field goal by Tennant, which was their only points of the half.
With the Cougars holding Kansas State to just three second-half points, Houston now has outscored their past two opponents 24-0 in the fourth quarter.
“I thought Jerimiah and Michael did excellent fighting through adversity tonight,” Fritz said. “The defensive staff has done a fabulous job keeping us in games all season.”
Although the Cougars were conservative in the passing game, it was the first time a Cougar quarterback maintained a 100% completion percentage in a game with 10+ attempts as Chriss went 11-11.
UH’s freshman punter Liam Dougherty set a new career high with a 65-yard punt in the third quarter.
The Cougars are now 3-3 in conference and have won four games overall, the same amount they won in 2023.
With three games remaining, the Cougars bowl hopes remain alive.
“Since I have been here, the Coogs never quit until the final whistle is blown,” Manjack IV said. “That is something you cherish for the rest of your life.”
They will now ride their two-game win streak into a bye week before traveling to Tucson, Arizona to play against the Arizona Wildcats on Nov. 15.
