Houston defensive back Ajani Carter (12) chases Baylor wide receiver Josh Cameron (34) during the second half of an NCAA college Football game, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Houston, Texas. | Raphael Fernandez/The Cougar
It wasn’t the “Houston Blue” debut the Cougars were looking for, as they fell 20-10 to the Baylor Bears in a game defined by turnovers and lack of red zone execution.
In fact, it was the fourth game this season that the Cougar offense failed to score a touchdown.
“We had some miscues in the kicking game and didn’t play as well as we needed to offensively,” coach Willie Fritz said. “I know you’ve heard me say it fifty times, gotta play well in all three phases to win ballgames.”
The opening quarter saw an exchange of interceptions from both teams. On just Baylor’s third play, senior quarterback Sawyer Robertson was picked off by junior cornerback Jeremiah Wilson, putting Houston in prime scoring position early at Baylor’s 33-yard line.
The Cougars would return the favor just a few plays later when sophomore quarterback Zeon Chriss threw an end-zone interception, adding to Houston’s red zone woes that have plagued them all season long.
Houston’s defense held strong and put them on the board, following a pick-six from Wilson, his second interception of the quarter, and the Cougars’ first defensive score of the season.
The usually sure-handed Robertson came into the game with just four interceptions on the year, but at quarter’s end would walk away with two more to his name, both courtesy of Wilson.
Regardless of who has been at quarterback this season for Houston, it has been a struggle to mount any offense through the air.
It wasn’t until the 8:26 mark of the second quarter that the Cougars would get their first completion of the game, a catch from junior wide receiver Stephon Johnson for 15 yards.
The 12 passing yards and two completions by Chriss in the first half were the fewest he has had in any first half this season.
Houston’s inability to get stops on third and fourth downs played a sizable hand in their 17-7 deficit at the half. Baylor went 4-for-9 on third down and converted both of their fourth-down tries.
Baylor’s junior tight end Michael Trigg and redshirt freshman running back Bryson Washington were thorns on Houston’s side throughout the first half. Trigg had 56 yards after catch and 96 total in the half, while Washington had 77 yards on the ground in his twelve carries.
The Cougars began to find some form of rhythm offensively on the opening drive of the third quarter but senior Martin Jack Martin kicked a field goal that sailed wide left, leaving Houston with zero points to showcase following their most promising drive of the game.
Back-to-back sacks on second and third down from senior linebacker Jamal Morris and junior defensive back Latrell McCutchin Sr. gave the ball right back to Houston, for a drive that would last into the opening minutes of the fourth quarter.
Houston built off what worked in the opening drive of the third quarter while unlocking their passing game in the process. Behind nineteen and sixteen-yard completions, Chriss led the Cougars down to Baylor’s 12-yard line, but UH was held to yet another field goal attempt following a red-zone incompletion.
Martin would successfully convert the field goal attempt from 24 yards, bringing Houston to within a score at 17-10 and scoring the first points by either team in the second half.
Baylor’s offense which was clicking on all cylinders in the first half, started the second ice-cold, with their first two drives resulting in three-and-outs, including their initial drive of the fourth.
However, an errant throw by Chriss that fell into the hands of Baylor redshirt senior cornerback Lorando Johnson gave the Bears their best scoring opportunity since the second quarter, and they capitalized by drilling a 50-yard field goal to extend the Bears’ lead to 10.
The unraveling continued into the latter stages of the fourth, when junior return specialist Mekhi Mews’ fumble gave possession right back to Baylor, once again in Cougar territory.
It was Houston’s third turnover of the game, and ultimately one that stunted their hopes of rallying a late-game comeback.
Trailing 20-10 with just 1:11 remaining in the game, Zeon Chriss would toss his third interception of the night, sealing the game, and making it impossible for Houston to reach the six-win bowl eligibility requirement.
Fritz reiterated the mentality he expected heading into the season finale.
“I just told ‘em all, anybody that doesn’t wanna go out to Utah and win the game next week, they ought to not play on the team,” he said. “We only got 12 of these opportunities, we got one left, so we need to put everything into it that we possibly can.”
Houston will next head to Provo, Utah, where the No.14 BYU Cougars will await them for the season finale at 9:15 on Nov. 30.
