Houston football leaves the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the dust with blowout victory

Houston football runs onto the field at Boone Pickens Stadium in a game against Oklahoma State on Oct. 11, 2024. |Ashton Grissom/The Cougar

Houston football went into Boone Pickens Stadium on Saturday with a mindset to prove that it can compete on the road in the Big 12 Conference.

The Cougars did just that in a 39-17 victory where they trailed for just seven minutes in the entire game, and walked away with a 5-1 overall record and tallied their second conference win of the season.

The 22-point win for Houston was also its largest in the 21 all-time Big 12 games it has played.

In just six games, Houston already has more wins than the previous two seasons and has its eyes set on reaching a bowl game for the first time since the 2022 season where the Cougars matched up against Louisiana in the Independence Bowl.

Oklahoma State game recap

Houston bounced back from their previous road game struggles against Oregon State in a 27-24 overtime thriller with a strong performance against Oklahoma State.

With the recent firing of long-time head coach Mike Gundy, the Cowboys have been trying to find their way with a new-look coaching staff, and several players have announced they’d be entering the transfer portal.

With the Cougars projected as 14.5-point favorites and the odds stacked against Oklahoma State, the Cowboys started the game off with a trick play and the stadium erupted as freshman running back Rodney Fields Jr. waltzed in for a 63-yard touchdown.

The Cowboys went up 7-0 and it was their first lead against an FBS opponent since Oct. 26, 2024, against Baylor.

Houston answered back with a nine-play 78-yard drive that resulted in a three-yard touchdown rush by junior quarterback Conner Weigman.

The game remained tied with both teams adding a field goal to their score, but the Cougars exploded for 29 straight points and left the Cowboys in the dust.

Weigman once again put on a show and continues to prove why he was the top target in the transfer portal for Houston in the offseason.

The veteran quarterback ended his day at the start of the fourth quarter and shredded the OSU defense for 306 passing yards and two touchdowns through the air.

Weigman’s favorite target this season, junior wide receiver Amare Thomas, had a career day with seven receptions for 157 yards. Thomas blew out his previous career-high of 104 yards that he set earlier this season against Oregon State.

Senior running back Dean Connors led the rushing attack for Houston with 15 carries for 83 yards and dove over OSU’s defensive line for a touchdown in the third quarter.

He also hauled in an ESPN top-ten caliber highlight play with a one-handed grab for a touchdown to put the Cougars up seven points in the second quarter.

Senior kicker Ethan Sanchez also continues to be a crucial part of the offense, making all four of his field goal attempts and was perfect on his PATs.