Houston quarter back Conner Weigman (1) celebrates after securing a touchdown against ASU during the first half of an NCAA football game, Saturday, Oct. 25, Tempe, Arizona. | Raphael Fernandez/The Cougar
Houston football’s stunning 2025 season kept on rolling in Tempe, Ariz., with a 24-16 win over the Arizona State Sun Devils on Saturday night.
Despite the Sun Devils trying to mount a comeback in the fourth quarter, the Cougars held strong for their first-ranked win of the season and their first-ranked win on the road since 2017.
Houston kicked off the scoring in the first quarter with a nearly 11-minute drive that ended with a 26-yard field goal from senior kicker Ethan Sanchez.
Arizona State looked to tie it with a field goal of its own after driving the ball all the way to the Cougars’ 14-yard line, but redshirt senior kicker Jesus Gomez missed his 31-yard attempt wide right of the target.
With 6:08 left in the first, the Cougars used up the remaining time to drive the ball all the way to the Sun Devils’ one-yard line.
On first and goal, junior quarterback Conner Weigman muscled his way into the endzone to give Houston a 10-0 lead.
In the second quarter, the Cougars’ defense took over the spotlight.
Although the offense didn’t click, the defense remained steady, allowing zero points and only 92 yards of offense on all four of Arizona State’s drives, including recovering a fumble lost by redshirt sophomore quarterback Sam Leavitt on the Sun Devils’ second drive.
In the third quarter, Houston’s offense found its spark once again, as it scored touchdowns on its only two drives of the quarter: a seven-yard passing touchdown from Weigman to senior tight end Tanner Koziol and another, one-yard rushing touchdown from Weigman to give the Cougars a 24-0 lead.
Meanwhile, ASU could not find any offensive rhythm on its two drives, which resulted in a punt and a second missed field goal from Gomez.
In the fourth quarter, the Sun Devils saw the situation they were in and flipped a switch.
On their first drive of the quarter, Leavitt made a 3-yard touchdown pass to redshirt senior tight end Cameron Harpole to make it 24-6, but the Sun Devils couldn’t convert the extra point.
After a Houston punt, Arizona State drove the ball to the Cougars’ 30-yard line, where Gomez made his first field goal of the game to make it 24-9.
After the Cougars turned the ball over on downs on their next drive, the Sun Devils found the endzone again with backup redshirt senior quarterback Jeff Sims throwing a 27-yard passing touchdown to redshirt senior tight end Chamon Metayer to make it a 24-16 ball game.
Despite this, Houston remained firm and steady, making plays on both sides of the ball to stall out the comeback attempt and preserve the win.
Wiegman went 17-for-22 for 201 yards and a touchdown, while also rushing for 111 yards and two touchdowns, showcasing his dual-threat ability that he has showcased all season.
Koziol was the top receiver for the Cougars, with seven catches for 100 yards and a touchdown.
Senior defensive lineman Eddie Walls III was the standout player for Houston’s defense, making five tackles, including three tackles for a loss of yards, three sacks and a pass deflection.
Leavitt went 18-for-35 for 270 yards and touchdown.
Redshirt senior wide receiver Malik McClain took over the WR1 duties from injured redshirt junior wide receiver Jordyn Tyson during the game, making seven catches for 159 yards.
The Cougars now improve their record 7-1, with 4-1 record in the Big 12 conference, remaining in the hunt for a spot in the Big 12 Championship game in Arlington.
Houston will look to keep the good times rolling on Saturday, Nov. 1, when it takes on the West Virgina Mountaineers at home.
sports@thedailycougar.com
