Houston came out firing Saturday afternoon and never let Oregon State fully take control, as the No. 23/24 Cougars opened the season with a 33-20 victory over the Beavers at TDECU Stadium.
Fifth-year quarterback Conner Weigman delivered an impressive debut, throwing for 305 yards and a touchdown while adding a rushing score. Senior wide receiver Amare Thomas was his favorite target, finishing with eight receptions for 133 yards and a touchdown.
The victory marked Houston’s fifth consecutive season-opening win and its sixth in the last seven years.
The Cougars wasted little time establishing their offensive rhythm. After forcing Oregon State to punt on its opening possession, Houston marched 85 yards on a 10-play drive that lasted more than eight minutes. Weigman found Thomas, who broke multiple tackles on his way to the end zone for Houston’s first touchdown of the season.
Oregon State briefly grabbed a 7-6 lead behind quarterback Braden Atkinson’s rushing touchdown, but Houston answered with a 42-yard field goal from Jonathan Dimas before taking control in the second quarter.
Running back Re’Shaun Sanford II provided one of the game’s biggest plays when he broke loose for a 56-yard touchdown run, putting Houston ahead 16-7. Dimas added another field goal before halftime to give the Cougars a 19-7 advantage.
Houston continued to build its lead after a 30-minute weather delay to open the second half. Senior running back Makhi Hughes capped a drive with a 1-yard touchdown plunge, pushing the Cougars ahead 26-7 with 6:40 remaining in the third quarter.
Oregon State, however, refused to go quietly.
Atkinson threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Jesse Legree late in the third quarter, cutting Houston’s lead to 26-13. The Beavers then capitalized on a Houston turnover in the fourth quarter, with AJ Newberry’s 4-yard touchdown run making it a 26-20 game.
With momentum shifting, Houston needed an answer — and Weigman delivered.
The Cougars put together a nine-play, 75-yard drive that consumed four minutes and effectively put the game away. Facing third-and-6 from the Oregon State 42-yard line, Weigman connected with Thomas for a 37-yard completion to keep the drive alive. Two plays later, Weigman powered his way into the end zone from one yard out to give Houston its final 33-20 margin.
Houston finished the afternoon with 533 yards of total offense, including 305 passing yards. It was the program’s highest total offensive output since a 538-yard performance against Rice in 2023 and its best offensive showing in a season opener since 2018.
Sanford led Houston’s rushing attack with 98 yards, while Hughes added more than 75 yards on the ground. Thomas also recorded the fourth 100-yard receiving game of his career and extended his streak to 14 consecutive games with at least one reception.
Oregon State was led by Atkinson, who threw for 376 yards and a touchdown. Legree added five receptions for 136 yards and a score.
For Houston, the biggest takeaway was an offense that showed explosiveness from the opening drive and composure when Oregon State made its late push.
The Cougars now turn their attention to another home matchup.
UP NEXT: Houston hosts Southern at 6 p.m. Saturday at TDECU Stadium. The game will stream on ESPN+. The Cougars then hit the road for their Big 12 opener against No. 12 Texas Tech on Sept. 18 in Lubbock, Texas, with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m. on FOX.
