Despite forcing five turnovers—including three straight in the first half—No. 23 Houston couldn’t complete the comeback Saturday, falling 17–14 to TCU at TDECU Stadium after a late game-tying field goal sailed wide left.
With under two minutes remaining, the Cougar defense delivered a crucial goal-line stop, giving Houston one final chance. The offense marched to the TCU 20-yard line, setting up senior kicker Ethan Sanchez for a 38-yard attempt with 46 seconds left. His kick, however, missed wide, allowing the Horned Frogs (7–4, 4–4 Big 12) to escape with the win.
TCU took the lead early in the fourth quarter on a 29-yard field goal from Nate McCashland, breaking a 14–14 tie after Houston had clawed back from a two-touchdown deficit.
Trailing 14–7 at halftime, Houston’s momentum swung after sophomore cornerback Will James grabbed his second interception of the day—one of his three forced turnovers. The Cougars capitalized with a six-play, 71-yard drive capped by an 8-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Conner Weigman to senior running back Dean Connors.
James’ first interception earlier in the second quarter sparked Houston’s initial rally. The Cougars marched 62 yards in 13 plays, finishing the drive with a 13-yard touchdown pass from Weigman to junior receiver Amare Thomas.
Weigman finished 15-of-29 passing for 161 yards and two touchdowns, while adding 114 yards on the ground. Connors tallied 75 rushing yards and 47 receiving yards with a score, and Thomas caught five passes for 72 yards and a touchdown.
Defensively, James posted the best performance of his career with three takeaways, including a third-quarter forced fumble recovered by safety Jordan Allen. Despite Houston’s five forced turnovers, the Cougars (8–3, 5–3) couldn’t convert enough opportunities to overcome TCU’s early lead.
