HOUSTON — The Houston Cougars overcame a 17-point deficit to rally past UCF 27-17 on Saturday at TDECU Stadium, turning what appeared to be a difficult afternoon into one of the most dramatic comebacks of their season. Houston entered the matchup ranked No. 20 in the AP Poll and No. 20 in the USA Today Coaches Poll and wore its Houston Blue alternate uniforms and customized Gridiron Galaxy helmets for the first time this season. Despite the team’s strong start to the season and the high-profile matchup, large portions of TDECU Stadium appeared sparsely attended, with several empty sections visible before kickoff. The early 11 a.m. local start and hot, humid Houston weather may have contributed to the low turnout, but the Cougars ultimately gave those in attendance plenty to cheer about.
UCF controlled the game early, building a 17-0 advantage behind quarterback Keyone Jenkins, who threw for 253 yards and a touchdown. Houston finally found its breakthrough late in the third quarter when senior quarterback Conner Weigman broke free for a 19-yard touchdown run. Weigman then added two more rushing touchdowns in the fourth quarter, giving him a career-best three rushing scores and sparking a 27-point Houston scoring run. The Cougars’ defense also completely flipped the momentum, holding UCF to just 48 total yards and minus-six rushing yards in the fourth quarter while forcing an interception, two three-and-outs and two turnovers on downs during the Knights’ final five possessions. Jonathan Dimas added field goals of 40 and 46 yards to seal the comeback. Houston improved to 4-1 with the victory and remained ranked nationally, while Weigman finished as the centerpiece of the comeback and the Cougars extended their winning streak against UCF to two games.
