Things didn’t start off promising in Houston, but OSU battled from behind and came out winners.
The Cowboys scored 27 unanswered points and beat Houston 43-30 on the road Saturday evening to keep their hopes of a Big 12 Championship game appearance alive.
In the first quarter, Cougar defensive back Isaiah Hamilton picked off an Alan Bowman pass and returned it 57 yards for a touchdown. Five game minutes later, UH quarterback Donovan Smith found Jonah Wilson for a 60-yard score. After another touchdown and a safety, the Cowboys trailed 23-9 with four minutes left until halftime.
After the safety, OSU safety Trey Rucker picked off a Smith pass and set OSU (8-3 overall, 6-2 Big 12) up at the Houston 22-yard line. From there, the Cowboys took control. OSU tacked on a quick 10 points before halftime, and Ollie Gordon added a pair of six-yard touchdown runs in the third quarter to top off a 27-0 run and give his team a comfortable 36-23 lead.
The defense allowed just 25 yards in the third quarter and held UH (4-7, 2-6) to 144 yards in the second half.
Meanwhile, OSU wide receiver Brennan Presley racked up 15 catches for 189 yards and led the offense to 290 yards in the second half. Gordon ran the ball 25 times for 164 yards and three touchdowns, and Bowman went 29-for-43 for 348 yards and two scores.