Coogs Claim Bayou Bucket, Shift Focus to Colorado
Houston (2-0) clinched the Bayou Bucket over Rice (1-1) 35-9 on Saturday for the second consecutive win in the series. The Coogs are now 35-12 all-time against the Owls and 17-7 in games played at Rice.
It was a revenge game for running back Dean Connors, who transferred to Houston from Rice during the offseason. Connors rushed for 132 yards and two touchdowns—54 yards and 42 yards—against his former team, and became the first player to win the Bayou Bucket for both programs.
The Coogs struggled to get their offense established early, as they were held scoreless in the first quarter. Rice jumped out to a 3-0 lead on a 42-yard field goal, but Houston would score on three consecutive possessions and never look back.
Head coach Willie Fritz addressed the slow start following the game.
“We didn’t come out playing the way we wanted to offensively in the 1st half until the big play by Dean Connors for the touchdown,” Fritz said. “I told our guys at halftime nobody panic and I’m glad nobody panicked at halftime and we came out and dominated in the second half.”
Quarterback Connor Weigman (15/22, 188 YDS, 1 TD) used his legs to split the Owls’ defense on a 9-yard touchdown scamper in the third quarter. Weigman would finally have an opportunity to showcase his deep ball, as Stephon Johnson flew past the Rice secondary and hauled in a 74-yard touchdown pass from Weigman on his first reception of the season.
Houston’s defense continued its dominance, led by senior defensive back Latrell McCutchin, who led the way with a career-high 11 tackles, of which six were solo. He also recovered a fumble in the second quarter. Sophomore defensive back Will James came away with a 37-yard pick-6 to start the fourth quarter.
“We really just started playing more firmly on the inside. They knocked us off the ball on that drive kind of like the old Bill Yeoman split back veer,” said Fritz. “I thought overall coach Armstrong, the defensive staff and the defensive players executed the game plan and tackled their tails off.”
The Coogs now turn their focus towards Big 12 play, as they welcome Coach Prime and Colorado (1-1) to H-Town on Friday for a 6:30 p.m. kickoff at TDECU Stadium.