Connor Weigman scorched the Sun Devils’ defense with three touchdowns and 312 yards of total offense to lead the Houston Cougars to a 24-16 win over Arizona State.
The state of Arizona now sits at 0-2 against the Cougars. Houston beat the Wildcats 31-28 a week earlier on a last-second 41-yard field goal by senior kicker Ethan Sanchez.
Such last-minute heroics were not necessary in Tempe as the Coogs held the Sun Devils scoreless through three quarters of football. Weigman followed up the opening drive that culminated in a 26-yard field goal from Sanchez with a 10-play, 80-yard touchdown drive. Tight end Tanner Koziol made the play of the drive. The 6’7, 250-pounder continued running for yac after Arizona State defensive back Keith Abney, Jr. bounced off him like a quarter off a bunk at boot camp.
An offside penalty nullified a potential drive-stunting turnover caused by redshirt senior Justin Wodtly. Wodtly. The penalty gave the Coogs first down at the one, but Weigman didn’t risk another mishap and pushed his 210-pound frame into the end zone.
The Sun Devils offense squandered three trips into Houston territory. Starting quarterback Sam Leavitt left the game with an injury after a tackle by Coogs defensive lineman Eddie Walls, III, sent him crashing to the turf. In his place, Jeff Sims guided the offense into the red zone. The drive stalled at the 14-yard line and set up a makeable 31-yard field goal for Jesus Gomez-Juarez. A high snap resulted in a woefully off-target attempt.
Leavitt returned to the game with marginal success. In the midst of a successful drive with the end zone a mere 35 yards away, the steady sophomore lost his grip in the middle of his throwing motion. Houston’s Will James fell on top of the ball and was rewarded with a fumble recovery after officials reviewed the play.
Houston kept cookin’ out of the break, shutting down the Sun Devils’ first drive of the new half and turning it into seven more points. This time, Weigman found his favorite target of the day, Kozoil, behind the defense and under the goal post for a seven-yard touchdown.
It was deja vu all over again later in the third as another missed field goal by Gomez-Juarez became another 1-yard touchdown run for Weigman and the Coogs.
Cameron Harpole got behind the defense on first down from the 3, and Leavitt found him in the back corner of the end zone for the Sun Devils’ first score of the night. Arizona finally got on the board in the fourth quarter. They added a field goal and another touchdown that set up a potential game-tying 95-yard drive.
Houston wasn’t having any of that dream cake. The Coogs’ defense allowed six yards on four downs to close out the game.