HOUSTON, TX — Conner Weigman threw for 305 yards and a touchdown and rushed for another score, leading No. 23 Houston past Oregon State 33-20 on Saturday in the season opener at TDECU Stadium.
Weigman completed 20 of 30 passes and connected with Amare Thomas for a 31-yard touchdown in the first quarter. His 1-yard touchdown run with five minutes remaining sealed the victory after Oregon State had rallied within six points in the fourth quarter.
Thomas was Weigman’s top target, finishing with eight catches for 133 yards and a touchdown. Houston finished with 533 total yards, including 228 on the ground, while limiting the Beavers to just 26 rushing yards and recording four sacks.
“I thought Conner did a pretty darn good job today,” Houston coach Willie Fritz said. “It’s the first game. We’re going to improve and get better defensively, offensively, punt return.”
Oregon State quarterback Braden Atkinson, making his first start for the Beavers after transferring from Mercer, completed 29 of 48 passes for 376 yards and a touchdown. Freshman receiver Jesse Legree made an immediate impact in his collegiate debut, catching five passes for 136 yards and a touchdown.
Houston took a 9-7 lead after the first quarter and extended the advantage to 19-7 at halftime. Re’Shaun Sanford II provided one of the game’s biggest plays, breaking loose for a 56-yard touchdown run with 6:27 remaining in the second quarter.
Sanford, returning after missing the previous two seasons because of ACL injuries, finished with 75 rushing yards. Mekhi Hughes added 98 yards and a 1-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, giving Houston a 26-7 advantage.
Atkinson found Legree for a 7-yard touchdown with 44 seconds left in the third quarter, cutting Houston’s lead to 26-13. AJ Newberry’s 4-yard touchdown run with 9:02 remaining in the fourth quarter brought the Beavers within 26-20 and briefly put pressure on the Cougars.
Houston responded with a nine-play, 75-yard drive that consumed four minutes and one second. Weigman finished the drive with his 1-yard touchdown run, restoring a two-score lead and ending Oregon State’s comeback hopes.
“We want to be able to run the ball and not have to run it with our quarterback,” Fritz said. “When you have 300 yards passing and 200 yards rushing, that is always a good combination.”
The Cougars controlled the line of scrimmage throughout the afternoon and converted their offensive balance into their first victory of the season.
Houston improved to 1-0 and will host Southern next Saturday. Oregon State fell to 0-1 and returns home to face Texas Tech.