Corey Kiner rushed for 129 yards and two touchdowns to fuel visiting Cincinnati to a 24-14 victory over Houston on Saturday.
Cincinnati’s Emory Jones completed 13 of 16 passes for 131 yards and a touchdown. Ryan Montgomery reeled in a 7-yard scoring strike for the Bearcats (3-7, 1-6 Big 12), who snapped a seven-game losing skid and recorded their first Big 12 Conference victory.
Houston’s Joseph Manjack IV reeled in a pair of touchdown passes in his return from a two-game absence due to concussion protocol. Donovan Smith completed 16 of 28 passes for just 102 yards with three interceptions for the Cougars (4-6, 2-5), who were thwarted in their bid to win consecutive games for the first time this season.
Jones found Montgomery over the middle to cap an 11-play, 75-yard opening drive and give Cincinnati a 7-0 lead. Montgomery’s receiving touchdown was his first of the season.
Smith answered with a 12-play, 83-yard drive, capped by Smith finding Manjack in the corner of the end zone with 14:04 left in the second quarter.
Kiner bulled his way in from 1 yard out to give the Bearcats a 14-7 lead with 8:04 remaining in the second quarter.
Cincinnati appeared primed to take control of the game after Deshawn Pace intercepted Smith in the second quarter, however he was stripped of the ball by Manjack to return the possession back to Houston.
The Bearcats, however, set the tone on the first play from scrimmage, as Dorian Jones reeled in a deflected pass for an interception. Carter Jones drilled a 31-yard field goal to extend Cincinnati’s lead to 17-7 at 8:25 of the third quarter.
Kiner rumbled up the middle from 5 yards out with 8:47 remaining in the fourth quarter for his fifth touchdown of the season and third in his last two weeks.
Smith connected with Manjack from 2 yards out with 3:22 left to cap the scoring.
–Field Level Media
