Richard Young rushed for 99 yards and two touchdowns, Joseph Williams turned a short pass into a 53-yard touchdown and Colorado scored 28 consecutive points while registering a 42-32 upset of No. 14 Houston on Friday in Big 12 play at Boulder, Colo.
DeKalon Taylor scored on a 67-yard run and JaQuail Smith and Young each scored on runs longer than 30 yards for the Buffaloes (4-6, 2-5 Big 12). Colorado rolled up 249 yards on the ground, the highest output during Deion Sanders’ four seasons as head coach. Reserve quarterback Kaneal Sweetwyne also ran for a score.
Isaac Wilson completed 17 of 25 passes for 217 yards, one touchdown and one interception for Colorado, which has won two of its past three games after losing five in a row.
Conner Weigman produced 272 yards, three touchdowns and one interception on 26-of-42 passing for the Cougars (7-3, 4-3), who took a major hit to their College Football Playoff aspirations.
Makhi Hughes rushed for 106 yards and a touchdown while Patrick Overmyer (nine catches, 116 yards), Amare Thomas (six receptions, 66 yards) and Trent Walker each had scoring catches for Houston.
Colorado scored on long runs by Taylor and Smith late in the second quarter to take a 21-20 halftime lead.
The momentum continued early in the third quarter when Williams caught Wilson’s short pass at the Houston 45-yard line and sprinted down the center of the field to give the Buffaloes an eight-point lead.
Later in the quarter, Wilson injured his lower left leg and went to be examined. Sweetwyne entered and ran left for a 14-yard scoring run as Colorado took a 35-20 lead with 5:26 remaining in the third.
Wilson returned three-plus minutes later. Meanwhile, Houston made a charge with Weigman tossing a 22-yard scoring pass to Overmyer. The two-point attempt was no good.
Young scored from the 2 to give Colorado a 42-26 lead with 3:59 to play before Weigman threw a 4-yard scoring pass to Walker with 1:51 left. Weigman’s two-point pass was incomplete, and the Buffaloes finished off the upset.
Houston opened the game with 10 points on a 27-yard field goal by Jonathan Dimas and Hughes’ 8-yard run on the first play of the second quarter.
Colorado awoke with Young’s 38-yard scoring run with 9:25 remaining in the half. Houston led by 10 again on Weigman’s 4-yard pass to Thomas before Dimas booted a 52-yard field goal to give the Cougars a 20-7 edge with 2:36 left.
The Buffaloes began their stretch of 28 consecutive points as Taylor received an option pitch and raced 67 yards for a touchdown with 1:49 remaining. Colorado got the ball back, and Smith sailed 32 yards for a score with 15 seconds left for its first lead of the contest.
–Field Level Media
