Saturday, September 8
Houston
11:00 AM CT
University of Houston
2-0
45
vs
18
Arizona
0-2
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
Arizona
0
0
10
8
18
Houston
21
10
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7
45
Photo by: For Houston Athletics
Houston Opens Home Schedule with Dominating Win
9/8/2018 4:40:00 PM | Football
Cougars erupt for 21 first-half points en route to 45-18 win over Pac-12 rival Arizona
HOUSTON – University of Houston junior quarterback D'Eriq King threw for a career-high four touchdowns and ran for two more scores as UH enjoyed a 45-16 win over Arizona on Saturday afternoon inside TDECU Stadium.
In the first meeting in Houston between the teams, the Cougars erupted for 21 points in the first 11 minutes and never looked back in taking their second straight win against the Wildcats and third in the series' four-game history.
King completed 17-of-34 passes for 246 yards with scoring tosses to four different receivers, as Houston outgained the Wildcats in total offense 202-82 in the opening 15 minutes. The Cougars went on to build a 38-0 lead late into the third quarter.
Senior tight end Romello Brooker led Houston with 76 receiving yards off two catches, including a career-long 52-yard effort, while junior wide receiver Courtney Lark and redshirt freshman wide receiver/quarterback Bryson Smith added four receptions apiece.
Senior running back Terence Williams led all players with 65 rushing yards on 12 carries, while junior back Patrick Carr added 62 yards. Sophomore wide receiver Marquez Stevenson added 60 rushing yards with two receptions for 40 yards, including a 24-yard touchdown to open the scoring.
Junior All-American defensive tackle Ed Oliver finished the day with five tackles, including three solo stops, with an assisted tackle for a loss of four yards, pass breakup and four quarterback hurries despite being sidelined in the second half as the Cougars built their lead.
The Cougars took the opening kickoff and embarked on a 10-play, 81-yard drive that only took 2:47 off the clock. King capped the drive with a 24-yard touchdown strike to Stevenson.
Senior defensive back Garrett Davis halted the Wildcats' initial possession of the game with his first of two interceptions, returning the ball to the Arizona 40-yard line.
Carr carried the ball to the 1-yard line with a 39-yard scamper, and King punched the ball into the end zone three plays later for a 14-0 Houston lead with 8:29 left.
The Houston defense forced Arizona to punt after four plays on the next drive, and the Cougar offense wasted little time in extending its lead when King connected with Brooker on a 52-yard touchdown to cap a drive that took only 72 seconds off the clock.
Sophomore kicker Dalton Witherspoon gave the Cougars a 24-0 lead after booting a 35-yard field goal – the first of Witherspoon's career – with 12:38 left in the second quarter.
Arizona advanced to the Cougar 26 on its next possession, but the Wildcats' drive was stuffed when running back Gary Brightwell fumbled on 4th-and-1.
After the two teams traded punts, the Cougars took over on their 25-yard line and enjoyed a 31-0 lead when King connected with Smith on a 13-yard touchdown – the first of Smith's career – with 1:53 left.
Forcing Arizona to punt on its first drive of the second half, the Cougars enjoyed its largest lead of the day at 38-0 when King hit junior wide receiver Keith Corbin – the first of Corbin's career – on an 18-yard touchdown with 12:09 left in the third period.
Arizona put its first mark on the scoreboard with 3:16 left in the third period on Lucas Havrisik's 49-yard field goal and enjoyed its first touchdown of the day on its next drive when running back Darrius Smith plunged into the end zone from one yard out to trim the Houston lead to 38-10 with 11 seconds remaining in the third period.
Junior quarterback Khalil Tate moved the Wildcats to within 38-16 on a 2-yard touchdown run, but the ensuing PAT was blocked with 11:05 left.
After a Houston punt, the Cougars' defense stopped the Wildcats on four straight plays from the Cougar 1 with 6:46 left. However, on Houston's ensuing possession, Arizona linebacker Colin Schooler tackled junior running back Mulbah Car in the end zone for a safety to cut the Houston lead to 38-18 with 6:35 left.
The Cougars put the game away when King rushed into the end zone from four yards out for a 45-18 advantage with 1:48 left in the contest. Stevenson highlighted the six-play, 95-yard drive with a 60-yard rush on an end-around.
Tate finished with 341 yards on 24-of-45 passing but was picked off twice by Davis. J.J. Taylor led the Wildcats with 54 rushing yards on 18 carries, while Shawn Poindexter finished with seven receptions for 134 yards to lead all players.
UP NEXT
The Cougars leave the city of Houston for the first time this season when they kick off against at Texas Tech at 3 p.m., Saturday, inside Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. That game can be seen on FOX Sports and heard live on KPRC 950 AM.
The Cougars return to the friendly confines of TDECU Stadium when they meet Texas Southern at 7 p.m., Sept. 22. Fans can purchase tickets by calling 713-462-6647 or by visiting uhcougars.com/tickets.
In the first meeting in Houston between the teams, the Cougars erupted for 21 points in the first 11 minutes and never looked back in taking their second straight win against the Wildcats and third in the series' four-game history.
King completed 17-of-34 passes for 246 yards with scoring tosses to four different receivers, as Houston outgained the Wildcats in total offense 202-82 in the opening 15 minutes. The Cougars went on to build a 38-0 lead late into the third quarter.
Senior tight end Romello Brooker led Houston with 76 receiving yards off two catches, including a career-long 52-yard effort, while junior wide receiver Courtney Lark and redshirt freshman wide receiver/quarterback Bryson Smith added four receptions apiece.
Senior running back Terence Williams led all players with 65 rushing yards on 12 carries, while junior back Patrick Carr added 62 yards. Sophomore wide receiver Marquez Stevenson added 60 rushing yards with two receptions for 40 yards, including a 24-yard touchdown to open the scoring.
Junior All-American defensive tackle Ed Oliver finished the day with five tackles, including three solo stops, with an assisted tackle for a loss of four yards, pass breakup and four quarterback hurries despite being sidelined in the second half as the Cougars built their lead.
The Cougars took the opening kickoff and embarked on a 10-play, 81-yard drive that only took 2:47 off the clock. King capped the drive with a 24-yard touchdown strike to Stevenson.
Senior defensive back Garrett Davis halted the Wildcats' initial possession of the game with his first of two interceptions, returning the ball to the Arizona 40-yard line.
Carr carried the ball to the 1-yard line with a 39-yard scamper, and King punched the ball into the end zone three plays later for a 14-0 Houston lead with 8:29 left.
The Houston defense forced Arizona to punt after four plays on the next drive, and the Cougar offense wasted little time in extending its lead when King connected with Brooker on a 52-yard touchdown to cap a drive that took only 72 seconds off the clock.
Sophomore kicker Dalton Witherspoon gave the Cougars a 24-0 lead after booting a 35-yard field goal – the first of Witherspoon's career – with 12:38 left in the second quarter.
Arizona advanced to the Cougar 26 on its next possession, but the Wildcats' drive was stuffed when running back Gary Brightwell fumbled on 4th-and-1.
After the two teams traded punts, the Cougars took over on their 25-yard line and enjoyed a 31-0 lead when King connected with Smith on a 13-yard touchdown – the first of Smith's career – with 1:53 left.
Forcing Arizona to punt on its first drive of the second half, the Cougars enjoyed its largest lead of the day at 38-0 when King hit junior wide receiver Keith Corbin – the first of Corbin's career – on an 18-yard touchdown with 12:09 left in the third period.
Arizona put its first mark on the scoreboard with 3:16 left in the third period on Lucas Havrisik's 49-yard field goal and enjoyed its first touchdown of the day on its next drive when running back Darrius Smith plunged into the end zone from one yard out to trim the Houston lead to 38-10 with 11 seconds remaining in the third period.
Junior quarterback Khalil Tate moved the Wildcats to within 38-16 on a 2-yard touchdown run, but the ensuing PAT was blocked with 11:05 left.
After a Houston punt, the Cougars' defense stopped the Wildcats on four straight plays from the Cougar 1 with 6:46 left. However, on Houston's ensuing possession, Arizona linebacker Colin Schooler tackled junior running back Mulbah Car in the end zone for a safety to cut the Houston lead to 38-18 with 6:35 left.
The Cougars put the game away when King rushed into the end zone from four yards out for a 45-18 advantage with 1:48 left in the contest. Stevenson highlighted the six-play, 95-yard drive with a 60-yard rush on an end-around.
Tate finished with 341 yards on 24-of-45 passing but was picked off twice by Davis. J.J. Taylor led the Wildcats with 54 rushing yards on 18 carries, while Shawn Poindexter finished with seven receptions for 134 yards to lead all players.
UP NEXT
The Cougars leave the city of Houston for the first time this season when they kick off against at Texas Tech at 3 p.m., Saturday, inside Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. That game can be seen on FOX Sports and heard live on KPRC 950 AM.
The Cougars return to the friendly confines of TDECU Stadium when they meet Texas Southern at 7 p.m., Sept. 22. Fans can purchase tickets by calling 713-462-6647 or by visiting uhcougars.com/tickets.
Team Stats
ARIZ
HOU
Total Yards
531
551
Pass Yards
381
254
Rushing Yards
150
297
Penalty Yards
85
56
1st Downs
31
28
3rd Downs
8
8
4th Downs
0
2
TOP
35:21
24:39
1st Quarter
ARIZ 0, HOU 7
HOU - STEVENSON, Marq 24 yd pass from KING, D'Eriq (WITHERSPOON, Da kick) 10 plays, 81 yards, TOP 2:47
ARIZ 0, HOU 14
HOU - KING, D'Eriq 1 yd run (WITHERSPOON, Da kick), 4 plays, 40 yards, TOP 0:49
ARIZ 0, HOU 21
HOU - BROOKER, R. 52 yd pass from KING, D'Eriq (WITHERSPOON, Da kick) 5 plays, 63 yards, TOP 1:12
2nd Quarter
ARIZ 0, HOU 24
HOU - WITHERSPOON, Da 35 yd field goal 12 plays, 47 yards, TOP 2:52
ARIZ 0, HOU 31
HOU - SMITH, Bryson 13 yd pass from KING, D'Eriq (WITHERSPOON, Da kick) 9 plays, 75 yards, TOP 1:53
3rd Quarter
ARIZ 0, HOU 38
HOU - CORBIN, Keith 18 yd pass from KING, D'Eriq (WITHERSPOON, Da kick) 6 plays, 64 yards, TOP 1:35
ARIZ 3, HOU 38
ARIZ - Havrisik, L. 49 yd field goal 9 plays, 49 yards, TOP 3:05
ARIZ 10, HOU 38
ARIZ - Smith, D. 1 yd run (Havrisik, L. kick), 6 plays, 74 yards, TOP 1:47
4th Quarter
ARIZ 16, HOU 38
ARIZ - Tate, K. 2 yd run (Havrisik, L. kickfailed), 10 plays, 75 yards, TOP 3:22
ARIZ 18, HOU 38
ARIZ - Schooler, C. 1 yd safety
ARIZ 18, HOU 45
HOU - KING, D'Eriq 4 yd run (WITHERSPOON, Da kick), 6 plays, 95 yards, TOP 3:17
Game Leaders
Passing Leaders
Players Mentioned
TE
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RB
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RB
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WR
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DB
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WR
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QB
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K
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