Turning Point
The decisive moment for the Houston Cougars arrived in the fourth quarter when Conner Weigman capped a scoring drive with a one-yard touchdown run. That play extended the home team's lead to 33-20, securing a 33-20 victory over the visiting Oregon State Beavers on Saturday, September 5, 2026, at TDECU Stadium in Houston. The win improved Houston's record to 1-0, while Oregon State fell to 0-1.
First-Half Dominance
Houston established an early lead in the first period. Amare Thomas hauled in a 31-yard pass from Weigman for a touchdown, though the extra point attempt by Jonathan Dimas failed. Oregon State responded with a three-yard run by Braden Atkinson, but Houston regained the lead with a 42-yard field goal by Dimas. The second quarter saw Houston extend their advantage. Re'Shaun Sanford II broke off a 56-yard run for a touchdown, followed by a 32-yard field goal from Dimas. The half ended with Houston leading 19-7.
Second-Half Scoring
The third quarter produced further separation. Makhi Hughes rushed one yard for a touchdown, pushing the score to 26-7. Oregon State managed to reduce the deficit slightly when Jesse Legree caught a seven-yard pass from Atkinson for a touchdown, although the two-point conversion attempt failed. The Beavers closed the quarter with a seven-yard run by AJ Newberry, bringing the score to 26-13 before the fourth quarter began. Wait, the score was 26-13 after the conversion fail? No, the score was 26-7 after Hughes TD. Then Legree TD made it 26-13. Then Newberry TD made it 26-20. The facts say Period 4 started with [20-26] AJ Newberry 4 Yd Run. Let me re-read the facts carefully.
Correction on scoring order: 1. P1: Thomas TD (0-6). 2. P1: Atkinson TD (7-6). 3. P1: Dimas FG (7-9). 4. P2: Sanford TD (7-16). 5. P2: Dimas FG (7-19). 6. P3: Hughes TD (7-26). 7. P3: Legree TD (13-26). 8. P4: Newberry TD (20-26). 9. P4: Weigman TD (20-33).
