No. 22 Houston didn’t just beat Southern on Saturday night at TDECU Stadium - it buried the Jaguars in a 77-6 rout that turned into a full-blown showcase. The Cougars were favored by nearly 52 points and still cleared that number comfortably, winning by 71 after building a 49-0 halftime lead.
That margin gave Houston room to empty the bench and spread the snaps around, but the first-team impact was obvious early. The Cougars’ defense, after failing to force a turnover against Oregon State in Week 1, flipped the script with three takeaways that directly led to 21 points on offense.
It started with fifth-year cornerback Jalen Mayo, who came flying off the edge on a first-quarter blitz and forced a fumble from Southern quarterback Christian Johnson. Redshirt freshman linebacker DK Mays pounced on it. Houston later got another turnover when it recovered a lateral pass from Johnson on the next drive, with senior linebacker Sione Fotu first to the ball.
Then fifth-year senior safety Jordan Allen finally picked off the first interception of his college career, snagging a pass from Jaguars quarterback Ashton Strother in the second quarter and setting Houston up at the opponent 25-yard line. By the end of the night, the Cougars had held Southern to 121 total yards and -6 rushing yards.
Houston’s offense was just as ruthless. The Cougars went 11-for-11 on scoring drives, with every possession ending in a touchdown except the final drive of the game, when the score was already 77-6. They didn’t attempt a field goal at all, staying true to the program’s approach to prioritizing touchdowns over settling for three.
Redshirt sophomore wide receiver Young was one of the biggest winners. He had been a standout in fall camp, and on Saturday he delivered his first two collegiate touchdowns while finishing with three catches for 54 yards. His first score came on a 43-yard strike from senior quarterback Conner Weigman, who found him on an intermediate route after Young got separation from his defender.
The night also belonged to freshman quarterback Henderson, who entered in the middle of the second quarter and immediately looked like a player Houston can build around. After a fumbled snap, he broke loose for a 54-yard rushing touchdown, flashing the speed and change of direction that made him the best dual-threat quarterback in his class. He also threw his first career touchdown, a seven-yard pass to Young.
Freshman running back Hebert got his chance too, and the local former four-star prospect made it count. In his first college game, he ran five times for 65 yards and a touchdown and added one catch for 20 yards and another score. His 20-yard receiving touchdown stood out most, with Hebert breaking multiple tackles before finishing the play in the end zone.
In Other News...
Houston Offense Faces One Big Test In A Game It Should Control
Week 2 should give Houston a chance to settle in and sharpen its offense against Southern, with the Cougars entering as the clear favorite in a game that, on paper, ought to be controlled from the start. The setup points to a ground-heavy approach, with the offensive plan likely built around keeping things simple, staying ahead of the chains and giving the staff a chance to see how the pieces fit when the game script leans heavily their way.
Amare Thomas is among the players who could benefit from that kind of environment, while Conner Weigman remains a key figure in how Houston wants to manage the offense. Keisean Henderson also sits in the picture as a young quarterback option the Cougars would like to evaluate more closely, and a lopsided game could create the kind of opportunity that tells Houston more about where it stands as it looks beyond Saturday. [Read more 🡒]
Houston Must Clean Up One Troubling Problem Before Big 12 Play
Houston heads into Week 2 with a win in hand, but the film from the opener left enough to worry about before Big 12 play arrives. In the close victory over Oregon State, the Cougars showed cracks in the secondary and struggled at times with tackling and coverage, the kind of problems that can turn a good start into a long afternoon once conference opponents start circling.
Willie Fritz did not sugarcoat the aftermath, pointing to mistakes the staff can clean up quickly if the response is sharp this week. Southern offers a chance to tighten the operation, settle the defense and reduce the self-inflicted damage that showed up in the opener, but the bigger question is whether Houston can make those corrections before the schedule gets much less forgiving. [Read more 🡒]
Houston Cannot Afford A Sloppy Night Before Big 12 Play
Houston gets its last tuneup before Big 12 play when it hosts Southern at TDECU Stadium on Saturday night, a game that should look like a clear mismatch on paper but still carries real weight for the Cougars. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. on ESPN+, and after opening the season with a win, Houston enters the week with a little momentum and the kind of spotlight that comes with being in the rankings.
Southern arrives with first-year coach Marshall Faulk and a 1-1 record, which gives the Jaguars enough early-season traction to make this more than a routine walkthrough. For Houston, the bigger issue is execution. A clean, businesslike performance would let the Cougars turn the page toward conference play with confidence, while any sloppiness would linger a little longer than it should for a team trying to set its tone for what comes next. [Read more 🡒]