No. 23 Houston opened its 2026 season with a 33-20 win over Oregon State, and the Cougars did it with a blend of explosive passing, timely defense and enough answers to survive a second-half push.
The home team piled up 533 total yards, its highest output in a game in almost three years, and improved to 8-3 as a ranked team in a season opener. Houston also moved to 32-17 in its home season opener.
Conner Weigman led the offense with a 20-for-30 night for 305 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Amare Thomas was the top target all game long, finishing with eight catches for 133 yards and a score. Houston also got three rushing touchdowns.
The tone was set early on both sides of the ball. After Houston elected to defer, the defense opened with a sack from junior defensive back Javion White, who came off the edge.
Then the offense answered with a clean 10-play, 85-yard march capped by Thomas’ 31-yard touchdown catch. Thomas did plenty of work after the catch on the play, turning the score into a 24-yard gain after breaking two tackles.
Houston’s first point after the touchdown went awry when a poor hold from Jake Sock led to redshirt sophomore kicker Jonathan Dimas missing the extra point. Oregon State quickly took advantage of a blown coverage, as sophomore quarterback Braden Atkinson hit Jesse LeGree for a 71-yard completion. The Beavers finished that series with Atkinson’s three-yard scramble for a touchdown, their only lead of the night.
Houston answered with Dimas’ 42-yard field goal and regained control at 9-7. A 47-yard connection from Weigman to redshirt sophomore wide receiver Koby Young helped set that up, and the Cougars later turned in a fourth-down stop at the Houston 48-yard line.
There were some rough patches before halftime. Makhi Hughes fumbled to open the second quarter, and both teams traded punts until redshirt junior Re’Shaun Sanford II broke free for a 56-yard touchdown run.
That pushed Houston ahead 16-7. Oregon State then missed a field goal, and Dimas added a 32-yarder just before the break.
After a 30-minute lightning delay, the third quarter began with more punts, but Houston looked ready to put the game away on a nine-play, 74-yard drive that took five minutes and ended with Hughes scoring from a yard out. That made it 26-7 and seemed to put the Cougars firmly in command.
Oregon State, though, kept swinging. Houston’s pass defense had trouble for much of the second half, and the Beavers answered with their longest drive of the night, a 14-play, 89-yard march finished by Atkinson’s seven-yard touchdown pass to LeGree. Then, after Houston moved deep into Oregon State territory early in the fourth quarter, Weigman was picked off on a tipped pass.
The Beavers cashed in again after a couple of big completions, with AJ Newberry scoring from four yards out to cut the margin to 26-20.
Houston needed a response, and Thomas delivered another huge one. Facing third-and-six from the Oregon State 42, he hauled in a 37-yard contested catch to keep the drive alive, and Weigman followed with a one-yard quarterback sneak for the touchdown. That stretched the lead to 33-20 and closed the door.
Oregon State’s final chance ended on fourth down when White got to Atkinson for his second sack of the game. Houston finished with four sacks overall.
The Cougars will stay home for Week 2 against Southern.
In Other News...
Houston Just Landed Another Backcourt Building Block For The Future
Houstons backcourt pipeline got another boost with the commitment of Darrell Davis, a four-star point guard in the 2027 class who is ranked No. 6 at his position by 247Sports. The SPIRE Academy guard in Ohio picked the Cougars after his visit, giving Kelvin Sampsons program another high-upside piece to develop for the future while the current roster keeps chasing bigger goals.
Davis had other notable options on the table, including Florida State and Mississippi State, but Houston made the kind of impression that has become increasingly familiar in this recruiting cycle. He joins Oneal Delancy in the Cougars 2027 class, which sits 16th nationally, and his pledge gives Houston another quality ballhandler to build around as the class starts to take shape. [Read more 🡒]
Houston Just Added Another Piece To A Fast-Rising 2027 Class
Beau Daniels gave Houston another boost on the recruiting trail, committing to play for Kelvin Sampson after building interest from Auburn, Boston College and Oklahoma State. The four-star forward from Iowa United Prep is the latest name to join a 2027 class that has quickly become one of the most notable groups in the country.
Daniels is the third commit in that class, which currently sits No. 1 nationally, and his pledge only adds to the momentum around Sampsons future roster building. For Houston, the appeal is obvious: keep stacking talent early, keep the class at the top and see how far the Cougars can carry that head start. [Read more 🡒]
Houston Just Gave Fans Real Reason To Believe In This Team
Houston opened the 2026 season with a 33-20 win over Oregon State, and there was plenty to like beyond simply getting the first one in the book. Senior quarterback Conner Weigman steadied the offense with 305 passing yards and a rushing touchdown, while Sanford kept the ground game moving with a touchdown of his own and Overmyer gave the passing attack another reliable target with six catches for 84 yards.
Thomas was the headliner in the receiving game, finishing with eight grabs for 133 yards and a touchdown, the kind of production that can change how a September night feels for a fan base. Whites two sacks gave Houston a needed edge on defense, and the balance across both sides of the ball left the Cougars with something more valuable than a Week 1 result - a real sense that this roster has a few different ways to win while the bigger tests still wait ahead. [Read more 🡒]