No. 17 Houston held off Cincinnati 31-24, with Re'Shaun Sanford II’s 51-yard fourth-quarter touchdown run breaking a tie with 5:10 left. Conner Weigman threw for 227 yards and two touchdowns as the Cougars improved to 7-2 and stayed in the Big 12 title race.

By the Numbers
  • Sanford II: 126 rushing yards, including the go-ahead 51-yard touchdown.
  • Houston: 468 total yards; Weigman completed 17 of 24 passes for 227 yards and two touchdowns.
  • Cincinnati: 9 of 14 on third down; 5-4 overall and 2-4 in Big 12 play.
Yes, But

Cincinnati had a chance to rally, but a replay review ruled a late swing pass a backward pass, and Houston recovered the ball. Bearcats coach Scott Satterfield called the ruling frustrating; Houston coach Willie Fritz said the Cougars would take the turnover.

State of Play
  • Houston is 7-2 overall and 4-2 in the Big 12, with three regular-season games remaining.
  • Cincinnati has lost two straight and needs one more win to become bowl-eligible.
What's Next

Houston visits Colorado on Friday, then travels to West Virginia on Nov. 21 before hosting Baylor on Nov. 28.

Bottom Line

Sanford’s late breakaway run sealed a consequential win: Houston remains in the conference-title picture, while Cincinnati’s bowl hopes are still alive but tightening.