Junior running back Re’Shaun Sanford II knew he was close to breaking through against Cincinnati.
Even his teammates sensed it.
“We were just waiting for it,” seventh-year defensive lineman Quindario Lee said.
Already with 75 rushing yards on the evening, Sanford had multiple first-half runs where he felt he could have “beat the last guy.”
Still, Sanford was confident that one of those smaller gains would eventually turn into something bigger.
“To keep churning away at the small runs and being able to finally break through,” Sanford said. “I knew it was going to come.”
It couldn’t have come at a better time for Sanford and Houston in its 31-24 win over Cincinnati on Saturday evening.
With the game tied at 24 late in the fourth quarter, Sanford broke loose for a 51-yard touchdown, outrunning three Cincinnati defenders to deliver the Cougars’ decisive score.
Sanford, recently named to the Comeback Player of the Year Midseason Watch List, added to his case behind a career-high 126 rushing yards on 15 carries.
“I think with every game I’ve gotten more confident,” Sanford said. “Every time I go back and watch film, I see myself doing more than the last game. Especially comparing to years past, I see how much I’ve grown.”
Houston’s collective, late-game efforts reflected its growth in managing close contests, with timely plays on both sides of the ball helping secure the win.
Cincinnati’s offense had an opportunity to tie or take the lead following Sanford’s touchdown, progressing all the way to Houston’s 36-yard line with 2:42 remaining in the game.
A backwards pass by fifth-year quarterback JC French IV was ruled a fumble and recovered by Houston junior linebacker Christian Brathwaite, giving the Cougars possession and an opportunity to put the game away.
Brathwaite saw an increased role in practice which carried over into Saturday, as fifth-year linebacker Sione Fotu and his wife welcomed the birth of their daughter.
“You can really understand why,” coach Willie Fritz said. “He had something a little more important than a football game to take care of.”
Senior running back Makhi Hughes had an opportunity to join teammate Sanford in the scoring column in the final two minutes, after breaking away for a run that would have seen him finish with over 100 rushing yards.
Instead, Hughes opted to slide down and run the clock out.
“A lot of guys would’ve tried to go score or pad their stats,” Fritz said. “He made the smart play because the game was over at that point. He got down.”
Houston put Cincinnati down 14-0 early, behind two first-quarter touchdown drives that both resulted in receiving touchdowns for senior wide receiver Amare Thomas, who now has 20 in 22 games as a Cougar, going back to last season.
With his first-quarter scores, Thomas became Houston’s first receiver to do so since Tank Dell vs. Navy over four years ago. He finished with 78 yards.
“As a receiver, you have to make the best of your opportunity whenever it comes,” Thomas said. “So in my mind, every time I touch (the ball), I’m trying to score.”
With Cincinnati facing 3rd-and-10 midway through the fourth quarter, fifth-year cornerback Jalen Mayo committed a costly pass interference, giving the Bearcats a new set of downs.
Officials ejected fifth-year safety Jordan Allen for targeting following a hit on Cincinnati fifth-year wide receiver, JV Gibson, who was subsequently carted off the field on a stretcher with a head injury. The Bearcats scored on a 1-yard touchdown to tie the game after a somber moment on the field.
Gibson was later discharged from Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center following evaluation, while alert and moving all extremities prior to transport.
“Hopefully that young man is fine and everything,” Fritz said. “Our thoughts and prayers go his way.”
After dropping two of its four November contests last season, Houston entered the final month of the regular season looking to avoid a similar stumble.
The Cougars started and finished strong against Cincinnati, a formula they’re looking to replicate throughout November as they continue their pursuit of a Big 12 championship game appearance.
“The thing that was tough was we just hadn’t played for a couple weeks,” Fritz said. “You got to get squared away with playing again when you take off that amount of time. I gave the guys quite a bit of time off because we needed to get healthy.”
A healthier fifth-year quarterback Conner Weigman finished with three total touchdowns (two passing, one rushing) and 227 passing yards while completing 71 percent of his passes.
A healthier senior tight end Patrick Overmyer finished behind Thomas with 66 receiving yards. Senior linebacker Jaden Yates led the team with nine tackles. Both returned from injuries ahead of Houston’s matchup with Cincinnati.
Houston’s homecoming win improved the Cougars’ record at home to 5-0 this season, following a year where, despite 10 wins, they only finished 3-3 at TDECU Stadium.
“We made it an emphasis. When people come to your house, you’re supposed to defend it,” Sanford said. “Dating all the way back to last year, it’s a mentality thing.”
Houston’s next two games will be away from home, beginning with a trip to Boulder, Colo., to face Colorado at Folsom Field on Friday, Nov. 13 at 9:15 p.m. C.T.
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