HOUSTON – Colorado may not have solved its quarterback problem, and that’s hardly the only issue plaguing the Buffaloes.
On Friday, sophomore Ryan Staub took over as the starting quarterback, but the Buffs struggled on offense and were dominated on defense in a humbling 36-20 loss against Houston at TDECU Stadium.
In the Big 12 Conference opener for both teams, CU fell in a 13-0 hole, rallied, but then was routed in the second half against the upstart Cougars, who are 3-0 for the first time since 2016.
CU head coach Deion Sanders chose to bench senior Kaidon Salter in favor of Staub, but it failed the spark the Buffs (1-2, 0-1 Big 12), who finished with just 300 yards of total offense.
A week after going 7-for-10 for 158 yards and two touchdowns off the bench in a 31-7 win against Delaware, Staub went 19-for-35 for 204 yards, two interceptions and a touchdown against the Cougars.
Houston’s Conner Weigman threw for 222 yards and ran for two touchdowns to lead the Cougars.
It was a dismal start for the Buffs, who fell behind 13-0 in the first 16 minutes.
Staub and the offense moved the ball early on their initial possession, but stalled at the Houston 47-yard line and punted. Houston responded with a 63-yard drive to set up Ethan Sanchez’s 52-yard field goal.
The Buffs then had three consecutive three-and-outs, gaining just 19 yards on nine plays.
In between CU’s offensive struggles, the Houston offense carved up the Buffs’ defense for 10 more points.
A 49-yard run by Weigman kick-started one drive for the Cougars, capped by a 4-yard TD run by Dean Connors. Weigman’s 28-yard pass to Stephon Johnson then set up another Sanchez field goal, this one from 43 yards, to give Houston a 13-0 lead with 14:13 to play in the second quarter.
CU’s defensive unit finally got a stop and forced a Houston punt, which pinned the Buffs at their 7-yard line. Staub and the Buffs finally got their offense going, though.
Simeon Price scored on a 38-yard run to cap a 93-yard scoring march, pulling the Buffs within 13-7 midway through the second quarter.
Houston countered with another Sanchez field goal, from 47 yards, and CU’s offense went to work again.
Staub marched the Buffs 88 yards in just 73 seconds, including a 36-yard shovel pass to Omarion Miller and a 25-yard pass to Micah Welch. Staub finished the drive with a 19-yard run, fumbled at the goal line, but tight end Zach Atkins recovered in the end zone for the score.
The second quarter surged pulled CU within 16-14 at halftime, but Houston dominated the second half.
Opening the third quarter, Houston held the ball for 8:35 and got another Sanchez field goal to go up 19-14.
That was followed by another three-and-out by the Buffs’ offense, and Houston countered with a 76-yard drive capped by Weigman’s 1-yard TD run.
On CU’s next two possessions, Staub was intercepted and then the Buffs went three-and-out again. Houston put the game away from Weigman’s 54-yard pass to Stephon Johnson set up a 7-yard Weigman touchdown run. That put the Buffs in a 33-14 hole with 11:39 to go.
The Buffs added a late touchdown on a 37-yard pass from Staub to Joseph Williams with 4:34 to play. Sanchez added his fifth field goal, a 49-yarder, with 3:34 to go.
Houston 36, Colorado 20
Colorado 0 14 0 6 — 20
Houston 10 6 10 10 — 36
First quarter
HOU FG Sanchez 52, 6:42.
HOU Connors 4 run (Sanchez kick), 3:52.
Second quarter
HOU FG Sanchez 43, 14:13.
COLO Price 38 run (Mata kick), 7:33.
HOU FG Sanchez 47, 1:45.
COLO Atkins 1 run (Mata kick), :26.
Third quarter
HOU FG Sanchez 35, 6:25.
HOU Weigman 1 run (Sanchez kick), 1:21.
Fourth quarter
HOU Weigman 7 run (Sanchez kick), 11:39.
COLO J.Williams 37 pass from Staub (pass failed), 4:34.
HOU FG Sanchez 49, 3:34.
COLO HOU
First downs 15 21
Total net yards 300 431
Rushes-yards 24-96 53-209
Passing 204 222
Punt returns 0-0 2-12
Kickoff returns 7-173 1-21
Interceptions ret 0-0 2-40
Comp-att-int 19-35-2 15-24-0
Sacked yds lost 3-15 2-12
Punts 6-41.667 1-56.0
Fumbles-lost 2-0 0-0
Penalties-yards 5-40 4-35
Time of poss 23:15 36:45
INDIVIDUAL Stats
Rushing — Colorado, Price 5-51, Staub 12-36, Taylor 2-11, Welch 5-(minus 2). Houston, Connors 22-89, Weigman 17-83, Sneed 9-35, Johnson 1-5, Mews 2-1, (Team) 2-(minus 4).
Passing — Colorado, Staub 19-35-2-204. Houston, Weigman 15-24-0-222.
Receiving — Colorado, O.Miller 3-54, J.Williams 3-52, D.Miller 3-23, Taylor 3-19, Welch 2-21, S.Brown 2-15, Price 1-11, H.Williams 1-8, Atkins 1-1. Houston, Johnson 5-117, Koziol 4-33, A.Thomas 3-50, Connors 2-22, McGary 1-0.
Missed field goals — Houston, Sanchez 50.
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