UH Cougars lose to Rice in Double OT

Written by MAi' Ghen Storm | Photo credit: Oscar Herrera- SFL Staff Photographer

University of Houston--Despite a 28-point comeback in the fourth quarter, the University of Houston Football team lost 43-41 in double overtime to Rice in Rice Stadium.

Just 15 seconds into regulation, the Cougars (1-1) rallied from a 28-0 deficit to tie the game at 28-28 on junior quarterback Donovan Smith's 1-yard touchdown run.

The Cougars' offense was led by sophomore wide receiver Matthew Golden, who recorded his second career multi-touchdown game, and sophomore wide receiver Samuel Brown, who caught nine passes for 138 yards. With Smith scoring three rushing touchdowns and going 24 for 42 for 260 yards and two touchdowns in the passing game, Houston ended the game on a high note. Sophomore running back Stacey Sneed scored his first touchdown of the season to cap the scoring for the Cougars. 

Isaiah Hamilton led the Cougars' defensive effort with 1.5 tackles for loss and a forced fumble while catching his eighth career interception. 

As the Cougars trailed by four scores with 2:43 left in the second quarter, they rallied for 28 unanswered points to force overtime for just the second time in Bayou Bucket history. 

Houston tied the game at 28-7 with 2:42 left in the first half when Golden caught a 10-yard pass from Smith. With nine seconds left on the clock, Hamilton leaped for an interception in the end zone to keep it a three-score game heading into halftime.  

In the fourth quarter, the Cougars rallied after a scoreless third quarter. With 14:05 left in the fourth quarter, Houston's Smith started a drive with a fumble recovery to cut the Cougars' deficit to 28-14. Sneed, who ran for 14 yards on the next drive, put Houston down by seven with 3:46 remaining.

With 2:49 left in regulation, Houston had a chance to tie it after forcing Rice (1-1) to go three-and-out. A one-yard scramble by Smith capped an eight-play, 40-yard drive by Smith and the offense to tie the game with 15 seconds left. 

In overtime, Golden caught his second touchdown of the game on a 2-yard pass from Smith, but Rice forced a second extra period by scoring on a 3-yard rush by Daelen Alexander to even the score 35-35. 

In the second overtime frame, Alexander scored again for the Owls and added a two-point conversion to put Rice up 43-35. The Cougars failed on their two-point attempt on Houston's 2OT possession as Smith scored his third touchdown of the game.