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Houston Cougars Rally in Second Half to Defeat Georgia Southern 42-28

Conner Weigman threw four touchdowns and ran for two as Houston overcame a first-quarter deficit to beat Georgia Southern 42-28 on Saturday.

Sasha Yoder

September 27, 20262 min read

Football Victory - illustration, Jake Team LLC
NCAA FootballFinal
Houston Cougars42
Georgia Southern Eagles28

September 26, 2026

A Decisive Second-Half Surge

The Houston Cougars secured a 42-28 victory over the Georgia Southern Eagles on Saturday, September 26, 2026, at Allen E. Paulson Stadium in Statesboro, Georgia. The decisive factor in the contest was Houston's explosive second-half performance, where they outscored the hosts 28-14 to seal the win.

With a crowd of 24,112 in attendance, the Cougars improved their season record to 3-1, while the Eagles dropped to 1-3. The game featured a high-scoring affair with both teams finding the end zone consistently, but Houston's ability to sustain drives late in the game proved to be the difference.

Scoring Breakdown and Key Plays

Houston established an early lead with a 5-yard rushing touchdown by Conner Weigman in the first quarter, followed by a 22-yard pass to Koby Young. The Eagles responded in the second quarter with a 40-yard strike from Max Johnson to Alex Taylor and a 2-yard run by Ty Cummings. However, Houston reasserted control in the latter half of the second period.

Weigman added a 1-yard rushing touchdown, and Traville Frederick Jr. caught a 2-yard pass to extend the lead to 28-14 at the half. In the third quarter, Weigman connected with Trent Walker for a 23-yard touchdown, while Johnson found Taylor again for 23 yards.

The fourth quarter saw Amare Thomas catch an 11-yard pass from Weigman, and River Helms catch a 5-yard pass from Johnson to finish the scoring.

Statistical Performance

Conner Weigman was the standout performer for Houston, completing 17 of 22 passes for 239 yards and four touchdowns, while also rushing for two scores. Re'Shaun Sanford II provided a strong ground game with 17 carries for 120 yards. Trent Walker led the receiving corps with six catches for 83 yards and one touchdown.

For Georgia Southern, Max Johnson completed 26 of 38 passes for 284 yards and three touchdowns. Alex Taylor was the primary target, recording six receptions for 119 yards and two touchdowns. David Mbadinga carried the ball six times for 37 yards.

The quarter-by-quarter scoring was 14-0 in favor of Houston in the first, 14-14 in the second, 7-7 in the third, and 7-7 in the fourth.

Sources

ESPN

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Sasha Yoder

Sasha Yoder covers Richardson high school and area college sports.

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