Colorado runs for five touchdowns to upset No. 14 Houston

Colorado ran for five touchdowns and scored 28 straight points to beat No. 14 Houston 42-32 on Friday night at Folsom Field. Richard Young ran for 99 yards and two touchdowns as the Buffaloes gained 249 yards on the ground and earned their first win over an AP top-15 team since 2007.

Houston led 20-7 with 2:36 left in the first half after Jonathan Dimas kicked a 52-yard field goal. DeKalon Taylor ran 67 yards for a touchdown 47 seconds later. JaQuail Smith added a 32-yard touchdown with 15 seconds left to give Colorado a 21-20 halftime lead.

Young had opened Colorado’s scoring earlier in the quarter with a 38-yard run. The Buffaloes gained 225 yards in the second quarter alone. They added to the lead on Isaac Wilson’s 53-yard touchdown pass to Joseph Williams on the opening possession of the third quarter. Kaneal Sweetwyne’s 14-yard run made it 35-20.

“We played against a very outstanding team,” Colorado coach Deion Sanders said. “I’m thankful we’re able to come out of there with a victory.”

Conner Weigman threw for 272 yards and three touchdowns for Houston (7-3, 4-3 Big 12). Makhi Hughes ran for 106 yards and a touchdown. The Cougars cut the deficit to 35-26 on Weigman’s 22-yard pass to Patrick Overmyer, then Young’s 2-yard run with 3:59 left pushed the lead back to 16.

Wilson threw for 217 yards and Williams led Colorado with 80 receiving yards. The Buffaloes forced two second-half turnovers and improved to 4-6 overall and 2-5 in the Big 12. They visit Cincinnati next Saturday and close the regular season at home against UCF on Nov. 28.

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