Ward injured his ankle during Saturday night’s 35-34 win over Memphis. He completed 21-of-33 passes for 236 yards and a touchdown, adding 49 yards and another touchdown on the ground. Jake Elliott, who has hit 16 of 18 field goals this year, has the second most field goals made in school history (53). Quarterback Paxton Lynch found wideout Alan Cross open for a 38 yard touchdown catch, putting Memphis up 10-0.
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The inexperienced Kyle Postma entered the game and quickly threw a 30-yard touchdown pass to Linell Bonner, finally getting Houston onto the scoreboard for the first time with 0:37 left in the first half.
“Obviously, everyone is upset because we were up pretty big, and we just let it get away from us”, Lynch said.
Memphis’ defense has been suspect this season, giving up just under 29 points per game.
Houston came out after halftime, taking possession of the ball in the second half and quickly scored on a seven-yard carry into the end zone by Kenneth Farrow and another kicking extra point by Cummings. Overall, this should be a close game featuring two very fast-paced and high-scoring offenses. Quarterback Tanner Mangum and the Cougars are in the middle of a five game winning streak and they finally appear to have figured out how to overcome the loss of previous QB Taysom Hill.
Dorceus had 116 yards on 26 carries with a 6-yard touchdown run halfway through the third quarter. Houston scored seven snaps later – consuming a precious 2:19 – when Javin Webb pushed in from one yard out. “We’ll find more out tomorrow when he comes in”.
The reason the Houston Cougars are in their current position has a lot to do with the quarterback play of Junior, Greg Ward Jr. After a Memphis three-and-out, Postma led the drive to give the Cougars the lead. Nine seconds into the fourth quarter, the Tigers capped a 12-play, 68-yard drive with a 25-yard run by Tevin Jones to take a 34-14 lead.
Last year, as offensive coordinator at Ohio State, Herman helped guide Ohio State to the national championship despite losing Braxton Miller for the season before it even began, and then despite losing J.T. Barrett in the regular season finale. Dorceus in turn tops team rushing.
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Texans’ JJ Watt and DeAndre Hopkins, former major league pitcher Roger Clemens, who spent three seasons with the Astros and pitched for the Texas Longhorns, and Houston rapper Bun B were a part of a record crowd of 42,159 at TDECU Stadium.
