UH falters in second half as No. 14 Cougars can't finish in loss to No. 10 Utah

UH's defense had no answer for Utah quarterback Devon Dampier, either running or passing, as the Cougars lost control during the second half of Saturday's game in Salt Lake City. (Jeffrey D. Allred/AP Photo/Jeffrey D. Allred)

SALT LAKE CITY – On a day of chaos in the Big 12, the University of Houston couldn't deliver the final blow early Sunday morning.

The No. 14 Cougars blew a 10-point lead as No. 10 Utah's stable of backs and quarterback Devon Dampier pushed them around in a 21-13 loss at Rice-Eccles Stadium.

UH threw four incomplete passes to end its final threat, the last a 23-yard throw from Conner Weigman to Koby Young in the back of the end zone.

The Utes had extended the lead when Jackson Bennee blitzed untouched and knocked the ball loose from Weigman at the UH 10-yard line. The Utes capitalized on the next play, a touchdown run by Dampier to extend the nation's longest active winning streak to 13.

Entering Saturday, the Big 12 was the only conference with three remaining unbeaten teams.

They ended the day with one.

Cincinnati took down No. 8 Texas Tech.

UCF knocked off No. 2 BYU in double overtime.

In the nightcap, the Cougars (6-2, 3-2 Big 12) couldn't hold a 10-point lead and had no answer for Dampier, who ran for 150 yards and two touchdowns. He accounted for 354 yards of total offense and all three touchdowns.

Utah (7-0, 4-0 Big 12) moved into sole possession of first place in the conference.

UH had forced the Utes to punt with about 2 ½ minutes left. On the first play, Weigman took the snap and was hit from the blindside by Bennee, who jarred the ball loose and killed any chance of the Cougars' first top-10 road win since 2009.

SALT LAKE CITY, UT – OCTOBER 24: Houston Cougars defensive back Kentrell Webb (8) celebrates after intercepting a pass during a college football game between the Houston Cougars and Utah Utes on October 24, 2026 at Rice Eccles Stadium at Salt Lake City, Utah (Photo by Boyd Ivey/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) (Boyd Ivey/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Utah and UH entered as two of the Big 12's most explosive offenses, both averaging around 40 points per game. They combined for three points in the first half – a 24-yard field goal by UH's Jonathan Dimas.

Makhi Hughes' 2-yard run put the Cougars ahead 10-0, an authoritative 15-play, 75-yard drive opening drive of the second half that took more than eight minutes off the clock.

After being held scoreless more than 40 minutes, Utah answered with a quick five-play, 75-yard drive that took less than 2 ½ minutes. Dampier completed a couple short passes and did the rest with his legs with 50 yards, the last 22 on the Utes' only touchdown.

Dimas added a career-long 47-yard field goal in the third quarter.

Wayshawn Parker's 5-yard touchdown run gave Utah its first lead, 14-13, with about 12 minutes left in the game.

Amare Thomas finished with five catches for 133 yards.

Weigman, who played with a noticeable limp, was 19-of-34 for 282 yards and no touchdowns.

Weigman hooked up on a 41-yard completion to Young to the Utah 23 in the closing minutes. But the Cougars could get no closer.

UH once again struggled close to the goal line, coming up empty on fourth-and-1 from the Utah 3 and settling for a field goal after moving inside the 5.

UH's defense came up with two momentum-swinging plays, an interception by safety Kentrell Webb in the end zone early in the second quarter and McCutchin's pick deep in UH territory with 7:57 left.

UH played most of the game without star tight end Patrick Overmyer, who suffered an upper-body injury on the Cougars' opening drive and did not return.

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This article originally published at UH falters in second half as No. 14 Cougars can't finish in loss to No. 10 Utah.