Houston secured its first win under new head coach Willie Fritz, defeating cross-city rival Rice 33-7 in a dominant performance at the Bayou Bucket on Saturday night.

The Cougars, now 1-2, featured a much-improved offense led by quarterback Donovan Smith, who threw for 142 yards and three touchdowns. Running back Stacy Sneed also played a key role, rushing for 82 yards, including a 65-yard touchdown run that set the tone early in the first quarter.

Houston’s offense, which had struggled in the first two games of the season, finally found its rhythm. Sneed’s 65-yard touchdown run around the right side gave the Cougars an early 7-0 lead with just over five minutes left in the first quarter. Moments later, Mekhi Mews electrified the crowd with a 75-yard punt return that scored a touchdown and extended Houston’s lead to 14-0. That quick burst of points rattled Rice and set the stage for Houston’s dominating first half.

The Cougars continued to capitalize on Rice’s mistakes, with Michael Batton recovering a botched punt from Rice. Smith then threw a 44-yard touchdown pass to Stephon Johnson midway through the second quarter, increasing Houston’s lead to 20-0 at halftime. Smith’s passing and leadership on the field were crucial to Houston’s success, as he completed 12 of 21 passes and scored two rushing touchdowns, one from 1 yard out and another impressive 37-yard run in the second half. The Cougars outgained Rice 379 to 159 in yards, showing a balanced attack that had been lacking in their previous games.

On defense, Houston stifled Rice’s offense, limiting quarterback EJ Warner to just 50 yards on 12 of 21 passing and one interception. The Cougars’ defense was relentless, holding Rice to just 2 of 13 third-down conversions and limiting the Owls’ running attack to just 32 yards from lead runner Dean Connors, who managed just one touchdown on a 4-yard run. Although Rice entered the game with the nation’s best sack total, her three sacks and nine tackles for loss were not enough to slow Houston’s offense.

Houston’s victory was not without its challenges, however. The team committed five penalties for 64 yards and two players in the secondary, cornerback Latrell McCutchen Sr. and defensive back Juwon Gaston, were ejected for targeting violations in the second and third quarters, respectively. These ejections tested the strength of Houston’s defense, but the Cougars managed to maintain control of the game.

Looking ahead, Houston prepares for a road game against Cincinnati and hopes to build on its newfound offensive momentum.