Box Score
Texas State At Houston Postgame Notes
Texas State At Houston Game Stats In PDF Format


Houston- In a game that featured four turnovers and its defense giving up some big plays, the Texas State football team suffered a 59-14 loss at Houston on Saturday night at TDECU Stadium.
 
How It Happened:
After Houston took an early 7-0 lead on the game's opening drive, Texas State looked poised to tie the score. Tyler Jones hit tight end Lawrence White for a 17-yard reception. However, White fumbled the ball at Houston's 15-yard line for the first Bobcat turnover.
 
Texas State regained some momentum when the Bobcats held the Cougars on downs at the TXST 43-yard line. The Bobcats quickly tied the score at 7-7 when Jones capped off the 57-yard drive with a four-yard touchdown run.
 
However, those were the final points that Texas State would score in the first half, and the Cougars seized control of the game when they scored touchdowns on four consecutive drives. The first TD came when Greg Ward hit Steven Dunbar for a 65-yard touchdown pass and run.
                                 
After the Bobcats were forced to punt on their ensuing drive, Ward scored another TD on a one-yard quarterback keeper.
 
With Houston leading 21-7, the Bobcats appeared to be on another scoring drive, but C. J. Best fumbled after catching a 24-yard pass from Jones at Houston's 33-yard line. UH was called for an illegal block in the back after the interception and took over at its eight-yard line. The Cougars escaped potential trouble when Ward hit DeMarcus Ayers for a 50-yard pass on the first play. The drive ended with Ward hitting Ayers for a three-yard TD pass to give the Cougars a 28-7 lead.
 
Houston would score two more touchdowns in the second quarter when Ward  again hit Ayers for a six-yard TD pass and William Jackson intercepted a pass by Jones at Texas State's 35 yard-line and returned it for a touchdown to give the Cougars a 42-7 lead at halftime.
 
After Houston scored 10 more points in the third quarter on a 24-yard field goal by Kyle Bullard following another interception and Ward's nine-yard TD run, Texas State scored its only points in the second half when Chris Nutall capped off a 75-yard drive with a one-yard TD run.
 
Houston added one last touchdown on a 25-yard run by Ryan Jackson to make the final score, 59-14.
 
 
Quotable:
"Nobody gave up or gave in.  This was a hard night and things didn't go our way. We are not this bad of a team. We have to get this thing going back in the right direction." – Texas State head coach Dennis Franchione
 
Who Stood Out:
Tyler Jones completed 29 of his 44 passes for 288 yards, and rushed for 35 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries. Robert Lowe led the Bobcats with 36 yards rushing. Demun Mercer led Texas State with six receptions for 71 yards and Jafus Gaines added six catches for 60 yards.
 
Junior quarterback Greg Ward led Houston after completing 17 of 21 passes for 274 yards and four touchdowns and rushed for 91 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries.

What It Means:
The Bobcats will have a much needed bye week to recover and refocus as they end their non-conference season with 1-3 record.
 
Up Next: 
Following the bye week, Texas State will travel to UL Lafayette on Oct. 10 before returning home to host South Alabama on Oct. 24.