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Houston Cougars prove to be complete in gritty win over Cincinnati

By Collin Wieder

Sep 15, 2016; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Houston Cougars linebacker Steven Taylor (41) carries the ball for a touchdown after making an interception against the Cincinnati Bearcats in the second half at Nippert Stadium. Houston won 40-16. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 15, 2016; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Houston Cougars linebacker Steven Taylor (41) carries the ball for a touchdown after making an interception against the Cincinnati Bearcats in the second half at Nippert Stadium. Houston won 40-16. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /
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Houston broke out with 28 fourth quarter points and flexed its defensive muscle to beat Cincinnati 40-16 in a gritty conference game.

The Houston Cougars struggled to get going offensively. Luckily for the Cougars, the defense made key stops to grab a solid conference win.

Houston’s been known for its offensive dominance and Tom Herman ingenuity. However, the offense was stagnant and turnover prone throughout the contest. Quarterback Greg Ward Jr. couldn’t throw the ball consistently because of a shoulder injury he sustained against Oklahoma.

The offensive line was sporadic in the run game as well causing a meager 3.2 yards per carry on 57 carries. The rushing numbers were affected by sack yardage, but Ward still didn’t create his usual plays on the ground.

Early in the fourth quarter, the Cougars trailed the Bearcats 16-12. Fans, analysts and pollsters were ready to sink the top non power-5 school from playoff contention. As soon as those thoughts began to creep in, the Cougars offense scored a touchdown to take a three-point lead. The defense then took over the game intercepting Bearcats’ quarterback Hayden Moore on three consecutive drives, two of which were returned for touchdowns.

28 unanswered points later and the Cougars’ title hopes were alive. It wasn’t because of its flashy offensive scheme. It was simply because of Houston’s defense led by senior linebacker Steven Taylor. He put up an All-American level performance. He recorded nine tackles, two sacks and an interception return for a touchdown.

The win wasn’t pretty by any standard. Houston’s offense committed three turnovers and failed to turn possessions into points. Houston didn’t need to look pretty. It just needed to come away with a win. The defense allowed just 307 total yards and 1.2 yards per rush. The Cougars’ secondary needs work after allowing 277 yards through the air. Those numbers didn’t mean much in the end as the Bearcats scored just two touchdowns.

Despite the offensive woes, the Cougars should view this as a blessing disguise. They put their defense on the spot and it responded with a resounding win. They proved they could win against Oklahoma, but this win adds to its resume.

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Houston gets a quick reprieve with Texas State next week before starting AAC play. This year the AAC isn’t nearly as strong, but it will still be a tall order going undefeated. The Cougars look the part, now they need to prove it the rest of the way.

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