Houston Cougars win Texas Bowl thriller, down LSU 38-35

Houston quarterback Conner Weigman hands off the ball to
running back to DJ Butler in the Cougars win over LSU.
Photo by Darla S Tamulitism La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (December 27, 2025) The Houston Cougars capped off a big season with a 38-35 win over the LSU Tigers in the Kinder’s Texas Bowl at NRG Stadium on Saturday night. It was a close and exciting game that fans will remember for a long time.

The Tigers jumped out to an early lead and looked strong at first. On the very first play of the game, Barion Brown returned the opening kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown to put the Tigers up 7-0. LSU then added another score to make it 14-0 in the first quarter.

However, the Cougars did not give up. Quarterback Conner Weigman, who was selected the game's MVP, as voted by the media, led a big comeback for the Cougars. He was sharp all night, throwing four touchdown passes and finishing with 236 passing yards. Weigman connected with key receivers like Amare Thomas and Tanner Koziol to help Houston erase the early deficit.

In the post game press conference, the UH quarterback was asked about his favorite moment on the field, from the celebration or in the locker room; something that he thought was goin to stick with him.

Yeah, just some of the seniors; Tanner (Kozios), Dean (Conners), Matt (Wykoff), all those guys; that was the last time I'm going to be able to play football with those guys. It meant a lot to me. Those are my brothers.

Houston took the lead and did not look back. Ethan Sanchez hit a 25-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter to push the Cougars ahead 31-28. Then Dean Connors scored a 20-yard rushing touchdown with just over two minutes left, making it 38-28 and giving Houston a big boost.

LSU tried to rally late, and Zavion Thomas scored a rushing touchdown with about a minute to play, cutting the deficit to 38-35. But Houston recovered the onside kick and ran out the clock to seal the victory.

The win gave Houston a 10-3 final season record with the Tigers finish 7-6,

Baylor and LSU set for showdown in Texas Bowl

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (December 30, 2024) The Baylor Bears and LSU Tigers are gearing up for an exciting clash at NRG Stadium in the Kinder's Texas Bowl on Tuesday, bringing together two teams with plenty of history, talent, and momentum. Both schools are familiar with the Texas Bowl, with Baylor making its third appearance and LSU also visiting for the third time. The Bears defeated Vanderbilt 45-38 in 2018 but lost to Illinois in 2010. LSU's last trip to the Texas Bowl in 2022 ended in a 42-20 loss to Kansas State.

Baylor comes into the game riding a six-game winning streak. After starting the season 2-4, the Bears turned things around with victories over Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, TCU, West Virginia, Houston, and Kansas. Quarterback Sawyer Robertson has been key during this stretch, throwing seven of his 26 touchdown passes. Robertson has 2,626 passing yards this season, completing 199 of 317 passes with just seven interceptions.

The Bears also boast standout players on both sides of the ball. Inside linebackers Matt Jones and Keaton Thomas earned First-Team All-Big 12 honors. Thomas leads the team with 107 tackles, while Jones has 103. Wide receiver Josh Cameron has been a dual threat with 643 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. Cameron’s average of 20.7 yards per punt return is the best in the nation for players with at least 14 returns.

Freshman running back Bryson Washington has been another bright spot for Baylor. He rushed for 1,004 yards this season, setting a school record for a freshman, and scored 12 touchdowns.

LSU’s offense will be led by quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, who is having a stellar season. Nussmeier has thrown for 3,739 yards with 26 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He needs 261 passing yards to become only the second quarterback in LSU history to hit the 4,000-yard mark in a season. Nussmeier has shined against non-conference opponents, throwing for 1,766 yards and 16 touchdowns in five such games since last year.

Freshman running back Caden Durham has contributed 693 rushing yards and six touchdowns, while LSU’s offensive line has been anchored by standout left tackle Will Campbell, a Consensus All-American. However, Campbell and right tackle Emery Jones will both miss the game after opting out.

On defense, LSU has a rich history of success under head coach Brian Kelly and will look to improve their 6-8 record in bowl games against Big 12 opponents.

This will be the first meeting between Baylor and LSU in 39 years. Baylor holds a 2-1 edge in bowl matchups, including a 21-7 victory in the Liberty Bowl in 1985. The game is also part of the Texas Bowl’s tradition of matching SEC and Big 12 teams, a streak that has continued for the past decade.

A win would be historic for Baylor, as the Bears have never ended a season with seven consecutive victories. For LSU, it’s a chance to secure their 31st bowl win and build momentum heading into next season.