No. 25 UH avoids a scare, pulls away from pesky Georgia Southern in second half for win

STATESBORO, Ga. - They scored on a flea-flicker and then caught the University of Houston napping on an onside kick.

They kept exposing a UH pass defense that has been a weak link during the first month of the season.

They chanted, "Whose House? Our House!" inside Allen E. Paulson Stadium.

And for part of the first half Saturday, Georgia Southern had the No. 25 Cougars on the ropes.

With the game tied, UH answered with four straight touchdown drives and pulled away for a 42-28 non-conference victory over Georgia Southern.

UH's offense produced at least 440 yards for the fourth time this season and scored touchdowns on six of seven drives.

"We feel like we haven't reached our full potential," said wide receiver Koby Young, who caught his fourth touchdown of the season.

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Conner Weigman threw for 239 yards and accounted for six touchdowns for the Cougars. UH did not punt until 6 ½ minutes left in the game.

The Cougars (3-1) won in the first visit by a Power Four team to Statesboro and in the return of coach Willie Fritz, who won a Sun Belt title in two seasons at Georgia Southern .

"I knew nobody in the state of Georgia when I came here," said Fritz, who coached the Eagles from 2014-15. "I remember when they wanted me to take the job. They said, 'Do you have any questions?' I said, 'Yeah, why don't want to hire me?' I came in here and these people embraced me. I just love them. They are good, good people."

HOU_K.Young 22 pass from Weigman (Dimas kick), 2:31.

GASO_Taylor 40 pass from M.Johnson (T.Bryant kick), 13:32.

GASO_Cummings 2 run (T.Bryant kick), 9:28.

HOU_Frederick 2 pass from Weigman (Dimas kick), :52.

HOU_T.Walker 23 pass from Weigman (Dimas kick), 11:25.

GASO_Taylor 23 pass from M.Johnson (T.Bryant kick), 6:34.

GASO_Helms 5 pass from M.Johnson (T.Bryant kick), 8:32.

HOU_A.Thomas 11 pass from Weigman (Dimas kick), 14:10.

RUSHING_Houston, Sanford 17-122, Hughes 16-70, Weigman 5-12, (Team) 2-(minus 2). Georgia Southern, Mbadinga 6-37, Bryan 6-25, Bradshaw 1-4, Samuel 4-4, Todd 1-2, Cummings 1-2, M.Johnson 7-(minus 8).

PASSING_Houston, Weigman 17-22-0-239. Georgia Southern, M.Johnson 27-41-0-278, Bryan 1-1-0-5.

RECEIVING_Houston, T.Walker 6-83, A.Thomas 5-50, Overmyer 3-68, K.Young 1-22, Hughes 1-14, Frederick 1-2. Georgia Southern, Dallas 8-50, Taylor 6-119, Helms 5-25, Ware 3-27, Todd 2-35, Greene 2-10, Bradshaw 1-12, Phillips 1-5.

UH (3-1) appeared in control early, capitalizing on an early turnover to jump out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. Georgia Southern fumbled on the fifth play of the game, setting up Weigman's 5-yard run. Weigman added a 22-yard touchdown pass to Young.

Georgia Southern (1-3) answered with a trick play, as quarterback Max Johnson took the flea-flicker and tossed a 40-yard pass to Alex Taylor, who made the touchdown grab while falling backward with a defender in tight coverage.

Georgia Southern coach Clay Helton, a former UH quarterback in the early 1990s and son of former coach Kim Helton, caught the Cougars off guard with an onside kick on the ensuing kickoff. Eagles kicker Blake Ford bounced a high kick that Josh Dallas recovered 11 yards downfield, setting up an eight-play, 54-yard drive that was capped by a 2-yard run by Ty Cummings to tie the game at 14.

UH closed out the first half with a pair of touchdowns - a 1-yard run by Weigman and 2-yard catch by Traville Frederick Jr. Tight end Patrick Overmyer set up the go-ahead touchdown with a 47-yard catch to the Eagles 4. Re'Shaun Sanford II had 42 of his career-high 120 rushing yards on the final touchdown drive before halftime.

Trent Walker, a transfer from Oregon State, had his best game as a Cougar with six catches - matching his entire total in the first three games - for 83 yards, including a 23-yard touchdown catch on the opening drive of the second half. All six of Walker's catches resulted in first downs.

"That kind of put it out of danger," Fritz said of scoring to begin the second half.

Weigman completed 17-of-22 passes for four touchdowns, one shy of his career high.

Amare Thomas added an 11-yard score early in the fourth quarter, his nation-best ninth straight game with a TD catch.

Taylor had a 23-yard catch in the third quarter, his second touchdown of the game, to pull Georgia Southern within 35-21. Georgia Southern closed within 42-28 on a 5-yard TD catch by River Helms with 8:20 left. After forcing a UH punt, the Eagles converted a fourth-and-4 near midfield. Faced with another fourth down attempt, Johnson's pass was incomplete to seal UH's victory.

UH's pass defense struggled again, allowing seventh-year quarterback Johnson, who played two seasons at Texas A&M , to complete 26-of-38 for 284 yards and three touchdowns. Taylor had six catches for 119 yards and two touchdowns.

"There was three or four times we had a chance to shut the door and make a play and we didn't quite do it," Fritz said. "That happens. Sometimes there is going to be a game we're relying on the defense like crazy."