Sep 15, 2016; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Houston Cougars quarterback Greg Ward Jr. (1) carries the ball for a touchdown against the Cincinnati Bearcats in the second half at Nippert Stadium. Houston won 40-16. Photo Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
CINCINNATI — Heisman Trophy-candidate Greg Ward and the Houston defense was more than enough to help the No. 6 Cougars overcome three turnovers against the Cincinnati Bearcats at Nippert Stadium on Thursday.
The Houston senior quarterback threw for 326 yards and a touchdown and rushed for a team-high 73 yards and two fourth-quarter touchdowns as the Cougars came from behind for a 40-16 win over the Bearcats in the American Athletic Conference opener for a both teams.
Ward scored on a 12-yard scramble with 11:45 left in the game to give Houston a 19-16 lead. He added a three-yard scoring run with 6:16 left to clinch the Cougars’ 3-0 start before Alex Taylor and Howard Wilson tacked on returns of interceptions for touchdowns on back-to-back Bearcat offensive plays.
Houston took a 12-10 lead with 10:30 left in the third quarter when Tion Green tried to run from its own one-yard line and, predictably, was stuffed for a safety by outside linebacker Tyus Bowser. Houston, ranked second in the country in rushing defense going into the game, held Cincinnati (2-1) to 30 rushing yards.
The Cougars reached Cincinnati’s one-yard line late in the third quarter, but Alex Thomas stopped the drive with an interception in the end zone — Houston’s third turnover. Hayden Moore’s 35-yard flea-flicker pass to Mike Boone set up a go-ahead four-yard catch by Nate Cole for a 16-12 Cincinnati lead three seconds into the fourth quarter.
Houston needed only two plays and 41 seconds after a 34-yard Sam Geraci punt left the Cougars with a first down at their own 46. On the second play of the possession, Ward found Chance Allen for a 39-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead.
Cincinnati bounced right back five plays later with Moore’s 61-yard bomb to wide receiver Devin Gray, who got behind the Houston defense on a post pattern for his first career touchdown reception.
Houston started rolling Ward more in the backfield and the offense responded by going 76 yards in 11 plays with the quarterback completing five passes in seven tries for 52 yards. The Bearcats stiffened and forced the Cougars to settle for a Ty Cummings’ 32-yard field goal and a 10-7 lead.
Junior Grant Coleman, who logged his first career interception early in the second quarter, set up a game-tying field goal with a 53-yard return of Isaiah Johnson’s fumble on a reverse off a shovel pass to running back Duke Catalon. Carter Jacobs forced the fumble as Johnson was going out of bounds, and a 15-yard facemask penalty on the play gave Cincinnati the ball on Houston’s 19-yard line. Andrew Gantz tied the game with a 37-yard field goal.
NOTES: Bearcats senior LB Antonio Kinard, who had a combined eight tackles in their first two games, had eight by the end of the first quarter. … Cincinnati coach Tommy Tuberville went into the game with 157 career victories, tied with Barry Switzer and Pappy Waldorf for 51st. Former Houston coach Bill Yeoman ranks 50th with 160 wins. … Cincinnati went into the game ranked fifth in the country in turnover margin after finishing 124th last season. … The Bearcats are off until their annual rivalry game against Miami (Ohio) on Sept. 24. … The Cougars are off until playing at Texas State on Sept. 24.
