Weigman's Late Surge Lifts Houston Past UCF 27-17

A Second-Half Turnaround

The Houston Cougars overcame a significant early deficit to secure a 27-17 victory over the UCF Knights on Saturday, October 3, 2026. The win improved Houston’s record to 4-1, while UCF fell to 3-2. Playing at home in front of 25,593 fans at TDECU Stadium, the Cougars trailed by ten points entering the second quarter before mounting a decisive offensive surge.

Early Knights Control

UCF struck first and maintained control through the middle quarters. Keyone Jenkins connected with Josh Derry on a 13-yard pass in the opening period to give the Knights a 7-0 lead. Will Stone added a 30-yard field goal early in the second quarter, extending UCF’s advantage to 10-0 at the half.

The Knights’ ground game was led by Duke Watson, who carried the ball nine times for 50 yards, while Jenkins completed 23 of 35 passes for 253 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.

Weigman’s Three-Touchdown Rally

Houston’s offense flipped the script in the third quarter. After Jenkins’ five-yard run made it 17-0, Conner Weigman ignited a comeback. He rushed for touchdowns from 19 yards and one yard out to cut the deficit to 17-14 by the end of the third period.

The Cougars took their first lead in the fourth quarter when Weigman scored on a one-yard run, putting Houston ahead 21-17. Jonathan Dimas then kicked two field goals—a 40-yarder and a 46-yarder—to seal the victory. Weigman finished with 239 passing yards on 18-of-33 passing, adding three rushing touchdowns to his stat line.

Key Performances

While Weigman provided the spark, Patrick Overmyer was Houston’s top receiver with six catches for 76 yards. Re’Shaun Sanford II contributed on the ground with 18 carries for 62 yards. For UCF, Josh Derry led all receivers with seven receptions for 101 yards and one touchdown.

Despite the loss, the Knights’ offense generated significant yardage through the air but could not overcome the late scoring deficit.

Sources

ESPN