Senior receiver Daniel Spencer finished the game with 10 catches for 133 yards. | Courtesy of UH Athletics
Though UH was outgained by nearly 200 yards and rushed for only 10, it had a chance to steal the game.
UH narrowed a 23-point deficit to single digits late in the fourth quarter against No. 25 BYU, but it wasn’t enough. Dual threat quarterback Taysom Hill and BYU defeated UH 33-25 on the road at LaVell Edwards Stadium on Thursday.
With less than three minutes UH had the ball with a chance to tie the game with a touchdown and a two-point conversion. UH then went three-and-out and after punting, didn’t get the ball back.
Hill and the BYU offense recorded two first downs to put the game away.
Hill hurt UH through the air and on the ground, passing for 200 yards and rushing for another 160. But the Third Ward defense was able to make a few plays against him.
Junior safety Trevon Stewart, who led the nation last year in turnovers gained, gave UH its second interception of the night as he wrangled the ball from BYU sophomore receiver Mitchell Juergens with eight minutes left in the fourth quarter.
The red Cougars brought the game to 33-25 with a 36-yard field goal with seven minutes left to play.
Earlier, it seemed like BYU had taken control.
At the opening of the fourth quarter, BYU increased its lead to 33-15 with a touchdown drive lasting just under three minutes.
UH then answered with its own lengthy drive, at three minutes as well, as sophomore quarterback John O’Korn set up junior receiver Deontay Greenberry up with his second touchdown of the game.
BYU also controlled most of the first half.
The blue Cougars came out strong in the first quarter, putting up 23 unanswered points to open the game. The red Cougars first got on the board as junior kicker Kyle Bullard put the ball through the uprights with less than four minutes left in the second quarter. Bullard missed two extra points and a field goal in the game.
When BYU got the ball back, Hill’s first pass of the drive was deflected by sophomore defensive tackle B.J. Singleton and intercepted by senior defensive tackle Joey Mbu.
As UH regained possession on the BYU 31-yard line, O’Korn connected with senior receiver Daniel Spencer for 30 yards to put them in the red zone. Just as it seemed as if UH was going to have to settle for another field goal, O’Korn shot the ball to Greenberry for the team’s first touchdown.
O’Korn finished with 307 yards three touchdowns while his leading target Spencer caught 10 passes for 133 yards and a touchdown.
With just under 30 seconds left in the half, junior safety Adrian McDonald forced a fumble and returned the ball to set up UH for one more play. O’Korn stepped way back into the pocket and with a hail-mary to Spencer for 60 yards and a score.
The Cougars return to TDECU Stadium on Sept. 20 for a contest against UNLV.
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“UH’s comeback bid falls short against BYU” was originally posted on The Daily Cougar