HOUSTON (AP) — Zeon Chriss threw for 103 yards and a touchdown without an incompletion as Houston rallied in fourth quarter to beat No. 17 Kansas State 24-19 on Saturday. Trailing 19-10 to start the fourth quarter, Chriss threw a 1-yard touchdown to Maliq Carr with 11 minutes left.
After forcing a punt, Chriss rushed for a 41-yard touchdown with 2:31 to go. Chriss, who finished 11 of 11, also rushed for 75 yards and caught a pass for eight yards. Michael Batton intercepted Avery Johnson on the next drive.
After Houston (4-5, 3-3 Big 12) was forced to punt with 40 seconds left, the Wildcats drove to the Cougars' 39 with 4 seconds left, but Johnson’s heave was knocked out of the end zone. The win was Houston’s first win over a ranked team since beating No. 19 SMU 44-37 on Oct.
30, 2021. Donovan Smith rushed for a 1-yard touchdown midway to begin the second quarter to give Houston a 7-3 lead. Johnson finished 23 of 39 for 238 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions for Kansas State.
He found Keagan Johnson for a 7-yard touchdown pass with nine seconds left in the first half to give the Wildcats (7-2, 4-2) a 16-10 halftime lead. Johnson finished with 76 yards receiving. DJ Giddens rushed for 50 yards and a touchdown as Kansas State outgained the Cougars 327-232.
The game was delayed 55 minutes to start because of lightning. Kansas State: The loss hurts the chances of the Wildcats making the Big 12 championship and the College Football Playoff. Houston: The Cougars finished.
