SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — No. 14 Houston had No. 10 Utah on the ropes for three quarters Saturday night in Salt Lake City, but a fourth-quarter fumble deep in its own territory swung the game and the Cougars lost 21-13.
Houston, now 6-2 overall and 3-2 in the Big 12, led 10-0 late in the third quarter. Makhi Hughes opened the second half with a 2-yard touchdown run that capped a 15-play, 75-yard march lasting 8:14, and Jonathan Dimas added field goals of 24 and 47 yards.
Utah quarterback Devon Dampier turned the game with his legs. He scored on a 22-yard run to get the Utes on the board, and Wayshawn Parker’s 5-yard run on a direct snap put the Utes in front for the first time at 14-13 with 11:57 to go. Dampier finished with 150 rushing yards and two scores.
The decisive play came with 2:15 remaining, when Jackson Bennee sacked Houston quarterback Conner Weigman and Jireh Moe recovered the loose ball at the Houston 9. Dampier ran it in on the next snap, a 1-play, 9-yard drive that made it 21-13 after the kick.
Weigman still had a chance. He completed 19 of 35 passes for 282 yards and moved Houston to the Utah 23 in the closing minutes, but the two-minute drill stalled there on four straight incompletions. Over the final period he hit just four of his 12 throws. Amare Thomas caught five passes for 133 yards, matching his season best, and Latreveon McCutchin intercepted Dampier at the Houston 34 to keep the Cougars alive.
The fumble was Houston’s only turnover. Utah improved to 7-0 and has now won 13 straight, the best current run in the sport.
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