Houston Cougars get back-to-back pick-sixes to win (Videos)

The Houston Cougars decimated the Cincinnati Bearcats late in the fourth quarter with back-to-back pick-sixes to take a 40-16 lead on the Bearcats.

The No. 6 Houston Cougars were trailing the Cincinnati Bearcats in the fourth quarter 16-12 before putting up 28 unanswered points to win 40-16 over the Bearcats. The last two touchdowns for the Cougars came via pick-sixes from Cincinnati quarterback Hayden Moore.

Houston would extend its three-point lead on Cincinnati to 10 on a Greg Ward Jr. touchdown run halfway through the fourth quarter. That paydirt was enough for the Cougars to leave Nippert Stadium with a comfortable victory.

However, Cincinnati was not going down without a fight in this one. Bearcats quarterback Hayden Moore had usurped Gunner Kiel as the team’s starter this preseason. Moore had been impressive for most of this Thursday night game, but crumbled under pressure late.

Moore’s first pick six was especially bad, as Houston outside linebacker Steven Taylor would return the interception for a 70-yard touchdown. Taylor broke three tackles before a Bearcat would jump on his back to knock him into the end zone. That score would give Houston a 33-16 lead after the PAT.

That pick six by Taylor put the game out of reach for the Bearcats, but had to take the field down 17 points. What happened next was almost unbelievable. Moore would drop back to pass and throw another pick six, this one to cornerback Howard Wilson.

Wilson saw that telegraphed pass by Moore all the way for a 20-yard interception return for a touchdown. After the PAT, Houston would go up 40-16 and would win by that same score.

Next: 10 Games That Would Make College Football Exponentially Better

The Cougars were on upset alert entering the final quarter, but Houston clobbered Cincinnati in the final frame 28-6. Houston looks like a legitimate College Football Playoff contender out of the Group of 5. Cincinnati let a victory over a top-10 team slip away in a matter of minutes.