Connecticut vs Houston: Highlights, score and recap

Thursday’s Connecticut vs Houston game was expected to be a blowout, on paper, but how did it play out?

Houston came into Thursday night’s game as the No. 6 team in the country as well as an overwhelming favorite against the 2-2 Connecticut Huskies. Panic was starting to creep in for the Cougars after a scoreless first quarter, but they quickly settled in during the second.

Greg Ward Jr. proved why he’s one of the top quarterbacks in the nation with a strong American Athletic Conference win against the Huskies. He scored on a 30-yard touchdown run in the second quarter to give Houston the lead and then threw a touchdown pass later in the quarter to extend it to 21-0.

The Cougars dominated the first half thanks to Ward’s performance, 28-7. The All-American dual-threat passed for 236 yards and two touchdowns on 19-of-22 completions with 44 rushing yards and another score.

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The second half was much more of the same as the Cougars kept piling on while shutting down the Huskies and Ward Jr. did his best Lamar Jackson impression — scoring with both his legs and arm.

Houston is going to be incredibly tough to beat this season — including in the playoff — if it keeps playing like this. The Heisman campaign for Greg Ward Jr. has officially strengthened with this Thursday night performance.

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Three Stars

1. Greg Ward Jr.: Clearly the top player for Houston, Ward Jr. did it all for the Cougars. He finished 32-of-38 with 389 yards and three touchdowns through the air with another 65 yards and two scores on the ground.

2. Linell Bonner: One of the fastest-rising receivers in the country, Bonner caught a game-high 12 passes for 159 yards and a touchdown.

3. Noel Thomas: Watch out for this Connecticut wideout as he finished his third game of the season with 100-plus yards. He had six catches for 135 yards and a score.

Highlights

https://twitter.com/BigDaddysCourt/status/781655088892903424

What’s Next?

Houston will travel to Navy next week to take on the Midshipmen in a tough matchup. The Cougars will look to continue a perfect season bid. Things won’t be getting any easier for Connecticut as it’s hosting Cincinnati on Saturday.