Cowboys Fall Short in Shootout: Weigman's Five TDs Lift Houston Past Oklahoma State 35-32

A Valiant Rally Falls Short

The Oklahoma State Cowboys fought until the final whistle, mounting a furious fourth-quarter comeback that left fans on the edge of their seats, but it was not enough to overcome the offensive firepower of the Houston Cougars. In a high-scoring affair at TDECU Stadium in Houston, Texas, on Saturday, October 17, 2026, the visiting Cowboys fell 35-32 despite a stellar passing performance from Drew Mestemaker.

First Half: Field Goals and Early Touchdowns

Oklahoma State struck first, with Sam Keltner drilling a 23-yard field goal to take an early 3-0 lead. However, the Cougars responded immediately in the first quarter. Conner Weigman connected with Patrick Overmyer on a 2-yard touchdown pass, punctuated by Jonathan Dimas’s kick, to seize a 7-3 advantage.

The second quarter saw Houston extend its margin. Weigman found Amare Thomas for a 7-yard touchdown strike, again with Dimas adding the extra point, pushing the score to 14-3 at halftime. The Cowboys’ offense struggled to generate momentum in the first half, managing only that initial field goal.

Third Quarter: A Back-and-Forth Battle

The third quarter brought a sudden shift in momentum for Oklahoma State. Ayo Adeyi broke free for a 13-yard run, and Keltner’s kick narrowed the gap to 14-10. Houston answered right back as Weigman threw his second touchdown pass of the game, this time to Trent Walker on a 2-yard strike, making it 21-10.

But the Cowboys refused to fold. Drew Mestemaker led a scoring drive, finding Wyatt Young in the end zone from two yards out, cutting the deficit to 21-17. Houston regained control shortly after, as Weigman connected with Thomas again, this time on a 21-yard pass, extending the lead back to 28-17.

Fourth Quarter: Mestemaker’s Heroics and Final Stand

The fourth quarter turned into a shootout. Mestemaker engineered a dramatic drive, capping it with a 66-yard touchdown pass to Caleb Hawkins. He also successfully passed to Justin Bowick for a two-point conversion, erasing the deficit and making the score 25-28.

Houston attempted to put the game away when Weigman launched a 48-yard touchdown pass to Koby Young, increasing the margin to 35-25. Yet, Mestemaker and the Cowboys continued to fight. He found Bowick for an 8-yard touchdown with a successful kick from Keltner, setting up a tense final moment with the score at 35-32.

Despite their efforts, Oklahoma State could not complete the comeback. Weigman finished with 343 passing yards and five touchdowns on 24-of-33 passing, while Mestemaker accounted for 365 yards and three scores on 22-of-34 passing. Amare Thomas led all receivers with seven catches for 126 yards and two touchdowns.

The loss drops Oklahoma State to a 4-2 record, while Houston improves to 6-1.

Sources

ESPN