Today, in 2011, Houston Football pulled off one of the greatest comebacks in Cougar history. Down 34-7 at Louisiana Tech, the Coogs stormed back with 28 unanswered points in the last 19.5 minutes to stun the Techsters, 35-34. Case Keenum had 351 yards and three touchdowns, while Patrick Edwards and Bryce Beall each scored twice in the comeback.
Houston looked lost for much of the game. UH ran 25 plays in the first quarter for 26 yards, and Keenum went 3-for-12 for 1 yard, threw an interception, and was sacked twice. The Cougars also fumbled on a punt return.
By halftime, Tech led 20-7, and the Bulldogs had run 51 plays for 249 yards.
After trading punts to start the second half, the Bulldogs put together a 12-play, 64-yard touchdown drive to take a 27-7 lead. On the next play from scrimmage, Keenum threw an interception, and Tech needed only five plays to make it 34-7.
Case was 10 of 21 for 87 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. But then he went full Keenum.
On the next drive, Keenum hit Charles Sims for 17 yards before Beall ran for 13 more, getting the Cougars to midfield. Keenum then found Edwards for a 50-yard TD pass. The drive took 44 seconds.
After another LaTech punt, the Cougars took two penalties and faced a fourth-and-one from the five-yard line. After converting, it took UH three plays to punch it in. 34-21 with 12:53 to play.
Tech put together a drive and had moved inside UH’s 30-yard line when Kent Brooks forced a fumble, and Phillip Steward recovered at the 20.
On the next play, Keenum found Sims for 28 yards and hit Justin Johnson twice, the second of which took Houston down to the four-yard line. Bryce Beall punched it in again, and it was a six-point game with 7:25 left.
Nick Saenz tipped a pass on the first play of the next Bulldog drive, and Thomas Bates intercepted it, but the offense went three-and-out. Tech started to move down the field, but on 3rd and 6, Sammy Brown came from the left side and chased down QB Nick Isham for a 12-yard sack. Houston called a timeout with 2:46 left.
From his own 16, Keenum ran for 11 before finding Tyron Carrier for six more. Beall ran for nine to get UH to the 42. After an incompletion, Keenum hooked up with EJ Smith for 26 yards.
Case took the next snap from the Tech 32-yard line before drifting back to his right when he found himself with a defensive end in his face. From the 41, Keenum launched a ball deep into the end zone and found Patrick Edwards for the tying score. Edwards got one foot in and fell through the back of the end zone, pumping his hand before the back judge signaled the TD. Another Matt Hogan PAT made it 35-34 Cougars.
Houston needed five possessions and 30 plays to pile up 308 yards and score four touchdowns, turning a rout into another edition of Keenum magic. After Tech took a 27-point lead following his second interception, Keenum went 14/19 for 264 yards and two touchdowns.
Marcus McGraw and Derrick Mathews each had 16 tackles while Sammy Brown had 14 (including 4 TFL).
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