Houston faced No. 21 South Florida in a shootout Saturday and came out with a big 57-36 win at home.
The game was close for three quarters, but big defensive plays paired with the explosive offense allowed the Cougars to pull away late.
The Cougars were without star defensive tackle junior Ed Oliver, who was out with a knee contusion.
Houston started the game with the ball, and after converting a pair of three and longs, junior quarterback D’Eriq King made a huge run for 47 yards and a touchdown.
Houston picked up the momentum on its second drive and scored when King shuffle passed on a jet sweep to sophomore receiver Marquez Stevenson for a 15-yard touchdown.