Sophomore running back JaQuail Smith celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the game against the University of Houston at Folsom Field on Friday, Nov. 13, 2026. (Ian Hedgecoth/CU Independent)
Apparently, all the Colorado Buffaloes needed to get their offense moving was a nationally ranked opponent and nine games of frustration.
The Colorado Buffaloes (4-6, 2-5 Big 12) defeated the Houston Cougars (7-3, 4-3 Big 12) 42-32 Friday night at Folsom Field, earning their first victory over an Associated Press top-15 opponent since beating No. 3 Oklahoma in 2007.
Colorado entered the matchup averaging a Big 12-low 19.8 points per game. The Buffs nearly matched that total in the second quarter alone, scoring 21 points on their way to 466 total yards and a season-high 249 rushing yards.
The win kept Colorado’s bowl hopes alive, with victories over Cincinnati and UCF still required to reach six wins.
Colorado’s offense finally shows up
The first quarter offered little indication of what was coming.
Houston opened with a 15-play, 66-yard possession that consumed 7:10 before ending in a field goal. The Cougars converted a fourth-and-1 and repeatedly found openings in Colorado’s coverage, while the Buffs struggled to sustain an offensive possession.
Running back Makhi Hughes extended Houston’s lead to 10-0 with an 8-yard touchdown early in the second quarter. Colorado’s secondary looked particularly generous, allowing the Cougars to move downfield with the sort of ease typically reserved for noncontact practices.
Quarterback Isaac Wilson finally got Colorado moving with a 24-yard completion to Ernest Campbell. Running back Richard Young finished the 94-yard drive with a 38-yard touchdown, bringing the Buffs within three points.
Wilson had noticeably more time in the pocket, and the offensive line held up well enough to let him work through his reads. Colorado also began finding success with designed quarterback runs, forcing Houston to account for Wilson outside the passing game.
The Cougars responded with a touchdown and a 52-yard field goal, stretching their lead to 20-7 with 2:36 remaining before halftime.
Colorado’s defense had allowed points on four consecutive possessions. The offense had finally found some momentum, but Houston seemed perfectly comfortable giving the Buffs another reminder of their record.
Then DeKalon Taylor took a pitch 67 yards for a touchdown.
After Colorado forced a punt, DeAndre Moore Jr. returned it 34 yards to the Buffs’ 44-yard line. Wilson quickly moved the offense downfield before JaQuail Smith broke free for a 32-yard touchdown run.
Colorado headed into halftime leading 21-20 after scoring twice in the final 1:49.
Houston had spent nearly the entire first quarter controlling possession. Colorado needed 83 seconds of combined possession time on its final two touchdown drives to erase a 13-point deficit.
Marion’s Go-Go offense finally earns its name
Offensive coordinator Brennan Marion’s Go-Go system has drawn plenty of attention since arriving in Boulder, although its production through nine games had given fans considerably less to celebrate.
The scheme uses multiple running backs and different formations to create favorable matchups. Its frequent two-back looks allow the offense to disguise rushing plays and exploit the different strengths of its personnel.
Against Houston, the approach produced the results Marion had been searching for.
Young provided a physical presence between the tackles, while Taylor and Smith benefited from the space created by Colorado’s blocking assignments. Their speed became particularly effective when Houston failed to maintain its defensive gaps.
The Buffs entered Friday with three rushing plays of 30 or more yards all season. They matched that number in the first half.
Apparently, the Go-Go had been stuck in traffic since September.
Young finished with 99 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries, while Taylor added 67 yards on his lone rushing attempt. Smith contributed 44 yards and another score.
Colorado finished with five rushing touchdowns, its most since a 2020 victory over UCLA. The offensive line also did not surrender a sack.
Following the game, Young credited his blockers and emphasized the importance of running vertically rather than searching for openings that had yet to develop. He also explained that Colorado’s running backs feed off one another’s success, making the rotation an important part of the offense.
The Buffs averaged 6.4 yards per rushing attempt. Houston’s defensive front had a difficult evening, and Colorado’s offensive line deserves much of the credit.
The defense finds its footing
Wilson opened the third quarter with an interception, giving Houston possession at Colorado’s 36-yard line.
The turnover could have quickly erased the Buffs’ narrow advantage. Fortunately, Randon Fontenette had apparently seen enough of Houston’s offense.
Fontenette delivered a strip sack on quarterback Conner Weigman on the following play, and Santana Hopper recovered the fumble.
Three plays later, Wilson found Joseph Williams for a 53-yard touchdown, extending Colorado’s lead to 28-20.
Williams escaped Houston’s coverage and raced into the end zone for Colorado’s first passing touchdown of the evening. The score gave the Buffs four touchdowns of at least 32 yards, their most in a single game since 2007.
Colorado’s defense also began making adjustments after struggling with its man-to-man coverage early. The Buffs forced a turnover on downs during Houston’s next possession, and RJ Johnson later broke up a third-down pass intended for Amare Thomas.
Boo Carter added an interception late in the quarter, making up for at least some of the frustration caused by his earlier unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
Fontenette finished with a game-high 13 tackles, one sack and a forced fumble. Gideon Lampron added 11 tackles.
Houston finished with 477 total yards, including 272 through the air. Tight end Patrick Overmyer was particularly troublesome, catching nine passes for 116 yards as Colorado struggled to contain him.
Still, after allowing Houston to score on its first four possessions, the Buffs shut out the Cougars in the third quarter.
Wilson’s injury creates another questionable decision
Wilson completed 17 of 25 passes for 217 yards, one touchdown and an interception, adding 25 net rushing yards. His mobility gave Colorado another option offensively, and he looked increasingly comfortable as the game progressed.
That progress became a concern late in the third quarter when Wilson suffered an apparent ankle injury.
Freshman Kaneal Sweetwyne replaced him and scored on a 14-yard quarterback keeper on his first play, extending Colorado’s lead to 35-20.
Wilson eventually returned, although Colorado’s decision to call a quarterback run on fourth-and-3 with its injured starter was difficult to understand. Wilson lost a yard, handing Houston possession at its own 38.
Perhaps the coaching staff wasn’t particularly enthusiastic about a long field goal, but leaving a limping quarterback to absorb another hit hardly seemed like the ideal alternative.
Houston capitalized with a 22-yard touchdown pass from Weigman to Overmyer, cutting Colorado’s lead to 35-26 after a failed two-point conversion.
Colorado finally finishes a game
With Houston threatening to make it a one-possession game, Wilson led Colorado on an 11-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that consumed 6:01.
The possession included a 21-yard completion to Taylor on third-and-14 and a 25-yard pass to Charlie Williams on third-and-11. Young finished the drive with a 2-yard touchdown run, extending the lead to 42-26 with 3:59 remaining.
For a Colorado offense that had struggled with third-down execution throughout the season, converting both plays in such an important possession was a considerable improvement.
The Buffs finished 10-for-14 on third downs, while Houston converted nine of 16 opportunities.
Houston scored once more, but a second failed two-point attempt left the Cougars trailing 42-32.
After the game, Fontenette became emotional while discussing the significance of the win. The Houston-area native credited Sanders with giving him the opportunity to play at Colorado and described how badly he wanted to deliver a victory for his coach.
“I bet on myself to come here for him,” Fontenette said.
Sanders also praised his players for continuing to compete despite the criticism surrounding the program.
“These kids are resilient,” Sanders said.
However, the coach maintained that Colorado remains capable of better performances.
“I still expect a lot more from us,” Sanders said.
The Buffs still surrendered 477 yards and struggled with defensive assignments, but the offense finally gave Colorado enough production to overcome those mistakes.
It took 10 games for the Go-Go offense to find this level of success. With two games remaining, the question is whether Marion can keep it moving.
Colorado and Cincinnati kick off at 10 a.m. MT Saturday, Nov. 21, at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati. The game will air on ESPN+. The Buffs then return to Folsom Field to host UCF on Nov. 28 in their regular-season finale, needing both wins to become bowl eligible.
Contact CU Independent Sports Editor Shruthi Rajesh at shra3446@colorado.edu
