No. 16 Houston rallies for 35-34 win over No. 25 Memphis
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
HOUSTON (AP) Backup quarterback Kyle Postma rushed for the go-ahead score and threw for a touchdown to rally No. 16 Houston from 20 points down to a 35-34 win over No. 25 Memphis on Saturday night.
Postma came in just before halftime when Greg Ward Jr. left with what appeared to be a left ankle injury. Postma went 21 of 33 for 236 yards and carried six times for 49 yards.
His 7-yard touchdown run with 1:27 left capped a nine-play, 77-yard drive to give undefeated Houston the lead. Jake Elliott missed a 48-yard field goal wide right with 19 seconds left to seal the win for Houston.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
DeMarcus Ayers had 13 catches for 127 yards, and Kenneth Farrow had 10 carries for 46 yards and two touchdowns for Houston (10-0, 6-0 American, No. 24 CFP), which trailed 20-0 to the Tigers (8-2, 4-2, No. 21 CFP) before Postma entered.
Paxton Lynch was 20-of-31 passing for 278 yards and two touchdowns for Memphis. Alan Cross caught a TD pass of 38 yards and Doroland Dorceus grabbed another for 61 yards, both in the second quarter. Lynch also rushed for 43 yards.
With 12:56 remaining, Farrow punched it in from 10 yards out to cut the Tigers' lead to 34-21.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
Houston had a chance to narrow the gap following a Memphis fumble, but the Cougars had a touchdown negated by offsetting penalties, and Postma overthrew his receiver on fourth down from the 6.
Following a Lynch interception, Javin Webb cut the lead to 34-28 on a 1-yard touchdown run with 5:49 left. After a Memphis three-and-out, Postma led the drive to give the Cougars the lead.
Elliott had made field goals of 41 and 30 yards in the first half before missing in the final seconds.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
Dorceus had 116 yards on 26 carries with a 6-yard touchdown run halfway through the third quarter. Tevin Jones also had a 25-yard TD run to give the Tigers a 34-14 lead to start the fourth quarter.
Postma completed 4 of 5 passes, including a 30-yard score to Linell Bonner with 37 seconds left in the first half to cut the lead to 20-7.
Farrow sliced the Memphis lead to 20-14 with a 7-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
Houston did not get a first down until five minutes to go in the first quarter. The Tigers outgained the Cougars 273-99 yards in the first half.
Memphis sacked Ward five times, and he hobbled off the field with 1:21 left in the first half after being sacked by Wynton McManis. Houston had 11 rushes for minus 13 yards as a team in the first half. The Cougars finished with 96 rushing yards.