PROVO, Utah – Jake Retzlaff ran for two touchdowns and threw for 167 yards to lead No. 19 BYU to a 30-18 victory over Houston on Saturday night.

LJ Martin added 87 yards on the ground and Chase Roberts had three catches for 76 yards. BYU (10-2, 7-2 Big 12, No. 19 CFP) forced four turnovers, including two late in the fourth quarter, ending a two-game losing streak.

Despite the win, BYU will not play in the conference championship game. Iowa State and Arizona State meet on Saturday in the Big 12 Championship Game.

Zeon Chriss threw for 156 yards and two touchdowns to lead Houston (4-8, 3-6), which finished the season with three straight losses.

Houston scored its first offensive touchdown in three games when Chriss hit a 3-yard keeper late in the first quarter. BYU answered when Talan Alfrey grabbed a ensuing onside kick and ran 58 yards untouched to tie the score.

BYU took a 14-10 lead midway through the second quarter when Sione Moa made a tackle and scored on a 6-yard run. Retzlaff threw a 52-yard pass to Roberts and then found a 13-yard QB keeper one play later to extend the Cougars’ lead to 21-10 with nine seconds left before halftime.

Chriss cut the deficit to 24-18 with a 1-yard keeper with 8:34 left. Houston had a chance to score after a forced three-and-out, but Jack Kelly took the ball away from Chriss on a fourth down sack. Blake Mangelson recovered the ball at the Houston 18.

Retzlaff scored on a 7-yard run with 2:52 left to secure the win. Houston cornerback AJ Haulcy and BYU receiver Darius Lassiter were both ejected after a scuffle in the end zone following Retzlaff’s second touchdown run.

Takeaways

Houston: A promising start on offense quickly fell apart in the final three quarters. Houston forced three turnovers but couldn’t move the chains or control the ball well enough to seriously threaten BYU.

BYU: For the first time this season, BYU lost three fumbles in a game. The unusual series of turnovers, coupled with numerous dropped passes, kept the Cougars from pulling away from Houston late into the night.

Impact on the survey

BYU will likely move up a spot or two in the upcoming AP Top 25 poll.

Next

Houston’s season is over.

BYU will wait to find out where the bowl game is.
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