Houston Stuns West Virginia for First Big 12 Win on Miraculous Game-Winning Hail Mary

The Cougars earned their first Big 12 win on a sensational Hail Mary.

Houston football picked up its first ever win in Big 12 conference play on Thursday night, and it couldn’t have happened in more exciting fashion. 

Trailing 39-35 with three seconds left in the game against West Virginia, the Cougars dialed up a Hail Mary from the 49-yard line, which was spectacularly caught in the end zone. 

The miraculous touchdown gave Houston a 41-39 victory as time expired and gave the program its first-ever win in the Big 12 following their move to the conference this past summer.

Quarterback Donovan Smith managed to stay on his feet and escape a collapsing pocket before firing off a prayer of a throw while on the move. The ball was tipped in the end zone and in a sea of Mountaineers and Cougars jerseys, Houston’s Stephon Johnson emerged from the pile with the ball in his hands.

THE HAIL MARY FOR THE WIN!! @UHCOUGARFB GET THE GAME WINNER WITH SECONDS LEFT!!! 🙌 😎 pic.twitter.com/4jE0xAxO94

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 13, 2023

The ball touched at least a few players before landing in Johnson’s hands, and he ran to the corner of the end zone to celebrate while fans began to flood onto the field.

The Cougars had given up a go-ahead 50-yard touchdown with just 12 seconds remaining in regulation. Despite that major setback, they managed hand West Virginia its second loss of the season while picking up a monumental first conference victory in storybook fashion.

It was a sweet victory for Houston head coach Dana Holgorsen, who coached the Mountaineers from from 2011-18 before joining the Cougars.