Hail Mary pass lifts UH over West Virginia 41-39: 'Country roads took us home'

The University of Houston’s (UH) athletics department collected its first batch of Big 12 Conference victories over the University of West Virginia’s (UWV) soccer, volleyball, and now, football teams. Carrying a 0-2 conference record into the October 12th home matchup against the Mountaineers, the Cougars announced their arrival in the Power 5 Conference in dramatic fashion by nailing a last-second Hail Mary pass to edge out their visitors 41-39.

"Country roads took us home,” UH said in a post on X following the game, referencing a classic John Denver tune.

According to a report from CBS Sports, UH transfer quarterback Donovan Smith heaved the pass with his squad down four with not much remaining in the contest to Stephon Johnson Jr. The ball was tipped, but ended up in Johnson’s hands with basically no time left. The miracle play capped a 253-yard, four-touchdown evening for Smith, CBS Sports reported.

Per the national outlet, not only was it the Cougars’ inaugural gridiron win since joining the Big 12, but it gave head coach Dana Holgorsen a measure of payback over his former program. Holgorsen served as the Mountaineers’ head coach from 2011 to 2018, CBS Sports reported.

UH had an 11-point advantage over UWV halfway through the fourth quarter until the latter’s Garrett Greene triggered a rally to take the driver’s seat though it was short-lived. Stacy Sneed’s kickoff return to the Mountaineers 43 set up the Hail Mary that sent TDECU Stadium into a frenzy.

The Cougars hope the momentum from vanquishing UWV carries over into their sold-out October 21st tilt against the vaunted, top 10-ranked University of Texas, according to a game recap on the program’s website. Undoubtedly, an upset of the Longhorns, who have reestablished themselves as a national juggernaut of sorts this season, would do wonders for UH’s profile in its short existence as a Big XII member.