Houston quarterback Conner Weigman threw for 222 yards and ran for another 83 – both new career marks – and added two touchdowns as his Cougars bested Deion Sanders and his Colorado Buffaloes 36-20 at home on Friday night at TDECU Stadium in Houston.

“We didn’t play great and there’s things we can really improve on,” head coach Willie Fritz said. “But for our Big 12 opener, playing a good squad like Colorado, we’re very happy with the outcome.”

Houston was up by five late in the third quarter before Dean Connors scampered 18 yards to the Colorado 1-yard line, allowing Weigman to score on the next play, pushing the lead to 26-14, and the Buffs were done.

“I love to come here and come to work every day and put it all on the line for my brothers,” Weigman said. “And I feel like we all did that for each other and when you do that, as a team, good things happen.”

Buffs quarterback Ryan Staub was intercepted by Blake Thompson on the first play of the fourth quarter, but the turnover produced no points as kicker Ethan Sanchez missed a 50-yarder. The Cougars’ defense held and forced a Colorado punt. Weigman scored again on the ensuing drive after a 54-yard bomb to Stephon Johnson a play earlier, landed the ball at the Colorado 7-yard line.

“I thought he played his best game today,” Fritz said of Weigman. “He ran the ball extremely well. I think sometimes he’s underestimated his ability to run.”

It was Staub’s first start of the season for the Buffaloes after serving as the backup to Shedeur Sanders over the past two years. He entered the season as QB3 behind Kaidon Salter, who was the starter for Colorado’s first two games (1-1) and the five-star recruit, Julian Lewis.

Staub went 19-of-35 for 204 yards and a touchdown, but couldn’t find anything in the second half to challenge the Cougars’ defense. He was picked off twice and the Buffs managed just six points after the break.

Sanders thought his team had prepared well the week prior and was disappointed by the effort.

“It wasn’t good,” he said. “It wasn’t good at all. I take full responsibility of the foolishness that went on out there that we tried to… call football. It wasn’t that. We gotta do better in every phase of the game. We gotta do better preparing our kids. We gotta do better, period.”

Sanders must now decide if Staub is the guy the rest of the way or if one of the other quarterbacks could give him a better shot. He commented on his team’s quarterback situation after the game.

“I have no idea right now,” he said. “I’m not thinking about that.”

For the Cougars, Weigman has looked like the top-tier recruit that he was coming out of high school, who ultimately signed with the Aggies. He’s looked great in three games after transferring from College Station, and has thrown four touchdown passes without an interception and added three scores with his legs.

Up next, the Cougars have the week off before visiting Oregon State on Sept. 26.