Overmyer catches four touchdowns as Houston controls Kansas State, 35-16

Patrick Overmyer kept finding space near the goal line, and Houston kept giving him another chance. The tight end caught four touchdown passes from Conner Weigman on Saturday as No. 22 Houston beat Kansas State 35-16 in Manhattan.

Overmyer finished with eight catches for 83 yards. Houston said his four touchdown receptions tied the NCAA record for a tight end and made him the first Division I player at that position to accomplish it since Coastal Carolina's Isaiah Likely in 2021. His scoring catches covered 1, 2, 8 and 2 yards, the finishes to an afternoon of sustained possessions.

The Cougars improved to 5-1 overall and 2-1 in the Big 12. Kansas State dropped to 3-2 and 0-2 in conference play. Houston gained 475 yards, committed no turnovers and converted all three of its fourth-down attempts, keeping the Wildcats from turning early defensive resistance into a stop.

Weigman completed 19 of 30 passes for 242 yards and four touchdowns without an interception. His first touchdown to Overmyer capped a 12-play, 75-yard opening drive. After Kansas State answered with Luis Rodriguez's field goal, Houston covered another 75 yards in 12 plays and finished with the same receiver.

Makhi Hughes added a 13-yard touchdown run with 3:17 remaining in the first half, sending Houston toward a 21-3 halftime lead. Hughes rushed for 78 yards on 14 carries, while Re'Shaun Sanford II contributed 90 yards on 20 attempts. Together they gave the Cougars a way to keep moving between Weigman's scoring throws.

Kansas State's first possession after halftime ended with a punt. Houston immediately drove 76 yards in eight plays, and Overmyer's 8-yard touchdown catch extended the advantage to 28-3. That sequence forced the Wildcats to chase a four-score deficit before their offense had produced a touchdown.

Avery Johnson found Garrett Oakley for a 13-yard score to cut the margin to 28-9. Houston answered with a 10-play, 67-yard possession and Overmyer's fourth touchdown, putting the Cougars ahead 35-9 late in the third quarter. Jaron Tibbs caught Johnson's other touchdown pass in the fourth.

Johnson finished 16 of 30 for 182 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Kansas State totaled 299 yards and held the ball for 25:11, compared with Houston's 34:49. Houston recorded 26 first downs and 233 rushing yards, numbers that explain how it repeatedly returned to the red zone without relying on a single long scoring play.

The Cougars return home to face Oklahoma State next Saturday. Kansas State hosts Kansas, still searching for its first Big 12 victory of the season.