HOUSTON (AP) -- Anthony Alridge rushed for 136 yards and a
touchdown to help Houston defeat Tulsa 27-10 on Saturday, ending
Tulsa's six-game winning streak.
Houston (7-3, 5-1 Conference USA) scored on consecutive drives
at the end of the first half and the start of the second half to
win its third straight. The Cougars moved past Tulsa (7-2, 4-1)
into first place in the conference's West Division.
Houston's Kevin Kolb hit 16-of-21 passes for 244 yards and a
touchdown.
Paul Smith of Tulsa, who was averaging 210 yards passing a game,
managed only 52 yards through three quarters. He finished 16 of 34
for 136 yards -- 56 in the last two minutes.
Houston led 7-0 after a 3-yard touchdown run by Aldridge on the
Cougars' opening drive.
Roshawn Pope fumbled on the first play of Houston's second
drive, and Tulsa's Walter Boyd recovered at the nine-yard line. One
play later, Courtney Tennial scored to tie the game at 7.
The teams traded field goals in the second quarter, then Kolb
hit Vincent Marshall with a 14-yard touchdown pass with five
seconds remaining for a 17-10 halftime lead.
Marshall caught four passes for 54 yards to move past Elmo
Wright into the all-time Houston lead with 3,359 yards receiving.
Jackie Battle's 1-yard run capped a 10-play, 83-yard drive at
the start of the third quarter to give Houston a 24-10 lead with
9:39 to play in the period. Ben Bell's second 24-yard field goal
with 2:24 to play finished the scoring.