Sanchez’s Walk-Off Field Goal Sends Houston “Bowl Bound” in Win Over Arizona

The Houston Cougars punched their ticket to the postseason Saturday, edging Arizona 31–28 at TDECU Stadium on a walk-off field goal that sent the home crowd into a frenzy.

Ethan Sanchez delivered the winning 41-yard kick as time expired, sealing Houston’s sixth victory of the season and guaranteeing bowl eligibility for the first time under head coach Willie Fritz. The Cougars overcame an early deficit with a balanced attack, mixing efficient quarterback play with a steady ground game to stay in control through much of the night.

Arizona fought back in the fourth quarter to tie the game, but Houston’s final drive methodically drained the clock before Sanchez’s decisive moment. The defense came up strong late, stopping the Wildcats’ final push and preserving the win.

After the game, Fritz appeared in the postgame press conference wearing a gray “Bowl Bound” T-shirt — a fitting symbol for the milestone his team reached.

“That’s one of our goals,” Fritz said, according to Joseph Duarte of the Houston Chronicle. “You want to play in a bowl game. I’ve never been to a bad one. I’ve been to a bunch of them. So we’re excited about that.”

Defensive back Wrook Brown shared that the team’s ambitions go beyond simply becoming bowl eligible.

“We have some bigger goals,” Brown told Duarte of the Houston Chronicle.

The Cougars improved to 6–1 overall and 3–1 in Big 12 play, maintaining one of their strongest starts in recent years. With the win, Houston continued its climb toward contention — bowl bound and confident that more is ahead.