Confident Re’Shaun Sanford II rushes Houston to victory

HOUSTON – With his arms crossed across his chest, Houston running back Re’Shaun Sanford II stood in the end zone and scanned the crowd after giving the Cougars the lead for good Saturday night at TDECU Stadium.

Sanford didn’t celebrate like someone who had just made the biggest play of the game against Cincinnati. The No. 17-ranked Cougars’ 5-foot-9 junior running back celebrated like someone who expected it.

“He almost had a couple (touchdowns) in the first half,” Houston coach Willie Fritz said of Sanford after the 31-24 victory. “He did a good job of hitting it clean and sprinting between the two guys. We talk about ‘see two, split two,’ and he just outran the other guys.”

For a player who spent the last year recovering from an ACL injury, that moment represented far more than six points. Sanford rushed for career- high 126 yards on 15 carries and gave the Coogs a 30-24 lead when he burst up the middle for a 51-yard touchdown before a crowd of 32,372. 

Re’Shaun Sanford II earns teammates’ trust

“We already knew what was going to happen with all the runs he had been getting early on,” UH defensive lineman Quindario Lee said of Sanford. “It just kind of looked like he was going to break it a few times already. So we were just waiting for it and that last spurt, he was great.

“The whole defense turned over, his best friend Latreveon McCutchin was off the wall.”

Before Sanford delivered the game winner, the Cougars built an early cushion behind quarterback Conner Weigman and wide receiver Amare Thomas. Weigman found Thomas for an 8-yard touchdown with 9:04 remaining in the first quarter, and Jonathan Dimas‘ extra point gave the Coogs a 7-0 lead.

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Less than three minutes later, the duo connected again, this time on a 31-yard touchdown pass that extended the Coogs’ advantage to 14-0 with 6:23 left in the opening quarter. Cincinnati crawled back to keep the score close. Dimas drilled a 28-yard field goal with 5:13 left in the third quarter to give UH a 24-17 lead.

The Bearcats pulled even at 24 in the fourth quarter with the subsequent PAT after JC French scored on a 1-yard quarterback sneak with 6:21 remaining.

Quick answer

The Cougars found their answer over a minute later. Sanford broke free up the middle for a 51-yard touchdown run. Dimas’ extra point gave Houston a 31-24 lead with 5:10 remaining.

“I think with every game I’ve gotten more confident,” Sanford said. “Every time I go back and watch film, I see myself doing more than the last game. Especially comparing the years past, I see how much I’ve grown.

“I take pride in practicing really hard, so I’m able to do the things I want to do on Saturday. Also, just self-talk. We talk about self-talk a lot. Just having faith. Right before the touchdown, I told myself, ‘I’m going to make this play.’”