One city, two schools. The campuses separated by fewer than five miles have duked it out on the football field on a near-annual basis since 1971 — with eyes fixated on a prize crafted from brass and wood, known as the Bayou Bucket.
The Houston Cougars and Rice Owls duked it out 46 times, but Saturday night’s matchup at Rice Stadium created a different atmosphere for the crosstown rivalry. There was a finality felt among both sidelines as the 2025 Bayou Bucket was the last scheduled meeting between
Houston and Rice. And the last chapter of the rivalry was author by the Cougars, which took a 35-12 series advantage in a 35-9 victory over the Owls.
“Good job by the kids,” Houston head coach Willie Fritz said. “We never took it for granted. I’m glad no one panicked at halftime, and we came out and dominated in the second half.”
The Bayou Bucket was far from a glamorous matchup, as the defenses prevailed from kickoff to the final whistle. The rivals traded a collective four three-and-outs to start the contest before Houston turned it over on downs to break the trend. There were a combined zero points and 69 offensive yards when the second quarter commenced, but those long-awaited points finally transpired at the 9:20 mark of the second quarter when Rice kicker Enock Gota drained a 42-yard field goal — a score which temporarily powered down the scoreboard at Rice Stadium. That concluded a drive that featured 10 consecutive runs up the middle, producing the first points on Houston’s defense all season.
“They run the ball like crazy,” Fritz said. “That’s their bread and butter. 53 carries for 177 yards is pretty darn good. 220 total yards. Defense, we played very well.”
Houston punted six times in the first half and Rice punted on four occasions, but the Cougars still landed points before the halftime break. The Cougars overcame a 2nd and 15 thanks to a 21-yard grab by trusty tight end Tanner Koziol, who secured six catches for 52 yards. Two plays later, Mr. Bayou Bucket himself had his moment. Running back Dean Connors — the only player in history to suit up for both sides of the rivalry — exchanged his blue for red and sprinted 54 yards down the hash mark to provide Houston a 7-3 lead with 40 seconds left in the second quarter. Connors, who won the Bayou Bucket with Rice the last time this stadium hosted the matchup, won the rivalry trophy again in his former venue.
“You try to approach the game the same each week,” Connors said. “Same preparation. Same everything. The (Rice) student section was (sarcastically) cheering me on, so it gave some extra motivation.”
The third quarter remained an offensive struggle for Rice, as the Owls managed just one yard in the 15-minute window. Houston produced two sacks during a crucial 3-play sequence in the quarter, with defensive end Eddie Walls III being a thorn in Rice’s side the entire game. The FIU transfer generated seven tackles including three behind the line of scrimmage.
“Playing next to Eddie is amazing,” Houston defensive tackle Carlos Allen said of Walls. “When I first saw him in fall camp, I told him, ‘You’re gonna have a big year, especially in the Big 12.’ The quick twitch he has and just how he’s able to get to the quarterback — if you see Eddie, he’s always near the quarterback. I told him he’s gonna wreak havoc and we’re gonna be good up front this year.”
Meanwhile, the Cougar offense saw a more fortuitous third quarter than the home team. After being dominated by Rice inside linebacker Ty Morris (who finished with 15 tackles and one sack) in the first half Houston finally established a consistent ground attack. Quarterback Conner Weigman even got involved, landing a 9-yard touchdown on a keeper for his first rushing score since September 2023.
“I think it was just sorting out those kinks,” Connors said on what changed in the second half. “We struggled with communication in the first half and who we were IDing. Once we got that sorted out, things got better. And that defense is really good.”
The Cougars continued their roll as outside linebacker Latreveon McCutchin deflected a ball into the gloves of Will James, who raced to the end zone for a 37-yard pick-six. Down 21-3, Rice notched its first touchdown in the final frame in response when quarterback Chase Jenkins punched in a 2-yard keeper to conclude a 12-play, 75-yard scoring drive. However, Houston wasted zero time in firing back. Two snaps later, Weigman launched a 74-yard deep ball to his former 7-on-7 teammate Stephon “Boogie” Johnson. Johnson burned solo coverage on his first reception of the season, providing Houston a much-needed explosive passing play.
“The thing I was most proud of was he had a couple opportunities and it didn’t work him in the first half,” Fritz said of Johnson. “He stayed in the ballgame and was there when his number got called. Heck of a throw and a great catch. He showed his speed running away. He used his arm as a weapon and pushed off that guy.”
It was only fitting Connors was the man who put the finishing touches on the last chapter in the rivalry. The former Owl and current Cougar dashed 42 yards to the house, solidifying 132 rushing yards for the second-best outing of his college career.
“I was glad this game was early on in the season,” Connors said. “I want to root for those guys as the years goes on. A lot of history there, a lot of guys I’m gonna have in my wedding and I’m gonna be at their wedding, and stuff like that. But I’m a Cougar and it was great to get that Bucket.”
Houston maintained the Bayou Bucket with its second-consecutive win and will maintain it for the foreseeable future. Johnson snatched the 3-foot rivalry trophy in aftermath of the victory, sprinting toward the drum major podium to celebrate with the band, cheerleaders, and fans. The Cougars claimed nine of the final 10 Buckets as the final moments of the storied rivalry were cemented at Rice Stadium.
“The city of Houston is not named the city of Rice,” Houston cornerback Latrell McCutchin said. “To have that bucket reside where it should — it’s just a blessing. We worked hard for it and I’m glad my guys made the plays we made in order to do so.”
