While Case Keenum and the nation's leading offense have gotten most of the press this season, Houston's defense made two huge red-zone plays to keep the Cougars up 13-10 at half-time in Tulsa.
Tulsa went for it on fourth-and-1 deep in Houston territory midway through the second quarter, but Houston's defensive line controlled the line of scrimmage and kept Golden Hurricanes RB Trey Watts from getting the first down.
Keenum then marched the Cougars down the field and retook the lead with a 20-yard pass to WR Charles Simms.
Kinne was on pace to respond in the last two minutes when he completed a pass to WR Bryan Burnham at the Houston 10-yard line, but Burnham fumbled the ball trying to extend the play and the Cougars held Tulsa without a point in their second straight trip to the red zone.
Both defenses have played surprisingly well, with Houston gaining 224 yards to Tulsa's 226.