During a season-opening holiday weekend with what many considered a best-ever opening slate of games, the Houston Cougars scored perhaps the biggest statement win with a 33-23 defeat of No. 3 Oklahoma. Quarterback Greg Ward Jr. rallied his team three times in the first half, and the defending American Athletic Conference champions took over in the second half to earn the Football Writers Association of America National Team of the Week honor for games of the weekend of Sept. 3.
 
The announcement was made on "Playbook," hosted by Chris Carlin and Gino Torretta on SiriusXM Radio's "College Sports Nation." Each Monday during the season, the FWAA National Team of the Week will be unveiled during the program, which airs from 12-3 p.m. CT.
 
Ward threw for 321 yards and two touchdowns for the Cougars (1-0). But the game's key play came midway through the third quarter on Brandon Wilson's 100-yard field goal return for a touchdown. Austin Seibert's 54-yard field goal attempt fell just short, Wilson caught the ball with his heels just inside the end line before sprinting to the right side of the field and virtually untouched to the end zone.
 
Instead of giving up a go-ahead field goal, Houston turned the play into a 26-17 advantage. The UH defense did the rest, sacking Oklahoma's Baker Mayfield five times and forcing a fumble as the Cougars won their fifth straight game against a ranked opponent.
 
"We were prepared to win. We expected to win. We train to win," Houston coach Tom Herman said. "It wasn't about making a statement, it was about going 1-0 the first week of the season."
 
This is the fourth time for Houston to earn National Team of the Week honors and the first time since 2011.