HOUSTON - Quarterback D'Eriq King threw for 320 yards and three touchdowns and All-America defensive tackle Ed Oliver had game highs with 13 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss as Houston scored a 45-27 win against Rice Saturday afternoon at Rice Stadium.

King completed 17 of 24 passes to turn in his second career game with at least 300 passing yards, while added a rushing touchdown and 33 yards on the ground to finish with 353 yards of total offense. 



The Cougars scored the last 27 points of the game to win going away after Rice had taken a 27-17 lead midway through the third quarter.

King's 4-yard touchdown run brought Houston within three at 27-27 with 7:04 left in the third quarter and he hit Marquez Stevenson for a 57-yard touchdown on the Cougars' next possession to give the Cougars a 31-27 lead with 2:37 left in the period. King found Courtney Lark for an 18-yard TD early in the fourth quarter before Patrick Carr capped the run with a 37-yard rushing TD with 3:08 left.

Oliver, meanwhile led a Houston defense that held Rice to three second-half points after the Owls had taken a 24-21 lead into halftime. Oliver's 13 tackles were one shy of his career high. His 3.5 tackles for loss give him 43 career TFLs in his career, moving him into fourth on the American Athletic Conference's career chart one game into his junior season.

Houston plays its home opener next Saturday against Arizona at TDECU Stadium.