Houston Roughnecks fall to late San Antonio Brahmas rally

The Houston Roughnecks forced four turnovers and received four field goals from JJ Molson, but it wasn’t enough to beat the San Antonio Brahmas on Sunday at Rice Stadium.

The Brahmas won 15-12 thanks to a 51-yard field goal by Ryan Santoso as time expired. San Antonio scored 12 points in the final three minutes to knock out Houston.

The Roughnecks fell to 1-6 with their third straight loss. San Antonio improved to 5-2, tying St. Louis for first place in the United Football League’s XFL Conference.

The Roughnecks were clearly outplayed for most of the first half, but still went into the break 3-3. San Antonio had a 178-62 edge in yards before Houston drove 45 yards on its final drive to set up Molson’s 48-yard field goal.

Quinten Dormady and the Brahmas made things look easy at times on their first three drives, including a 25-yard reception by Landen Akers and a 20-yard catch by Cody Latimer.

But Reuben Foster forced a fumble from a leaping John Lovett, recovered by Glen Logan at the Houston 4.

The Brahmas’ second drive was almost a repeat, as receptions by Jontre Kirklin and Marquez Stevenson and a 16-yard run by Morgan Ellison moved them to the Houston 18.

San Antonio attempted a reverse on third down, but Corn Elder forced a Stevenson fumble and Donald Rutledge Jr. recovered to avoid a field goal again.

The Brahmas scored on their third drive, with a 29-yard catch by Akers giving them another opportunity. Marvin Moody’s breakup on third down kept San Antonio out of the end zone, but Santoso’s 26-yard field goal broke the scoreless game with 11:51 left in the half.

Houston found some success on its fourth possession and connected for a deep ball on its fifth. Jarrett Guarantano found Justin Hall open over the middle, with Hall absorbing a shot to complete a 41-yard catch. Molson’s basket followed.

The defense was successful for Houston early in the second half, as Chris Odom’s sack forced a fumble recovery by Ethan Westbrooks at the Houston 25.

Guarantano’s diving dive on third down helped give the Roughnecks their first lead of the game on Molson’s 31-yard field goal.

Molson was just warming up. Shortly after a sack by Odom helped end the Brahmas’ next drive, Molson kicked a 62-yard field goal just over the crossbar to give Houston a 9-3 lead with 2 :39 to play in the third.

Molson added his fourth with 12:36 to play, a 21-yard kick set up by a Colby Richardson interception and a 36-yard run by Mark Thompson.

San Antonio responded with an 18-play, 67-yard drive with Kevin Hogan at quarterback. Lovett converted a 4th-and-1 and then scored on a 1-yard run, one play after Hogan’s fourth down was ruled short but erased due to a personal foul.

The Brahmas attempted a three-point conversion, unique to the UFL, and tied the game with 2:24 remaining on Latimer’s 10-yard catch.

Houston fumbled on the ensuing kick return, setting up San Antonio’s decisive drive.