2011 UH Cougar Watch-Coogs Are C-USA West Division Champs!

The Dream Season continues!   For the first time since 2009 the University of Houston Cougar footballers are the C-USA West Division Champs after their 48-16 victory yesterday over the Tulsa Golden Hurricane.   

Like every UH Cougar fan and alum I was nervous before this critical showdown with Tulsa in a sold out H.A. Chapman Stadium started and knew the stakes were high for the BCS number 8 ranked Cougars. 

A C-USA West Division title, a berth in the C-USA Championship game, the undefeated season and a possible BCS bowl berth was on the line. 

We were facing a tough Tulsa team whose only losses were to Top 10 ranked opponents and was the top ranked defense in C-USA.    Now 8-4 (7-1 C-USA West) Tulsa was determined to make their season by getting to the C-USA title game and knocking us from the ranks of the unbeaten at the same time.

But it was the Cougar defense that stepped up big and gave the Cougar offense time to get into the game by stopping Tulsa on a fourth and one deep in the red zone and forcing a fumble on another drive in the red zone to protect a 13-10 lead they took into halftime.  

And then the Cougar offense had that second half explosion we were waiting for.  They scored five touchdowns in the second half but the most critical one was the 38 yard fourth down strike from Keenum to Patrick Edwards that pushed UH to a 27-16 lead late in the third quarter.  The Coogs pulled away with three fourth quarter TD's to close out this game and the first undefeated run in C-USA division play for any school since the 2005 realignment.  

"Fifteen weeks ago, we set out for one goal and that goal has not changed all year," said UH coach Kevin Sumlin. "I think a lot of people have tried to talk our team into all these other scenarios and stuff that's happening out there

"Our guys understand that and they've put themselves in a position to achieve that goal. Along the way, there's been a bunch of records broken and a bunch of milestones crossed, but the ultimate goal for us from day one was to win the conference championship."

Keenum threw for 457 yards and 5 touchdowns and in the process (ho hum) set another NCAA record with his 37th 300 plus yard game.  Patrick Edwards had 181 yards receiving and racked up four touchdowns  

The Cougars are now 12-0 (8-0 C-USA West) for the first time ever in school history and with Friday's victory earned the right to host this year's C-USA title game for the second time in school pigskin history   They face either Southern Mississippi or Marshall at what is sure to be a rollicking and sold out Robertson Stadium on December 3 for an opportunity to win their first C-USA championship since 2006. 

Coach K's press conference.



Eat 'em up!

Number One Baylor Beats Number 2 Notre Dame In Preseason WNIT Title Game

The reason I'm not tripping about the NBA lockout is because of the quality basketball being played in collegiate arenas around the country.   There was a great early season number one versus number two matchup on the women's basketball side that for the first time in years didn't involve UConn.

It was an early season showdown in Waco between the Brittney Griner led Baylor Lady Bears and the Skylar Diggins led Notre Dame Fightin' Irish for the preseason WNIT championship. 

Number two Notre Dame was the NCAA championship runner up to Texas A&M last spring and the Aggies have jumped out in defense of their title to a 4-0 start.

The Lady Bears and the Fighting Irish are just two of the NCAA women's squads who want to be cutting down the nets at the Pepsi Center in Denver.

Y'all know I love my Houston homegirl Brittney Griner, who had 32 points and 14 rebounds in this 94-81 win in the Ferrell Center and established themselves (for now ) as one of the elite women's squads in the country.   But I have no doubts that Notre Dame will be there when March Madness rolls around.  



Go Lady Bears!

2011 UH Cougar Watch-11th Ranked Cougars Facing SMU

The detractors of the University of Houston's unbeaten march to BCS buster status have pointed to their schedule and made the charge 'they haven't played anybody'.  

Hey, UH opened up with a Pac-12 school in UCLA and beat them.  Not our fault they underachieved and you BCS big boys are 'scurred' to schedule us.

In 2009 we started 3-0, knocked off a Number 5 ranked Oklahoma State team which had Dez Bryant in their lineup along with Brandon Weeden, Texas Tech at the Rob and the SEC's Mississippi State in Starkville during their homecoming.week.

The Oklahoma State and Texas Tech games were on national television, and that doesn't get you many invites by the BCS big boys to put you on their schedules when you are a non-AQ conference school quite capable of walking out of their stadiums with a check and a televised win as well.

As a matter of fact Nebraska canceled a home and home series with the Coogs after we beat Oklahoma State   

And as much burnt orange hateraid flows from Austin and the Longhorn Elementary faithful aimed at UH, their beloved Horns will not schedule us in either football or basketball. 


So with the ESPN College GameDay bus in town, Case Keenum finally getting some well deserved Heisman love and the college football media spotlight finally focused on Cullen Blvd, the 10-0 Cougars get an opponent upgrade in the SMU Mustangs.        

UH knocked them off in Dallas last year 45-20 but the stakes are much higher in this year's tilt for UH.  The Cougars are not only seeking to remain unbeaten in their last regular season home game at the Rob and atop the C-USA West Division, but get a step closer to playing in the December 3 C-USA Championship Game and a possible BCS bowl berth.

But they'll have to handle their business against SMU first.    Eat 'em up!