Question for the older UH fans

Michigan State

No, it wouldn’t be the biggest win in UH history especially based in that context. It frustrates me to no end to see our fans constantly rave about our illustrious history when they feel the need to justify how great our program is, then come back and claim a game like this would be the BIGGEST win. I know most people want to believe that whatever big game is happening right in front of them is better and bigger than anything that has come before but that isn’t the case here

I’ve been following UH for nearly 30 years. Not trying to take away from our historic wins in the past
but right now, we can be elevated to heights not seen in a long time + all that people will care about is “What have you done for me lately”
This game is HUGE in terms of getting us to the next phase of expansion and/or playoffs
You can downplay this game all you want
but this game is much bigger than you think. It always amaze me how fans “expect to lose to traditional powers” because they a traditional power. Their history nor ours will help anyone win this game
but those coaches and the young men on field


Where in the world did you come up with the idea that I said we were going to lose? You are now just making crap up. And this game does NOTHING for expansion.

In the words of Barney Stinson’s One rule, “New is always better.” So this is the biggest and best game we will play lol

Based on the original question, it is probably Michigan st game. Bowl game would probably be notre dame, I still have my inny to prove I was there. But because of local fan support, this game will be very important. I have followed this school since the 60’s with dickie post.

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Different criteria for different times. Can’t remember a game with so much at stake:

  • Season opening top 10 national ranking and what that implies for the rest of the season
  • P5 consideration
  • Establishing UH in a competitive environment with pro teams in the city
  • Solidifying a heretofore apathetic, fair weather fan base (alumni and Houstonians)
  • Keeping one of best coaching staffs in – well, a hell of a long time

And I’ve only been following the program since 1958


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Since I go back into the 60s I’m with 69. But I would say the most important game would be a tie between beating Michigan State which garnered national recognition, and beating UT in Austin in our first year in the SWC. That game really set the tone for a national reputation, not to mention being a shot across the bow of every team in the conference. Everything UH has accomplished since those 2 games stands on the foundation they put down.

No question that the OU game is huge. I think whether it’s the biggest game or even opening game will only be known in hindsight. It certainly has the potential for this.

However, I think up to now, the biggest game and opener were in the 1979 season.

We are coming off a break out 1978 season where we beat Bobby Bowden’s Florida State, but lost in the final seconds of the 1979 Cotton Bowl against a Joe Montana led Notre Dame.

For the 1979 season opener, #16 UH opens against UCLA.

We beat UCLA and then went 8-0 beating #4 Arkansas along the way and coming up to #5 in the polls before meeting #8 Texas in the Astrodome on Nov 10. In hind sight, this was the biggest game the Cougars were ever in. Win this game and we were sure to be in contention for #1.

We lost. 21-13.

We salvaged the season and won out the rest and then beat Tom Osborne’s #7 Nebraska Cornhusker’s in he 1980 Cotton Bowl.

We finished the season at #4 or #5 depending on the poll.

Bill Yoeman’s Coogs versus Notre Dame in the SWC Cotton Bowl !
Go Coogs !

All the games mentioned above are all very important games and deserve to be remembered. However, the MOST important season opener every played by UH was vs Southwestern Louisiana on 9/21/46. We lost that game 7 / 13. It was the most important because it was the very first UH football game ever played.

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It’s clear that there are plenty of “big games” to choose from. I’ll stick by my previous post, but my favorite might be the Mississippi State game watching Wondrous Warren rip through the State secondary virtually untouched. Over and over. It was like watching a ballet. That definitely turned some heads in the South.

Losing to UTSA was the mother of all big games! It started the process of getting rid of coach TL and bringing in TH. All future “BIG” games are a spawn of that unacceptable and fortuitous loss. Go Coogs!