2016 UH Pre- and Postgame Analysis by Jimmy Schofield

[pray10 (Patrick)]

OU Game preview; Houston's D vs. Oklahoma's O

2016 Game 1 Preview: Oklahoma O versus Houston D By: Jimmy Schofield [image] Photo Credit: Stephen Pinchback In potentially the biggest opening game in program history, your Houston Cougars host the Oklahoma Sooners at NRG Stadium this Saturday September 3. Game time is set for 11AM (CST) and will be televised on ABC. Ranked third in the recently released AP poll, Oklahoma is trying to return to the college football playoff under Bob Stoops (179-46). In his 18 years as head coach, Stoops ha…

OU Game Preview: Houston's O vs. Oklahoma's D

2016 Game 1 Preview: Oklahoma defense versus Houston offense By: Jimmy Schofield [image] Photo Credit: Stephen Pinchback In potentially the biggest opening game in program history, your Houston Cougars host the Oklahoma Sooners at NRG Stadium this Saturday September 3. Game time is set for 11AM (CST) and will be televised on ABC. Ranked third in the recently released AP poll, Oklahoma is trying to return to the college football playoff under 19th year head coach Bob Stoops (179-46). The Coo…

---

Oklahoma Post Game Analysis

Post Game Analysis: Oklahoma By: Jimmy Schofield [image] Photo by Thomas B. Shea - USA Today In a thrilling, hard hitting physical contest, YOUR Houston Cougars defeated the Oklahoma Sooners 33-23 before 71,016 rabid fans at NRG Stadium Saturday afternoon. Let’s take a look at the offense, defense and special teams: Offense The Coogs were unable to run on the interior for the most part against a big and physical Oklahoma front seven. So offensive coordinator Major Applewhite decided to hav…

[pray10 (Patrick)]

Game 2 preview: Lamar

2016 Game 2 Preview: Lamar By: Jimmy Schofield [image] Photo by: Jeff Kellum, Lamar Athletics Coming off a huge win versus the third ranked Oklahoma Sooners, your Houston Cougars return to the comfy confines of TDECU Stadium this Saturday for an 11AM (CST) kickoff as they host the Lamar Cardinals. The game will be broadcast on ESPN3.com and the American Sports Network (check your local listings). Entering its seventh season as a program, the Cardinals of the FCS shouldn’t give the Cougars m…

[pray10 (Patrick)]

Game three preview: Cincinnati

2016 Game 3 Preview: Cincinnati By: Jimmy Schofield [image] Team photo via GoBearcats.com Your sixth ranked Houston Cougars travel to Nippert Stadium for a Thursday night primetime showdown against the Bearcats of Cincinnati in the American Athletic Conference opener for both teams. Game time is set for 6:30pm (CST) and will be televised on ESPN. The Bearcats (2-0) are coached by Tommy Tuberville, who’s 27-13 in his fourth season at Cincinnati (157-90 overall in 20 seasons). Tuberville is a…

---

Post Game Analysis; Cincinnati

Post Game Analysis: Cincinnati By: Jimmy Schofield [image] Photo via uhcougars.com As bad as your sixth ranked Houston Cougars played through the first three quarters Thursday night at Nippert Stadium, they dominated the fourth quarter, forcing three Bearcats turnovers (scoring off all three including two pick-6’s) while scoring 28 unanswered points to win 40-16. Let’s take a look at how all three units looked. Offense The game got off to a slow start offensively for both teams as neither …

[pray10 (Patrick)]

Game 4 preview: Texas State

2016 Game 4 Preview: Texas State By: Jimmy Schofield [image] Photo via txstatebobcats.com Coming off a dominating fourth quarter performance in which they outscored Cincinnati 28-6 in their American Athletic Conference opener last week in a 40-16 victory, your sixth ranked Houston Cougars travel to San Marcos this Saturday as they take on the Bobcats. Game time from Bobcat Stadium is set for 6pm CST and will be broadcast on ESPNU. After a modest four year run in which Dennis Franchione (wh…

---

Post Game analysis: Texas State

Post Game analysis: Texas State By: Jimmy Schofield [image] Photo via uhcougars.com Dominating in every phase of the game, your sixth ranked Houston Cougars defeated the Texas State Bobcats 64-3 Saturday night in San Marcos. In yet another balanced attack the Coogs produced 563 yards of total offense (320 through the air and 243 on the ground) while controlling the ball for 36-minutes. The Bobcats had only 142 yards of total offense and 33 rushing. With that, let’s take a look at how each pha…

[pray10 (Patrick)]

Game 5 preview: Connecticut

2016 Game 5 Preview: Connecticut By: Jimmy Schofield [image] photo courtesy uconnhuskies.com Holding steady as the sixth ranked team in the nation, your Houston Cougars take to TDECU Stadium this Thursday night for another nationally televised game on ESPN. This week they face the Huskies of Connecticut. Game time is set for 7pm (CST). The Coogs are coming off an impressive 64-3 victory at Texas State in which they outgained the Bobcats 563 to just 142. Todd Orlando’s “Third Ward Defense” is…

---

Connecticut Post Game Analysis

Post Game Analysis: Connecticut By: Jimmy Schofield [image] Photo courtesy of uhcougars.com In a hard fought, physical contest, your sixth ranked Houston Cougars showed off their depth in a resounding 42-14 victory over the Connecticut Huskies Thursday night at TDECU Stadium. Let’s take a look at how each unit performed: Offense Head coach Tom Herman wasn’t joking around when he said that offensive coordinator Major Applewhite wasn’t even going to really plan on attacking the Huskies inter…

[pray10 (Patrick)]

Game 6 Preview: Navy

2016 Game 6 Preview: Navy By: Jimmy Schofield [image]Photo courtesy Tommy Gilligan - USA Today Sports Your fifth ranked Houston Cougars travel to Annapolis, Maryland this Saturday (Oct. 8) to take on the Navy Midshipmen in a key American Athletic Conference Wester Division matchup. Kick off at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium is set for 2pm (CST) and will be televised on the CBS Sports Network. The Midshipmen (3-1 and 2-0 in conference play) are coached by Ken Niumatalolo, who’s the winnin…

---

Post Game Analysis; Navy

2016 Post Game Analysis: Navy By: Jimmy Schofield [image] Photo courtesy Tommy Gilligan-USA Today Sports In a hard fought physical affair, your Houston Cougars succumbed to the Midshipmen from Navy Saturday afternoon at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium by the score of 46-40 in Navy’s biggest upset in more than 30 years. If one had watched the first series of each team, they would have thought the game would turn out to be another Cougars blowout. Navy received the ball and their quarterbac…

[pray10 (Patrick)]

Game 7 Preview: Tulsa

2016 Game 7 Preview: Tulsa By: Jimmy Schofield [image] Photo courtesy newson6.com After only the second loss of the Tom Herman era (20 games), your 12th ranked Houston Cougars look to rebound this Saturday (October 15) against fellow American Athletic Conference Western division foe, the Tulsa Golden Hurricane. Game time at TDECU Stadium is set for 6pm (CST) and will be broadcast on ESPN2. The Golden Hurricane (4-1, 1-0) are led by second year head coach Phillip Montgomery, who led Tulsa to…

---

Post Game Analysis; Tulsa

2016 Post Game Analysis: Tulsa By: Jimmy Schofield [image] Photo courtesy uhcougars.com After being gashed for most of the night by Tulsa’s offense, the “Third Ward Defense” stepped up on their final two possessions, converting a turnover into a touchdown and stopping the Golden Hurricane on a 2nd-and-goal from the two yard line on the final play of the game to preserve a 38-31 victory before a packed house at TDECU Stadium Saturday night. With the win, your 12th ranked Houston Cougars push t…

[pray10 (Patrick)]

Game 8 Preview: SMU

2016 Game 8 Preview: SMU By: Jimmy Schofield [image] Photo courtesy smumustangs.com Your 12th ranked Houston Cougars head down the home stretch as they travel up I-45 to take on the SMU Mustangs this Saturday (Oct 22). Game time at Gerald R. Ford Stadium is set for 6pm (CDT) and will be televised on ESPN2. The Mustangs (2-4, 0-2 in American Athletic Conference play) are coming off an off-week after suffering a tough 43-40 overtime loss against Tulsa. They’ve been plagued by injuries which h…

---

Post Game Analysis: SMU

2016 Post Game Analysis: SMU By: Jimmy Schofield [image] Photo courtesy uhcougars.com After being dominated in every phase of the game, your Houston Cougars have not only had their faint playoff hopes dashed, but even defending their American Athletic Conference championship looks pretty bleak at this moment after watching the SMU Mustangs defeat them 38-16 Saturday night in Dallas. The loss drops their record to 6-2 and 2-2 in AAC play and will almost assuredly drop them out of the AP and co…

[pray10 (Patrick)]

Game 9 preview: UCF

Game 9 Preview: UCF By: Jimmy Schofield [image] Photo courtesy orlandosentinel.com Coming off of a 38-16 loss at SMU, your 24th ranked Houston Cougars look to get back on the winning track as they host the Knights of Central Florida this Saturday (Oct. 29). Game time at TDECU Stadium is set for 11AM and will be televised on ESPNews. The Knights (4-3, 2-1 in American Athletic Conference Eastern division play) are coached by Scott Frost. Though in only his first season as a head coach, if ever…

---

Post Game Analysis: UCF

Post Game Analysis: UCF By: Jimmy Schofield [image] photo courtesy uhcougars.com In what head coach Tom Herman described as a one-game season, your Houston Cougars overcame a horrible first half of play and a 24-3 second half deficit by scoring 28 unanswered points to defeat the Central Florida Knights 31-24 Saturday afternoon at TDECU Stadium. Now let’s take a look at how they accomplished this. It was a tale of two halves In the first half offensively, the Coogs had only 112 total yards a…

[pray10 (Patrick)]

Game 10 Preview: Tulane

2016 Game 10 Preview: Tulane By: Jimmy Schofield [image] photo courtesy sportsnola.com Your Houston Cougars look to continue their winning ways as they host the Tulane Green Wave this Saturday (November 12) for Homecoming. Game time at TDECU Stadium is set for 2:30pm CST and will be broadcast by the CBS Sports Network. Tulane (3-6, 0-5 in the AAC West) is led by first year head coach Willie Fritz, who’s 20-13 in three years as a head coach at the FBS level (going 17-7 at Georgia Southern in …

---

Post Game Analysis: Tulane

2016 Post Game Analysis: Tulane By: Jimmy Schofield [image] Photo courtesy uhcougars.com Behind another great defensive performance and an offense that did just enough, your Houston Cougars defeated the Tulane Green Wave 30-18 on its 71st Homecoming game Saturday afternoon at TDECU Stadium. With the win, the Coogs pushed their record to 8-2 overall and 5-2 in the American Athletic Conference where they stand at second place in the West, half a game behind Navy. Let’s take a look at how they …

[pray10 (Patrick)]

Game 11 Preview: Louisville

2016 Game 11 Preview: Louisville By: Jimmy Schofield [image] photo courtesy gocards.com Your Houston Cougars play their final home game of the season this Thursday (Nov 17) as they host the high flying Louisville Cardinals on Senior Night. Game time at TDECU Stadium is set for 7pm (CST) and will be televised nationally on ESPN. These two teams have been on an upward trajectory since they last time they met in Louisville for the second game of the season, a 34-31 come from behind victory tha…

---

Post Game Analysis: Louisville

Post Game Analysis: Louisville By: Jimmy Schofield [image] photo courtesy uhcougars.com Before a sold out, standing room only crowd at TDECU Stadium, your Houston Cougars dominated the fifth ranked team in the nation in every phase of the game Thursday night, defeating the Louisville Cardinals 36-10 on Sam Hairston Military Appreciation night before a nationally televised ESPN audience. When I heard Hairston gave his life serving our great country as an Army Ranger in 2014 I was deeply sadde…

[pray10 (Patrick)]

Game 12 Preview: Memphis

2016 Game 12 Preview: Memphis By: Jimmy Schofield [image] photo courtesy gotigersgo.com Coming off of a dominating performance versus fifth ranked Louisville, your ranked Houston Cougars conclude the regular season as they travel to Tennessee to take on the always tough Memphis Tigers this Friday November 26. Game time from the Liberty Bowl will be at 11AM CST and will be broadcast nationally on ABC. The Tigers (7-4 and 4-3 in the AAC West) are led by first year head coach Mike Norvell, who’…

---

Post Game Analysis: Memphis

Post Game Analysis: Memphis By: Jimmy Schofield [image] Photo courtesy uhcougars.com Your Houston Cougars concluded their regular season with a hard fought, tough 44-41 loss at Memphis to finish at 9-3 overall and 5-3 in the American Athletic Conference’s Western Division. Let’s take a look at how they fared on each side of the ball; Offensively the Coogs finished with 624 total yards; 487 yards passing, 137 yards rushing. They converted 11-of-21 third downs and possessed the ball for over …

[pray10 (Patrick)]

Bowl Game Preview: San Diego State

2016 Bowl Game Preview: San Diego State By: Jimmy Schofield [image] photo courtesy goaztecs.com Your Houston Cougars conclude the 2016 season in the Las Vegas Bowl against the Aztecs of San Diego State. Game time for this December 17 matchup will be at 2:30pm (CST) and will be televised via ABC. The Aztecs (10-3, 6-2) are coming off their second consecutive Mountain West Championship (winning the conference three out of the past five seasons) and are led by coaching veteran Rocky Long who’s …

---

Post Game Analysis: San Diego State

2016 Las Vegas Bowl Post Game Analysis: San Diego State By: Jimmy Schofield [image] photo courtesy uhcougars.com Your Houston Cougars concluded the 2016 season with a lethargic effort behind a skeleton crew coaching staff in a 34-10 loss against the Aztecs of San Diego State in the Las Vegas Bowl. After starting the season at 5-0 and ranked in the AP Top 6, the Coogs conclude the season by splitting their final eight games to finish the season at a disappointing 9-4. Football is a simple ga…