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Displaced But Not Discouraged, Cougars' Rally Falls Short Against Air Force
Sept. 13, 2008
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Houston-Air Force Game Book (Sept. 13, 2008) DALLAS _ - After being relocated to Dallas on Thursday and having the game time pushed back to 10 am on Friday, the University of Houston Cougars pushed aside a lackluster first half to rally within three points on a Case Keenum-to-Mark Hafner touchdown with 3:38 to play but UH could not complete the comeback and fell to Air Force, 31-28, at Gerald J. Ford Stadium on the SMU campus. Houston falls to 1-2 on the season while Air Force remains undefeated at 3-0. The Cougars trailed 31-7 midway through the third quarter before starting their rally. Houston moved 80 yards on just five plays before Keenum found Andre Kohn at the goal line, and the sophomore running back completed the 25-yard touchdown by diving just inside the pylon. Houston stopped Air Force on its next drive, and then churned out a 15-play, 76-yard march with Keenum finding Hafner from seven yards away to slice into the lead. Keenum finished with his fourth straight 300-yard passing effort but his consecutive streak without an interception stopped at 219 attempts when he under threw L.J. Castile and was intercepted by Anthony Wright with 7:23 left to play. Keenum completed 34-of-57 attempts for 362 yards and four touchdowns in addition to rushing for a team-high 75 yards. The Falcons rushed for 380 yards with three scores from quarterback Shea Smith. However, Air Force produced zero yards through the air and miss-fired on all seven attempts. The zero passing yards allowed tied a Houston defensive record dating back to the 1953 season. On Dec. 5, 1953, the Cougars held Tennessee to zero yards passing in a 33-19 win at Rice Stadium. Again, the Cougars were able to stop the potent Falcon rushing attack to force a punt with less than six minutes to play. Working the no-huddle, Keenum moved Houston down the field and capped the drive with another seven-yard touchdown to Hafner. Hafner finished with a career-high three touchdowns receiving on his seven catches. The Cougars opened the scoring and took an early 7-0 lead, when Keenum found Hafner from 14-yards out, capping a six-play, 70-yard drive after an Air Force punt. For Hafner, the touchdown was the third straight game with a score for the senior tight end, making him the first Cougar to do since Donnie Avery in 2007. Air Force stormed right back to slice into the Houston lead. The Falcons marched 41 yards in 10 plays and countered with 30-yard field goal from Ryan Harrison. Air Force converted a key third-down at midfield when Kyle Halderman broke off an 18-yard run into Cougar territory. After a Bryce Beall fumble with 52 seconds to play in the first quarter, the Falcons cashed in the turnover, marching 66 yards on seven plays to hit pay dirt. Spencer Armstrong set up the first-and-goal with a 51-yard scamper on an end around put Air Force at the Cougar nine-yard line. On fourth down, quarterback Shea Smith kept on the option and snuck in from the two-yard line. A breakdown in the UH special teams set up the next Air Force score. Houston went three-and-out to set up a Chase Turner punt. Turner boomed a 58-yarder that subsequently returned 53 yards by Reggie Rembert to the Houston 20. The Falcons marched quickly to the end zone, as Savier Stephens burst up the middle from the seven-yard line. The Falcons increased their lead to 31-7 in the third quarter with two more touchdown runs for Smith. Air Force took the opening kickoff and marched 59 yards with Smith capping that drive with a one-yard run. After stopping the Cougars on their initial drive of the second half, the Falcons moved 80 yards on 13 plays with Smith barreling in from six yards out.
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