Football Ready for C-USA Showdown vs. Tulsa on Saturday
Nov. 14, 2008
GAME 10
The game features two of the top teams in C-USA and the league's top two offenses with each squad averaging more than 37 points and 500 yards of total offense per game. Tulsa leads the C-USA West Division with a 5-0 record, standing a half-game ahead of Rice at 5-1 and one game ahead of the Cougars at 4-1. Revenge will be on the mind of Cougars when they take the field against the Golden Hurricane. A year ago, Tulsa enjoyed a 56-7 win over UH in Oklahoma.
Sophomore quarterback Case Keenum continues to lead Conference USA and rank among the nation's top individual leaders with more than 376 passing yards per game. Senior tight end Mark Hafner leads the Cougars with 65 catches for 689 yards and nine touchdowns and ranks second in the league with more than seven receptions per game. The Waller, Texas, native was honored earlier this week with the John Mackey Tight End of the Week award after hauling in 11 passes for 91 yards and a touchdown against Tulane. It was the second Mackey Tight End of the Week award for Hafner this season. Redshirt freshman wide receiver Tyron Carrier is second on the team with 54 catches and five touchdowns and has added 608 yards. On the ground, freshman running back Bryce Beall leads the way with 801 yards and 10 touchdowns on 123 rushing attempts. The Tatum, Texas, native also has hauled in 18 catches for 251 yards and a pair of touchdowns. In addition, Beall has recorded a rushing and a receiving touchdown in each of the last two games. RADIO/TELEVISION INFORMATION The game also will be televised live on CBS College Sports (DirecTV channel 613/Dish Network channel 152 with Carter Blackburn calling the play-by-play action and Dan Fouts providing analysis.
UH has won two of the last three games, but Tulsa came boast of the most recent success after the big win a year ago in Oklahoma. The Cougars are 11-7 when facing the Golden Hurricane in Houston.
Fresh off a bye week, the Golden Hurricane are led by quarterback David Johnson, who has posted 2,983 yards and 33 touchdowns on 172-of-258 passing. Brennan Marion leads the way with 33 catches for 887 yards and seven touchdowns, while running back Tarrion Adams is tops with 688 yards and five touchdowns on 125 attempts. The Golden Hurricane have not played since falling 30-23 at Arkansas on Nov. 1.
Saturday's football game will be the nightcap for "C3 Saturday" around the UH Athletics Complex. In addition to the football game, the Cougar Men's and Women's Basketball teams will play a doubleheader at Hofheinz Pavilion earlier in the day. The women's team starts the busy day at noon, Saturday, against Gardner-Webb with the men's team opening its home schedule at 3 p.m., Saturday, against Western Kentucky. With all of that excitement, officials with the Athletics Ticket Office announced a special promotion for fans who wish to attend all three events. For only $40, fans will receive a T-shirt and one ticket to each of the three games. Fans who wish to take advantage of this offer must purchase their tickets in advance. The Athletics Ticket Office will be open during regular business hours Friday and will open at 11 a.m., Saturday.
The inductees will be enshrined during the Hall of Honor Gala, beginning at 6:30 p.m., Friday at the Hyatt Regency - Houston. CBS Sports broadcaster Jim Nantz and the "Voice of the Cougars" Tom Franklin will serve as the program's masters of ceremony. The inductees also will be recognized during the Saturday's football game. The Class of 2008 includes Kirk Baptiste (track and field, 1983-85), Rita Crockett (volleyball, 1977), Louis Dunbar (men's basketball, 1972-75), Keith Fergus (golf, 1973-76), Phill Hansel (women's swimming and diving head coach, 1975-96), Carlton Hanta (baseball, 1952-54), David Klingler (football, 1989-91), Riley Odoms (football, 1969-71) and Wade Phillips (football, 1966-68). For the first time in the history of the Hall, an entire team will be enshrined as well. The 1967-68 men's basketball team, which reached the NCAA Final Four for the second time in school history and upset No. 1 UCLA in front of more than 52,000 fans at the Houston Astrodome during the "Game of the Century", will join the Athletics Hall of Honor.
• The 2008 Cougar Softball team, which captured the C-USA regular-season championship and advanced to the title game of the NCAA Houston Super Regional, will be recognized. • As the Cougar Tennis team holds their Reunion Weekend, former and current tennis players will be honored for their contributions to the Athletics Department.
Donations can be delivered to the Star of Hope truck, which will be parked in the tailgate area just outside of Gate 7. An additional drop-off location will be located at the student entrance, which is now located at Gate 10 at the stadium. The Athletics Department will match donations of five or more non-perishable food items with a discount voucher that will be good for discounted tickets or Cougar Authentic merchandise. Bags for collecting non-perishable food items will be distributed to fans at home games, Cougar talk shows and in the Athletics/Alumni Center. Once the items have been collected, the Athletics Department will present the food to the Star of Hope Mission at halftime of the regular-season finale against Conference USA rival UTEP at 2:30 p.m., Nov. 22. The presentation will be a part of "Coogs for Charity Day" at Robertson Stadium. Supporting sponsors of the Campaign include Smart Financial Credit Union, Wells Fargo, New York Life, Irma's Southwest Grill, Fabenco, Tallowood Baptist Church, Houston First Baptist Church and Halliburton. The Star of Hope Mission ministers to more than 900 people every day with food, clothing, shelter and structured recovery programs. The organization touches the lives of more than 7,000 homeless people each year, including more than 1,600 children.
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