Oklahoma and Houston will kick off tonight at 7:45 p.m. ET. Here are the latest game notes from Houston’s Sports Information department.
Houston and Oklahoma meet for the fifth time in the history of the programs on Saturday and for the third time in the last nine seasons (2016-present). The schools will close out their two-game agreement when UH hosts the Sooners on Sept. 16, 2028, inside TDECU Stadium.
Saturday marks Houston’s first matchup against an SEC opponent since defeating Auburn, 17-13, on Dec. 28, 2021, in front of an orange-clad crowd at the TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl. Since 1999, Houston is 6-4 against SEC opponents including wins against LSU (1999), Mississippi State (2003, 2005, 2009), Vanderbilt (2015) and Auburn (2021).
Houston quarterback Donovan Smith will make his second career appearance against an SEC opponent on Saturday. At Texas Tech, Smith was named the 2021 Liberty Bowl MVP, leading the Red Raiders past Mississippi State, 34-7, thanks to 252 yards passing, one passing touchdown and another rushing score on Dec. 28, 2021.
The Cougars are looking to bounce back following a 27-7 season opening loss to --/rv UNLV. In the loss, UH finished 2-for-15 on third down and managed just 247 yards. Houston wide receiver Joseph Manjack IV hauled in his sixth TD in the last seven games. Houston’s defense provided three pass breakups and permitted just seven receptions. Junior defensive back A.J. Haulcy, the Cougars’ honorary UH flagbearer for team runout, added his third career interception, returned for 48 yards, and posted 5.0+ tackles for the 21st time in his last 22 games.
Thirty-two Cougars made UH debuts last Saturday. Among UH’s 11 defensive starters, eight were playing in their first game with the Cougars. Student-athletes participating in their first UH game contributed 70% of the Cougars’ all-purpose yards and 65% of tackles.
UH defensive end Keith Cooper Jr., a three-year standout at Tulane, offered up a strong debut last Saturday. Competing in his 40th career game, Cooper Jr. blocked a field goal with 1:47 to play in the first half, keeping UH’s deficit at 14 points. On defense, the Dickinson, Texas, product logged 3.0 tackles including a sack with 15 seconds to play in the opening half – upping his career total to a team-best 11.5 sacks.
UH’s 11 road victories since 2021 rank tied for ninth nationally. The Cougars have won seven of their last nine road openers (2015-present). Head Coach Willie Fritz led Tulane to a perfect 10-0 road record the last two seasons. Fritz’s last road loss was Nov. 27, 2021, at Memphis.
Fritz’s last trip to Norman, Okla., was part of a game originally scheduled to take place in New Orleans. Following the landfall of Hurricane Ida, Tulane and #2 Oklahoma moved their 2021 opener to Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Tulane left New Orleans ahead of the storm, setting up a temporary base in Birmingham, Ala. OU led 40-22 early in the 4Q and held off a furious Tulane rally for a 40-35 win.
Fritz was named UH's 16th head coach in program history on December 3, 2023. The back-to-back American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year is in the midst of his 32nd season as head coach. Fritz ranks fifth nationally among active FBS head coaches with 208 victories, trailing only LSU’s Brian Kelly (283), North Carolina’s Mack Brown (283) and Sam Houston’s K.C. Keeler (263).
During his 32-year coaching career, Fritz is 67-38 in games immediately (occurred during same season) following a loss. Dating to the final month of Tulane's 2021 season, Fritz’s Green Wave coached teams went 4-0 in games immediately following a loss.
Houston senior defensive back Latrell McCutchin Sr. and senior linebacker Jamal Morris each competed at Oklahoma. McCutchin Sr. played with the Sooners in 2021, appearing in nine games including one start. Morris spent 2019-21 at Oklahoma, playing in 20 total games.
Local News
Comments / 0