Cougars must beat two ranked teams to have winning season
Anything less than winning out will mean a losing season for the University of Houston.
At 3-6, the Cougars must beat No. 19 Memphis (8-1), Tulsa (2-7) and No. 25 Navy (7-1) to avoid just the third losing season since 2004. One more loss will end UH’s school-record streak of six straight bowls.
A year that included a deluge of injuries and redshirt decisions also features a schedule that could match the most ranked opponents in the school’s 74year history.
With Navy moving into this week’s Associated Press poll, UH could play six ranked opponents this season, matching the 1977 season that included No. 1 Texas, No. 9 Arkansas, No. 10 Penn State, No. 11 UCLA and No. 17 Texas A&M.
UH already has played Oklahoma, Washington State, Cincinnati and SMU, and will end the season playing all five AAC schools to be ranked at different points this season. Two-time league champion Central Florida is just outside the Top 25.
UH currently is next-to-last in the six-team AAC West, ahead of only Tulsa.
“The conference is tough, and it’s getting tougher,” coach Dana
Holgorsen said on Monday’s AAC coaches teleconference. “I don’t plan on being at the bottom half of the conference very long. We’ll get back up there to the top as soon as possible.”
With an open date before hosting Memphis on Nov. 16, Holgorsen said the break will help get players healthy.
“Good time for a bye week,” he said. “Hopefully that will allow us to get healthy and get to the point we can finish the season with a few wins here.”
Car done for year to preserve redshirt
Running back Mulbah Car left quite an impression over his final two games of the season.
Car, a senior who will sit the final three games to preserve his redshirt year of eligibility, had 132 yards and two touchdowns against UCF. That followed his 136-yard performance against SMU.
Car was pressed into action the last two weeks with Patrick Carr and Kyle Porter bothered by injuries. Saturday’s game marked Car’s fourth game of the season, the maximum number of games under the NCAA 2year-old rule.
“It’s not going to be tough (sitting),” said Car, the Cougars’ second-leading rusher with 375 yards and three touchdowns. “I’m going to be at practice every day, going to keep working hard. I’m going to focus on school.”
Car is set to graduate in May.
Two special teams records could fall
Two special teams records could be on the verge of falling.
Dane Roy is averaging 47.2 yards on punts, which is on pace to break the single-season school record of 45.5 set by Richie Leone in 2012. Earlier this season against Cincinnati, Roy’s 54 yards on four punts broke the single-game record previously set in 1948.
Kicker Dalton Witherspoon made three field goals Saturday, giving him 15 this season. The school record is 22, set by Roman Anderson in 1989.
More freshmen may get playing time
As the schedule winds down, Holgorsen plans to pick spots for younger players to get game experience.
The latest among true freshmen to make their collegiate debuts in Saturday’s loss to UCF: safety Ronald Nunnery and defensive lineman Nelson Caeser. They join quarterback Logan Holgorsen (four games) and running back Terrell Brown (one game) as first-year players to see action.
Holgorsen indicated offensive linemen Patrick Paul, Chayse Todd and Cam’Ron Johnson could get playing time during the final month.