Avenged - Houston 38 UCLA 34

It wasn't the beat down that the 2009 Rice game was. Nor the resounding thrashing of the 2010 UTEP game but the Houston Cougars extracted a measure of revenge on the UCLA Bruins for an upsetting game in the Rose Bowl last year.

Case Keenum returned to form.  So did the Houston defense.


Sam Khan, Jr. described the crowd best with the term raucous in his article about the Cougars win.   Fans of all ages were fired up for the game.  The student section sold out and was loud and proud.  The announce crowd tallied at 31,144.  Not sure if it's an official sell out but good to see the home town fans show up.  In the past a game like this might get 28,000 or might not.

Cougar of the Game
Case Keenum - He returned as if never injured.  With the Coog WR/RBs scorching the UCLA Bruins, Keenum amassed 310 yards passing and added another 30 running.  He also tossed one TD.  He continues his assault on the NCAA record book.

Troubling Stat of the Game
554 total yard by the Bruins offense. Head coach Kevin Sumlin did say the Bruins offense contained "some of the biggest humans we'll see."  I don't know if he was talking about the big uglies upfront but the Bruin TE and WR corp gave the Cougars fits all game long.  When not hitting his receivers down field for big gains, UCLA quarterback Richard Brehaut gashed them on the ground.

Not all was lost defensively.  Like I started on the Game Day 1 entry, if the defense can make some key stops and give the ball back to the offense, things might turn out different.

First off, despite the yardage, the Coog Mad Dogs recovered one fumble early in the game.  That turnover lead to a touchdown.

In the closing minutes of the first half is where the defense made its key stop and pretty much turned the game in the Cougars favor.  Brehaut completed a 5 yard TD and the Bruins closed the gap to 17-14 with 2:49 left in the half.  In the matter of 3 plays and under a minute the Coogs widen the lead to 24-14.  With 1:56 left, the Bruins had time to work.  The Cougars give up a first down but then hold on the next three plays forcing UCLA to punt.  Keenum and Company take possession with 35 ticks left on the half clock.  They needed only three plays, including a UCLA pass interference call, to put the ball in the endzone to Tyron Carrier.  Houston closes out the half up 31-14 thanks to one defensive stop.

Kicking Is Key
There was a total of one Bruin fans sitting in my section.  His recurring theme during the game was Bruin kicking game is an adventure.  Line drive extra point after line drive extra point, I expected a missed PAT.  It never happened.  Then came the 4th quarter.  Despite the yardage total, the defense made a stop and UCLA decided to kick the FG.  The kicker, Kip Smith, finally put some height on the kick but he still missed.  I knew it was no good as soon as the student section behind the goal posts went wild before the ref's signal.  A blocked extra point finally came after the Bruins cut the Cougar lead to four.  Despite all else, the game came down to two botched kicks by UCLA...a missed FG plus blocked extra point equals the difference in a 38-34 contest.

The Highlights and Other Videos
Game Highlights

Coach Sumlin's Post Game Press Conference


Keenum's Post Game Comments


Coach Sumlin's Motivational Video


UCLA Head Coach Rick Neuhisel's Post Game Comments

Houston Cougar Game Day 1 vs UCLA - Links Dump

Just dumping a few links in anticipation of the Houston vs. UCLA match up  on Saturday.

University of Houston vs. UCLA Game notes

Conference USA Week One Notes

From The Houston Chronicle:

Case Stories:  Keenum Once Kicked A 47 Yard FG

Faith, Family, Friends Help UH's Keenum Bounce Back From Injury

UH, Central Florida Set To Make More Headlines in C-USA

Houston Cougars Game Day 1 - vs. UCLA Bruins

VS 

Date: September 3, 2011
Time: 2:30 p.m.
Location: John O'Quinn Field at Roberston Stadium
University of Houston
TV: Fox Sports
Radio: 790 AM (Houston)
Last Meeting: 2010 @ UCLA 31 Houston 13

Revenge Match

The Houston Cougars entered the 2010 season with high expectations.  The Cougars had a highly successful 2009 season that saw victories over #5 Oklahoma St., Texas Tech and Mississippi St.  The Cougars took a late season tumble that ended with losses in the Conference USA title game and the Armed Forces Bowl.  The loss to Air Force in the bowl game was especially bitter to fans and star UH QB Case Keenum.  Keenum threw 6 interceptions in the game.

UH opened the 2010 season with resounding wins over Texas St. (68-28) and UTEP (54-24).  The wins also returned the Cougars to the national rankings entering the game with the Bruins.  

However the UTEP game only foreshadowed a more ominous injury against UCLA.  In the 3rd quarter against the Miners, Keenum threw a pick and attempted to make a tackle.  Keenum missed and was injured on the play.  It was later revealed he sustained a concussion.

Fast forward to the next game versus UCLA.  Things were already going bad for the Coogs.  Down 21-3, Keenum threw an interception to Akeem Ayers and again attempted a tackle.  The results of that one player devastated the Houston season.  Keenum and the hopes of Cougar fans everywhere lay crumpled on the turf of the Rose Bowl.

Case Keenum tore his ACL and the hearts of Cougar fans.  The injury ended Keenum's college career, his assault on the UH and NCAA record book, the Cougars hopes of crashing the BCS and dreams of a wonderful season.

To add insult to injury, Keenum's primary back up Cotton Turner sustained a season injury also.  The injuries thrust true freshman Terrance Broadway into the fire and the starting line up a week later.

In the last two seasons, Houston prevailed on revenge games.  In 2008, crosstown arch-rival Rice knocked the Cougars out of the C-USA title game and the 2009 Cougars responded with a 73-14 thrashing of the Owls.  In 2009, UTEP burst the bubble of the Coogs.  The Cougars were coming off back to back wins over #5 Oklahoma St. and Texas Tech then lost to UTEP.  The 2010 Cougars retaliated with a 54-24 beat down.

Coming off a bitter 5-7 season, the Coogs hope to get a second shot at the 2010 season.  Well not really.  The schedule plays much easier than 2010.  However, Case Keenum attained a sixth year of eligibility from the NCAA.  The offense returns a high powered attack lead by WRs Patrick Edwards and Tyron Carrier.  The Coogs also return stud running backs Bryce Beall and Michael Hayes.  RB Charles Sims returns after sitting out his sophomore season.  The NCAA ruled Sims ineligible academically for the 2010 season.  Sims (2009) and Beall (2008) are former C-USA Freshman of the Year.

Finally a word about the defense.  If the Coogs defense leaps to the middle tier of NCAA defenses then the season becomes a much more promising one.  The defense doesn't even have to make a giant leap statistically.  If they can make just a few more stops a game and get Keenum and Company the ball back, the Coogs will soar in 2011.