Recent News | Popular News | Subscribe

GAME NOTES: Following a pair of impressive non-league victories, the 12th- ranked Houston Cougars now turn their focus to Conference USA play, as they tangle with the Texas-El Paso Miners at Sun Bowl Stadium.

The Cougars have yet to play a C-USA game this season, but they are the team everyone else is gunning for thanks to a pair big victories over Big 12 opponents that launched the program into the Top 25 for the first time since 1991. Last weekend, Houston played its first game as a ranked team in 18 years and it certainly didn't disappoint, pulling out a thrilling last-minute, 29-28, victory over Texas Tech in front of a Robertson Stadium record crowd of 32,114.

"It was a great victory in light of what was happening in our stadium," said head coach Kevin Sumlin. "For it to be the largest crowd since we moved from the Astrodome, to do it for the alumni, students, the fans who showed up, for the students who lined up on Monday, for the fans who were there when we showed up this morning. It means a lot to win a game in the last few seconds in front of them to an in-state rival."

It was certainly a big victory, but all the excitement was the result of the team's prior effort, a stunning 45-35 victory over then fifth-ranked Oklahoma State in Stillwater on September 12th. That win pushed the program into the Top 25 and the Cougars moved up five spots following last weekend's win. Houston is now to 3-0 first time since 2006, when it went on to win the Conference USA title.

As for the Miners, they too have played a pair of Big 12 opponents on the season, only their results have been much different. After losing to nationally-ranked Kansas (34-7) earlier in the season, UTEP was simply trounced by second-ranked Texas, 64-7, this past weekend.

"It's hard to beat the best team in the country when you're playing really, really good, let alone when you're not playing good," said head coach Mike Price.

UTEP now sits at just 1-3 on the campaign, but there is still plenty of time to turn things around and the team is 4-0 all-time in C-USA openers.

The Miners and Cougars have split six prior meetings on the gridiron, with UTEP holding a 3-1 edge at home. Houston however, has taken the last three encounters from the Miners, including a 42-37 triumph in 2008.

In front of a frenzy crowd and a national audience, quarterback Case Keenum got a chance to show everyone what he was all about, as he rallied Houston past Texas Tech, 29-28. With the Cougars trailing 29-28 late in the fourth quarter, Keenum marched his troops 95 yards on 16 plays and capped the drive with a game-winning four-yard touchdown run with 49 seconds left.

"The whole drive for everyone was just reaction," said Keenum. "There's not a lot of thinking after four quarters of hard-nosed football. As fast as we play and as fast as the Texas Tech defense plays as well as our defense, it's just reaction. We just have to go out there and make plays and our guys did in a crucial time. There were a lot and conversions on the last drive."

Keenum finished the game with 435 yards and a score through the air, marking the 16th 300-yard passing game of his career. Kevin Kolb holds the school- record with 17 300-yard games, but that mark is in serious jeopardy. Keenum, who totaled 51 touchdowns last season, has completed 69.4 percent of his tosses this year and has passed for eight scores and run for three more.

Spreading out the ball has helped Keenum become so successful as the Cougars have five players with double-digit catches thus far. Charles Sims reeled in 10 balls for 122 yards to lead the team last weekend, while three other players had over 80 yards receiving yards in the win.

The Cougars also have a dangerous weapon in the backfield in Bryce Beall, who has rushed for 211 yards and three scores, in addition to catching 11 balls for 126 yards and two more touchdowns this season. Beall pulled in four passes against Texas Tech and paced the ground attack with 75 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries.

As a team, Houston is averaging a healthy 543.2 total ypg on the year and the Cougars have registered as least 400 yards of total offense in 16 consecutive games.

Houston's defense was a bit overlooked last weekend, but this unit did a terrific job adjusting at the half and limiting Texas Tech to just seven points over the final two quarters. The unit also came up with huge goal line stand with Texas Tech ahead 28-23 and on the verge of putting the game away. The Cougars' defense stuffed Texas Tech's quarterback on a sneak attempt on fourth down and gave Keenum and company the chance to pull out the win.

"At the moment, I just knew we had to make a stop," said linebacker Marcus McGraw. "I honestly didn't know they were that close to the goal line until we lined up. We just did what we had to do."

McGraw, just a sophomore, had the best game of his career, finishing with 19 tackles and a sack in the win. With that effort, McGraw now has 39 tackles on the season to lead this defense, which has come up with eight fumble recoveries in three games.

The Miners were simply awful on offense last weekend and there is no questioning that after the team managed a mere 53 total yards with five turnovers in blowout at the hands of Texas.

"On offense, it's tough to beat anybody if you throw four picks and fumble the ball. We had five turnovers. It's going to be hard to beat anybody with five turnovers, let alone Texas."

Quarterback Trevor Vittatoe was accountable for all five mishaps and he finished with just 38 yards and four interceptions on 7-of-21 pass attempts. It was certainly a dismal performance by Vittatoe, who has thrown just one touchdown in four games after recording 33 in 2008. Vittatoe's struggles have hurt the entire team, as UTEP is averaging just 242.8 total ypg after gaining over 400 ypg last season.

Kris Adams and Jeff Moturi have been hurt the most by the lack of a passing game, as the wideouts have no touchdowns receptions after pulling in a combined 23 a year ago.

On a positive note, tailback Donald Buckram has done a nice job with his limited amount of carries and he has rushed for 298 yards behind a 6.5 yard per carry average. As a team however, the Miners are gaining only 77.0 rushing ypg and that isn't good by any standards.

With all the turnovers by the offense, UTEP's defense didn't stand a chance against Texas and the group was torched for a whopping 639 total yard in the loss. The Miners gave up 304 yards and four scores on the ground, while allowing Texas to complete 33-of-41 pass attempts for three other scores.

"Our defense played with courage and as hard as they possibly could," said Price who obviously wanted to support the defense after a rough showing. "We missed a lot of tackles, but not as much as one would think."

The Miners did force Texas into three turnovers and the defense also accounted for the team's lone score on a 49-yard interception return by Melvin Stephenson II. For the season, Da'Mon Cromartie-Smith paces UTEP with 47 tackles and two forced fumbles, while Aaron King has recorded three sacks and five TFLs.

Houston is certainly brewing with confidence right now, while UTEP is looking for a spark to turn things around. This game won't be as easy as it looks and expect the Miners to give the Cougars some problems. Still, Keenum is too good to be contained and he will lead the Cougars to victory once again.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Houston 38, Texas-El Paso 30