1996 Houston Cougars football team

Last updated

1996 Houston Cougars football
Houston Cougars Logo (1999-2012).svg
Conference USA co-champion
Liberty Bowl, L 17–30 vs. Syracuse
Conference Conference USA
Record75 (41 C-USA)
Head coach
Offensive coordinator Neil Callaway (4th season)
Defensive coordinatorGene Smith (4th season)
Home stadium Houston Astrodome
(Capacity: 59,969)
Robertson Stadium
(Capacity: 22,500)
Seasons
  1995
1997  
1996 Conference USA football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
Houston +  4 1   7 5  
Southern Miss +  4 1   8 3  
Cincinnati  2 3   6 5  
Louisville  2 3   5 6  
Memphis  2 3   4 7  
Tulane  1 4   2 9  
  • + Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1996 Houston Cougars football team, also known as the Houston Cougars, Houston, or UH represented the University of Houston in the 1996 NCAA Division I-A football season. It was the 51st year of season play for Houston and the first season as a member of Conference USA following the breakup of the Southwest Conference. The team was coached by Kim Helton. The team split its home games between the Houston Astrodome and Robertson Stadium. The Cougars became inaugural conference champions and were invited to the 1996 Liberty Bowl, their first bowl game since 1988. Houston won their conference for the first time since 1984.

Contents

Schedule

Houston did not play Rice for the first time since 1970.

DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
August 31 Sam Houston State *W 43–2514,110 [1]
September 77:00 pmat No. 17 LSU *L 34–3580,303 [2]
September 146:00 pmat Pittsburgh *W 42–35 OT27,648
September 212:30 pmNo. 15 USC *
FOX L 9–2621,035
October 5at Southwestern Louisiana *W 31–2418,247
October 127:00 pm Memphis
  • Houston Astrodome
  • Houston, TX
W 37–2015,553
October 19at Cincinnati L 20–3119,064
October 265:30 pmNo. 9 North Carolina *
  • Houston Astrodome
  • Houston, TX
FOX Sports Net L 14–4216,850 [3]
November 2at Tulane W 20–1714,474 [4]
November 9No. 20 Southern Miss
  • Robertson Stadium
  • Houston, TX
W 56–4918,107 [5]
November 16 Louisville
  • Houston Astrodome
  • Houston, TX
FOX Sports NetW 38–719,651
December 272:00 pmvs. No. 23 Syracuse * ESPN L 17–3049,163
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

[6]

Roster

1996 Houston Cougars football team roster
PlayersCoaches
Offense
Pos.#NameClass
QB 12 Chuck Clements Sr
C 66 Ben Fricke Jr
RB 23 Antowain Smith Sr
WR 84Justin DavisSo
QB 15 Tyson Helton Fr
WR 32Halley SpencerFr
OT 79 Marcus Spriggs Sr
G 78Justin StilleFr
QB 13Brian ThiebaudFr
WR 6Charles WestSr
RB 34 Jermaine Williams Sr
Defense
Pos.#NameClass
LB 46John AutenreithSr
LB 48Keon BanksJr
DE 90 Adriano Belli Fr
DT 60Matthew ElamSo
DT 99Delondo FieldsJr
CB 35 William Fields Fr
LB 25Freddie FisherSo
SS 24Stedmon FormanSo
DE 93Rusty FosterJr
Special teams
Pos.#NameClass
KS 97Sebastian VillarrealJr
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Cruz Roja.svg Injured
  • Redshirt.svg Redshirt

Roster

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The 1967 Houston Cougars football team, also known as the Houston Cougars, Houston, or UH, represented the University of Houston in the 1967 NCAA University Division football season. It was the 22nd of season play for Houston. The team was coached by sixth-year head coach Bill Yeoman who was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2001. The team played its home games in the Astrodome, a 53,000-person capacity stadium off-campus in Houston. Houston competed as a member of the NCAA in the University Division, independent of any athletic conference. It was their eighth year of doing so. At this time, Houston was on probation from the NCAA, and therefore was not eligible to compete in any post-season bowl games. Following the overall season, several players were selected for the 1968 NFL Draft.

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The 1973 Houston Cougars football team, also known as the Houston Cougars, Houston, or UH, represented the University of Houston in the 1973 NCAA Division I football season. It was the 28th year of season play for Houston. The team was coached by 12th-year head coach Bill Yeoman who was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2001. The team played its home games in the Astrodome, a 50,000-person capacity stadium off-campus in Houston at the Astrodomain. Houston competed as a member of the NCAA in the University Division, independent of any athletic conference. It was their fourteenth year of doing so. The Cougars had been admitted to the Southwest Conference two years prior, but were ineligible for conference play until the 1976 season. After completion of the regular season, the Cougars were invited to the Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl where they defeated the Tulane Green Wave.

The 1978 Houston Cougars football team, also known as the Houston Cougars, Houston, or UH, represented the University of Houston in the 1978 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Cougars were led by 17th-year head coach Bill Yeoman and played their home games at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas. The team competed as members of the Southwest Conference, winning the conference with a 7–1 conference record. This was Houston's first outright conference title and second overall, in only their third year in the league. They were invited to the 1979 Cotton Bowl Classic, played on New Year's Day, where they were defeated by Notre Dame. Houston was ranked 10th in the final AP Poll of the season and 11th in the Coaches' Poll.

The 1979 Houston Cougars football team, also known as the Houston Cougars, Houston, or UH, represented the University of Houston in the 1979 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Cougars were led by 18th-year head coach Bill Yeoman and played their home games at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas. They competed as members of the Southwest Conference, finishing as co-champions with Arkansas. This was Houston's second consecutive conference championship, and their third overall in their first four years as members of the conference.

The 1984 Houston Cougars football team, also known as the Houston Cougars, Houston, or UH, represented the University of Houston during the 1984 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Cougars were led by 23rd-year head coach Bill Yeoman and played their home games at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas. The team competed as members of the Southwest Conference, finishing as co-champions with SMU with a conference record of 6–2. Houston was invited to the 1985 Cotton Bowl Classic, where they lost to Boston College.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1995 Houston Cougars football team</span> American college football season

The 1995 Houston Cougars football team, also known as the Houston Cougars, Houston, or UH represented the University of Houston in the 1995 NCAA Division I-A football season. It was the 50th year of season play for Houston and the last season as a member of the Southwest Conference. The team was coached by Kim Helton. The team played its home games in the Houston Astrodome and at Robertson Stadium. The following season, Houston would accept an invitation to become a member of Conference USA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1994 Houston Cougars football team</span> American college football season

The 1994 Houston Cougars football team, also known as the Houston Cougars, Houston, or UH represented the University of Houston in the 1994 NCAA Division I-A football season. It was the 49th year of season play for Houston. The team was coached by Kim Helton. The team split its home games between the Houston Astrodome and Robertson Stadium. The Cougars played a home game in their on-campus Robertson Stadium for the first time since 1950.

The 1980 Houston Cougars football team represented the University of Houston during the 1980 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Cougars were led by 19th-year head coach Bill Yeoman and played their home games at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas. The team competed as members of the Southwest Conference, finishing tied for second. Coming off of a Cotton Bowl-winning 1979 season, the Cougars started the year ranked in the top 10, but ended with a disappointing five regular season losses. Houston was invited to the 1980 Garden State Bowl, where they defeated Navy, 35–0.

The 1983 Houston Cougars football team represented the University of Houston during the 1983 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Cougars were led by 22nd-year head coach Bill Yeoman and played their home games at the Houston Astrodome in Houston. The team competed as members of the Southwest Conference, finishing in seventh. Houston finished the season with a record of 4–7, their first losing season since 1975.

The 1988 Houston Cougars football team represented the University of Houston during the 1988 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Cougars were led by second-year head coach Jack Pardee and played their home games at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas. The team competed as members of the Southwest Conference, finishing in third. Just two seasons after finishing 1–10, the Cougars finished the season with a 9–3 record and ranked 18th in the final AP Poll. They were invited to the 1988 Aloha Bowl in Honolulu, Hawaii, where they lost to Washington State.

The 1991 Houston Cougars football team represented the University of Houston as a member of the Southwest Conference (SWC) during the 1991 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Cougars were led by second-year head coach John Jenkins and played their home games at the Houston Astrodome in Houston, Texas. Houston compiled an overall record of 4–7 and a mark of 3–5 in conference play, placing seventh in the SWC.

The 1965 Houston Cougars football team was an American football team that represented the University of Houston as an independent during the 1965 NCAA University Division football season. In its fourth season under head coach Bill Yeoman, the team compiled a 4–5–1 record. Cotton Guerrant was the team captain. The team played its home games at the Astrodome in Houston

The 1975 Houston Cougars football team, also known as the Houston Cougars, Houston, or UH, represented the University of Houston in the 1975 NCAA Division I football season. It was the 28th year of season play for Houston The team was coached by 12th-year head coach Bill Yeoman who was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2001. The team played its home games in the Astrodome, a 50,000-person capacity stadium off-campus in Houston at the Houston Astrodome. Houston competed as a member of the NCAA in the University Division, independent of any athletic conference. The Cougars had been admitted to the Southwest Conference two years prior, but were ineligible for conference play until the 1976 season.

References

  1. "Clements passes UH past Bearkats". Victoria Advocate. September 1, 1996. Retrieved December 18, 2022 via Newspapers.com.
  2. "RB Faulk lifts LSU". The Tennessean. September 8, 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
  3. "North Carolina swamps Houstin in Astrodome". San Angelo Standard-Times. October 27, 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Houston, Villarreal kick Tulane 20–17". Sun Herald. November 3, 1996. Retrieved February 9, 2022 via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Houston slows USM bid". Sun Herald. November 10, 1996. Retrieved September 11, 2022 via Newspapers.com.
  6. "1996 Houston Cougars Schedule and Results".