1996 Houston Cougars football team

Last updated

1996 Houston Cougars football
C-USA co-champion
Liberty Bowl, L 17–30 vs. Syracuse
Conference Conference USA
Record7–5 (4–1 C-USA)
Head coach
Offensive coordinator Neil Callaway (4th season)
Offensive scheme Pro-style
Defensive coordinatorGene Smith (4th season)
Base defense 4–3
Home stadium Houston Astrodome
Robertson Stadium
Seasons
  1995
1997  
1996 Conference USA football standings
Conf.Overall
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
  • Injury icon 2.svg Injured
  • Redshirt.svg Redshirt

Roster

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".