2023 Houston Cougars football team

2023 Houston Cougars football
2023 Houston Cougars football
Conference	Big 12 Conference
Record	4–8 (2–7 Big 12)
Head coach	Dana Holgorsen (5th season);
Offensive coordinator	Eman Naghavi (1st season)
Defensive coordinator	Doug Belk (3rd, 5th overall season)
Base defense	4–2–5
Home stadium	TDECU Stadium
	Seasons ← 2022 2024 →

Last updated March 26, 2024

2023 Big 12 Conference football standings
v t e
Team	W		L	W		L
No. 3 Texas y$^	8	–	1	12	–	2
No. 16 Oklahoma State y	7	–	2	10	–	4
No. 15 Oklahoma	7	–	2	10	–	3
Iowa State	6	–	3	7	–	6
No. 18 Kansas State	6	–	3	9	–	4
West Virginia	6	–	3	9	–	4
Texas Tech	5	–	4	7	–	6
No. 23 Kansas	5	–	4	9	–	4
UCF	3	–	6	6	–	7
TCU	3	–	6	5	–	7
Houston	2	–	7	4	–	8
BYU	2	–	7	5	–	7
Baylor	2	–	7	3	–	9
Cincinnati	1	–	8	3	–	9
Championship: Texas 49, Oklahoma State 21
^ – College Football Playoff participant $ – Conference champion y – Championship game participant Rankings from AP Poll

The 2023 Houston Cougars football team represented the University of Houston in the Big 12 Conference during the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Cougars were led by Dana Holgorsen in his fifth season as their head coach. The Cougars played their home games at TDECU Stadium in Houston, Texas.

In September 2021, Cincinnati, BYU, Houston, and UCF accepted bids to join the Big 12 Conference.^[1] On June 10, 2022, the American Athletic Conference and the three American Athletic Conference schools set to depart from the league (Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF) announced that they had reached a buyout agreement with the conference that would allow those schools to join the Big 12 in 2023.^[2] BYU had previously operated as an independent prior to accepting a membership invitation to join the Big 12.

On November 26, head coach Dana Holgorsen was fired.^[3] He finished with a record of 31–28 in five seasons.

Offseason

Transfers

Outgoing

Player	Position	Destination
Joshua Atkins	OL	Hawaii
Holman Edwards	QB	Southern Miss
Rafal Szymanski	DE	Northwestern State
Theron Stroops	CB	Unknown
Demarcus Griffin-Taylor	CB	Louisiana Tech
Derek Bowman	OL	South Florida
Carlton Guidry	WR	Grambling State
Ugonna Nnanna	OL	Virginia
Khiyon Wafer	WR	Stephen F. Austin
Trevor Helburg	K	Tarleton State
Kyle Ramsey	K	Abilene Christian
Carson Walker	OL	Abilene Christian
Almarion Crim	OL	Chattanooga
Cody Jackson	WR	Tarleton State
Mark Wilson	CB	Unknown
Jamel Starks	RB	Unknown
Mannie Nunnery	S	Florida
Cam'Ron Johnson	OT	Missouri
Trevonte Sylvester	OT	Louisville
Chayse Todd	OL	Texas State
Lance Robinson	OT	Louisville
Abdul-Lateef Audu	CB	Western Kentucky
Alton McCaskill	RB	Colorado

Incoming

Player	Position	Previous School
Max Banes	OT	Akron
Jack Martin	P	Alabama
Aubrey Smith	LB	Colorado
Malik Fleming	CB	East Carolina
Shamar Hobdy-Lee	OT	FIU
Peyton Dunn	OL	Louisiana–Monroe
Juwon Gaston	S	NEMCC
Adari Haulcy	S	New Mexico
David Ugwoegbu	LB	Oklahoma
Stephon Johnson	WR	Oklahoma State
Brandon Mack	DE	Ole Miss
Jaylen Garth	OL	Texas
Brian George	CB	Texas A&M
Isaiah Hamilton	CB	Texas Southern
Donovan Smith	QB	Texas Tech
Latrell McCutchin	CB	USC
Mike O’Laughlin	TE	West Virginia
Tony Mathis	RB	West Virginia
David Ndukwe	OL	Western Kentucky
Joshua Cobbs	WR	Wyoming

^[4]^[5]

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 2	6:00 p.m.	UTSA *	TDECU Stadium Houston, TX	FS1	W 17–14	37,862
September 9	6:00 p.m.	at Rice *	Rice Stadium Houston, TX (rivalry)	NFLN	L 41–43 ^2OT	23,425
September 16	7:00 p.m.	TCU	TDECU Stadium Houston, TX	FOX	L 13–36	36,049
September 23	6:00 p.m.	Sam Houston *	TDECU Stadium Houston, TX	ESPN+	W 38–7	35,044
September 30	2:30 p.m.	at Texas Tech	Jones AT&T Stadium Lubbock, TX (rivalry)	FS2	L 28–49	53,308
October 12	6:00 p.m.	West Virginia	TDECU Stadium Houston, TX	FS1	W 41–39	32,152
October 21	3:00 p.m.	No. 8 Texas	TDECU Stadium Houston, TX	FOX	L 24–31	42,812
October 28	11:00 a.m.	at Kansas State	Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium Manhattan, KS	ESPN2	L 0–41	51,928
November 4	2:30 p.m.	at Baylor	McLane Stadium Waco, TX	ESPN+	W 25–24 ^OT	41,180
November 11	6:00 p.m.	Cincinnati	TDECU Stadium Houston, TX	FS1	L 14–24	34,312
November 18	3:00 p.m.	No. 23 Oklahoma State	TDECU Stadium Houston, TX	ESPN2	L 30–43	33,906
November 25	11:00 a.m.	at UCF	FBC Mortgage Stadium Orlando, FL	FS1	L 13–27	43,610
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll (and CFP Rankings, after October 31) - Released prior to game All times are in Central time

^[6]

Game summaries

UTSA

	1	2	3	4	Total
Roadrunners	7	0	0	7	14
Cougars	7	3	7	0	17

at Rice

Houston Cougars at Rice Owls – Game summary

Period	1	2	3	4	OT	2OT	Total
Cougars	0	7	0	21	7	6	41
Owls	21	7	0	0	7	8	43

at Rice Stadium, Houston, Texas

Date: September 9
Game time: 6:00 p.m. CDT
Game weather: Sunny, 96 °F (36 °C)
Game attendance: 23,425
Referee: Derek Anderson
TV announcers (NFLN): Doug Sherman and Tyoka Jackson

Game information

First quarter

RICE – Luke McCaffrey 10-yard pass from JT Daniels (Tim Horn kick), 10:11. Owls 7–0. Drive: 10 plays, 78 yards, 4:44.
RICE – Daelen Alexander 1-yard run (Tim Horn kick), 4:17. Owls 14–0. Drive: 7 plays, 39 yards, 4:08.
RICE – Luke McCaffrey 32-yard pass from JT Daniels (Tim Horn kick), 3:00. Owls 21–0. Drive: 3 plays, 69 yards, 0:50.

Second quarter

RICE – Braylen Walker 15-yard pass from JT Daniels (Tim Horn kick), 8:32. Owls 28–0. Drive: 11 plays, 92 yards, 6:14.
HOU – Matthew Golden 10-yard pass from Donovan Smith (Jack Martin kick), 2:42. Owls 28–7. Drive: 11 plays, 74 yards, 5:45.

Third quarter

No scoring plays

Fourth quarter

HOU – Donovan Smith 1-yard run (Jack Martin kick), 14:05. Owls 28–14. Drive: 6 plays, 64 yards, 1:24.
HOU – Stacy Sneed 14-yard run (Jack Martin kick), 3:46. Owls 28–21. Drive: 6 plays, 71 yards, 2:04.
HOU – Donovan Smith 1-yard run (Jack Martin kick), 0:15. Tied 28–28. Drive: 8 plays, 40 yards, 2:34.

Overtime

HOU – Matthew Golden 2-yard pass from Donovan Smith (Jack Martin kick). Cougars 35–28. Drive: 5 plays, 25 yards.
RICE – Daelen Alexander 3-yard run (Tim Horn kick). Tied 35–35. Drive: 5 plays, 25 yards.

Second overtime

RICE – Daelen Alexander 1-yard run (Daelen Alexander run). Owls 43–35. Drive: 4 plays, 25 yards.
HOU – Donovan Smith 2-yard run (pass failed). Owls 43–41. Drive: 5 plays, 25 yards.

Statistics	HOU	RICE
First downs	27	24
Total yards	443	470
Rushing yards	183	69
Passing yards	260	401
Turnovers	1	2
Time of possession	28:10	31:50

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Houston	Passing	Donovan Smith	24/42, 260 yards, 2 TD, INT
	Rushing	Tony Mathis Jr.	8 rushes, 60 yards
	Receiving	Samuel Brown	9 receptions, 138 yards
Rice	Passing	JT Daniels	28/42, 401 yards, 3 TD, INT
	Rushing	Dean Connors	8 rushes, 48 yards
	Receiving	Luke McCaffrey	7 receptions, 99 yards, 2 TD

TCU

	1	2	3	4	Total
Horned Frogs	7	13	9	7	36
Cougars	3	10	0	0	13

Sam Houston

Sam Houston State Bearkats at Houston Cougars – Game summary

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Bearkats	7	0	0	0	7
Cougars	10	14	7	7	38

at TDECU Stadium, Houston, Texas

Date: September 23
Game time: 6:00 p.m. CDT
Game weather: Sunny, 94 °F (34 °C)
Game attendance: 35,044
Referee: Tutashinda Salaam
TV announcers (ESPN+): Mark Neely, Ryan Leaf, and Shane Sparks

Game information

First quarter

HOU – Jack Martin 23-yard field goal, 9:05. Cougars 3–0. Drive: 13 plays, 69 yards, 5:55.
SHSU – Trapper Pannell 2-yard run (Colby Sessums kick), 6:02. Bearkats 7–3. Drive: 7 plays, 83 yards, 2:58.
HOU – Parker Jenkins 4-yard run (Jack Martin kick), 1:47. Cougars 10–7. Drive: 9 plays, 72 yards, 4:08.

Second quarter

HOU – Parker Jenkins 1-yard run (Jack Martin kick), 7:22. Cougars 17–7. Drive: 9 plays, 78 yards, 4:13.
HOU – Parker Jenkins 2-yard run (Jack Martin kick), 0:49. Cougars 24–7. Drive: 8 plays, 56 yards, 1:17.

Third quarter

HOU – Matthew Golden 6-yard pass from Donovan Smith (Jack Martin kick), 2:59. Cougars 31–7. Drive: 15 plays, 86 yards, 8:42.

Fourth quarter

HOU – Stacy Sneed 58-yard pass from Ui Ale (Jack Martin kick), 10:06. Cougars 38–7. Drive: 1 play, 58 yards, 0:10.

Statistics	SHSU	HOU
First downs	8	27
Total yards	178	538
Rushing yards	52	186
Passing yards	126	352
Turnovers	2	0
Time of possession	25:05	34:55

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Sam Houston State	Passing	Grant Gunnell	14/22, 100 yards, INT
	Rushing	Tobias Weaver	6 rushes, 18 yards
	Receiving	John Gentry	5 receptions, 32 yards
Houston	Passing	Donovan Smith	31/40, 294 yards, TD
	Rushing	Parker Jenkins	20 rushes, 105 yards, 3 TD
	Receiving	Matthew Golden	9 receptions, 92 yards, TD

at Texas Tech

Houston Cougars at Texas Tech Red Raiders – Game summary

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Cougars	14	14	0	0	28
Red Raiders	14	21	7	7	49

at Jones AT&T Stadium, Lubbock, Texas

Date: September 30
Game time: 2:30 p.m. CDT
Game weather: Sunny, 85 °F (29 °C)
Game attendance: 53,308
Referee: David Alvarez
TV announcers (FS2): Dan Hellie and Petros Papadakis

Game information

First quarter

HOU – Bryan Henry 6-yard pass from Donovan Smith (Jack Martin kick), 8:40. Cougars 7–0. Drive: 12 plays, 75 yards, 6:20.
TTU – Drae McCray 100-yard kickoff return (Gino Garcia kick), 8:25. Tied 7–7.
HOU – Samuel Brown 16-yard pass from Donovan Smith (Jack Martin kick), 6:15. Cougars 14–7. Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 2:10.
TTU – Tahj Brooks 7-yard run (Gino Garcia kick), 1:25. Tied 14–14. Drive: 12 plays, 74 yards, 4:50.

Second quarter

HOU – Joseph Manjack IV 49-yard pass from Donovan Smith (Jack Martin kick), 13:45. Cougars 21–14. Drive: 5 plays, 75 yards, 2:40.
TTU – Loic Fouonji 25-yard pass from Behren Morton (Gino Garcia kick), 8:47. Tied 21–21. Drive: 13 plays, 75 yards, 4:58.
TTU – Loic Fouonji 7-yard blocked punt return (Gino Garcia kick), 7:18. Red Raiders 28–21.
HOU – Dalton Carnes 41-yard pass from Donovan Smith (Jack Martin kick), 2:16. Tied 28–28. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 5:02.
TTU – Tahj Brooks 1-yard run (Gino Garcia kick), 0:44. Red Raiders 35–28. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 1:32.

Third quarter

TTU – Myles Price 11-yard pass from Behren Morton (Gino Garcia kick), 9:22. Red Raiders 42–28. Drive: 3 plays, 80 yards, 0:48.

Fourth quarter

TTU – Cam'Ron Valdez 41-yard run (Gino Garcia kick), 8:47. Red Raiders 49–28. Drive: 5 plays, 55 yards, 3:07.

Top passers

HOU – Donovan Smith – 29/40, 335 yards, 4 TD
TTU – Behren Morton – 14/22, 161 yards, 2 TD

Top rushers

HOU – Parker Jenkins – 13 rushes, 71 yards
TTU – Tahj Brooks – 22 rushes, 106 yards, 2 TD

Top receivers

HOU – Samuel Brown – 9 receptions, 113 yards, TD
TTU – Myles Price – 5 receptions, 63 yards, TD

West Virginia

	1	2	3	4	Total
Mountaineers	10	0	7	22	39
Cougars	7	7	7	20	41

No. 8 Texas

	1	2	3	4	Total
•No. 8 Texas	14	7	3	7	31
Houston	0	14	7	3	24

Date: October 21, 2023
Location: TDECU Stadium (Houston, TX)
Game start: 3:05 p.m.
Game attendance: 42,812
Game weather: Sunny, 93 °F (34 °C), wind SW at 5 mph (8.0 km/h)
Referee: Michael VanderVelde
TV announcers (FOX): Tim Brando and Spencer Tillman

Sources:^[7]^[8]

Pregame line	Over/under
Texas -23.5	61^[9]

Statistics	Texas	Houston
First downs	19	20
Plays–yards	69–360	65–392
Rushes–yards	37–141	19–14
Passing yards	219	378
Passing: comp–att–int	25–32–0	32–46–1
Time of possession	31:58	28:02

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Texas	Passing	Quinn Ewers	23–29, 211 yards, 2 TD
	Rushing	Jonathon Brooks	20 carries, 99 yards
	Receiving	Xavier Worthy	6 receptions, 92 yards, 1 TD
Houston	Passing	Donovan Smith	32–46, 378 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT
	Rushing	Parker Jenkins	9 carries, 23 yards
	Receiving	Joseph Manjack IV	6 receptions, 88 yards, 1 TD

Scoring summary

Quarter	Time	Drive			Team	Scoring information	Score
Quarter	Time	Plays	Yards	TOP	Team	Scoring information	Texas	Houston
1st	10:02	11	75	04:58	Texas	Adonai Mitchell 14-yard touchdown reception from Quinn Ewers, Bert Auburn kick good	7	0
1st	06:56	4	62	01:36	Texas	Xavier Worthy 42-yard touchdown reception from Quinn Ewers, Bert Auburn kick good	14	0
2nd	12:49	9	58	04:31	Texas	Savion Red 1-yard touchdown run, Bert Auburn kick good	21	0
2nd	06:07	4	71	01:26	Houston	Matthew Golden 32-yard touchdown reception from Donovan Smith, Jack Martin kick good	21	7
2nd	00:26	9	75	02:07	Houston	Joseph Manjack IV 21-yard touchdown reception from Donovan Smith, Jack Martin kick good	21	14
3rd	12:29	6	49	02:24	Houston	Matthew Golden 3-yard touchdown reception from Donovan Smith, Jack Martin kick good	21	21
3rd	03:17	11	31	03:49	Texas	25-yard field goal by Bert Auburn	24	21
4th	07:43	7	68	03:49	Houston	40-yard field goal by Jack Martin	24	24
4th	05:37	6	53	01:58	Texas	CJ Baxter 16-yard touchdown run, Bert Auburn kick good	31	24
"TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football.							31	24

at Kansas State

	1	2	3	4	Total
Cougars	0	0	0	0	0
Wildcats	7	21	7	6	41

at Baylor

Houston Cougars (3–5) vs. Baylor Bears (3–5)

Period	1	2	3	4	OT	Total
Houston	0	7	3	7	8	25
Baylor	0	0	7	10	7	24

at McLane Stadium • Waco, TX

Date: Saturday, November 4, 2023
Game time: 2:30 p.m. CDT
Game weather: sunny • Temperature: 73°F
Game attendance: 41,180
Referee: Derek Anderson
TV: ESPN+
Pregame line: Baylor –2.5

Scoring summary

Quarter	Time	Drive			Team	Scoring information	Score
Quarter	Time	Plays	Yards	TOP	Team	Scoring information	Houston	Baylor
2nd	08:03	3	44	01:11	Houston	Samuel Brown 26-yard touchdown reception from Donovan Smith, Jack Martin kick good	7	0
3rd	06:16	14	67	08:44	Houston	31-yard field goal by Jack Martin	10	0
3rd	02:20	8	75	03:56	Baylor	Drake Dabney 38-yard touchdown reception from Blake Shapen, Isaiah Hankins kick good	10	7
4th	08:18	12	69	06:54	Baylor	27-yard field goal by Isaiah Hankins	10	10
4th	05:38	5	75	02:40	Houston	Tony Mathis Jr. 24-yard touchdown reception from Donovan Smith, Jack Martin kick good	17	10
4th	00:29	11	74	02:22	Baylor	Hawkins Polley 1-yard touchdown reception from Blake Shapen, Isaiah Hankins kick good	17	17
OT	–	4	25	–	Baylor	Dawson Pendergrass 1-yard touchdown run, Isaiah Hankins kick good	17	24
OT	–	7	40	–	Houston	Donovan Smith 1-yard touchdown run, 2-point run by Donovan Smith good	25	24
"TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football.							25	24

Statistics	Houston	Baylor
First downs	21	22
Plays–yards	59–366	72–413
Rushes–yards	32–130	35–150
Passing yards	236	263
Passing: comp–att–int	21–27–2	29–37–1
Time of possession	26:39	33:21

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Houston	Passing	Donovan Smith	21–27, 236 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
	Rushing	Donovan Smith	20 carries, 66 yards, 1 TD
	Receiving	Samuel Brown	9 receptions, 86 yards, 1 TD
Baylor	Passing	Blake Shapen	29–37, 263 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
	Rushing	Dominic Richardson	11 carries, 51 yards
	Receiving	Drake Dabney	4 receptions, 76 yards, 1 TD

Cincinnati

Game Ten – Cincinnati Bearcats at Houston Cougars

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Bearcats	7	7	3	7	24
Cougars	0	7	0	7	14

at TDECU Stadium • Houston, Texas

Date: Saturday, November 11, 2023
Game time: 7:00 p.m. EDT
Game weather: Cloudy • Temperature: • Wind:
Game attendance: 34,312
Referee: David Alvarez
TV: FS1
Pregame line: • FPI odds to win: • Game summary:

Game information

First quarter

(8:43) CIN – Ryan Montgomery 7-yard pass from Emory Jones (Carter Brown kick) (Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 6:17; Cincinnati 7–0)

Second quarter

(14:04) HOU – Joseph Manjack IV 7 yard-pass from Donovan Smith (Jack Martin kick) (Drive: 12 plays, 83 yards, 4:57; Tied 7–7)
(8:04) CIN – Corey Kiner 1-yard run (Carter Brown kick) (Drive: 6 plays, 93 yards, 2:17; Cincinnati 14–7)

Third quarter

(8:25) CIN – Carter Brown 31-yard field goal (Drive: 12 plays, 37 yards, 6:28; Cincinnati 17–7)

Fourth quarter

(8:47) CIN – Corey Kiner 5-yard run (Carter Brown kick) (Drive: 6 plays, 52 yards, 3:14; Cincinnati 24–7)
(3:22) HOU – Joseph Manjack IV 2-yard pass from Donovan Smith (Jack Martin kick) (Drive: 12 plays, 75 yards, 5:25; Cincinnati 24–14)

Statistics	CIN	HOU
First downs	22	12
Plays–yards	71–368	51–241
Rushes–yards	48–204	23–139
Passing yards	164	102
Passing: comp–att–int	17–23–0	16–28–0
Time of possession	36:55	23:05

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Cincinnati	Passing	Emory Jones	13/16, 131 yards, 1 TD
	Rushing	Corey Kiner	23 carries, 129 yards, 2 TD
	Receiving	Braden Smith	5 receptions, 69 yards
Houston	Passing	Donovan Smith	16/28, 102 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT
	Rushing	Donovan Smith	13 carries, 88 yards
	Receiving	Joseph Manjack IV	4 receptions, 22 yards, 2 TD

No. 23 Oklahoma State

No. 23 Oklahoma State Cowboys (7–3) vs. Houston Cougars (4–6)

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
No. 23 Oklahoma State	3	16	14	10	43
Houston	14	9	0	7	30

at TDECU Stadium • Houston, TX

Date: Saturday, November 18, 2023
Game time: 3:00 p.m. CST
Game weather: • Sunny Temperature: 74 °F (23 °C)
Game attendance: 33,906
Referee: Stephon Baron
TV announcers (ESPN2): Dave Flemming (play-by-play), Brock Osweiler (analyst) Kayla Burton (sideline)

Game information

First Quarter

Second Quarter

Third Quarter

Fourth Quarter

Statistics	OKST	HOU
First downs	28	18
Total yards	501	393
Rushing yards	153	130
Passing yards	348	263
Passing: Comp–Att–Int	29–43–1	18–30–2
Time of possession	32:12	27:48

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Oklahoma State	Passing	Alan Bowman	29/43, 348 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
	Rushing	Ollie Gordon II	25 carries, 164 yards, 3 TD
	Receiving	Brennan Presley	15 receptions, 189 yards
Houston	Passing	Donovan Smith	17/29, 235 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT
	Rushing	Donovan Smith	13 carries, 63 yards, 1 TD
	Receiving	Jonah Wilson	1 reception, 60 yards, 1 TD

at UCF

Houston Cougars at UCF Knights

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Cougars	10	0	0	3	13
Knights	6	7	14	0	27

at FBC Mortgage Stadium, Orlando, FL

Date: November 25, 2023
Game time: 12:00 p.m.
Game attendance: 43,610
TV announcers (FS1): Eric Collins, Devin Gardner
Gamecast

Game information

First Quarter

Houston: Stephon Johnson 16-yard touchdown pass from Donovan Smith (Jack Martin kick), 10:34
UCF: John Rhys Plumlee 8-yard touchdown run (kick failed), 5:31
Houston: Jack Martin 32-yard field goal, 1:56

Second Quarter

UCF: Xavier Townsend 28-yard touchdown pass from John Rhys Plumlee (Colton Boomer kick), 12:58

Third Quarter

UCF: R.J. Harvey 21-yard touchdown run (Colton Boomer kick), 14:07
UCF: R.J. Harvey 2-yard touchdown run (Colton Boomer kick), 9:04

Fourth Quarter

Houston: Jack Martin 34-yard field goal, 10:08

Win Probability

UCF 77.9%

Line

UCF -15.5

Over/Under

61.5

Statistics	HOU	UCF
First downs	17	23
Total yards	259	476
Rushing yards	94	223
Passing yards	165	253
Turnovers	1	0
Time of possession	27:04	32:56

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Houston	Passing	Donovan Smith	12–20, 161 yards, 1 TD, I INT
	Rushing	Stacy Sneed	3 carries, 33 yards
	Receiving	Joseph Manjack IV	4 receptions, 74 yards
UCF	Passing	John Rhys Plumlee	23–27, 253 yards, 1 TD
	Rushing	R. J. Harvey	21 carries, 136 yards, 2 TD
	Receiving	Kobe Hudson	9 receptions, 98 yards

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The 2023 Cincinnati Bearcats football team represented the University of Cincinnati during the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Bearcats, members of the Big 12 Conference, played home games at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. 2023 was the program's first season under head coach Scott Satterfield.

The 2023 Oklahoma Sooners football team represented the University of Oklahoma during the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season, the 129th season for the Oklahoma Sooners. They were led by second-year head coach Brent Venables. They played their home games at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma. They were a charter member of the Big 12 Conference.

The 2023 Sam Houston Bearkats football team represented Sam Houston State University in Conference USA during the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Bearkats were led by tenth-year head coach K. C. Keeler. They played their home games at Bowers Stadium in Huntsville, Texas. They were ineligible for a bowl game, the conference championship, or the College Football Playoff due to rules governing transitions from FCS to FBS.

The 2023 Kansas State Wildcats football team represented Kansas State University in the Big 12 Conference during the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Wildcats were led by Chris Klieman in his fifth year as their head coach.

The 2023 Oklahoma State Cowboys football team represented Oklahoma State University as a member of the Big 12 Conference during the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by Mike Gundy in his 19th year as their head coach.

The 2023 Iowa State Cyclones football team represented Iowa State University in the Big 12 Conference during the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Cyclones were led by Matt Campbell in his eighth year as their head coach.

The 2023 Baylor Bears football team represented Baylor University in the Big 12 Conference during the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Bears were led by Dave Aranda in his fourth season as their head coach.

The 2023 Kansas Jayhawks football team represented the University of Kansas as a member of the Big 12 Conference during 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It was the 134th season of play in program history. Led by third-year head coach Lance Leipold, Kansas finished the season 9–4 overall and 5–4 in conference play, placing seventh in the Big 12. The Jayhawks defeated UNLV in the 2023 Guaranteed Rate Bowl for the program's first bowl game victory in 15 years. The team played home games at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium in Lawrence, Kansas.

The 2023 Texas Tech Red Raiders football team represented Texas Tech University in the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Red Raiders played their home games at Jones AT&T Stadium and Cody Campbell Field in Lubbock, Texas, and competed in the Big 12 Conference. They were led by second-year head coach Joey McGuire.

The 2023 Houston Roughnecks season was the second season for the Houston Roughnecks as a professional American football franchise. They played as charter members of the XFL, one of eight teams to compete in the league for the 2023 season. The Roughnecks played their home games at the TDECU Stadium and were led by head coach Wade Phillips.

References

↑ "Big 12 Conference Adds Four New Members". Big12Sports.com. Big 12 Conference. September 10, 2021.
↑ "American Announces Agreements With UCF, Cincinnati and Houston on Departure" (Press release). American Athletic Conference. June 10, 2022. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
↑ "Houston Fires Coach Dana Holgorsen After Loss to UCF".
↑ "2023 Houston Football Transfer Portal". ON3.
↑ "Houston Cougars 2023 College Football Transfer Portal". 247Sports.
↑ "2023 Houston Football Schedule". FB Schedules. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
↑ "Texas (6-1 , 3-1) -vs- Houston (3-4 , 1-3)". Austin, Texas: The University of Texas at Austin Athletics. October 21, 2023. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
↑ Schultz, Brad (October 19, 2023). "College Football 2023: Week 8 Announcer Pairings". Saturday Blitz. Minute Media. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
↑ "Texas vs. Houston odds, spread: 2023 college football picks, Week 8 predictions from proven computer model". CBS. CBS Interactive. October 20, 2023. Retrieved October 29, 2023.

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[1] "Big 12 Conference Adds Four New Members". Big12Sports.com. Big 12 Conference. September 10, 2021.

[2] "American Announces Agreements With UCF, Cincinnati and Houston on Departure" (Press release). American Athletic Conference. June 10, 2022. Retrieved June 10, 2022.

[3] "Houston Fires Coach Dana Holgorsen After Loss to UCF".

[4] "2023 Houston Football Transfer Portal". ON3.

[5] "Houston Cougars 2023 College Football Transfer Portal". 247Sports.

[6] "2023 Houston Football Schedule". FB Schedules. Retrieved January 9, 2023.

[Texas-Houston_Box_Score-7] "Texas (6-1 , 3-1) -vs- Houston (3-4 , 1-3)". Austin, Texas: The University of Texas at Austin Athletics. October 21, 2023. Retrieved October 29, 2023.

[Week8Announcers-8] Schultz, Brad (October 19, 2023). "College Football 2023: Week 8 Announcer Pairings". Saturday Blitz. Minute Media. Retrieved October 29, 2023.

[HoustonOdds-9] "Texas vs. Houston odds, spread: 2023 college football picks, Week 8 predictions from proven computer model". CBS. CBS Interactive. October 20, 2023. Retrieved October 29, 2023.

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v t e Houston Cougars football
Venues	Robertson Stadium (1946–1950, 1998–2012) Rice Stadium (1950–1964) Houston Astrodome (1965–1997) Reliant Stadium (2013) BBVA Compass Stadium (2013) TDECU Stadium (2014–present)
Bowls and rivalries	Bowl games Rice Texas Tech Tulsa
Culture & lore	Shasta "Cougar Fight Song" Spirit of Houston The Comeback Victory 2022 SMU game
People	Head coaches NFL draftees Statistical leaders
Seasons	1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024

2023 Houston Cougars football team

Contents

Offseason

Transfers

Outgoing

Incoming

Schedule

Game summaries

UTSA

at Rice

TCU

Sam Houston

at Texas Tech

West Virginia

No. 8 Texas

at Kansas State

at Baylor

Cincinnati

No. 23 Oklahoma State

at UCF

Related Research Articles

References