University of Houston
Tulane
Game Primer: Houston vs. Tulane
10/6/2020 11:17:00 AM | Football
Game will air on ESPN (TV) and KPRC 950-AM (radio)
GAME 1
Houston vs. Tulane
Oct. 8, 2020 | 6:30 p.m. CT | TDECU Stadium | Houston, Texas
Broadcast: ESPN
Radio: KPRC 950-AM | TuneIn
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
« Houston opens the 2020 campaign, the 74th year in program history, on Thursday as the Cougars host Tulane. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. CT. The game will air on ESPN with Bob Wischusen (pxp), Mike Golic Jr. (analyst) and Kris Budden (sideline) on the call. Radio coverage on KPRC 950-AM begins at 5:30 p.m. CT.
« Houston and Tulane meet for the 25th time in series history on Thursday night with the Cougars holding a 17-7 advantage. This is the third straight season Houston and Tulane have met on ESPN's Thursday Night College Football.
« Houston has won four out of its last five season openers since 2015. Thursday marks the first time since 2015 that the Cougars have opened the season at TDECU Stadium. Houston is 39-33-2 all-time in season openers and 44-30 in home openers.
« The Oct. 8 start to the season marks the latest season opener in UH program history. It is the first time Houston has started the season during the month of October. The latest start to a UH season previously came against Mississippi State on Sept, 29. 1956.
« During his tenure as a head coach, Dana Holgorsen is 6-3 in season openers (0-1 at Houston; 6-2 at West Virginia). As a head coach, Holgorsen is 0-1 against Tulane, with the lone matchup coming a season ago.
« Thursday's game marks the 10th career start for junior quarterback Clayton Tune, but his first in a season opener. Tune threw for 1,533 yards and 11 touchdowns in seven starts a year ago.
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW
« Thursday's game marks 53 days since the start of fall camp for Houston. During 2020, the Cougars lost games against five different opponents: Rice (Sept. 3), Washington State (Sept. 12), Memphis (Sept. 18) and Baylor (Sept. 19).
« Houston returns its 2019 statistical leaders in passing yards and touchdowns (Clayton Tune), rushing yards (Kyle Porter), rushing touchdowns (Mulbah Car), receiving yards and touchdowns (Marquez Stevenson), tackles (Grant Stuard), interceptions (Damarion Williams) and field goals made (Dalton Witherspoon).
« Houston is opening its season with a conference opponent for the time since 2006 (defeated Rice, 31-30). The matchup also marks just the fourth time in program history that UH's home opener features a conference opponent (last time this occurred was during the 2014 season against Tulane).
« Special teams were a major factor for the Cougars a year ago. Houston led the FBS with five blocked punts and six blocked kicks in 2019. The Cougars also recorded a pair of kickoff touchdowns and two punt return touchdowns. Kicker Dalton Witherspoon also made 20 field goals and set the UH single-season record with 15 consecutive field goals made.
« Since 2018, senior wide receiver Marquez Stevenson has recorded nine receptions of 50 yards or more. The senior has also been explosive on kickoff returns during his career. In 2019, Stevenson was tied for second nationally with two kickoff returns for touchdowns.
FOR FANS
« Before you head to the game, check out TDECU Stadium's gameday guidelines and procedures by clicking here.
« Thursday's game theme is "Hero Night - Saluting Military and First Responders" presented by Memorial Hermann.
« The first 5,000 fans will receive a UH face mask, provided by UHAA.
« Prior to the game, Houston will honor former head coach Bill Yeoman, who passed away in August, with a moment of silence.
« Check out the Gameday A-Z Guide for information about TDECU Stadium, parking, concessions and much more. The Gameday Guide is available here.
« TDECU Stadium has a clear-bag policy. For more information on Houston football's gameday procedures, click here.
SCOUTING TULANE
« Tulane enters Thursday's contest with a 2-1 record. The Green Wave opened the season with a 27-24 road win at South Alabama on Sept. 12 before falling to Navy at home to open American Athletic Conference play on Sept. 19. The Green Wave rolled to 66-24 victory at Southern Miss on Sept. 26.
« In three games, Tulane is averaging 298.3 rushing yards per game (ranks fourth in the FBS), while ranking 24th in the country in total offense at 445.3 yards per contest. Defensively, the Green Wave is holding opponents to 368.3 yards per game (ranks 23rd in the FBS). Tulane also leads the conference in kick return average (33.3), while ranking second in punt return average (9.5).
« True freshman Michael Pratt will make his first career start for the Green Wave on Thursday. Pratt made his collegiate debut against Southern Miss, throwing for 142 yards passing and two touchdowns, while adding a rushing score. The Green Wave have relied on running back Cameron Carroll early in the season, who has recorded seven rushing touchdowns through three games.
« Under head coach Willie Fritz, Tulane finished 2019 with a 7-6 record and recorded back-to-back bowl appearances for the first time in school history.
NOTABLES // TULANE
« Houston leads the all-time series with Tulane, 17-7 overall and 9-3 in Houston. The Cougars are 3-1 against the Green Wave at TDECU Stadium.
« The Cougars have won seven of the last eight games against the Green Wave at home dating to Oct. 30, 2004. Houston ran off 10 consecutive victories in the series from 2003-12. The Cougars averaged 42.4 points per game during the win streak.
« Houston scored 73 points in a 73-17 victory against Tulane on Nov. 10, 2011. The output is the Cougars' most points in a road game in program history.
« Seven Houston student-athletes hail from Louisiana including three New Orleans-area natives: wide receiver Jeremy Singleton, defensive lineman Atlias Bell and running back Terrell Brown.
« Seven Tulane student-athletes are from the Houston area: quarterback Josh Coltrin, quarterback Josh Holl, wide receiver Jaetavian Toles, offensive lineman Sincere Haynesworth, offensive lineman Jackson Fort, tight end Reggie Brown and defensive lineman Brandon Brown.
LAST YEAR AGAINST TULANE
« Tulane's Jalen McCleskey's 53-yard touchdown reception from Justin McMillan with just three seconds remaining gave the Green Wave a 38-31 win on Sept. 19, 2019.
« The Cougars jumped out to a 28-7 lead in the first half before Tulane rallied to take a 31-28 lead in the fourth quarter.
« The matchup marked the conclusion of a four-game, 18-day stretch for the Cougars. It was the first time Houston had played four games in 18 days since the 2004 season (Sept. 5-23).
« Quarterback D'Eriq King set an FBS record with a passing touchdown and rushing touchdown in his 15th consecutive game. He broke Tim Tebow's mark of 14 games set in 2008.
SEASON OPENERS
« Houston's start to the 2020 season is the latest in school history. It is the first time Houston has started the season during the month of October. The latest start to a UH season previously came against Mississippi State on Sept, 29. 1956.
« For the first time since 2015, Houston begins its season at home. That season, the Cougars downed Tennessee Tech, 52-24. Houston is 44-30 all-time in home openers, winning five consecutive and 14 of the last 17.
« Houston has scored 37-plus points in five consecutive home openers and in 12 of its last 14 home openers. Since 2006, the Cougars are averaging 42.5 points per game in home openers.
CONFERENCE OPENER SUCCESS
« Since 2000, Houston is 14-6 in conference openers including a 5-2 mark in the American era. All-time, UH is 38-18-1 in conference openers and 13-6 in conference home openers.
« The Cougars have won eight out of their last 10 conference openers dating back to the 2010 season.
SECOND YEAR IN THE SYSTEM
« Over his coaching career, quarterbacks under Dana Holgorsen have seen their biggest jump in production from year one to year two. With Clayton Tune returning for his second season in Holgorsen's system, the junior looks to increase his production from 2019.
« Since 2008, quarterbacks under Holgorsen's tutelage have thrown for 30+ plus touchdowns in nine out of the last 12 seasons. During that same time span, he has helped three different quarterbacks passing for over 4,000 yards and helped five different signal callers throw for over 3,000 yards. Holgorsen's development at the quarterback position has produced a pair of NFL First Round draft picks (Brandon Weeden, 2012 - Cleveland Browns; Geno Smith, 2013 - New York Jets), while helping Will Grier at West Virginia earn a fourth-place Heisman finish in 2018 by throwing for 3,864 yards and 37 touchdowns.
AMONG THE BEST
« Houston leads the FBS programs in Texas since 2015 with 41 wins. The Cougars are tied with Texas A&M and TCU and are four wins ahead of Baylor and Texas.
« Since 2013, Houston ranks second in the state of Texas with 57 wins, trailing only Baylor (59). The Cougars are six wins ahead of Texas in that span. Houston also leads the state of Texas FBS schools with 10 seasons of at least eight wins since 2006. TCU is second in that span with nine.
« The Cougars also rank second among American Athletic Conference Teams with 35 victories in league history. UH remains the last FBS school in the state of Texas to win a league championship (2015 American Athletic Champions).
A HOUSTON WIN WOULD ...
« Improve Houston's program win-loss record to 446-374-15 all-time since 1946 and give Houston its 58th win since 2013, one shy of Baylor for the most among FBS programs in Texas during that time.
« Give Houston its 14th win in the last 18 games against Tulane and move the Cougars to 18-7 all-time vs. the Green Wave.
« Move Dana Holgorsen's head coaching record to 1-1 against Tulane.
« Make it 40-32-2 all-time in season openers including victories in 10 of the last 12.
« Up Houston's record in October to 32-12 since the 2009 season.