University of Houston Athletics
Cougar Football Notes
8/28/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 28, 2003
Houston, Texas- - The University of Houston concluded its final practice in preparation just before the rain came to the UH campus Thursday afternoon. Houston opens the 2003 season against crosstown rival Rice University at Robertson Stadium Saturday night. Kickoff for the game is slated for 7:00 p.m.
Houston and Rice will be playing for the Administaff Bayou Bucket which has been awarded each year since the two schools began playing each other in 1974. This year's game will mark the 30th time that the Cougars and Owls have played against each other.
"We are very excited to open the season against Rice," Houston head coach Art Briles. "I have a lot of respect for coach Ken Hatfield and this is a unique rivalry. There are very few major cities that have two Division I football teams playing against each other."
The game will also have a special meaning for Cougar fans when Briles makes his debut as a collegiate head coach against the Owls. He is the first former Cougar player to serve as head coach at his alma mater. Briles was a letterman on Houston's 1976 team that won the Southwest Conference and beat Maryland in the Cotton Bowl. That team will be honored during a halftime celebration Saturday night.
Briles is one of four former Cougar lettermen on Houston's coaching staff. Three other former players will be serving their first games as UH fulltime assistant coaches Saturday night. They are Mike Spradlin (1975-76), Jason Phillips (1987-88) and Thomas McGaughey (1992-95). Spradlin was a graduate assistant coach for Houston in 1977 and Phillips was a student assistant coach for UH before serving as an assistant coach at Southwest Texas State in 2002.
Tickets for the game are available and can be ordered by calling (713) 743-9444.
