University of Houston Athletics
Two Recent National Champions Highlight 2004 Football Schedule
3/10/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
March 10, 2004
University of Houston Director of Athletics Dave Maggard today announced the 2004 Cougar football schedule, a slate that includes two recent national champions, six bowl teams from 2003 and two confirmed nationally-televised contests.
Highlighting the 2004 schedule is a September 11 visit to Norman, Okla., to face the Sooners, a team that won the 2001 national championship and played LSU in January for the 2004 crown, and Miami (Fla.), the 2002 national champion that will face the Cougars on national television on September 23 at Reliant Stadium.
"This is a challenging, yet exciting schedule for our football team and our fans," said Maggard. "The primary purpose for the change in scheduling is to develop a stronger scheduling relationship with Big XII members. We have LSU on our schedule in the future and this change gives us our first opportunity to play Oklahoma in a regular season game.
"It is my hope that in the future we will have Oklahoma at home in Reliant Stadium."
Houston will begin the 2004 campaign, as it has for the past five seasons, facing cross-town rival Rice in the annual Administaff Bayou Bucket on September 4, at Rice Stadium. After the visit to Oklahoma, the Cougars open their home schedule by playing host to Army on September 18, in the Conference USA opener for both schools.
The Thursday night affair with Miami follows, and then the Cougars return to league action with a October 2 visit to Memphis, who finished 9-4 last season. The clash with the Tigers is the first of three straight road games for Houston, including another nationally-televised contest at Southern Miss on Thursday, October 7, and then on to TCU on October 23 for the final time as conference foes. The Horned Frogs are moving to the Mountain West Conference in time for the 2005-06 season.
The home stretch of the schedule is beneficial for the Cougars, as Houston plays three of its final games in the friendly confines of John O'Quinn Field at Robertson Stadium. Tulane comes to town on October 30, Houston's first "home" game in well over month, and then Houston faces East Carolina the following weekend on November 6.
The final regular season road trip of the year comes on November 13, when UH travels to Birmingham to face UAB at Legion Field. Finally, the Cougars wrap up the 2004 schedule by playing host to Louisville on November 20. The Cougar-Cardinal clash will be the last one as league foes, as Louisville, like TCU, departs for a new conference in 2005 (Big East).
Postseason participants from a year ago also dominate the 2004 UH football schedule. As mentioned, Oklahoma played in the Sugar Bowl, and Miami took part in the Orange Bowl, while Memphis (New Orleans Bowl), Louisville (GMAC Bowl), Southern Miss (Liberty Bowl) and TCU (Fort Worth Bowl) all were bowl teams in 2003.
Maggard also announced that UH Athletic Department will implement a very aggressive marketing plan this fall, appealing to Houston graduates and citizens of the Bayou City that "Houston Football...Your Home Team!" Season ticket prices have been set at $70 and $100 for five great home games, including the Miami clash at Reliant Stadium.
For more information on season tickets, please call 713 GO COOGS or log online at www.UHCougars.com.
2004 Houston Cougar Football Schedule
Sept. 4 - at Rice, 7 pm
Sept. 11 - at Oklahoma, TBA
Sept. 18 - Army*, 7 pm
Sept. 23 - Miami (Fla.)^ (ESPN), TBA
Oct. 2 - at Memphis, TBA
Oct. 7 - at Southern Miss* (ESPN), TBA
Oct. 23 - at TCU*, TBA
Oct. 30 - Tulane* ,4 pm
Nov. 6 - East Carolina*, 4 pm
Nov. 13 - at UAB*, TBA
Nov. 20 - Louisville*, 4 pm
*-Conference USA game
^-Played at Reliant Stadium (Houston, Texas)
All home games in Bold
