University of Houston Athletics
Football Learns Opponent for C-USA Championship Game
11/25/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 25, 2006
HOUSTON - It went all the way to the final weekend of the regular season, but the University of Houston football team has learned its opponent for the 2006 Conference USA Championship Game presented by Aéropostale.
By virtue of Southern Miss' 42-7 win over Marshall on Saturday night, the Cougars will face the East Division champion Golden Eagles at 7 p.m., Friday at the friendly confines of John O'Quinn Field at Robertson Stadium.
This will be the Cougars' first appearance in the C-USA Championship Game presented by Aéropostale. However, UH is no stranger to C-USA titles, winning the league and advancing to the St. Jude Liberty Bowl in 1996, the Cougars' first season as a C-USA member.
The Golden Eagles finished the regular season with an 8-4 overall record and finished ahead of East Carolina by one game with a 6-2 C-USA record. On Saturday night, quarterback Jeremy Young threw for 135 yards on 14-of-19 passing with a pair of touchdowns, while running back Damion Fletcher rushed for 151 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries, and the USM defense forced four turnovers against the Thundering Herd to take the win.
For the first time in school history, the Cougars will face an opponent twice in one season. On Oct. 14, the Golden Eagles held UH to only 38 yards rushing on the way to a 31-27 win in Hattiesburg, Miss. That win extended the Cougars' losing streak to a season-long, three games.
However, it also was the last time that the Cougars lost during the 2006 season. UH enters the 2006 Conference USA Championship Game presented by Aéropostale as winners of its last five games, including a thrilling 23-20 win in overtime at Memphis on Nov. 18 to end the regular season.
The nine wins are the most since the 1990 UH squad finished 10-1, while the five-game winning streak is the best since that same 1990 Cougar team won its first eight games to open the season.
The C-USA Championship Game presented by Aéropostale can be heard live on 790 AM The Sports Animal with the pregame show beginning one hour before kickoff. Tom Franklin will handle the play-by-play duties, while former record-setting UH quarterback David Klingler will provide color analysis. Former All-Southwest Conference center Chuck Brown serves as the sideline reporter.
All Cougar Football games can be heard live on the Internet by logging onto UHCougars.com.
In addition, the game will be aired live on ESPN2 in the Cougars' seventh appearance on television during the 2006 season.
The Cougars will resume their regular schedule with practice at 4 p.m., Sunday on the UH practice fields. Head coach Art Briles, whose team soon will be making its third bowl appearance in a four-year span, gave his players and assistant coaches a vacation since Wednesday due to the Thanksgiving holiday.
However, the team will embark on an accelerated practice week with the C-USA Championship Game presented by Aéropostale being played on a Friday night.
Ticket sales have been brisk, but good seats remain as the Cougars make their first appearance in the C-USA title game. Premium seating tickets are available for $50, while sideline and lower end zone reserved seating tickets will be sold for $30. Upper end zone general admission seating tickets are available for $20.
Both Houston and visiting team student tickets can be purchased for only $10 with a valid ID. Students at any Conference USA school who plan to attend the C-USA Championship Game presented by Aéropostale must purchase their tickets in person at the UH Ticket Office or at the Southern Miss Ticket Office.
On-line ticket sales always are available 24 hours a day at UHCougars.com.
Fans are encouraged to stop by the UH Ticket Office and pick up their tickets early to avoid long lines at the will call windows on game day.
Cougar Basketball fans also will have a chance to purchase or pick up tickets to the C-USA Championship Game presented by Aéropostale at two more games. Representatives from the UH Ticket Office will be selling football tickets at the women's basketball game against Michigan State on Sunday and at the men's game on Wednesday against Prairie View A&M.
A table will be set up inside the Holman Street entrance where fans can pick up their orders or buy general admission, reserved, or premium seats.
