University of Houston Athletics
Cougars Release 2009 Football Slate
3/11/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
University of Houston Director of Athletics Dave Maggard and Head Football Coach Kevin Sumlin released the 2009 Cougar football schedule on Wednesday, a slate that includes Texas Tech's first-ever visit to Robertson Stadium in a clash of two of the nation's most prolific offenses.
"Next year's football schedule offers not only nationally-ranked opponents," Maggard said, "but it also offers very entertaining football for our fans. All Cougar fans will not want to miss out on this year's schedule. Robertson Stadium will be the place to be come this fall."
In a game that pits the former Southwest Conference rivals, Houston and Texas Tech play for the first time since Nov. 25, 1995; a series advantage held by the Cougars, 17-10-1.
The Cougars also square off against two other BCS conference schools with a Sept. 12 visit to Oklahoma State of the Big 12, and an October 10 date at the SEC's Mississippi State. Houston's other non-conference battle is a first-ever encounter with Northwestern State, a Football Championship Subdivision squad that is coached by former UH defensive coordinator (1999-2002) Bradley Dale Peveto. The Demons will be the Cougars' season and home opener on Sept. 5.
Houston kicks off the Conference USA portion of its schedule with an Oct. 3 visit to UTEP, as the Cougars look for their fourth straight win over the Miners and second straight in the Sun Bowl. After the final non-league battle with MSU on Oct. 10, the Cougars play seven consecutive C-USA contests beginning with a trip to Tulane on Oct. 17.
The Cougars play their first home league contest on Oct. 24, entertaining the SMU Mustangs in Robertson Stadium. Houston caps off the brief home stand by renewing old acquaintances with Southern Miss in a Halloween clash on Oct. 31. UH and USM fought for the 2006 C-USA title, a game won by the Cougars, 34-20.
The month of November begins with a showdown of the nation's top two offenses from a year ago, as Houston travels to Tulsa to battle the Golden Hurricane on Nov. 7. Since C-USA moved to divisional play in 2005, only UH and Tulsa have represented the West Division in the title match.
A trip to Orlando is next on the schedule for Houston, when the Cougars take on the UCF Golden Knights on Nov. 14 in the first meeting between the two schools since 2006. Another East Division foe awaits the Cougars the following week, when UH returns to Robertson Stadium on Nov. 21 to take on the Memphis Tigers. Like Southern Miss and UCF, this marks the first time in three years that UH and Memphis have played on the gridiron.
Finally, Houston wraps up the 2009 schedule with the Bayou Bucket battle with archrival Rice on Nov. 28 at Robertson Stadium. The Cougars will look to wrest the trophy away from the Owls after surrendering the prized possession in last year's cross-town clash.
Houston will face six bowl teams from 2008 (Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, Memphis, Southern Miss, Tulsa and Rice) as well as Texas Tech (#12 in both polls) and Oklahoma State (#16/#18) finishing in the Top 25.
2009 Houston Football Schedule
DATE OPPONENT SITE TIME RECORDS STREAK
Sept. 5 NORTHWESTERN STATE O'QUINN FIELD TBA First Meeting
Sept. 12 at Oklahoma State Stilllwater, Okla. TBA 9-9-1 L 1
Sept. 26 TEXAS TECH (ESPN) O'QUINN FIELD TBA 17-10-1 L 5
Oct. 3 *at UTEP El Paso, Texas TBA 3-3-0 W 3
Oct. 10 at Mississippi State Starkville, Miss. TBA 8-6-0 W 2
Oct. 17 *at Tulane New Orleans, La. TBA 10-4-0 W 6
Oct. 24 *SMU O'QUINN FIELD TBA 14-9-1 W 3
Oct. 31 *SOUTHERN MISS O'QUINN FIELD TBA 4-7-0 W 1
Nov. 7 *at Tulsa Tulsa, Okla. TBA 18-16-0 W 1
Nov. 14 *at UCF Orlando, Fla. TBA 1-1-0 W 1
Nov. 21 *MEMPHIS O'QUINN FIELD TBA 10-9-0 W 1
Nov. 28 *RICE O'QUINN FIELD TBA 25-10-0 L 1
Dec. 5 &C-USA Championship Game (ESPN) TBA TBA
*Conference USA game. BOLD CAPS indicates home contests played in John O'Quinn Field at Robertson Stadium. ^63rd Homecoming. &Site and time of Conference USA Championship Game will be determined at the conclusion of the regular season. Times are listed as Central Time and schedule is tentative.
