Postgame Notes: Houston 27, USF 3
11/1/2014 12:00:00 AM | Football
Recap | Final Stats GAME NOTES
• Houston improved to 5-3 on the season with a 27-3 road win at USF. Houston is now 3-1 in American Athletic Conference play.
• Houston improves to 402-348-15 all-time.
• Today's win was Houston's biggest in the all-time series against USF. It topped the Cougars' 35-23 victory on Oct. 31, 2013, inside Reliant Stadium in Houston.
• After losing the first two games in the all-time series against USF, Houston has evened the series at 2-2 with Saturday's win.
OFFENSE
• Houston tied its longest scoring drive of the season on a 16-play, 70-yard drive for 7:12 when Greg Ward hit Kenneth Farrow for an 8-yard touchdown reception with 9:34 left in the game. The previous 7:12 scoring drive was the first score of the game vs. Temple.
• This marked the second game this season that both running backs Kenneth Farrow and Ryan Jackson recorded touchdowns in the same game.
DEFENSE
• Houston has forced at least one turnover in 31 straight contests, a streak that currently ranks second nationally, after Adrian McDonald intercepted a pass and took with 2:54 left in the game.
• Since David Gibbs has taken over as defensive coordinator, Houston has 67 takeaways in 21 games which is the best in the nation in that span.
• Today's first half shutout marked just the second time the Houston Defense has shutout an opponent in the first half, last coming vs. Grambling.
• The Houston Defense held USF to its lowest scoring output of the season. The previous low was 10 points in a 27-10 loss at Wisconsin.
• Houston's defense limited USF to only three points in Saturday's win, easily the fewest allowed in the series against the Bulls. It topped the previous low of 23 points allowed in Houston's 31-23 win on Oct. 31, 2013, inside Reliant Stadium in Houston.
Kenneth Farrow
• Junior running back Kenneth Farrow finished the day with 112 rushing yards on a career-high 22 attempts and a touchdown, while also tallying a receiving touchdown.
• Farrow put the Cougars on the board first with a 1-yard TD run for his fifth rushing touchdown of the season and 13 touchdowns in his career.
• With his score in the first quarter, this is the first time in Farrow's career that he has notched three straight games with a touchdown.
• With 112 rushing yards, Farrow recorded the third 100-yard rushing game of his career. Houston is 2-0 in games in which Farrow reaches triple digits.
• Farrow became the 41st player in school history to record 3+ 100-yard rushing games during his career.
• For the first time this season, Farrow recorded a rushing and receiving touchdown in the same game. It was the second time in his career that Farrow accomplished that feat. Ironically, Farrow rushed for and caught a touchdown pass against USF inside Reliant Stadium in Houston on Oct. 31, 2013.
• Farrow became only the ninth player in school history with multiple games with rushing/receiving touchdowns in the same game. He joined Bryce Beall (4), Chuck Weatherspoon (4), Charles Sims (4), Michael Hayes (3), Anthony Alridge (3), Lamar Smith (3), Kimble Anders (2) and Max Clark (2).
Ryan Jackson
• Junior running back Ryan Jackson recorded his fourth rushing touchdown of the year on a 1-yard run to put Houston up 14-0 midway through the third quarter.
• Jackson finished the day with 62 yards on 14 carries and two touchdowns.
• With two rushing scores, Jackson recorded his first game of the 2014 season with multiple rushing touchdowns. It was the third game of his career with multiple rushing touchdowns, equaling his two rushing scores against Southern (Aug. 30, 2013) and against Tulane (Nov. 24, 2012).
GREG WARD
• Sophomore quarterback Greg Ward finished the game 15-of-19 for 89 yards and one touchdown.
• In his first three career starts at quarterback, Ward is 3-0.
Wayne Beadle
• Senior receiver Wayne Beadle notched a career-high five receptions and 38 receiving yards, surpassing his previous highs of four receptions vs. Temple this season and 32 yards vs. UCF on Nov. 9, 2013.
Rowdy Harper
• Senior lineman Rowdy Harper made his 47th consecutive start. He has started every game of his career and leads the nation in career starts by a lineman.
Steven Taylor
• Sophomore linebacker Steven Taylor tallied 3 tackles for loss vs. USF, tying his career-high in that category, last vs. Vanderbilt in the BBVA Compass Bowl last season.
Efrem Oliphant
• Senior linebacker Efrem Oliphant recorded a solo sack for a loss of nine yards midway through the second quarter, bringing his career total to 5.5 sacks and his 2014 total to 2.5 sacks.
• Oliphant led the Cougars with nine tackles.
Adrian McDonald
• With his interception late in the fourth quarter, junior safety Adrian McDonald forced a turnover in a game for the fourth time this season. McDonald forced a fumble and intercepted a pass vs. Grambling State (Sept. 6), forced a fumble and returned a fumble at BYU (Sept. 11) and intercepted a pass against UNLV (Sept. 20).
• With that interception, McDonald forced a turnover in a game for the 12th time during his career. McDonald enjoyed five games in 2013 and three games in 2012.
BY THE NUMBERS
1
Ryan Jackson recorded his first game of the year with multiple rushing touchdowns.
2
This marks the second time this season that both RBs Kenneth Farrow and Ryan Jackson each had a touchdown in the same game.
2
Second time this season Houston has shutout an opponent in the first half - last coming vs. Grambling.
3
Kenneth Farrow notched his third straight game with a touchdown for the first time in his career.
3
Steven Taylor recorded three tackles for loss, tying a career-high.
3
Houston's Defense held USF to its lowest output of the year at just three points.
6
Kenneth Farrow is the sixth Cougar this season to catch a touchdown reception this season.
12
Adrian McDonald recorded his 12th career forced turnover with his fourth-quarter turnover.
31
Houston has recorded at least one takeaway in 31 consecutive contests.
41
Kenneth Farrow became the 41st player in program history to record 3+ 100-yard rushing games in his career.
47
Rowdy Harper made his 47th consecutive start. He leads the nation in career starts by a lineman.
67
Houston has 67 takeaways in 21 games, the best in the nation in that span.
7:12
Houston tied its longest scoring drive of the year when Ward hit Farrow for an 8-yard TD pass. It tied the first scoring drive in the Temple game.
