POSTGAME NOTES: Houston 34, Vanderbilt 0
10/31/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
Recap | Final Stats | Quotes | USATSI Photo Gallery 
| Photo Gallery
BY THE NUMBERS
1
First shutout win for Head Coach Tom Herman
2
Tom Herman is one of only two head coaches in Houston history who started their careers 8-0 (John Jenkins, 1990)
2
Houston is one of two teams nationally with six wins of 21+ points
3
Saturday night's win marked the program's third shutout win over an SEC opponent
4
Houston's 2015 team is only the fourth in school history to start a season 8-0
8
Houston won its eighth straight game, the program's longest streak since starting the 2011 team started 12-0
10
Cougar Defense has allowed only 10 points in the third quarter all season
14
Greg Ward Jr. has 14 wins as the Cougars starting quarterback
16
Greg Ward Jr. leads the nation with 16 rushing touchdowns
16
Greg Ward Jr. broke the single-season record for most rushing TDs
17
Greg Ward Jr., has been responsible for a touchdown in 16 straight games for Houston
17
Adrian McDonald broke the school record for the most career interceptions
18
Houston's national ranking in the latest Associated Press poll
20
Most points scored in a first half vs. Vanderbilt this season
24
Greg Ward Jr. broke the school record for most career rushing TDs by a quarterback
31
William Jackson III tied for fifth all-time for career pass breakups
34
Most points given up by Vanderbilt this season
100
Saturday's game marked the 100th win for Houston when ranked in the AP Poll
29,565
Saturday's attendance inside TDECU Stadium
GAME NOTES
• Houston improved to 412-351-15 all-time.
• With Saturday's win, Head Coach Tom Herman remains only the second head coach in Houston history to win the first eight games of his career. He joined John Jenkins (8-0 in 1990) as the only Houston head coaches to accomplish that feat.
• Saturday's win marks Herman's first shutout win of his career.
• With Saturday's win, the Cougars moved to 8-0 for the first time since the 2011 team started 12-0. The 2015 squad became the fourth team in school history to start 8-0, joining 2011, 1990 and 1979 teams.
• With the 34-0 win, The Cougars pick up the program's first win over Vanderbilt in series history.
• The win also marked Houston Football's third shutout win over an SEC opponent, the first since Oct. 4, 1969 when the Cougars defeated Mississippi State, 74-0.
• Houston's record is 4-8 when playing on ESPN2.
• Houston moved to 142-127 when playing in the month of October.
• Vanderbilt won the toss and deferred to the second half. Senior running back Kenneth Farrow, offensive tackle Alex Cooper, safety Adrian McDonald and linebacker Elandon Roberts were captains.
AS A RANKED TEAM
• Houston entered Saturday's game ranked No. 18 in the latest Associated Press poll and No. 19 in the USA TODAY Coaches poll. The Cougars entered the rankings at No. 24 two weeks ago.
• With Saturday's win, Houston improved to 100-36-3 when ranked in the AP poll.
OFFENSE
• The Cougars have now scored in 193 consecutive games. Houston has not been shut out since a 48-0 loss to Texas on Sept. 23, 2000.
• Houston's 20 points in the first half is the most the Vanderbilt Defense has allowed in a first half this season. Houston is also the only team to score two offensive touchdowns in the first half against the Commodores.
• Saturday night's 34 points by Houston is the most given up by Vanderbilt Defense all season. Prior to the game, the Commodores allowed 31 points by Georgia.
• Vanderbilt's defense, second in the SEC, was ranked 13th nationally for scoring defense, averaging only 16.3 points per game.
• The Cougars have now outscored opponents 163-59 in the second half.
• Houston's offense now has 20 scoring drives of two minutes or less this season.
• Both of the Cougars' scoring drives in the first half marked the 10th and 11th scoring drive under one minute this season. The drives also marked the 10th and 11th this season of four plays or fewer.
• Each of Houston's scoring drives in the first half came off Vanderbilt turnovers. The Cougars have now scored 72 points off turnovers this season.
• With 34 points vs. Vanderbilt, the Houston offense has posted 30+ points in each of its last 12 games.
The 2015 team matches the 2011 team with a streak of atleast 12 games scoring 30+ points or more.
• Houston is the only team in The American to defeat six different opponents by 21+ points. The Cougars are one of two teams nationally with at least six wins of 21 points or more (Baylor).
DEFENSE
• With four turnovers in Saturday's game (1 Fumble, 3 Interceptions), Houston defenses have forced 93 turnovers over the last two seasons.
• The Cougars have allowed only 10 points in the third quarter all season.
• Senior safety Adrian McDonald picked off Vanderbilt in the first quarter to mark his 17th career interception. McDonald now holds the record for most career interceptions in school history.
• Junior outside linebacker Steven Taylor marked the Cougars second interception of the game with a pick off in the second quarter.
• Senior cornerback William Jackson III picked off his third interception of the season and returned it for a touchdown, marking the third interception for the Cougars vs. Vanderbilt.
• Saturday's game marked the first time Vanderbilt has been held scoreless in the first half since Nov. 22, 2014 when Mississippi State shutout Vanderbilt 51-0.
• The Cougar Defense hasn't allowed a score in the opening drive of the second half in all eight games this season. Saturday night's game also marked the third time this season the defense forced a turnover in the opening defensive drive.
Greg Ward Jr.
• Junior quarterback Greg Ward, Jr. led the Cougars with 221 passing yards and 33 rushing yards and two touchdowns, one of each.
• With 33 rushing yards, Ward extended the Houston career record by a quarterback with 1,459 rushing yards.
• Ward's 221 passing yards tonight moved him into 10th for most career passing yards in school history with 4,275 yards. He passes John O'Korn (2013-14) with 4,068 yards and Gary Mullins (1969-71) with 4,095 yards. Next on the list is Gerald Landry (1983-86) who threw for 4,512 yards in his career.
• With 16 rushing touchdowns in 2015, Ward holds the single-season record jumping running back Jackie Battle (2006).
• Ward's 24th career rushing touchdown ranks eighth in school history and is now the most by a Houston quarterback. He passes Case Keenum (23, 2006-11) as the only Houston quarterbacks to reach that total during their careers.
• With his 11-yard touchdown pass to Demarcus Ayers in the second quarter and his 5-yard TD run in the Cougars first scoring drive, Ward has been responsible for a touchdown in 17 straight games dating back to the Memphis game on Nov. 11, 2014.
• Ward improved to 14-2 as Houston's starting quarterback. Ward moved into a tie with Delrick Brown (1977,79) and Andre Ware (1987-89) for sixth in Houston career history with 14 victories.
• With one rushing touchdown Saturday, Ward took the nation's lead in that category with 16 rushing scores. He moved past LSU's Leonard Fournette who has 15 rushing scores in 2015.
Kenneth Farrow
• With a 82 rushing yards, Senior running back Kenneth Farrow ranks seventh in Houston career history with 2,686 rushing yards. He is 1-yard shy of Paul Gipson (1966-68) who rushed for 2,769 yards during his career.
• Farrow's 15-yard rushing touchdown marked his eighth rushing TD this season and 31st of his career. He moves into a tie for second all-time for career rushing TDs (31), matching Jackie Battle (2003-06).
Adrian McDonald
• With his 17th career interception, senior safety Adrian McDonald broke the school record for most career interceptions. Last week he tied Cornelius Price (1988-89) for the previous record of 16.
• McDonald returned the first interception of the game for 11 yards. With that, he has 287 total career interception return yards, just 38 yards away from the all-time record of 325 yards held by Johnny Jackson (1986-88).
• McDonald recorded a half sack which marked the first of his career as he combined with Tyus Bowser for the Cougars second sack of the night.
Demarcus Ayers
• Junior wide receiver Demarcus Ayers recorded his fifth touchdown of the season with a 11-yard TD pass from Greg Ward, Jr. Saturday night's game marked the second straight game Ayers recorded a receiving TD.
William Jackson III
• Senior cornerback William Jackson III's pick six with 3:28 left in the third quarter marked his third interception of the season and sixth of his career. The play also marked Jackson's third career defensive touchdown.
• With his pass breakup against Vanderbilt, Jackson now has 31 career breakups. He ties Johnny Jackson (1985-88) for the fifth most in school history.
Chance Allen
• Junior wide receiver Chance Allen had a career-high of 95 receiving yards. He caught a 52-yard pass from Greg Ward Jr. to mark the longest reception of his career.
Ty Cummings
• Junior kicker Ty Cummings drained a career long 37-yard field goal to put Houston up 20-0 in the first half. His first attempted and made FG came last week vs. UCF when he made a 34-yard field goal to send the Cougars into halftime with a 24-10 lead. He is now 3-for-3 on made field goals this season as he also drilled a 22-yarder vs. Vanderbilt.
Steven Taylor
• Junior outside linebacker Steven Taylor marked his second career interception and returned it for 25 yards.
Elandon Roberts
• Senior linebacker Elandon Roberts led the Cougars with 14 tackles, his fifth double-digit tackle game of the season and his career. Roberts also recorded his first career forced fumble.
• Roberts combined with junior outside linebacker Tyus Bowser to sack Vanderbilt's quarterback. He now has 2.5 sacks this season.
Tyus Bowser
• Junior outside linebacker Tyus Bowser combined with senior linebacker Elandon Roberts to sack Vanderbilt's quarterback. Bowser also combined with McDonald for the Cougars second sack of the night. He now has five sacks this season.
Nick Thurman
• Sophomore defensive end Nick Thurman tied a career high with five tackles vs. Vanderbilt. He also recovered a fumble for the first of his career that was forced by senior linebacker Elandon Roberts in the third quarter.
Kameron Eloph
• Freshman offensive lineman Kameron Eloph earned his first career start on the Cougar offensive line.
