POSTGAME NOTES: Houston 31, UCF 24
10/29/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
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BY THE NUMBERS
2
Fumbles forced by the Houston defense
2
Interceptions by the Houston defense
4
Total turnovers forced by the Houston defense, a season high
4
Three-and-outs forced by the Houston defense
-5
Yards of total offense for UCF in the third quarter
7
Receptions for sophomore running back Duke Catalon, a career high
10
Field goals for senior kicker Ty Cummings
11
Career games for quarterback Greg Ward Jr., with multi-rushing touchdowns
12-0
Record for Head Coach Tom Herman inside TDECU Stadium
16
All-time wins inside TDECU Stadium
18
Consecutive weeks ranked in at least one poll
20
Career wins for Head Coach Tom Herman at Houston
21
Houston rallied from a 21-point deficit marking the third largest come-from-behind victory in program history
22
Wins for Houston in last 25 games
22
Rushes of 10 yards or more for senior quarterback Greg Ward Jr., in 2016
23
Career games with over 200 yards passing for senior quarterback Greg Ward Jr.
25
Career wins for senior Greg Ward Jr., as Houston's starting quarterback
29
Houston held USF to 29 yards of total offense in the second half
37
Career rushing touchdowns for senior quarterback Greg Ward Jr.
40
Junior wide receiver Steven Dunbar became the 40th player in program history to record at least 1,200 yards receiving
44
Career passing touchdowns for senior quarterback Greg Ward Jr.
-55
Yards rushing for UCF in the second half
112
All-time wins when ranked
609
Career completions for senior quarterback Greg Ward Jr.
GAME NOTES
• The Cougars are 424-354-15 all-time.
• Houston is 7-2 overall and 4-2 in American Athletic Conference play this year.
• UCF won the toss and elected to receive. Seniors Brandon Wilson, Cameron Malveaux, Tyler McCloskey and Greg Ward Jr., were captains.
• Attendance was 35,846.
• Houston is 22-3 in its last 25 games.
• Houston returns to action on Saturday, Nov. 12, when it faces American Athletic Conference rival Tulane inside TDECU Stadium in Houston.
• The Tulane game will be the second of three straight regular-season home games inside TDECU Stadium. Following the Tulane game, the Cougars play host No. 5/5 Louisville at 7 p.m., Nov. 17.
HOUSTON as a RANKED TEAM
• This marked the 193rd week that Houston was ranked in at least one national poll. It also marked the 18th consecutive week in which Houston was ranked in at least one national poll.
• Houston is 112-40-3 all-time when ranked.
• Houston is 1-1 when not ranked in the Associated Press poll and ranked in the Coaches poll. Saturday's game marked the first time the Cougars have competed when not ranked in the AP poll and ranked in the Coaches' poll since a 47-20 loss to Air Force on Dec. 31, 2009, in the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth, Texas. In that bowl game, the Cougars were ranked No. 25 in the Coaches' poll.
HEAD COACH Tom Herman
• Herman is 20-3 during his Houston career.
• Herman is 2-0 against UCF during his career.
• Saturday's game marked the first time Herman faced UCF in Houston.
• Herman is 12-0 in games played inside TDECU Stadium.
• Herman is 14-3 when playing games on Saturday.
TDECU STADIUM HISTORY
• Houston has posted a 16-3 all-time record in games played at TDECU Stadium.
• The Cougars have won their last 13 games played inside TDECU Stadium. Houston has not lost at home since a 31-24 setback against Tulane on Nov. 8, 2014.
SERIES vs. UCF
• Houston is 3-5 in the all-time series against UCF.
• The Cougars won the last meeting with a 59-10 win in Orlando on Oct. 24, 2015. That win snapped a three-game losing streak to the Knights.
• Houston is 2-2 against UCF in games played in Houston. UCF had won the last two games against the Cougars in Houston, including a 17-12 decision on Oct. 2, 2014, in the most recent meeting.
BY DAYS
• Houston is 370-321-14 all-time when playing games on Saturday.
BY MONTHS
• Houston is 144-129-6 all-time when playing in October.
COMEBACK HISTORY
• Houston came back from a 21-point deficit against UCF marking the third largest come-from-behind victory in program history.
OFFFENSE
• With a 19-play scoring drive that resulted in a field goal at the 9:20 mark of the first quarter, Houston recorded its longest scoring drive in terms of number of plays on the season. The previous high was 18 plays against Tulsa on Oct. 15.
DEFENSE
• Houston established a new season high with four forced turnovers. The previous high was three at Cincinnati on Sept. 15. The Cougars last forced four turnovers in a 38-24 win over Florida State in the Peach Bowl on Dec. 31, 2015.
• Houston forced to fumbles and recorded two interceptions.
• Houston held UCF to negative-five yards of total offense in the third quarter.
• Houston held UCF to 29 yards of total offense in the second half, including negative-55 yards rushing.
• The Houston defense forced four three-and-outs by UCF.
Greg Ward Jr.
• Senior Greg Ward Jr., is 25-4 as the Cougars' starting quarterback. He continues to hold Houston's career record with a .862 winning percentage and is the only starting quarterback in school history with a perfect season after going 13-0 in 2015.
• With 25 wins, Ward tied Gary Mullins (1969-71) for third all-time as a starting quarterback at Houston.
• With two rushing touchdowns, Ward recorded his third multi-score game on the ground in 2016 and 11th overall of his career.
• Ward punched in a 1-yard touchdown run at the 9:49 mark of the third quarter. He later refound the end zone from 14 yards out at the 7:27 mark of the fourth quarter. Ward has eight rushing touchdowns on the season and 37 overall for his career.
• Ward connected with sophomore tight end Romello Brooker for a 6-yard strike at the 5:40 mark of the third quarter. The passing touchdown was Ward's 14th of the season and 44th overall of his career.
• With 26 completions, Ward became the sixth player in program history to accumulate at least 600 career completions. Ward has 609 completions for his career, ranking seventh all-time at Houston.
• With rushes of 13 and 14 yards, Ward has 22 carries of 10 yards or more for the season.
• With 240 passing yards, Ward recorded the 23rd game of his career with over 200 yards through the air.
Chance Allen
• Senior wide receiver Chance Allen recorded his eighth and ninth catches of at least 20 yards. Allen hauled in a 20-yard reception on Houston's first drive of the game. He added another 20-yard reception late in the fourth quarter.
• Allen finished with 47 yards on three receptions.
Steven Dunbar
• With 52 yards, junior wide receiver Steven Dunbar became the 40th player in program history to record at least 1,200 yards receiving. He has 1,220 for his career.
• Dunbar recorded his eighth catch of at least 20 yards with a 20-yard reception early in the second quarter.
• Dunbar finished with 52 yards on five receptions.
Brandon Wilson
• Senior cornerback Brandon Wilson recorded his ninth play of at least 20 yards with a 28-yard kickoff return in the first quarter.
• With an interception of UCF quarterback McKenzie Milton at the 7:23 mark of the third quarter. The pick was Wilson's first of the season and second of his career.
• Wilson registered his career sack and fourth career forced fumble after taking down UCF quarterback McKenzie Milton early in the fourth quarter.
Ty Cummings
• Senior kicker Ty Cummings recorded his 10th field goal of the season with a 31-yard conversion at the 9:20 mark of the second quarter.
• Cummings finished 4-for-4 in point-after attempts.
Cameron Malveaux
• Senior defensive end Cameron Malveaux sacked UCF quarterback McKenzie Milton for a 9-yard loss early in the third quarter. The sack was Malveaux's first sack of 2016 and fourth overall of his career.
Dillon Birden
• Junior running back Dillon Birden's 46-yard rush in the third quarter was a career high. The breakaway was also the longest rush from the line of scrimmage for the Cougars in 2016.
Nick Thurman
• Junior defensive end Nick Thurman stripped running back Jawson Hamilton of the ball midway through the third quarter to record the first forced fumble of his career.
• Thurman combined with senior linebacker Steven Taylor to sack UCF quarterback McKenzie Milton early in the fourth quarter. The half sack was Thurman first of the season and gives him one sack for his career.
Steven Taylor
• Senior linebacker Steven Taylor recovered a fumble, forced by junior defensive end Nick Thurman, to give Houston the ball at the UCF 39-yard line. The recovery was Taylor's first of 2016 and fourth of his career.
• Taylor combined with junior defensive end Nick Thurman to sack UCF quarterback McKenzie Milton early in the fourth quarter. The half sack gives Taylor six sacks on the season and 23 for his career. Taylor currently sits fifth on the all-time sack list.
D'Eriq King
• Freshman wide receiver D'Eriq King recorded his second reception of at least 20 yards with a 21-yard grab in the third quarter.
Duke Catalon
• With seven receptions, sophomore running back Duke Catalon recorded a new career high for catches.
• With a 12-yard rushing touhdown, Catalon recorded the second rushing touchdown of his career.
• Catalon finished with 82 yards on 19 carries, adding 40 yards on seven receptions.
Romello Brooker
• With a 6-yard touchdown reception at the 5:40 mark of the third quarter, sophomore tight end Romello Brooker recorded the first touchdown of his career.
Howard Wilson
• Sophomore cornerback Howard Wilson intercepted UCF quarterback McKenzie Milton late in the third quarter and returned it 26 yards to the Houston 39-yard line. The interception was Wilson's league-leading fifth pick of 2016 and ninth overall of his career.
Tyler McCloskey
• With 42 yards receiving on five catches, senior tight end Tyler McCloskey tied his career high in yardage.
D'Juan Hines
• Junior linebacker D'Juan Hines led Houston with nine tackles.
