GAME NOTES: Houston 33, Oklahoma 23
9/3/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
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BY THE NUMBERS
2
Sacks by true freshman defensive lineman Ed Oliver in his collegiate debut
4
Field goals made by senior kicker Ty Cummings in the first half against No. 3/3 Oklahoma
4
Career passing games for senior quarterback Greg Ward Jr. Ward finished the game with 321 passing yards and two touchdowns
5
Houston recorded its fifth straight win against a nationally ranked opponent dating back to last season to set a school record.
6
Number of different ways senior cornerback Brandon Wilson has scored during his career. Adding his 100-yard missed field goal return against No. 3/3 Oklahoma, Wilson has also scored by rushing, kickoff return, blocked field goal, fumble return and interception return
8
Touchdowns scored by senior cornerback Brandon Wilson following his 100-yard missed field goal return midway through the third quarter
11
This marked the 11th time Houston has played at NRG/Reliant Stadium. The Cougars improved to 6-5 all-time in the facility.
12
Consecutive field goals made by senior kicker Ty Cummings after nailing four attempts in Saturday's win against No. 3/3 Oklahoma
14
Wins by Head Coach Tom Herman during his career
20
Yards lost on sacks by Houston defenders Ed Oliver (2-5), Steven Taylor (2-7) and Tyus Bowser (1-8)
22
Rushing attempts by sophomore running back Duke Catalon in his Houston debut
47
Career-long field goal by senior kicker Ty Cummings to end the first half to give the Cougars a 19-17 lead at the break
100
Yardage of senior cornerback Brandon Wilson's missed field goal return for touchdown midway through the third quarter
109.9999999999999999999999
Actual return yards by senior cornerback Brandon Wilson on his missed field goal return midway through the third quarter. If you have seen the photo of his catch, we defy anyone to find a longer return in NCAA history
125
Receiving yards by junior wide receiver Steven Dunbar for the second 100-yard game of his career and first since Nov. 22, 2014
71,016
Saturday's attendance at the 2016 Advocare Texas Kickoff. It was the second-largest crowd to watch the Cougars play in the city of Houston
GAME NOTES
• Houston defeated No. 3/3 Oklahoma to improve to 418-352-15 all-time.
• With the win, Houston improved to 1-0 on the year.
• Houston returns to action at 11 a.m., Saturday, when it plays host to Lamar inside TDECU Stadium.
• Oklahoma won the toss and chose to receive. Seniors Brandon Wilson, Cameron Malveaux, Tyler McCloskey and Greg Ward were captains. Former Cougar track and field star and nine-time Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis was the honorary captain for the Cougars.
ATTENDANCE
• Saturday's attendance was 71,016. That is the largest crowd to watch Houston play since 92,138 watched the Cougars at Alabama on Oct. 6, 2007.
• Saturday's crowd was the second largest to watch the Cougars play in the city of Houston in school history. The record crowd of 72,124 watched UH fall 35-21 to No. 1 Texas on Nov. 5, 1977, inside Rice Stadium.
HOUSTON as a RANKED TEAM
• Saturday's game marked the first time Houston was ranked in a season opener since 1991. The 12th-ranked Cougars claimed a 73-3 win over Louisiana Tech in Houston on Aug. 31, 1991.
• Houston imrpoved to 106-38-3 all-time when ranked.
• This was the first time Houston was ranked No. 15 (AP) since a 50-43 win against Southern Miss on Oct. 31, 2009, inside Robertson Stadium.
• Saturday's game was the highest Houston has been ranked since finishing the 2015 season at No. 8 in both the AP and Amway Coaches' polls.
HOUSTON vs. RANKED OPPONENTS
• Houston improved to 36-95-5 all-time when facing ranked opponents.
• With Saturday's win, Houston set a school record with its fifth straight victory against ranked opponents. In 2015, the Cougars posted four consecutive wins against ranked teams…
W, 35-34, vs. Memphis (Nov. 14, 2015)
W, 52-31, vs. #16/15 Navy (Nov. 27, 2015)
W, 24-13, vs. #20/21 Temple (Dec. 5, 2015) (American Championship)
W, 38-24, vs. #9/8 Florida State (Dec. 31, 2015 (Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl)
• Saturday's game was the first time Houston faced the No. 3 (AP) team or higher since 63-13 loss at No. 2 Oklahoma on Sept. 11, 2004.
• Houston improved to 3-9 all-time when facing the No. 3 team or higher in the AP polls.
• Saturday's win was Houston's first victory against a top-3 (AP) team since taking a 29-15 win at No. 3 Texas on Nov. 10, 1984.
VERSUS POWER-5 TEAMS
• With the win over Oklahoma, Houston extended its winning streak to five straight games over power-5 opponents.
TWO RANKED TEAMS
• Houston improved to 18-14-3 all-time in games in which both teams were ranked.
• Saturday's game marked the first time a ranked Houston team played a ranked opponent since the Cougars enjoyed a 38-24 win against No. 9/8 Florida State in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl in Atlanta on Dec. 31, 2015.
• Houston improved to 11-6-3 all-time in games in which its opponent is the higher ranked team.
• With Houston's win, the Cougars won its last three games in which it was the lower ranked team. Houston's last loss as a lower ranked team was a 40-10 decision at No. 2 Miami (Fla.) on Sept. 12, 1991.
HOUSTON in SEASON OPENERS
• Houston improvevd 37-32-2 all-time in season openers.
• Houston has won its last two season openers, following a 52-24 win against Tennessee Tech in the 2015 opener on Sept. 9.
• Saturday's game marked only the second time in school history in which a ranked Houston team opened the season against a ranked opponent. The ninth-ranked Cougars claimed a 17-13 win against No. 11 UCLA on Sept. 12, 1977, inside the Houston Astrodome.
HEAD COACH Tom Herman
• With Saturday's win, Houston Head Coach Tom Herman improved to 14-1 during his career.
• Herman improved to 5-0 against nationally ranked opponents during his career.
• Saturday's game marked the first time Houston Head Coach Tom Herman faced Oklahoma.
• Herman improved to 1-0 in season openers with the Cougars.
SERIES vs. OKLAHOMA
• Houston improved to 1-2 all-time against Oklahoma.
• Saturday's game marked the first meeting against the Sooners since a 63-13 loss in Norman, Okla., on Sept. 11, 2004.
• First meeting in the series was a 40-14 loss in the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas on Dec. 26, 1981.
DOMED STADIUMS
• Houston improved to 129-67-4 all-time when playing in domed stadiums.
• Saturday's game was the first time Houston has played in a domed stadium since taking a 38-24 win over No. 9/8 Florida State on Dec. 31, 2015, inside the Georgia Dome during the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
• Houston is 5-5 all-time when playing in NRG/Reliant Stadium.
• The Cougars have won their last three and six of their last seven games inside NRG/Reliant Stadium. Only a 47-47 loss to BYU on Oct. 19, 2013, prevents a longer winning streak.
BY DAYS/MONTHS
• Houston improved to 366-319-14 all-time when playing on Saturday.
• Houston is 100-95-3 all-time when playing in September.
OFFENSE
• With Ty Cumming's 35-yard field goal in the first quarter, Houston has now scored in 200 consecutive games dating back to a 48-0 loss against No. 15 Texas on Sept. 23, 2000.
DEFENSE
• Houston forced their first fumble of the game midway through the third quarter on a Howard Wilson fumble recovery. The fumble led to a Houston touchdown giving them seven points off turnovers in the game.
• Houston forced their second turnover of the game on a sack-fumble early in the fourth quarter. The Cougars have now forced multiple turnovers in 39 of their last 49 games.
• The Cougars have force 110 turnovers ince 2013, the most of any team in the nation. The next most entering the weekend was 90 by Louisiana Tech and Michigan State.
SPECIAL TEAMS
• Senior Brandon Wilson's 100-yard field goal return for a touchdown in the third quarter is Houston's 19th special team's touchdown since 2008.
• Wilson's touchdown return was the first time the Cougars have returned a missed field goal for a score since Tyron Carrier against Southern Miss on Nov. 20, 2010 (89 yards).
YOUNG COUGARS
• Houston saw four true-freshmen players see action in Saturday's opener against Oklahoma, including defensive lineman Ed Oliver who earned his first-career start.
Greg Ward Jr.
• With his 98 passing yards in the first half, Greg Ward Jr., passed Jimmy Klingler (5,243) for eighth on the all-time Houston passing list. Ward finished the game with 321 yards through the air for 5,469 in his career.
• Ward finished the first half 15-28 passing for 257 yards marking his 19th career game of 200 or more yards through the air.
• With his 15-yard touchdown pass to Duke Catalon in the first half, Ward is now respeonsible for a touchdown in 21 of the last 23 games.
• With his 2-yard touchdown pass to Tyler McCloskey late in the third quarter, Greg Ward reached 300 yards on the nose. Today mark's Ward's fourth career 300-yard passing game.
Ward was accurate on third downs in the game, completing 10-12 passes for 158 yards while facing the threat of fourth down. All 10 of those completions on third downs resulted in Houston first downs (nine passing, one penalty).
• Ward improved to 20-2 as the Cougars' starting quarterback. He holds Houston's career record with a .909 winning percentage (10-2) and is the only starting quarterback in school history with a perfect season after going 13-0 in 2015.
• With Saturday's win, Ward has won 15 consecutive starts with the Cougars. He has not lost since a 38-31 win at Cincinnati on Dec. 6, 2014.
• Ward improved to 5-0 as the Cougars' starting quarterback against ranked teams.
• With a win today, Ward moved into a tie for fifth with Danny Davis (1976-78) in Houston career with 20 victories as the Cougars' starting quarterback.
• With a win today, Ward became the fifth quarterback in Houston history to win 20+ games as a starter. He joined Case Keenum (37, 2001-11); Kevin Kolb (26, 2003-06); Gary Mullins (25, 1969-71) and Danny Davis (20, 1976-78).
Ty Cummings
• Junior kicker Ty Cummings is now 12-for-12 in his career after a four first-half field goals. Cummings connected on a 35-yard field goal on Houston's first offensive possession of the game, and followed that with a 26-yarder to open the second quarter. WIth 4:33 remaining in the second, Cummings connected from 33-yards out to bring the score to 17-16.
• Cummings put the Cougars on top heading into halftime with a career-long 47-yard field goal as time expired in the first half. Cumming's previous long came on Nov. 27 of last year when he hit from 45 yards out against Navy.
• The four field goals for the senior are the most in a game during his career, passing his previous best of two against Vanderbil last season.
• With his four field goals and an extra point, Cummings was responsible 13 of Houston's 19 first half points.
• Cummings is the first Houston kicker
Isaiah Johnson
• Quarterback Greg Ward Jr., connected with Isaiah Johnson on a 44-yard pass midway through the second quarter for a new career long. Johnson's XX yards were also enough for a new career-high surpassing his previous best of 19 yards, which he set against Lousiville last season.
Duke Catalon
• Sophomore running back Duke Catalon found the end zone for the first time in his career on a 15-yard screen pass with 10:12 remaining in the first half. The touchdown was Houston's first of the season and made the score 13-10 at the time.
Steven Dunbar
• With his first catch of the half and sixth reception of the game, Steven Dunbar went over the 100-yard mark for the second time in his career. Dunbar's last 100-yard game came against Tulsa on Nov. 22, 2014.
Ed Oliver
• Freshman defensive lineman Ed Oliver made his first career start for the Cougars.
• Oliver collected his first career tackle late in the second quarter on third down to force an Oklahoma punt.
• On Houston's first defensive drive of the second half, Oliver collected his first-career sack on second down, taking down Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield for a 2-yard loss.
Steven Taylor
• Senior linebacker Steven Taylor collectecd his first sack of the season midway through the third quarter. The sack gives Taylor 18 for his career.
Brandon Wilson
• On a heads-up play in the third quarter, senior Brandon Wilson caught a 53-yard field goal attempt from Oklahoma kicker Austin Seibert that fell short in the endzone and returned the kick 100 yards for a touchdown. The touchdown was Wilson's first special teams touchdown since a 94-yard kickoff return against UConn on Nov. 21, 2015.
• Wilson has now scored touchdowns in six different ways throughout his career. With the return today, Wilson also has scored on a blocked field goal return, a fumble return and interception return, a kickoff return and a simple rushing touchdown. Wilson now has eight career touchdowns.
Howard Wilson
• With 7:28 remaining in the third quarter, Houston forced their first turnover of the game when Howard Wilson recovered a fumble at the Houston 49-yard line. The recovery was the first of Wilson's career.
MATT ADAMS
• Junior linebacker Matthew Adams forced his third career fumble leading to Houston's first turnover of the game after ripping the ball from Oklahoma running back Jarvis Baxter.
Tyler McCloskey
• Senior tight end Tyler McCloskey caught a 2-yard pass from Greg Ward Jr., with 2:15 remaining in the third quarter to extend Houston's lead to 33-17. The touchdown reception for McCloskey was his second career score.
Tyus Bowser
• Senior linebacker Tyus Bowser forced Houston's second turnover of the game early in the fourth quarter on a sack-fumble of Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield. The forced fumble was Bowser's third of his career, and he now has 2.5 career sacks.
CAMERON MALVEAUX
• Senior defensive lineman Cameron Malveaux recovered Houston's second fumble of the game early in the fourth quarter. Malveaux now has two career fumble recoveries with his last coming aggainst UCF on Nov. 9, 2013.
