PREVIEW: Houston Set for Black Out Game vs. #17/15 K-State

HOUSTON – Houston Football hosts #17/15 Kansas State in the Cougars' annual Black Out game inside TDECU Stadium at 2:30 p.m., Saturday, on FOX. The Wildcats mark the third ranked opponent the Cougars have played this season.

GAME 9 – #17/15 KANSAS STATE

Houston (3-5, 2-3 Big 12) vs. #17/15 Kansas State (7-1, 4-1 Big 12)
Saturday, Nov. 2 | 2:30 p.m. CT
TDECU Stadium | Houston, Texas
Broadcast: FOX
Radio: KPRC 950 AM

COOG FEST – PREGAME ACTIVITIES

The Team Shop returns with a retail store outside Gate 1 in the Stadium Parking Garage.
Join the team for Cougar Walk at 2:15 p.m. Cougar Walk will be led by the UH Helmet Car with Shasta and Sasha. Plus, you will enjoy performances by the Spirit of Houston, UH Cheerleaders and the Cougar Dolls.
Take the kids to the Kids' Zone to enjoy the inflatables and fun near Schroeder Gate 1! This week check out the ConocoPhillips STEM Zone for fun activities and great prizes!

IN-GAME ACTIVITIES

On the field recognition of Houston volleyball team.
Cheerleaders and Cougar Dolls on hand to entertain you!
Pregame and halftime performance by the Spirit of Houston!
Join the Light Show in the 4th Quarter with Cougar Lights in the Houston Athletics app!

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

Among Houston's top-12 leaders in all-purpose yards, five are underclassmen and nine are projected to return for the 2025 season. With at least four games to play, Re'Shaun Sanford II ranks eighth in Houston single-season history among freshmen running backs with 294 rushing yards. Since 1956, nine Houston freshmen running backs have averaged 4.5 yards per carry (min. 30 carries). Sanford II (5.0) and J'Marion Burnette (4.6) would move that total to 11. Sophomore Zeon Chriss's 467 yards of total offense ranks 19th among Houston underclassmen quarterbacks since 1956.
In his 20th career start last time out vs. Utah, junior wide receiver Joseph Manjack IV hauled in a game-tying, 28-yard touchdown with 8:29 to play in the contest. Manjack IV surpassed 1,000 career receiving yards on the play and extended his streak to 23 consecutive games with a catch (Dec. 4, 2021-present). The Tomball, Texas, native boasts eight receiving TDs in his last 13 games.
Houston junior wide receiver Mekhi Mews paces the Cougars with 20 receptions and is the Cougars primary kickoff and punt returner. On Oct. 19 at Kansas, Mews set career highs in receiving yards (99) and receptions (6). Mews owns three of Houston's seven 50+ yard plays this season including a 75-yard punt return touchdown vs. Rice, a 57-yard reception vs. UNLV and a 52-yard touchdown reception at Kansas. He is tied with tight end Maliq Carr and Stephon Johnson for the team lead in first down receptions (8).
Houston linebacker Michael Batton is tied for the Big 12 lead and ranks fourth nationally in fumbles recovered (2). Batton ranks 14th in the league in tackles per game (6.9) and has logged 6.0+ stops in six of eight games. Batton's 2.0 sacks at #15/13 Oklahoma are the second-most by a Big 12 player in a game this year. Batton's 5.63 career tackles/game rank fourth among active Big 12 linebackers.
Houston's defense ranks 20th nationally in passing yards allowed (173.9), 25th in first downs defense (132) and 25th in total defense (317.9). By comparison, through its first eight games a season ago, the Cougars ranked 110th in passing yards allowed (254.5), 105th in first downs defense (179) and 107th in total defense (416.1).

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW

#17/15 Kansas State is the third ranked opponent the Cougars have faced this season (Sept. 7 at #15/13 Oklahoma; Sept. 28 vs. #18/19 Iowa State). Houston is in search of its first win against a Top 25 opponent since knocking off #19/16 SMU, 44-37, on Oct. 30, 2021, inside TDECU Stadium. Houston is 6-9 against Top 25 opponents inside TDECU Stadium since the facility opened in 2014.
No two teams have been more consistently impressive on kickoff return than Houston and Kansas State. The Cougars lead the FBS with eight kickoff return touchdowns since the start of the 2019 season, followed by Kansas State with six. Kansas State's 26 kickoff return touchdowns since the start of the 2008 season lead the country while Houston ranks second with 20.
Houston's defense has held opponents to just nine rushing touchdowns on the season, a mark which ranks 10th among Power Four programs. By contrast, a season ago, Houston opponents registered 18 rushing scores during the same time frame (Games 1-8).
After facing preseason Big 12 favorite Utah last Saturday, the Cougars welcome preseason projected runner-up Kansas State. The Utes garnered 906 points in the preseason poll, including 20 first-place votes, followed by the Wildcats' 889 points, including 19 first-place votes.
Over its last three games, Houston has committed a combined 12 penalties, matching the fewest in the nation in that time frame. The Cougars' three penalties and 30 penalty yards last time out against Utah were each season bests. After averaging 7.4 penalties across their first five games, the Cougars have averaged just 4.0 over their last three games.

SCOUTING KANSAS STATE

Quarterback Avery Johnson is set to make his 10th career start as he has thrown for 1,654 yards and 16 touchdowns on 130-of-212 aim while adding 373 rushing yards and four scores. He is one of only five quarterbacks in the country and the only Big 12 signal caller with at least 1,600 passing yards and 370 rushing yards this season, and he is coming off back-to-back 250-plus yard passing games.
Junior running back DJ Giddens has rushed for 945 yards and four touchdowns on 145 carries to go along with 12 receptions for 197 yards and another score. Giddens ranks 10th nationally by averaging 118.1 rushing yards per game, while he is seventh in the nation in scrimmage yards per game (142.8). He is looking to become the fourth player in school history with multiple 1,000-yard rushing seasons.
Kansas State has seven players with 30 or more tackles this season, led by linebacker Austin Romaine, whose 57 tackles are tied for 12th in the Big 12. Senior defensive end Brendan Mott has 8.5 TFLs and 7.0 sacks, the latter ranking 11th in the nation. Five Wildcats have carded an interception this season in Marques Sigle (3), VJ Payne (2), Jacob Parrish, Jack Fabris and Keenan Garber.
Chris Tennant has been true on 12-of-14 fi eld goals and most recently hit a 51-yarder with 1:42 left to give the Cats a 29-27 win over Kansas. Simon McClannan has averaged 41.9 yards per punt this season, while his 12 punts that have ended inside the opponent 20-yard line rank third in the Big 12. Dylan Edwards is tied for fourth in the Big 12 with 127 total punt-return yards.
Kansas State ranked in the top 10 nationally in turnover margin each of the last two years as the Wildcats finished eighth in 2022 and fifth in 2023, which marked the first time in the top 10 in consecutive seasons since 2011 (9th) and 2012 (3rd).

LAST TIME AGAINST KANSAS STATE

Kansas State raced to a 41-0 win in Manhattan, Kan., in 2023.
Quarterback Donovan Smith passed for 88 yards with a 25-yard completion the longest Cougar play from scrimmage of the day.
The Cougars sacked K-State quarterback Will Howard twice.
Defensive back A.J. Haulcy recorded a game-high 11 tackles.

A HOUSTON WIN WOULD ...

Mark the first time Houston has won consecutive games in the same season since Nov. 12-19, 2022 (Temple; at ECU)
Be the Cougars fifth Big 12 victory, and third in a four-game span, since joining the league a season ago.
Be UH's first win vs. a Top 25 opponent since knocking off #19/16 SMU, 44-37, on Oct. 30, 2021, inside TDECU Stadium.
Up Houston's record to 44-21 inside TDECU Stadium (2014-present).
Be Houston's fourth win of the season with three games remaining to reach bowl eligibility.

TICKETS ON SALE
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