PREVIEW: Cougars-Squared Concludes Season

PROVO, Utah – The Houston Football team wraps up its 2024 season at #19/20 BYU on Saturday night at 9:15 p.m. CT on ESPN.

GAME 12 – at #19/20 BYU

Houston (4-7, 3-5 Big 12) at #19/20 BYU (9-2, 6-2 Big 12)
Saturday, Nov. 30 | 9:15 p.m. CT
LaVell Edwards Stadium | Provo, Utah
Broadcast: ESPN
Radio: KPRC 950 AM

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

Houston quarterback Zeon Chriss has started the last six games, completing 63.2% of his passes (67 of 106) for 668 yards while adding 376 rushing yards. Chriss, who is one of four Power Four underclassmen with 600+ passing and 375+ rushing yards this season, surpassed 1,000 total yards last Saturday against Baylor. He's the first Houston underclassman quarterback to hit 60% passing and 1,000+ total yards since D'Eriq King in 2019.
Houston's defense has held opponents to just 11 rushing touchdowns on the season. By contrast, a season ago, Houston opponents registered 24 rushing scores during the same time frame (Games 1-11). Houston's 11 rushing scores allowed are tied for the fewest by the program since 2000. The Cougars have held opponents to one or no rushing touchdowns in nine of 11 games this season including none last time out against Baylor.
Over its last six games, Houston has committed a combined 23 penalties, ranking as the 11th fewest nationally and fifth fewest in the Power Four. After averaging 7.4 penalties across their first five games, the Cougars have averaged just 3.8 over their last six games.
Houston's performance on special teams has been just that. Freshman punter Liam Dougherty downed five of six punts inside the 20-yard line vs. Kansas State on Nov. 2 en route to becoming the first punter since Sept. 4, 2023, to earn Big 12 Special Teams weekly honors. The Cougars rank 12th nationally in punt return defense (3.53). Junior punt returner Mekhi Mews ranks 17th in the Power Four in punt return average (6.9). Senior kicker Jack Martin has made seven of his last eight field goal attempts, including a career-long 49-yarder at Arizona on Nov. 15. Martin drilled the game-winning 43-yard field goal as time expired against Utah on Oct. 26. The Cougars rank 22nd nationally with two blocked kicks.
Houston linebacker Michael Batton made an immediate impact in his first season with the program. Batton ranks eighth nationally in fumbles recovered (2) and seventh in the Big 12 in tackles per game (7.8). The senior, playing in his final game Saturday at BYU, owns 31.0 tackles over his last three games including a career high 12.0 stops against Baylor last Saturday. Batton has logged 6.0+ tackles in nine of 11 games this season.

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW

UHs defense ranks 26th nationally in total defense (321.9) and 30th in passing yards allowed (190.8). By comparison, a season ago, the Cougars finished ranked 112th in total defense (423.9) and 114th (255.3) in passing yards allowed.
Despite being held to 92 yards on the ground against Baylor last time out, the Cougars have seen steady progress in the run game. Houston's 228 rushing yards vs. Utah on Nov. 26 were its most in a league game since Nov. 6, 2021, as a member of the American Athletic Conference at USF (261 yards). Against Arizona on Nov. 15, redshirt freshman Re'Shaun Sanford II set a new single-game career high with 76 rushing yards.
Houston has rushed for 1,531 yards through its first 11 games – 201 more yards on the ground than Games 1-11 a season ago. Houston is joined by Louisville and Stanford as the only programs nationally to have three freshman running backs with 100+ all-purpose yards this season (Re'Shaun Sanford II – 566; J'Marion Burnette – 174; DJ Butler – 120). At 5.0 yards per carry, Sanford II is looking to become just the third Houston freshman back to average 5.0 yards per carry (min. 80 attempts) over the last 15 seasons.
For the first time in at least 20 years, the Cougars returned just one starting offensive lineman (right guard Tank Jenkins). The Cougars are among four Big 12 schools with one or no returning starters on the offensive line. On Oct. 26 against Utah, Houston did not allow a sack for the first time in a conference game since Nov. 19, 2022, at East Carolina, as a member of The American. Last time out against Baylor, Houston allowed just one sack and no quarterback hits.
Houston's 12-game schedule this season ranked among the hardest in the country according to Phil Steele who utilized the "NCAA Method" to rank schedules, compiling each team's opponent's records from the previous season. The Cougars faced the nation's fifth-toughest schedule and the toughest schedule in the Big 12 Conference.

SCOUTING BYU

Keelan Marion was named a Jet Award Finalist as one of the best return specialists in college football. Marion is the FBS co-leader in kickoff touchdowns with two and is seventh nationally in yards per return at 26.8. Through 11 games in 2024, Marion has returned 17 kickoffs for 455 yards.
The Polynesian Islands have become a hotbed for recruiting in recent years, but BYU has been one of the pioneers in bringing these players from Tonga, Samoa, the Hawaiian Islands and all of Polynesia to the forefront of college football since the early 1950s. More than 40 members of the current roster are of Polynesian descent. Kalani Sitake was named BYU's 14th head coach on Dec. 19, 2015, becoming the first Tongan head football coach in the NCAA. His staff includes Polynesians Fesi Sitake Harvey Unga, Justin Ena, Jack Damuni, Al Pupunu and Vince Feula.
Quarterback Jake Retzlaff was the No. 1 ranked quarterback in ESPN's Junior College 50 for 2023 and No. 46 overall and has thrown for 2,500+ yards in his first season in Provo.
BYU leads the Big 12 and is No. 13 nationally in the ESPN Football Power Index strength of record metrics (SOR). Arizona State is second in the conference with a SOR of 15, with Iowa State 17, Kansas State 23 and Colorado at 26. The ESPN SOR reflects chance that an average Top 25 team would have team's record or better, given the schedule.
BYU is in contention to earn a spot for the Dr Pepper Big 12 Championship game with a win over Houston AND a loss by either Arizona State (vs. Arizona) or Iowa State (vs. Kansas State). Both a BYU win and one of those two teams must lose to clinch a berth in the title game in Arlington, Texas. For additional Big 12 tiebreaker scenarios, visit Big12Sports.com.

LAST TIME AGAINST BYU

Houston led 26-21 entering the fourth quarter at TDECU Stadium in 2020, but gave up 22 fourth quarter points to BYU in its 43-26 loss.
Both teams produced 400+ yards of total offense with BYU's Zach Wilson throwing for 400 yards.
The hosts held BYU to just three third-down conversions and held the ball for 34+ minutes but gave up 113 penalty yards.
Quarterback Clayton Tune combined for all three of Houston's touchdowns, throwing a pair and rushing for another.

A HOUSTON WIN WOULD

Move Houston to 48-30-1 in regular season finales and snap a two-game losing streak (2022-23).
Give Houston its second ranked win of the season and of the month (previous: 24-19 vs. #17/15 Kansas State on Nov. 2). The Cougars have not defeated multiple ranked opponents in a season since 2016 (vs. #3/3 Oklahoma and #3/3 Louisville) and have not beaten multiple ranked opponents in the same month since 2015 when it accomplished the feat twice in November (#25/25/21 Memphis and #16/15/15 Navy) and December (#20/21/22 Temple; #9/8/9 Florida State).
Provide Houston its first win against BYU (currently: 0-3).

COOGS ON THE ROAD

Cougar Meetup
- Friday, Nov. 29 from 6-8 p.m.
- Bout Time Pub & Grub
  - 568 N Mill Rd. B106, Vineyard, UT 84058
- Register here
Event does not include food, drink or game ticket

BUY TICKETS
Houston fans in Utah can purchase tickets to the season finale through SeatGeek, the official third-party ticket provider for the University of Houston.

SUPPORT YOUR COOGS
Fans can make a direct impact on the success of Houston Football by renewing season tickets, supporting LinkingCoogs – UH's very own NIL collective and by joining 46ers and The Huddle which provides financial support directly to Houston Football for needs beyond its operating budget.
 
STAY CONNECTED 
Fans can receive updates by following @UHCougarFB on Twitter and catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team's Facebook page at Houston Cougar Football. Fans can also follow the team on Instagram at uhcougarfb.

– UHCougars.com –

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Michael Batton

J'Marion Burnette

DJ Butler

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Tank Jenkins

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Re’Shaun Sanford II

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