University of Houston football kickstarts life in Big 12 with home win

The University of Houston (UH) Cougars football team began life as a Big 12 Conference program with a 17-14 season-opening home victory over the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) Roadrunners on Sept. 2, according to a press release.

“Gave them the Houston blues,” the Cougars said postgame on X, the social media website formerly known as Twitter.

The Associated Press (AP) reported that junior quarterback Donovan Smith, who came to the Third Ward from Texas Tech University (TTU), turned his Cougars debut into a 233-passing-yard, two-score performance.

Per the AP, the Wolfforth Frenship product found wideout Samuel Brown for 106 of those yards.

According to the AP, the 37,862 people at TDECU Stadium was the largest home-opening crowd in more than half a decade.

The Cougars used the game as an opportunity to wear their Houston Oilers-inspired uniforms and helmets.

The Oilers, who now play in Tennessee as the Titans, were the Bayou City’s original National Football League (NFL) franchise.

Next for UH is its annual intra-city rivalry game against Rice University at Rice Stadium some five miles away from campus.

Facing the Owls for the 45th time, the Cougars look to retain the Bayou Bucket at 3875 Holman St. for the eighth consecutive season.

Last year’s matchup was a seesaw affair until UH imposed its will defensively in the final moments to secure a 34-27 win, per a Sept. 26, 2022, Houston Daily report.