2021 Houston Cougars football team
American college football season
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 2021 Houston Cougars football team represented the University of Houston in the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Cougars played their home games at TDECU Stadium in Houston, Texas, competing in the American Athletic Conference. They were led by third-year head coach Dana Holgorsen.
| 2021 Houston Cougars football | |
|---|---|
| |
Birmingham Bowl champion | |
AAC Championship Game, L 20–35 vs. Cincinnati | |
Birmingham Bowl, W 17–13 vs. Auburn | |
| Conference | American Athletic Conference |
| Ranking | |
| Coaches | No. 17 |
| AP | No. 17 |
| Record | 12–2 (8–0 American) |
| Head coach |
|
| Offensive coordinator | Shannon Dawson (2nd season) |
| Co-offensive coordinator | Brandon Jones (3rd season) |
| Offensive scheme | Spread |
| Defensive coordinator | Doug Belk (3rd season) |
| Base defense | 4–2–5 |
| Home stadium | TDECU Stadium |
| Conf. | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 4 Cincinnati y$^ | 8 | – | 0 | 13 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 17 Houston y | 8 | – | 0 | 12 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UCF | 5 | – | 3 | 9 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| East Carolina | 5 | – | 3 | 7 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tulsa | 5 | – | 3 | 7 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SMU | 4 | – | 4 | 8 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Memphis | 3 | – | 5 | 6 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Navy | 3 | – | 5 | 4 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tulane | 1 | – | 7 | 2 | – | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| South Florida | 1 | – | 7 | 2 | – | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Temple | 1 | – | 7 | 3 | – | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Championship: Cincinnati 35, Houston 20 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preseason
American Athletic Conference preseason media poll
The American Athletic Conference preseason media poll was released at the virtual media day held August 4, 2021.[1] Cincinnati, who finished the 2020 season ranked No. 8 nationally, was tabbed as the preseason favorite in the 2021 preseason media poll.
| Media poll | ||
| Predicted finish | Team | Votes (1st place) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cincinnati | 262 (22) |
| 2 | UCF | 241 (2) |
| 3 | SMU | 188 |
| 4 | Houston | 181 |
| 5 | Memphis | 168 |
| 6 | Tulsa | 153 |
| 7 | Tulane | 132 |
| T-8 | East Carolina | 85 |
| T-8 | Navy | 85 |
| 10 | Temple | 46 |
| 11 | South Florida | 43 |
Schedule
| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 4 | 6:00 p.m. | vs. Texas Tech* | ESPN | L 21–38 | 43,478 | ||
| September 11 | 5:30 p.m. | at Rice* |
| CBSSN | W 44–7 | 26,253 | |
| September 18 | 6:00 p.m. | Grambling State* |
| ESPN+ | W 45–0 | 22,998 | |
| September 25 | 6:00 p.m. | Navy |
| ESPNU | W 28–20 | 25,054 | |
| October 1 | 6:30 p.m. | at Tulsa | ESPN | W 45–10 | 15,890 | ||
| October 7 | 6:30 p.m. | at Tulane | ESPN | W 40–22 | 15,026 | ||
| October 23 | 8:20 p.m. | East Carolina |
| ESPNews α | W 31–24 OT | 22,925 | |
| October 30 | 6:00 p.m. | No. 19 SMU |
| ESPN2 | W 44–37 | 25,676 | |
| November 6 | 6:30 p.m. | at South Florida | ESPNU | W 54–42 | 28,667 | ||
| November 13 | 11:00 a.m. | at Temple | ESPN+ | W 37–8 | 18,440 | ||
| November 19 | 8:00 p.m. | Memphis | No. 24 |
| ESPN2 | W 31–13 | 28,712 |
| November 27 | 11:00 a.m. | at UConn* | No. 24 | CBSSN | W 45–17 | 12,685 | |
| December 4 | 3:00 p.m. | at No. 4 Cincinnati | No. 21 | ABC | L 20–35 | 37,978 | |
| December 28 | 11:00 a.m. | vs. Auburn* | No. 20 | ESPN | W 17–13 | 47,100 | |
| |||||||
Notes
Game summaries
Vs. Texas Tech (Texas Kickoff)
Texas Tech vs. Houston
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| • Red Raiders | 0 | 7 | 17 | 14 | 38 |
| Cougars | 14 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 21 |
- Date: September 4, 2021
- Location: NRG Stadium
Houston, TX - Game start: 6:11 p.m. CDT
- Elapsed time: 3 hours and 35 minutes
- Game attendance: 43,478
- Game weather: 72 °F (22 °C) • Weather: Indoor (N/A)
- Referee: David Alvarez
- TV announcers (ESPN): Mark Jones (play–by–play), Robert Griffin III (analyst), and Quint Kessenich (sideline reporter)
| 1 | 6:37 | HOU | Clayton Tune 1-yard run (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (16 plays, 75 yards, 8:23) | HOU 7–0 |
| 2:13 | HOU | Nathaniel Dell 23-yard pass from Clayton Tune (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (8 plays, 54 yards, 4:24) | HOU 14–0 | |
| 2 | 11:47 | TTU | Tahj Brooks 41-yard run (Jonathan Garibay kick) (1 play, 41 yards, 0:10) | HOU 14–7 |
| 0:23 | HOU | Seth Green 9-yard pass from Clayton Tune (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (13 plays, 75 yards, 4:52) | HOU 21–7 | |
| 3 | 8:08 | TTU | Tyler Shough 8-yard run (Jonathan Garibay kick) (6 plays, 60 yards, 3:06) | HOU 21–14 |
| 7:20 | TTU | Riko Jeffers 13-yard interception return (Jonathan Garibay kick) (2 plays, -7 yards, 0:48) | TIE 21–21 | |
| 0:36 | TTU | Jonathan Garibay 34-yard field goal (4 plays, 6 yards, 1:15) | TTU 24–21 | |
| 4 | 2:05 | TTU | Xavier White 3-yard pass from Tyler Shough (Jonathan Garibay kick) (8 plays, 71 yards, 2:52) | TTU 31–21 |
| 1:00 | TTU | Tahj Brooks 44-yard run (Jonathan Garibay kick) (2 plays, 48 yards, 0:15) | TTU 38–21 | |
| Line | Over/under |
|---|---|
| HOU –2.5 | 63 |
| Statistics | Texas Tech | Houston |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 15 | 15 |
| Total yards | 376 | 251 |
| Rushing yards | 145 | 77 |
| Passing yards | 231 | 174 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 4 |
| Time of possession | 23:23 | 36:37 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas Tech | Passing | Tyler Shough | 17/24, 231 yards, 1 TD |
| Rushing | Tahj Brooks | 15 rushes, 134 yards, 2 TDs | |
| Receiving | Erik Ezukanma | 7 receptions, 179 yards | |
| Houston | Passing | Clayton Tune | 27/38, 174 yards, 2 TDs, 4 INTs |
| Rushing | Mulbah Car | 13 rushes, 37 yards | |
| Receiving | Nathaniel Dell | 7 receptions, 80 yards, 1 TD |
At Rice (Bayou Bucket Classic)
Houston at Rice
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| • Cougars | 17 | 0 | 14 | 13 | 44 |
| Owls | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
- Date: September 11, 2021
- Location: Rice Stadium
Houston, TX - Game start: 5:30 p.m. CDT
- Elapsed time:
- Game attendance: 26,253
- Game weather: • Weather: TBD • Wind: TBD
- Referee: Charles Lamertina
- TV announcers (CBSSN): Dave Ryan (play-by-play), Aaron Murray (analyst), and Desmond Purnell (sideline)
| 1 | 10:08 | HOU | Alton McCaskill 35-yard pass from Clayton Tune (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (8 plays, 84 yards, 3:30) | HOU 7–0 |
| 5:37 | HOU | Dalton Witherspoon 38-yard field goal (7 plays, 56 yards, 3:18) | HOU 10–0 | |
| 2:19 | HOU | Jake Herslow 11-yard pass from Clayton Tune (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (6 plays, 48 yards, 2:37) | HOU 17–0 | |
| 2 | 0:13 | RICE | Jordan Myers 5-yard pass from Luke McCaffrey (Collin Riccitelli kick) (11 plays, 81 yards, 5:01) | HOU 17–7 |
| 3 | 7:18 | HOU | Alton McCaskill 1-yard run (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (17 plays, 75 yards, 7:42) | HOU 24–7 |
| 0:01 | HOU | Alton McCaskill 2-yard run (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (10 plays, 85 yards, 4:29) | HOU 31–7 | |
| 4 | 4:51 | HOU | Chandler Smith 14-yard run (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (2 plays, 20 yards, 0:49) | HOU 38–7 |
| 0:00 | HOU | Alex Hogan 91-yard interception return (9 plays, 60 yards, 4:51) | HOU 44–7 | |
| Line | Over/under |
|---|---|
| HOU –7.5 | 51 |
| Statistics | Houston | Rice |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 23 | 15 |
| Total yards | 393 | 212 |
| Rushing yards | 144 | 126 |
| Passing yards | 249 | 86 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 3 |
| Time of possession | 32:01 | 27:59 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston | Passing | Clayton Tune | 22/30, 236 yards, 2 TDs |
| Rushing | Clayton Tune | 9 rushes, 49 yards | |
| Receiving | Nathaniel Dell | 7 receptions, 87 yards | |
| Rice | Passing | Luke McCaffrey | 9/19, 86 yards, 1 TD, 3 INTs |
| Rushing | Khalan Griffin | 19 rushes, 86 yards | |
| Receiving | Jorden Myers | 5 receptions, 41 yards, 1 TD |
Grambling State
Grambling State at Houston
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tigers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| • Cougars | 7 | 14 | 21 | 3 | 45 |
- Date: September 18, 2021
- Location: TDECU Stadium
Houston, TX - Game start: 6:06 p.m. CDT
- Elapsed time: 3 hours and 6 minutes
- Game attendance: 22,998
- Game weather: Sunny
- Referee: Nate Black
- TV announcers (ESPN+): Alex Del Barrio (play–by–play) and Stanford Routt (analyst)
| 1 | 0:15 | HOU | Nathaniel Dell 16-yard pass from Ike Ogbogu (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (6 plays, 47 yards, 2:06) | HOU 7–0 |
| 2 | 10:40 | HOU | Marcus Jones 48-yard punt return (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (3 plays, 3 yards, 1:57) | HOU 14–0 |
| 5:23 | HOU | Alton McCaskill 17-yard run (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (8 plays, 80 yards, 3:03) | HOU 21–0 | |
| 3 | 11:54 | HOU | Alton McCaskill 34-yard run (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (4 plays, 48 yards, 0:59) | HOU 28–0 |
| 7:01 | HOU | Nathaniel Dell 10-yard pass from Ike Ogbogu (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (7 plays, 56 yards, 3:32) | HOU 35–0 | |
| 2:03 | HOU | Ta'Zhawn Henry 1-yard run (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (6 plays, 58 yards, 3:06) | HOU 42–0 | |
| 4 | 6:10 | HOU | Dalton Witherspoon 22-yard field goal (15 plays, 62 yards, 8:38) | HOU 45–0 |
| Line | Over/under |
|---|---|
| HOU –41.0 | 52 |
| Statistics | Grambling State | Houston |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 3 | 24 |
| Total yards | 102 | 422 |
| Rushing yards | 53 | 164 |
| Passing yards | 49 | 258 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 25:02 | 34:58 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grambling State | Passing | Aldon Clark | 5/12, 49 yards |
| Rushing | Darqueze Brutton | 9 rushes, 18 yards | |
| Receiving | Greg White | 1 reception, 37 yards | |
| Houston | Passing | Ike Ogbogu | 14/22, 196 yards, 2 TDs |
| Rushing | Alton McCaskill | 16 rushes, 114 yards, 2 TDs | |
| Receiving | Nathaniel Dell | 8 receptions, 134 yards, 2 TDs |
Navy
Navy at Houston
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midshipmen | 7 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 20 |
| • Cougars | 7 | 0 | 7 | 14 | 28 |
- Date: September 25, 2021
- Location: TDECU Stadium
Houston, TX - Game start: 6:02 p.m. CDT
- Elapsed time: 3 hours and 8 minutes
- Game attendance: 25,054
- Game weather: 85 °F (29 °C) • Weather: Sunny • Wind: E 6 MPH
- Referee: Hank Johns
- TV announcers (ESPNU): Tiffany Greene (play-by-play) and Hutson Mason (analyst)
| 1 | 13:57 | NAVY | Xavier Arline 40-yard run (Bijan Nichols kick) (3 plays, 76 yards, 0:58) | NAVY 7–0 |
| 1:35 | HOU | Marcus Jones 73-yard punt return (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (3 plays, 4 yards, 2:03) | TIE 7–7 | |
| 2 | 7:53 | NAVY | Bijan Nichols 30-yard field goal (15 plays, 62 yards, 8:42) | NAVY 10–7 |
| 0:52 | NAVY | Isaac Ruoss 1-yard run (Bijan Nichols kick) (11 plays, 89 yards, 5:28) | NAVY 17–7 | |
| 3 | 3:16 | HOU | Ta'Zhawn Henry 2-yard run (Kyle Ramsey kick) (7 plays, 43 yards, 4:23) | NAVY 17–14 |
| 4 | 14:53 | HOU | Marcus Jones 47-yard pass from Clayton Tune (Kyle Ramsey kick) (7 plays, 81 yards, 1:55) | HOU 21–17 |
| 12:08 | HOU | Ta'Zhawn Henry 1-yard run (Kyle Ramsey kick) (5 plays, 26 yards, 2:39) | HOU 28–17 | |
| 6:12 | NAVY | Bijan Nichols 36-yard field goal (13 plays, 56 yards, 5:56) | HOU 28–20 | |
| Line | Over/under |
|---|---|
| HOU –20.0 | 47 |
| Statistics | Navy | Houston |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 16 | 20 |
| Total yards | 300 | 384 |
| Rushing yards | 202 | 127 |
| Passing yards | 98 | 257 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 0 |
| Time of possession | 33:21 | 26:39 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Navy | Passing | Xavier Arline | 3/6, 83 yards |
| Rushing | Xavier Arline | 19 rushes, 64 yards, 1 TD | |
| Receiving | Mychal Cooper | 3 receptions, 83 yards | |
| Houston | Passing | Clayton Tune | 22/30, 257 yards, 1 TD |
| Rushing | Alton McCaskill | 17 rushes, 74 yards | |
| Receiving | Christian Trahan | 4 receptions, 65 yards |
At Tulsa
Houston at Tulsa
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| • Cougars | 14 | 14 | 7 | 10 | 45 |
| Golden Hurricane | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
- Date: October 1, 2021
- Location: Skelly Field at H. A. Chapman Stadium
Tulsa, OK - Game start: 6:30 p.m. CDT
- Elapsed time: 3 hours and 32 minutes
- Game attendance: 15,890
- Game weather: 77 °F (25 °C) • Weather: Cloudy • Wind: W 2 MPH
- Referee: Luke Richmond
- TV announcers (ESPN): Roy Philpott (play-by-play), Andre Ware (analyst), and Paul Carcaterra (sideline)
| 1 | 4:23 | HOU | Alton McCaskill 1-yard run (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (8 plays, 81 yards, 4:29) | HOU 7–0 |
| 1:14 | HOU | Jeremy Singleton 47-yard pass from Clayton Tune (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (4 plays, 85 yards, 1:21) | HOU 14–0 | |
| 2 | 13:01 | HOU | Alton McCaskill 27-yard run (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (3 plays, 56 yards, 1:10) | HOU 21–0 |
| 9:33 | HOU | Alton McCaskill 1-yard run (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (5 plays, 32 yards, 2:01) | HOU 28–0 | |
| 1:22 | TLSA | Zack Long 33-yard field goal (11 plays, 65 yards, 2:58) | HOU 28–3 | |
| 3 | 14:06 | HOU | Gervarrius Owens 45-yard interception return (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (3 plays, 10 yards, 0:54) | HOU 35–3 |
| 4 | 14:55 | HOU | Seth Green 8-yard pass from Clayton Tune (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (9 plays, 57 yards, 4:32) | HOU 42–3 |
| 9:26 | TLSA | Ezra Naylor II 41-yard pass from Davis Brin (Zack Long kick) (6 plays, 72 yards, 1:46) | HOU 42–10 | |
| 4:19 | HOU | Dalton Witherspoon 48-yard field goal (9 plays, 44 yards, 5:07) | HOU 45–10 | |
| Line | Over/under |
|---|---|
| TLSA –3.5 | 54 |
| Statistics | Houston | Tulsa |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 22 | 14 |
| Total yards | 405 | 289 |
| Rushing yards | 144 | 31 |
| Passing yards | 261 | 258 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 3 |
| Time of possession | 32:26 | 27:34 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston | Passing | Clayton Tune | 17/24, 241 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT |
| Rushing | Alton McCaskill | 17 rushes, 77 yards, 3 TDs | |
| Receiving | Nathaniel Dell | 6 receptions, 82 yards | |
| Tulsa | Passing | Davis Brin | 20/39, 258 yards, 1 TD, 3 INTs |
| Rushing | Anthony Watkins | 8 rushes, 39 yards | |
| Receiving | Sam Crawford Jr. | 5 receptions, 101 yards |
At Tulane
Houston at Tulane
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| • Cougars | 14 | 3 | 9 | 14 | 40 |
| Green Wave | 0 | 15 | 7 | 0 | 22 |
- Date: October 7, 2021
- Location: Yulman Stadium
New Orleans, LA - Game start: 6:30 p.m. CDT
- Elapsed time: 3 hours and 19 minutes
- Game attendance: 15,026
- Game weather: 83 °F (28 °C) • Weather: Mostly Sunny • Wind: NE 4 MPH
- Referee: Tim Rich
- TV announcers (ESPN): Matt Barrie (play-by-play), Roddy Jones (analyst), and Harry Lyles, Jr. (sideline)
| 1 | 8:04 | HOU | Christian Trahan 11-yard pass from Clayton Tune (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (11 plays, 76 yards, 5:14) | HOU 7–0 |
| 0:22 | HOU | Jeremy Singleton 17-yard pass from Clayton Tune (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (7 plays, 64 yards, 2:58) | HOU 14–0 | |
| 2 | 10:45 | TULN | Tyrick James 13-yard pass from Michael Pratt (Christian Daniels Pass to Michael Pratt for two-point conversion) (5 plays, 73 yards, 1:53) | HOU 14–8 |
| 3:33 | HOU | Dalton Witherspoon 46-yard field goal (7 plays, 20 yards, 2:26) | HOU 17–8 | |
| 2:11 | TULN | Tyjae Spears 39-yard run (Merek Glover kick) (6 plays, 75 yards, 1:22) | HOU 17–15 | |
| 3 | 13:18 | TULN | Will Wallace 29-yard pass from Michael Pratt (Merek Glover kick) (1 play, 29 yards, 0:08) | TULN 22–17 |
| 8:16 | HOU | Dalton Witherspoon 24-yard field goal (5 plays, 28 yards, 1:17) | TULN 22–20 | |
| 1:20 | HOU | Jeremy Singleton 29-yard pass from Clayton Tune (Two-point pass conversion failed) (11 plays, 80 yards, 4:40) | HOU 26–22 | |
| 4 | 9:28 | HOU | Ta'Zhawn Henry 8-yard run (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (6 plays, 39 yards, 3:20) | HOU 33–22 |
| 1:03 | HOU | Alton McCaskill 35-yard run (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (6 plays, 53 yards, 1:59) | HOU 40–22 | |
| Line | Over/under |
|---|---|
| HOU –6.5 | 60 |
| Statistics | Houston | Tulane |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 18 | 17 |
| Total yards | 435 | 308 |
| Rushing yards | 147 | 94 |
| Passing yards | 288 | 214 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 31:34 | 28:26 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston | Passing | Clayton Tune | 23/36, 288 yards, 3 TDs |
| Rushing | Alton McCaskill | 18 rushes, 93 yards, 1 TD | |
| Receiving | KeSean Carter | 6 receptions, 69 yards | |
| Tulane | Passing | Michael Pratt | 20/30, 214 yards, 2 TDs |
| Rushing | Cameron Carroll | 13 rushes, 68 yards | |
| Receiving | Will Wallace | 2 receptions, 54 yards, 1 TD |
East Carolina
East Carolina at Houston
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pirates | 10 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 24 |
| • Cougars | 17 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 31 |
- Date: October 23, 2021
- Location: TDECU Stadium
Houston, TX - Game start: 3:00 p.m. CDT (Kicked at 8:20 p.m. – delayed 5 hours and 20 minutes to kickoff due to lightning)
- Elapsed time: 3 hours and 27 minutes
- Game attendance: 22,925
- Game weather: 71 °F (22 °C) • Weather: Cloudy • Wind: SE 9 MPH
- Referee: Edwin Lee
- TV announcers (ESPNews): Kevin Brown (play-by-play) and Hutson Mason (analyst)
| 1 | 11:39 | ECU | Owen Daffer 33-yard field goal (9 plays, 60 yards, 3:21) | ECU 3–0 |
| 6:56 | HOU | Dalton Witherspoon 21-yard field goal (11 plays, 70 yards, 4:43) | TIE 3–3 | |
| 5:46 | ECU | Jsi Hatfield 40-yard pass from Holton Ahlers (Owen Daffer kick) (3 plays, 78 yards, 1:10) | ECU 10–3 | |
| 5:34 | HOU | Marcus Jones 98-yard kickoff return (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (0 plays, 0 yards, 0:12) | TIE 10–10 | |
| 1:38 | HOU | Christian Trahan 2-yard pass from Clayton Tune (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (5 plays, 32 yards, 2:47) | HOU 17–10 | |
| 2 | 3:12 | HOU | Nathaniel Dell 14-yard pass from Clayton Tune (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (2 plays, 13 yards, 0:22) | HOU 24–10 |
| 4 | 6:59 | ECU | Holton Ahlers 1-yard run (Owen Daffer kick) (6 plays, 71 yards, 2:40) | HOU 24–17 |
| 5:43 | ECU | Audie Omotosho 13-yard pass from Holton Ahlers (Owen Daffer kick) (2 plays, 16 yards, 1:01) | TIE 24–24 | |
| OT | HOU | Alton McCaskill 25-yard run (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (1 play, 25 yards) | HOU 31–24 | |
| Line | Over/under |
|---|---|
| HOU –13.5 | 57 |
| Statistics | East Carolina | Houston |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 20 | 16 |
| Total yards | 360 | 256 |
| Rushing yards | 82 | 87 |
| Passing yards | 278 | 169 |
| Turnovers | 3 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 29:13 | 30:47 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Carolina | Passing | Holton Ahlers | 23/37, 278 yards, 2 TDs |
| Rushing | Keaton Mitchell | 11 rushes, 38 yards | |
| Receiving | Tyler Snead | 7 receptions, 114 yards | |
| Houston | Passing | Clayton Tune | 19/29, 169 yards, 2 TDs |
| Rushing | Alton McCaskill | 12 rushes, 60 yards, 1 TD | |
| Receiving | Christian Trahan | 6 receptions, 68 yards, 1 TD |
No. 19 SMU
SMU at Houston
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 19 Mustangs | 7 | 13 | 14 | 3 | 37 |
| • Cougars | 17 | 6 | 7 | 14 | 44 |
- Date: October 30, 2021
- Location: TDECU Stadium
Houston, TX - Game start: 6:00 p.m. CDT
- Elapsed time: 3 hours and 37 minutes
- Game attendance: 25,676
- Game weather: Temperature: 74 °F (23 °C) • Weather: Sunny • Wind: NW 6 MPH
- Referee: Charles Lamertina
- TV announcers (ESPN2): Taylor Zarzour (play-by-play), Matt Stinchcomb (analyst), and Alyssa Lang (sideline)
| 1 | 11:20 | HOU | Nathaniel Dell 7-yard pass from Clayton Tune (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (9 plays, 78 yards, 3:40) | HOU 7–0 |
| 9:26 | HOU | Nathaniel Dell 48-yard pass from Clayton Tune (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (2 plays, 56 yards, 0:33) | HOU 14–0 | |
| 2:20 | HOU | Dalton Witherspoon 50-yard field goal (9 plays, 55 yards, 4:32) | HOU 17–0 | |
| 0:00 | SMU | Jordan Kerley 43-yard pass from Tanner Mordecai (Blake Mazza kick) (7 plays, 75 yards, 2:20 | HOU 17–7 | |
| 2 | 11:41 | HOU | Dalton Witherspoon 23-yard field goal (7 plays, 69 yards, 3:19) | HOU 20–7 |
| 7:28 | SMU | Tre Siggers 50-yard pass from Tanner Mordecai (Blake Mazza kick) (1 play, 50 yards, 0:09) | HOU 20–14 | |
| 2:45 | SMU | Rashee Rice 6-yard pass from Tanner Mordecai (Blake Mazza PAT blocked) (7 plays, 35 yards, 3:07) | TIE 20–20 | |
| 0:00 | HOU | Dalton Witherspoon 30-yard field goal (12 plays, 62 yards, 2:45) | HOU 23–20 | |
| 3 | 14:45 | SMU | Bryan Massey 100-yard kickoff return (Blake Mazza kick) (0 plays, 0 yards, 0:15) | SMU 27–23 |
| 9:22 | HOU | Nathaniel Dell 17-yard pass from Clayton Tune (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (11 plays, 72 yards, 5:23) | HOU 30–27 | |
| 5:46 | SMU | Tre Siggers 2-yard run (Blake Mazza kick) (8 plays, 75 yards, 3:36) | SMU 34–30 | |
| 4 | 13:36 | HOU | KeSean Carter 4-yard pass from Clayton Tune (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (14 plays, 75 yards, 7:10) | HOU 37–34 |
| 0:30 | SMU | Blake Mazza 45-yard field goal (10 plays, 58 yards, 1:34) | TIE 37–37 | |
| 0:17 | HOU | Marcus Jones 100-yard kickoff return (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (0 plays, 0 yards, 0:13) | HOU 44–37 | |
| Line | Over/under |
|---|---|
| SMU –1.0 | 62 |
| Statistics | SMU | Houston |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 18 | 23 |
| Total yards | 355 | 489 |
| Rushing yards | 50 | 77 |
| Passing yards | 305 | 412 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 24:37 | 35:23 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| SMU | Passing | Tanner Mordecai | 24/37, 305 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT |
| Rushing | Tre Siggers | 13 rushes, 44 yards, 1 TD | |
| Receiving | Danny Gray | 5 receptions, 73 yards | |
| Houston | Passing | Clayton Tune | 27/37, 412 yards, 4 TDs |
| Rushing | Ta'Zhawn Henry | 21 rushes, 49 yards | |
| Receiving | Nathaniel Dell | 9 receptions, 165 yards, 3 TDs |
At South Florida
Houston at South Florida
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| • Cougars | 9 | 17 | 21 | 7 | 54 |
| Bulls | 14 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 42 |
- Date: November 6, 2021
- Location: Raymond James Stadium
Tampa, FL - Game start: 6:30 p.m. CDT
- Elapsed time:
- Game attendance: 28,667
- Game weather: • Weather: TBD • Wind: TBD
- Referee: Tim Rich
- TV announcers (ESPNU): Mike Couzens (play-by-play) and Dustin Fox (analyst)
| 1 | 14:47 | USF | Brian Battie 100-yard kickoff return (Spencer Shrader kick) (0 plays, 0 yards, 0:13) | USF 7–0 |
| 8:35 | HOU | Jake Herslow 18-yard pass from Clayton Tune (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (7 plays, 56 yards, 2:51) | TIE 7–7 | |
| 6:44 | USF | Brian Battie 29-yard run (Spencer Shrader kick) (5 plays, 75 yards, 1:51) | USF 14–7 | |
| 3:34 | HOU | Atlias Bell safety (3 plays, -1 yard, 0:44) | USF 14–9 | |
| 2 | 14:52 | HOU | Dalton Witherspoon 19-yard field goal (8 plays, 56 yards, 3:42) | USF 14–12 |
| 10:19 | USF | Mitchell Brinkman 33-yard pass from Timmy McClain (Spencer Shrader kick) (10 plays, 75 yards, 4:33) | USF 21–12 | |
| 8:19 | HOU | Alton McCaskill 6-yard run (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (5 plays, 54 yards, 2:00) | USF 21–19 | |
| 2:30 | HOU | Nathaniel Dell 55-yard pass from Clayton Tune (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (3 plays, 87 yards, 0:40) | HOU 26–21 | |
| 2:16 | USF | Brian Battie 100-yard kickoff return (Spencer Shrader kick) (0 plays, 0 yards, 0:14) | USF 28–26 | |
| 3 | 12:50 | HOU | Alton McCaskill 2-yard run (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (5 plays, 67 yards, 2:10) | HOU 33–28 |
| 10:04 | HOU | Ta'Zhawn Henry 97-yard run (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (1 play, 97 yards, 0:14) | HOU 40–28 | |
| 6:58 | USF | Chris Carter 14-yard pass from Timmy McClain (Spencer Shrader kick) (11 plays, 65 yards, 3:06) | HOU 40–35 | |
| 4:44 | HOU | Jeremy Singleton 27-yard pass from Clayton Tune (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (5 plays, 75 yards, 2:14) | HOU 47–35 | |
| 4 | 3:59 | USF | Timmy McClain 11-yard run (Spencer Shrader kick) (9 plays, 60 yards, 2:34) | HOU 47–42 |
| 2:27 | HOU | Alton McCaskill 16-yard run (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (3 plays, 44 yards, 1:32) | HOU 54–42 | |
| Line | Over/under |
|---|---|
| HOU –13.5 | 53 |
| Statistics | Houston | South Florida |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 30 | 23 |
| Total yards | 646 | 399 |
| Rushing yards | 261 | 110 |
| Passing yards | 385 | 289 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 2 |
| Time of possession | 33:07 | 26:53 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston | Passing | Clayton Tune | 21/26, 385 yards, 3 TDs |
| Rushing | Ta'Zhawn Henry | 10 rushes, 130 yards, 1 TD | |
| Receiving | Nathaniel Dell | 8 receptions, 164 yards, 1 TD | |
| South Florida | Passing | Timmy McClain | 22/46, 289 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs |
| Rushing | Timmy McClain | 11 rushes, 46 yards, 1 TD | |
| Receiving | Xavier Weaver | 6 receptions, 105 yards |
At Temple
Houston at Temple
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| • Cougars | 7 | 3 | 14 | 13 | 37 |
| Owls | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 8 |
- Date: November 13, 2021
- Location: Lincoln Financial Field
Philadelphia, PA - Game start: 11:00 a.m. CST
- Elapsed time: 3 hours and 16 minutes
- Game attendance: 18,440
- Game weather: 82 °F (28 °C) • Weather: Cloudy • Wind: S 13 MPH
- Referee: Edwin Lee
- TV announcers (ESPN+): Courtney Lyle (play-by-play) and Leger Douzable (analyst)
| 1 | 8:47 | HOU | Alton McCaskill 3-yard run (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (7 plays, 47 yards, 3:30) | HOU 7–0 |
| 2 | 7:46 | HOU | Dalton Witherspoon 39-yard field goal (13 plays, 58 yards, 7:09) | HOU 10–0 |
| 3 | 11:29 | HOU | Ta'Zhawn Henry 6-yard run (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (8 plays, 65 yards, 3:31) | HOU 17–0 |
| 4:00 | HOU | Alton McCaskill 34-yard run (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (5 plays, 52 yards, 2:05) | HOU 24–0 | |
| 4 | 14:22 | TEM | Edward Saydee 1-yard run (Justin Lynch pass to Darius Pittman for two-point conversion) (4 plays, 45 yards, 0:56) | HOU 24–8 |
| 10:57 | HOU | Jaylen Erwin 35-yard pass from Clayton Tune (Dalton Witherspoon PAT blocked) (7 plays, 77 yards, 3:23) | HOU 30–8 | |
| 6:13 | HOU | Seth Green 6-yard pass from Clayton Tune (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (6 plays, 42 yards, 2:28) | HOU 37–8 | |
| Line | Over/under |
|---|---|
| HOU –25.0 | 53 |
| Statistics | Houston | Temple |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 24 | 10 |
| Total yards | 446 | 218 |
| Rushing yards | 217 | 99 |
| Passing yards | 229 | 119 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 3 |
| Time of possession | 39:22 | 20:38 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston | Passing | Clayton Tune | 21/34, 224 yards, 2 TDs |
| Rushing | Alton McCaskill | 21 rushes, 129 yards, 2 TDs | |
| Receiving | Seth Green | 7 receptions, 74 yards, 1 TD | |
| Temple | Passing | Justin Lynch | 11/24, 119 yards, 2 INTs |
| Rushing | Justin Lynch | 14 rushes, 78 yards | |
| Receiving | Randle Jones | 5 receptions, 36 yards |
Memphis
Memphis at Houston
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tigers | 0 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 13 |
| • No. 24 Cougars | 0 | 21 | 0 | 10 | 31 |
- Date: November 19, 2021
- Location: TDECU Stadium
Houston, TX - Game start: 8:00 p.m. CST
- Elapsed time: 3 hours and 40 minutes
- Game attendance: 28,712
- Game weather: • Weather: Cloudy • Wind: SE 4 MPH
- Referee: Hank Johns
- TV announcers (ESPN2): Jason Benetti (play-by-play), Andre Ware (analyst), and Paul Carcaterra (sideline)
| 2 | 14:03 | HOU | Alton McCaskill 36-yard run (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (1 play, 36 yards, 0:15) | HOU 7–0 |
| 5:40 | HOU | Nathaniel Dell 19-yard pass from Clayton Tune (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (11 plays, 93 yards, 4:36) | HOU 14–0 | |
| 2:55 | MEM | David Kemp 28-yard field goal (9 plays, 65 yards, 2:45) | HOU 14–3 | |
| 0:53 | HOU | Clayton Tune 20-yard run (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (6 plays, 63 yards, 2:02) | HOU 21–3 | |
| 3 | 4:31 | MEM | Asa Martin 5-yard pass from Seth Henigan (David Kemp kick) (11 plays, 60 yards, 4:16) | HOU 21–10 |
| 4 | 14:52 | MEM | David Kemp 22-yard field goal (8 plays, 86 yards, 2:30) | HOU 21–13 |
| 3:24 | HOU | Dalton Witherspoon 34-yard field goal (5 plays, 29 yards, 2:15) | HOU 24–13 | |
| 1:43 | HOU | Ta'Zhawn Henry 4-yard run (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (3 plays, 18 yards, 0:52) | HOU 31–13 | |
| Line | Over/under |
|---|---|
| HOU –9.5 | 59 |
| Statistics | Memphis | Houston |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 24 | 25 |
| Total yards | 322 | 461 |
| Rushing yards | 106 | 197 |
| Passing yards | 216 | 264 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 2 |
| Time of possession | 25:34 | 34:26 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis | Passing | Seth Henigan | 21/45, 208 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs |
| Rushing | Rodrigues Clark | 12 rushes, 32 yards | |
| Receiving | Calvin Austin | 5 receptions, 103 yards | |
| Houston | Passing | Clayton Tune | 20/34, 264 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs |
| Rushing | Ta'Zhawn Henry | 13 rushes, 73 yards, 1 TD | |
| Receiving | Nathaniel Dell | 7 receptions, 100 yards, 1 TD |
At UConn
Houston at UConn
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| • No. 24 Cougars | 7 | 14 | 17 | 7 | 45 |
| Huskies | 0 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
- Date: November 27, 2021
- Location: Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field
East Hartford, CT - Game start: 11:00 a.m. CST
- Elapsed time: 3 hours and 23 minutes
- Game attendance: 12,685
- Game weather: 39 °F (4 °C) • Weather: Sunny • Wind: TBD
- Referee: Tom O'Mara
- TV announcers (CBSSN): Jason Knapp (play-by-play), Ross Tucker (analyst), and Tina Cervasio (sideline)
| 1 | 10:21 | HOU | Alton McCaskill 31-yard run (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (6 plays, 55 yards, 3:02) | HOU 7–0 |
| 2 | 11:44 | HOU | Jake Herslow 49-yard pass from Clayton Tune (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (3 plays, 52 yards, 0:50) | HOU 14–0 |
| 6:31 | UCONN | Kevens Clercius 34-yard pass from Steven Krajewski (Joe McFadden kick) (3 plays, 25 yards, 1:09) | HOU 14–7 | |
| 1:15 | HOU | Nathaniel Dell 6-yard pass from Clayton Tune (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (3 plays, 52 yards, 0:50) | HOU 21–7 | |
| 0:01 | UCONN | Joe McFadden 25-yard field goal (7 plays, 52 yards, 1:11) | HOU 21–10 | |
| 3 | 11:08 | HOU | Nathaniel Dell 13-yard pass from Clayton Tune (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (9 plays, 47 yards, 3:45) | HOU 28–10 |
| 6:02 | HOU | Dalton Witherspoon 23-yard field goal (7 plays, 61 yards, 3:36) | HOU 31–10 | |
| 1:26 | HOU | Jeremy Singleton 34-yard pass from Clayton Tune (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (3 plays, 55 yards, 1:18) | HOU 38–10 | |
| 4 | 11:30 | UCONN | Malik Dixon 37-yard interception return (Joe McFadden kick) (2 plays, 12 yards, 0:46) | HOU 38–17 |
| 3:03 | HOU | Chandler Smith 1-yard run (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (4 plays, 27 yards, 1:50) | HOU 45–17 | |
| Line | Over/under |
|---|---|
| HOU –32.0 | 54.5 |
| Statistics | Houston | UConn |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 21 | 16 |
| Total yards | 472 | 238 |
| Rushing yards | 149 | 82 |
| Passing yards | 323 | 156 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 31:16 | 28:44 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston | Passing | Clayton Tune | 21/30, 301 yards, 4 TDs |
| Rushing | Alton McCaskill | 9 rushes, 54 yards, 1 TD | |
| Receiving | Jake Herslow | 5 receptions, 111 yards, 1 TD | |
| UConn | Passing | Steven Krajewski | 9/19, 79 yards, 1 TD |
| Rushing | Steven Krajewski | 8 rushes, 53 yards | |
| Receiving | Kevens Clercius | 2 receptions, 64 yards, 1 TD |
At No. 4 Cincinnati (AAC Championship game)
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 21 Cougars | 10 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 20 |
| • No. 4 Bearcats | 14 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 35 |
- Date: December 4, 2021
- Location: Nippert Stadium
Cincinnati, OH - Game start: 3:00 p.m. CST
- Elapsed time: 3 hours and 21 minutes
- Game attendance: 37,978
- Game weather: 52 °F (11 °C) • Weather: Sunny • Wind: N 6 MPH
- Referee: Hank Johns
- TV announcers (ABC): Joe Tessitore (play-by-play), Greg McElroy (analyst), and Katie George (sideline)
| 1 | 11:55 | HOU | Dalton Witherspoon 37-yard field goal (7 plays, 50 yards, 2:57) | HOU 3–0 |
| 9:38 | CIN | Tyler Scott 25-yard pass from Desmond Ridder (Christian Lowery kick) (5 plays, 82 yards, 2:11) | CIN 7–3 | |
| 4:23 | HOU | Nathaniel Dell 16-yard pass from Clayton Tune (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (10 plays, 74 yards, 5:07) | HOU 10–7 | |
| 4:06 | CIN | Jerome Ford 79-yard run (Christian Lowery kick) (1 play, 79 yards, 0:11) | CIN 14–10 | |
| 2 | 11:40 | HOU | Dalton Witherspoon 46-yard field goal (13 plays, 44 yards, 7:21) | CIN 14–13 |
| 3 | 12:02 | CIN | Leonard Taylor 8-yard pass from Desmond Ridder (6 plays, 75 yards, 2:58) | CIN 21–13 |
| 11:04 | CIN | Alec Pierce 21-yard pass from Desmond Ridder (Christian Lowery kick) (2 plays, 23 yards, 0:41) | CIN 28–13 | |
| 7:38 | CIN | Jerome Ford 42-yard run (Christian Lowery kick) (3 plays, 62 yards, 1:18) | CIN 35–13 | |
| 4 | 6:06 | HOU | Jake Herslow 7-yard pass from Clayton Tune (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (13 plays, 90 yards, 7:28) | CIN 35–20 |
| Line | Over/under |
|---|---|
| CIN –10.5 | 52.5 |
| Statistics | Houston | Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 22 | 14 |
| Total yards | 336 | 400 |
| Rushing yards | 86 | 210 |
| Passing yards | 250 | 190 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 0 |
| Time of possession | 40:19 | 19:41 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston | Passing | Clayton Tune | 17/26, 250 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT |
| Rushing | Alton McCaskill | 13 rushes, 39 yards | |
| Receiving | Nathaniel Dell | 9 receptions, 152 yards, 1 TD | |
| Cincinnati | Passing | Desmond Ridder | 11/17, 190 yards, 3 TDs |
| Rushing | Jerome Ford | 18 rushes, 187 yards, 2 TDs | |
| Receiving | Alec Pierce | 2 receptions, 65 yards, 1 TD |
Vs. Auburn (Birmingham Bowl)
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| • No. 20 Cougars | 7 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
| Tigers | 0 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 13 |
- Date: December 28, 2021
- Location: Protective Stadium
Birmingham, AL - Game start: 11:00 a.m. CST
- Elapsed time: 3 hours and 25 minutes
- Game attendance: 47,100
- Game weather: 65 °F (18 °C) • Weather: Sunny • Wind:
- Referee: Michael Mothershed
- TV announcers (ESPN/Bowl Season Radio): Taylor Zarzour (play-by-play), Eric Mac Lain (analyst), and Taylor Davis (sideline)/Travis Jones (play-by-play), J.D. Byars (analyst), and Tenitra Batiste (sideline)
| 1 | 8:46 | HOU | Alton McCaskill 5-yard pass from Clayton Tune (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (12 plays, 87 yards, 6:14) | HOU 7–0 |
| 2 | 6:58 | HOU | Dalton Witherspoon 52-yard field goal (9 plays, 45 yards, 4:10) | HOU 10–0 |
| 3:10 | AUB | Ben Patton 27-yard field goal (8 plays, 67 yards, 3:48) | HOU 10–3 | |
| 3 | 12:12 | AUB | Ben Patton 35-yard field goal (7 plays, 57 yards, 2:48) | HOU 10–6 |
| 3:52 | AUB | Kobe Hudson 12-yard pass from T. J. Finley (Ben Patton kick) (11 plays, 78 yards, 6:20) | AUB 13–10 | |
| 4 | 3:27 | HOU | Jake Herslow 26-yard pass from Clayton Tune (Dalton Witherspoon kick) (8 plays, 80 yards, 3:20) | HOU 17–13 |
| Line | Over/under |
|---|---|
| AUB –2.0 | 49 |
| Statistics | Houston | Auburn |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 19 | 15 |
| Total yards | 398 | 352 |
| Rushing yards | 115 | 125 |
| Passing yards | 283 | 227 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 0 |
| Time of possession | 29:50 | 30:10 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston | Passing | Clayton Tune | 26/40, 283 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT |
| Rushing | Alton McCaskill | 14 rushes, 78 yards | |
| Receiving | Nathaniel Dell | 10 receptions, 150 yards | |
| Auburn | Passing | T. J. Finley | 19/37, 227 yards, 1 TD |
| Rushing | Tank Bigsby | 16 rushes, 96 yards | |
| Receiving | Tank Bigsby | 5 receptions, 68 yards |