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: Houston's Clear Thinkers

2008 Weekly local football review

By Tom Kirkendall

(AP Photo/Tony Dejak; previous weekly reviews are here)

Texans 16 Browns 6

A win is a win, right?

Well, maybe. But the reality is that the Texans (4-7) finally found a team in the Browns (4-7) that is more inept than them. The Browns served up five turnovers to the Texans, which allowed the bumbling Texans to win the turnover battle by +3.

Toss in a fairly balanced attack (383 total offense/271 yds passing/112 yds rushing) and a absolutely horrid Browns passing attack (13-32/143 yds/3 INT) and you have the Texans' first road victory in over a year.

The Texans have an extra day to prepare this week for their first Monday Night game, the Monday after Thanksgiving at Reliant Stadium against the under-performing Jaguars (4-7).

Houston Cougars 42 UTEP 37

The Cougars (7-4/6-1 C-USA) are an endearing team this season.

They've had to overcome an undermanned defense that is the product of former coach Art Briles' tendency to emphasize offense over defense in recruiting. They likely lost two games (Air Force and Colorado State) because of outrageously bad decisions by their athletic director at the time of Hurricane Ike. Finally, the Coogs had to endure a demoralizing and unnecessary injury to one of their best players.

Nevertheless, after beating UTEP (5-6/4-3 C-USA) in their third miraculous come-from-behind victory of the season, the Coogs are now poised to win a berth in the Conference USA Championship Game if they can figure out a way to slow down cross-town rival Rice (8-3/6-1 C-USA) next Saturday at Rice Stadium.

My sense is that Rice's potent offense is too much for the Cougars' defense to handle. But I won't be surprised if this plucky Cougar team somehow pulls it out. And make no doubt about it, they will definitely make a game of it.

As usual, Cougar QB Case Keenum led the frantic 26 point 4th quarter comeback, finishing with 480 passing yards and connecting on 23 of 24 passes in the second half, including all three of his TD passes. Cougar freshman RB Bryce Beall also had a huge day, rushing for 167 yards (including a key 71 yd TD dash in the 4th quarter) and 96 more receiving as the Cougars rolled up over 700 yds total offense.

Rice 35 Marshall 10

O.K., so Marshall (4-7/3-4) slowed down the Owls (8-3/6-1 C-USA) for the first half.

But QB Chase Clement (25-41/315 yds/4 TD's/1 INT/10 carries for 58 yds and 1 TD) sorted things out at halftime and then proceeded to lead the Owls to four second-half TD's and a decisive win over the Thundering Herd.

In Clement and Houston QB Chase Keenum, two of the best QB's in major college football (who few folks outside of Houston know about) will square off at Rice Stadium next Saturday to determine the Conference USA West Division representative in the conference championship game.

But in a bittersweet twist, a Rice victory over the Cougars will result in a tie between the Owls and Tulsa for the C-USA West Division title, which will send the Golden Hurricanes and their coach to the C-USA title game because of Tulsa's win over the Owls earlier in the season.

Damn!

The Texas Longhorns (10-1/6-1 Big 12) and the Texas Aggies (4-7/2-5 Big 12) were off this past Saturday as they prepare for their annual rivalry game on Thanksgiving night in Austin.

Although the Horns almost certainly will hammer the Aggies, it's probably not going to make much difference with regard to the Horns' flagging National Championship aspirations.

Inasmuch as Oklahoma's (10-1/6-1 Big 12) decisive victory over Texas Tech (10-1/6-1) vaulted them over Texas in the Bowl Championship Series standings, it's almost certain from a tiebreaker standpoint that either OU or Tech and not the Horns will be participating in the Big 12 Conference Championship game this season.

Full post as published by Houston's Clear Thinkers on November 24, 2008 (boomark / email).