Houston Cougars: Team ekes out win amid Major Applewhite’s debut
The Houston Cougars defeated the Arizona Wildcats in a sloppy one, 19-16, in their first win of the season.
The win is the first for new Houston Cougars head coach Major Applewhite.
It was also the first win at UH for junior quarterback, Kyle Allen. The coveted recruit that transferred from Texas A&M showed some promise in his debut.
Kyle Allen’s Debut
He threw for 225 yards and one touchdown.
Allen also had some low-lights to his game, he threw two interceptions and had a quarterback rating of 37.2.
There should be no reason for concern yet from Cougar fans about Allen. There is a long way to go and a lot for him to learn under center along the way.
Houston did benefit from some lucky plays Saturday night that led to their win.
Lady Luck Shines for the Houston Cougars
In games that end up as close as this one did there will always be three or four plays that go a long way in the final score of the match up.
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Kyle Allen had a fumble at the goal-line that was recovered by senior receiver, Linell Bonner.
Although Houston was forced to kick a field goal it gave them an early three point lead, which they eventually went on to win by.
Sophomore defensive lineman, Ed Oliver also blocked an Arizona field goal, that six-point swing went a long way in making sure the score was 19-16 Cougars, and not 19-16 Wildcats.
Speaking of Oliver, he had a big night as well
Ed Oliver Wreaks Havoc
Along with a blocked field goal, Oliver had 11 tackles, which led the team. He also had 1.5 tackles for a loss which also led the team.
Oliver also forced a fumble that went a long way in swinging the momentum of the game back into the favor of UH.
Next: What will Major Applewhite mean for UH Football?
Looking Ahead
The Cougars have a lot to learn from this game. They’ll have a face-off with Rice U this Saturday in Houston for the Bayou Bucket at TDECU Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. CDT.