The 2020 Houston Cougars football team represented the University of Houston in the 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Cougars played their home games at TDECU Stadium in Houston, Texas, and competed in the American Athletic Conference. They were led by second-year head coach Dana Holgorsen.
Preseason
Recruiting class References:
AAC preseason media poll The preseason Poll was released September 1
Media poll 1 UCF 204 (10) 2 Cincinnati 201 (7) 3 Memphis 192 (2) 4 SMU 146 5 Navy 125 (1) 6 Tulane 118 7 Houston 114 8 Temple 88 9 Tulsa 49 10 East Carolina 42 11 South Florida 41
Roster
Schedule The 2020 Houston schedule, as originally released, was to consist of six home and four away games in the regular season. The Cougars were to play host to conference foes Tulane, UCF, South Florida, and Tulsa, and to travel to conference opponents Memphis, Navy, Cincinnati, and SMU.
The Cougars were scheduled to host two non-conference games, against North Texas (C-USA) and BYU (an FBS Independent). The home game against Rice was postponed on August 10, after Rice announced it was delaying the start of the season until September 26.
Houston had a game scheduled against Washington State, which was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On September 12 the American announced that the Houston/Memphis game scheduled for September 18 was postponed due to positive COVID-19 cases at Memphis, As a result of the Houston at Memphis game postponement, Houston was able to add a game at Baylor scheduled for September 19. On September 18, Baylor announced that the Houston versus Baylor game would be postponed due to Baylor not meeting the Big 12 Conference COVID-19 game cancellation thresholds.
After experiencing several COVID-19 cases through September 23, the North Texas Mean Green canceled the September 26 game against the Cougars.
Schedule source:
Game summaries
Tulane
Statistics TulaneHouston First downs 16 22 Total yards 211 476 Rushing yards 70 157 Passing yards 141 319 Turnovers 0 5 Time of possession 28:47 31:13
Team Category Player StatisticsTulane Passing Michael Pratt 11/25, 141 yards, 1 TD Rushing Cameron Carroll 18 carries, 34 yards Receiving Duece Watts 2 receptions, 50 yardsHouston Passing Clayton Tune 20/33, 319 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs Rushing Kyle Porter 11 carries, 57 yards, 1 TD Receiving Marquez Stevenson 5 receptions, 118 yards, 1 TD
BYU
Statistics BYUHouston First downs 23 28 Total yards 478 438 Rushing yards 78 128 Passing yards 400 310 Turnovers 0 0 Time of possession 25:48 34:12
Team Category Player StatisticsBYU Passing Zach Wilson 25/35, 400 yards, 4 TDs Rushing Zach Wilson 9 carries, 40 yards Receiving Dax Milne 9 receptions, 184 yards, 3 TDsHouston Passing Clayton Tune 21/31, 310 yards, 2 TDs Rushing Kyle Porter 20 carries, 94 yards Receiving Christian Trahan 3 receptions, 69 yards, 1 TD
At Navy
Statistics HoustonNavy First downs 23 16 Total yards 420 372 Rushing yards 86 166 Passing yards 334 206 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 29:11 30:49
Team Category Player StatisticsHouston Passing Clayton Tune 24/34, 316 yards, 3 TDs Rushing Kyle Porter 21 carries, 52 yards, 1 TD Receiving Marquez Stevenson 9 receptions, 129 yards, 2 TDsNavy Passing Dalen Morris 10/18, 206 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT Rushing Nelson Smith 11 carries, 51 yards Receiving Ryan Mitchell 2 receptions, 94 yards, 1 TD
UCF
Statistics UCFHouston First downs 32 26 Total yards 681 434 Rushing yards 353 165 Passing yards 328 269 Turnovers 1 2 Time of possession 27:19 32:41
Team Category Player StatisticsUCF Passing Dillon Gabriel 19/33, 328 yards, 2 TDs Rushing Otis Anderson Jr. 16 carries, 170 yards, 1 TD Receiving Jaylon Robinson 5 receptions, 107 yardsHouston Passing Clayton Tune 21/41, 263 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs Rushing Kyle Porter 13 carries, 52 yards, 1 TD Receiving Nathaniel Dell 6 receptions, 88 yards, 1 TD
At Cincinnati
Statistics HoustonCincinnati First downs 15 24 Total yards 282 510 Rushing yards 93 342 Passing yards 189 168 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 27:31 32:29
Team Category Player StatisticsHouston Passing Clayton Tune 20/34, 189 yards, 1 INT Rushing Kyle Porter 16 carries, 69 yards, 1 TD Receiving Nathaniel Dell 3 receptions, 60 yardsCincinnati Passing Desmond Ridder 17/27, 162 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Gerrid Doaks 16 carries, 184 yards, 1 TD Receiving Michael Young Jr. 4 receptions, 47 yards
South Florida
Statistics South FloridaHouston First downs 23 25 Total yards 359 505 Rushing yards 136 319 Passing yards 223 186 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 31:01 28:59
Team Category Player StatisticsSouth Florida Passing Jordan McCloud 14–29, 180 yards, 1TD Rushing Brian Battie 13 carries, 86 yards Receiving Bryce Miller 5 receptions, 53 yardsHouston Passing Clayton Tune 14–25, 165 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT Rushing Clayton Tune 10 carries, 120 yards, 2TDs Receiving Keith Corbin 4 receptions, 67 yards, 1 TD
At Memphis
Statistics HoustonMemphis First downs 26 20 Total yards 409 310 Rushing yards 139 64 Passing yards 270 246 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 33:29 26:31
Team Category Player StatisticsHouston Passing Clayton Tune 30/49, 270 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT Rushing Kyle Porter 15 carries, 70 yards Receiving Christian Trahan 5 receptions, 84 yardsMemphis Passing Brady White 22/35, 246 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT Rushing Asa Martin 11 carries, 27 yards Receiving Calvin Austin 7 receptions, 74 yards, 1 TD
Vs. Hawaii (New Mexico Bowl)
Statistics HawaiiHouston First downs 11 20 Total yards 267 307 Rushing yards 131 58 Passing yards 136 249 Turnovers 0 3 Time of possession 26:56 33:04
Team Category Player StatisticsHawaii Passing Chevan Cordeiro 15/23, 136 yards, 3 TDs Rushing Dae Dae Hunter 12 carries, 44 yards Receiving Jared Smart 3 receptions, 33 yardsHouston Passing Clayton Tune 20/38, 216 yards, 2 TDs, 3 INTs Rushing Mulbah Car 15 carries, 47 yards Receiving Nathaniel Dell 6 receptions, 112 yards, 1 TD
Rankings
Players drafted into the NFL
1 28 Payton Turner DE New Orleans Saints 6 203 Marquez Stevenson WR Buffalo Bills 7 259 Grant Stuard LB Tampa Bay Buccaneers
References