2015 Houston Cougars football team
The 2015 Houston Cougars football team represented the University of Houston in the 2015 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It was the 68th year of season play for Houston. The team was led by first-year head coach Tom Herman and played its home games at TDECU Stadium in Houston. The Houston Cougars football team is a member of the American Athletic Conference in its West Division. They finished the season 13–1, 7–1 in American Athletic play to win a share of the West Division title. Due to their head to head win over Navy, they represented the West Division in the inaugural American Athletic Championship Game where they defeated Temple to become American Athletic Conference champions. As the highest ranked team from the "Group of five", they received an automatic bid to a New Year's Six bowl. They were invited to the Peach Bowl where they defeated Florida State.
| 2015 Houston Cougars football | |
|---|---|
 | |
The American champion The American West Division co-champion Peach Bowl champion | |
The American Championship, W 24–13 vs. Temple | |
Peach Bowl, W 38–24 vs. Florida State | |
| Conference | American Athletic Conference |
| West Division | |
| Ranking | |
| Coaches | No. 8 |
| AP | No. 8 |
| 2015 record | 13–1 (7–1 The American) |
| Head coach | Tom Herman (1st season) |
| Offensive coordinator | Major Applewhite (1st season) |
| Offensive scheme | Spread |
| Defensive coordinator | Todd Orlando (1st season) |
| Base defense | 3–4 |
| Home stadium | TDECU Stadium (Capacity: 40,000) |
| 2015 American Athletic Conference football standings | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| East Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Temple x | 7 | – | 1 | 10 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| South Florida | 6 | – | 2 | 8 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cincinnati | 4 | – | 4 | 7 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UConn | 4 | – | 4 | 6 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| East Carolina | 3 | – | 5 | 5 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UCF | 0 | – | 8 | 0 | – | 12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| West Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 8 Houston xy$ | 7 | – | 1 | 13 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 18 Navy x | 7 | – | 1 | 11 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Memphis | 5 | – | 3 | 9 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tulsa | 3 | – | 5 | 6 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tulane | 1 | – | 7 | 3 | – | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SMU | 1 | – | 7 | 2 | – | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Championship: Houston 24, Temple 13 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Schedule
| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 5 | 7:00 p.m. | Tennessee Tech* |
| ESPN3 | W 52–24 | 30,479 | |
| September 12 | 11:00 a.m. | at Louisville* |
| ACCRSN | W 34–31 | 50,019 | |
| September 26 | 7:00 p.m. | Texas State* |
| ESPN3 | W 59–14 | 35,257 | |
| October 3 | 11:00 a.m. | at Tulsa |
| CBSSN | W 38–24 | 17,146 | |
| October 8 | 7:00 p.m. | SMU |
| ESPN2 | W 49–28 | 25,204 | |
| October 16 | 8:00 p.m. | at Tulane | No. 24 |
| ESPNU | W 42–7 | 21,522 |
| October 24 | 11:00 a.m. | at UCF | No. 21 |
| ESPNews | W 59–10 | 28,350 |
| October 31 | 6:00 p.m. | Vanderbilt* | No. 18 |
| ESPN2 | W 34–0 | 29,565 |
| November 7 | 2:30 p.m. | Cincinnati | No. 18 |
| ESPN2 | W 33–30 | 32,889 |
| November 14 | 6:00 p.m. | No. 25 Memphis | No. 16 |
| ESPN2 | W 35–34 | 42,159 |
| November 21 | 2:30 p.m. | at UConn | No. 13 |
| ESPNU | L 17–20 | 26,879 |
| November 27 | 11:00 a.m. | No. 16 Navy | No. 21 |
| ABC | W 52–31 | 40,562 |
| December 5 | 11:00 a.m. | No. 20 Temple | No. 17 |
| ABC | W 24–13 | 35,721 |
| December 31 | 11:00 a.m. | vs. No. 9 Florida State* | No. 14 |
| ESPN | W 38–24 | 71,007 |
| |||||||
- Schedule Source:[1]
Game summaries
Tennessee Tech
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Eagles | 3 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 24 |
| Cougars | 14 | 10 | 7 | 21 | 52 |
| Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
|---|---|---|
| First meeting | ||
at Louisville
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cougars | 7 | 3 | 7 | 17 | 34 |
| Cardinals | 7 | 7 | 3 | 14 | 31 |
| Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 7–8 | 2013 | UL, 20–13 |
Texas State
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bobcats | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
| Cougars | 14 | 28 | 10 | 7 | 59 |
| Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1–4 | 2012 | TSU, 30–13 |
at Tulsa
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cougars | 7 | 14 | 3 | 14 | 38 |
| Golden Hurricane | 10 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 24 |
| Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 21–18 | 2014 | UH, 38–28 |
SMU
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mustangs | 14 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 28 |
| Cougars | 7 | 21 | 14 | 7 | 49 |
| Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 19–10–1 | 2014 | UH, 35–9 |
at Tulane
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #24 Cougars | 7 | 21 | 14 | 0 | 42 |
| Green Wave | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 14–5 | 2014 | TULANE, 31–24 |
at UCF
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #21 Cougars | 7 | 17 | 28 | 7 | 59 |
| Knights | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1–5 | 2014 | UCF, 17–12 |
Vanderbilt
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commodores | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| #18 Cougars | 7 | 13 | 14 | 0 | 34 |
| Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 0–1 | 01/04/2014 | VANDY, 41–24 |
Cincinnati
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bearcats | 0 | 14 | 8 | 8 | 30 |
| #18 Cougars | 7 | 7 | 16 | 3 | 33 |
| Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 13–10 | 2014 | CINCY, 38–31 |
Memphis
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #25 Tigers | 3 | 17 | 7 | 7 | 34 |
| #16 Cougars | 0 | 7 | 7 | 21 | 35 |
| Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 14–9 | 2014 | UH, 28–24 |
at UConn
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #13 Cougars | 0 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 17 |
| Huskies | 7 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 20 |
| Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
|---|---|---|
| First meeting | ||
Navy
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #16 Midshipmen | 7 | 7 | 3 | 14 | 31 |
| #21 Cougars | 14 | 10 | 14 | 14 | 52 |
| Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1–0 | 1980 | UH, 35–0 |
Temple (The American Championship)
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #20 Owls | 0 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 13 |
| #17 Cougars | 7 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 24 |
| Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 4–0 | 2014 | UH, 31–10 |
vs. Florida State (Peach Bowl)
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #14 Cougars | 7 | 14 | 0 | 17 | 38 |
| #9 Seminoles | 3 | 0 | 7 | 14 | 24 |
| Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 12–2–2 | 1978 | UH, 27–21 |
Rankings
| Week | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | Final | ||||||||||||||||||||
| AP | NR | NR | RV | RV | RV | RV | 24 | 21 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 13 | 21 | 17 | 14 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Coaches | NR | NR | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | 22 | 19 | 18 | 16 | 14 | 21 | 18 | 16 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| CFP | Not released | 25 | 24 | 19 | NR | 19 | 18 | Not released | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.