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.
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. Cincinnati, who finished the 2020 season ranked No. 8 nationally, was tabbed as the preseason favorite in the 2021 preseason media poll.
Media poll 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
Notes This game was initially scheduled for ESPNU at 3:00 p.m. CT, but was moved to 8:20 p.m. CT on ESPNews because of a rain delay.
Game summaries
Vs. Texas Tech (Texas Kickoff)
HOU –2.5 63 Statistics Texas TechHouston 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 StatisticsTexas 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 yardsHouston 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)
HOU –7.5 51 Statistics HoustonRice 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 StatisticsHouston Passing Clayton Tune 22/30, 236 yards, 2 TDs Rushing Clayton Tune 9 rushes, 49 yards Receiving Nathaniel Dell 7 receptions, 87 yardsRice 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
HOU –41.0 52 Statistics Grambling StateHouston 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 StatisticsGrambling State Passing Aldon Clark 5/12, 49 yards Rushing Darqueze Brutton 9 rushes, 18 yards Receiving Greg White 1 reception, 37 yardsHouston 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
HOU –20.0 47 Statistics NavyHouston 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 StatisticsNavy Passing Xavier Arline 3/6, 83 yards Rushing Xavier Arline 19 rushes, 64 yards, 1 TD Receiving Mychal Cooper 3 receptions, 83 yardsHouston 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
TLSA –3.5 54 Statistics HoustonTulsa 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 StatisticsHouston 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 yardsTulsa 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
HOU –6.5 60 Statistics HoustonTulane 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 StatisticsHouston Passing Clayton Tune 23/36, 288 yards, 3 TDs Rushing Alton McCaskill 18 rushes, 93 yards, 1 TD Receiving KeSean Carter 6 receptions, 69 yardsTulane 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
HOU –13.5 57 Statistics East CarolinaHouston 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 StatisticsEast Carolina Passing Holton Ahlers 23/37, 278 yards, 2 TDs Rushing Keaton Mitchell 11 rushes, 38 yards Receiving Tyler Snead 7 receptions, 114 yardsHouston 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 –1.0 62 Statistics SMUHouston 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 StatisticsSMU 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 yardsHouston 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
HOU –13.5 53 Statistics HoustonSouth 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 StatisticsHouston 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 TDSouth 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
HOU –25.0 53 Statistics HoustonTemple 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 StatisticsHouston 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 TDTemple Passing Justin Lynch 11/24, 119 yards, 2 INTs Rushing Justin Lynch 14 rushes, 78 yards Receiving Randle Jones 5 receptions, 36 yards
Memphis
HOU –9.5 59 Statistics MemphisHouston 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 StatisticsMemphis Passing Seth Henigan 21/45, 208 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs Rushing Rodrigues Clark 12 rushes, 32 yards Receiving Calvin Austin 5 receptions, 103 yardsHouston 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
HOU –32.0 54.5 Statistics HoustonUConn 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 StatisticsHouston 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 TDUConn 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)
CIN –10.5 52.5 Statistics HoustonCincinnati 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 StatisticsHouston 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 TDCincinnati 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)
AUB –2.0 49 Statistics HoustonAuburn 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 StatisticsHouston Passing Clayton Tune 26/40, 283 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT Rushing Alton McCaskill 14 rushes, 78 yards Receiving Nathaniel Dell 10 receptions, 150 yardsAuburn Passing T. J. Finley 19/37, 227 yards, 1 TD Rushing Tank Bigsby 16 rushes, 96 yards Receiving Tank Bigsby 5 receptions, 68 yards
Rankings
References