Ranking the Top 131 College Football Programs of the Last 40 Years: 57. Houston
Andre Ware, Dave Klingler, Case Keenum, and record-setting offenses
Once upon a time, Houston was a college football power. Under Hall of Fame coach Bill Yeoman from 1968-79, the Cougars finished in the top 20 9 times in 12 years, including 4 top 10 finishes. For nearly 50 years they played a top half strength of schedule from 1952-98, the end coinciding with their move from the SWC to Conference USA in 1996. Houston’s had plenty of great QB play between Andre Ware, David Klingler, Kevin Kolb, Case Keenum, and more recently Greg Ward Jr., D’Eriq King, and Clayton Tune. Most of whom we’ll talk about.
Best Seasons and Highlights
+------+---------+------+--------------+--------+
| rank | team | year | resume score | record |
+------+---------+------+--------------+--------+
| 7 | Houston | 2015 | 38.203 | 13-1 |
| 7 | Houston | 2011 | 37.311 | 13-1 |
| 13 | Houston | 1989 | 31.772 | 9-2 |
| 10 | Houston | 1990 | 28.925 | 10-1 |
| 17 | Houston | 1988 | 19.702 | 9-3 |
| 23 | Houston | 2021 | 18.665 | 12-2 |
| 30 | Houston | 2016 | 12.618 | 9-4 |
| 34 | Houston | 2009 | 11.208 | 10-4 |
| 35 | Houston | 2006 | 10.266 | 10-4 |
| 38 | Houston | 1984 | 5.714 | 7-5 |
| 45 | Houston | 2008 | 2.542 | 8-5 |
| 54 | Houston | 2013 | 1.084 | 8-5 |
| 53 | Houston | 2022 | -1.39 | 8-5 |
| 53 | Houston | 2017 | -2.86 | 7-5 |
| 60 | Houston | 2014 | -4.384 | 8-5 |
| 45 | Houston | 1996 | -4.714 | 7-5 |
| 50 | Houston | 1999 | -5.235 | 7-4 |
| 69 | Houston | 2018 | -9.802 | 8-5 |
| 64 | Houston | 2007 | -10.816 | 8-5 |
| 56 | Houston | 1987 | -12.255 | 4-6-1 |
| 62 | Houston | 1991 | -13.927 | 4-7 |
| 69 | Houston | 2005 | -14.024 | 6-6 |
| 70 | Houston | 2003 | -14.598 | 7-6 |
| 67 | Houston | 1992 | -17.267 | 4-7 |
| 93 | Houston | 2020 | -20.182 | 3-5 |
| 79 | Houston | 2010 | -22.053 | 5-7 |
| 72 | Houston | 1985 | -22.619 | 4-7 |
| 77 | Houston | 1983 | -24.774 | 4-7 |
| 102 | Houston | 2019 | -28.865 | 4-8 |
| 81 | Houston | 2002 | -28.91 | 5-7 |
| 89 | Houston | 2012 | -29.107 | 5-7 |
| 83 | Houston | 1998 | -31.836 | 3-8 |
| 95 | Houston | 2004 | -35.32 | 3-8 |
| 89 | Houston | 1995 | -37.495 | 2-9 |
| 95 | Houston | 1997 | -40.312 | 3-8 |
| 96 | Houston | 2000 | -40.971 | 3-8 |
| 98 | Houston | 1986 | -46.897 | 1-10 |
| 101 | Houston | 1993 | -49.48 | 1-9-1 |
| 104 | Houston | 1994 | -60.069 | 1-10 |
| 117 | Houston | 2001 | -67.792 | 0-11 |
+------+---------+------+--------------+--------+
Overall Score: 18089 (57th)243-232-2 record
4 conference titles
6-13 bowl record
5 consensus All-Americans
70 NFL players drafted
Houston’s recent 12-2 season just misses the top 5 cut due to strength of schedule. Only one of their conference title winning seasons (2015) makes the cut as well, with 1984, 1996, and 2006 all missing. Bowls have been a bit of rough sledding, going 0-7 in them from 1983-2007. Since then they’ve gone 6-6. Consensus All-Americans we won’t discuss below are the former 5 star recruit DT Ed Oliver, who earned the honors in both 2017 and 2018, also winning the John Outland Award in 2007, and the all-purpose Marcus Jones, who in 2021 had 5 INT, 13 PBU, 2 kick return TDs, and 2 punt return TDs. Jones has made a name for himself in the NFL due to his big play ability in all 3 phases of the game. Surprisingly, despite being a Houston-based team, Cougars in the NFL haven’t made a big name for themselves, with the most notable alumni of the last 20 years probably being Case Keenum.
Top 5 Seasons
Worst Season: 2001 (0-11 overall, 0-7 Conference USA)
The infamous “bleachergate” game, week 2 against Texas. Houston hosted #5 Texas at their 32,000 seat home stadium, but Texas wanted the game moved to a larger stadium like the Astrodome to fit all the Longhorn fans. Houston added temporary bleachers designed to fit 10,000 butts, but the week of the game, Houston administration removed the bleachers due to severe thunderstorms. This was much to the dismay of Longhorn fans, who complained that the game’s contract called for 10,000 seats for Texas fans. Alas, Texas ended up winning 53-26, and the two haven’t played since 2002. Houston ended up not winning a single game, going 0-11 and finishing as the worst team in the country. They were 6th worst in PPG (17.3) and 4th worst in PPG allowed (39.3), losing 8 of 11 games by 17+ points. Only 2 players made 1st/2nd Team All-CUSA, with one of them in S Hanik Milligan going on to become a Pro Bowl special teamer in the NFL.
5. 1988 (9-3 overall, 5-2 SWC)
Houston’s run and shoot offense under Jack Pardee produced some nutty scorelines. It started off with a 60-0 beatdown of Louisiana Tech, followed up a month later with an 82-28 win over Tulsa, and a few weeks later beating Texas 66-15. Houston started 4-2 before winning their last 5 games, which included the win over Texas and a 34-10 victory over #10 Wyoming. Houston rose all the way to #14 before losing the Aloha Bowl against #18 Washington State, finishing #18 themselves. QB Andre Ware was fantastic—but he wouldn’t become the unstoppable Andre Ware until 1989. He threw for 2500 yards with 25 TD to 8 INT, splitting time with David Dracus who threw for 1600 yards 13 TD 7 INT. The two main targets at WR were Jason Phillips (1444 yards) and James Dixon (1103). Phillips was a consensus All-American, catching 108 passes for 1444 yards and 15 TD.
4. 1990 (10-1 overall, 7-1 SWC)
Despite losing Heisman trophy winning QB Andre Ware, there was hardly a dropoff in production due to the stellar play of David Klingler. Klingler had already shown promise the previous year, throwing 8 TD to just 1 INT, but took it a step further in 1990, shattering NCAA records multiple times. After starting with a preseason rank of #24, Houston rose all the way to #3 after an 8-0 start, beating #20 Texas A&M 36-31, Arkansas 62-28, and TCU 56-35. Despite being banned from postseason play due to recruiting violations, the Cougars were in national title contention. A loss to #14 Texas ended those hopes, but Klingler saved his best 2 games for last. In an 84-21 win over Eastern Washington, Klingler threw an NCAA record 11 TD passes, then in a 62-45 win over Arizona State in Japan, set an NCAA record with 716 passing yards. Houston finished the year 10-1 with a #10 final ranking. Klingler led the nation in passing TDs, throwing for 5140 yards 54 TD 20 INT. He finished 5th in Heisman voting, was a 3rd Team All-American, won the Sammy Baugh trophy, and was the 6th overall pick in the 1992 NFL Draft. WR Manny Hazard was a 3rd Team All-American, catching 78 passes for 946 yards and 5 TD. DB Jerry Parks led the country in interceptions with 8.
3. 1989 (9-2 overall, 6-2 SWC)
If you thought David Klingler’s numbers were crazy, wait til you see some of the games Andre Ware had. I mean, good god. This offense averaged 53.5 PPG, and set an NCAA record for yards per game with 624.9. Andre Ware won the Heisman Trophy, throwing for 4699 yards 46 TD 15 INT. It feels like a missed opportunity that this team didn’t finish unbeaten—they gave up just 13.6 PPG in addition to scoring 53.5 PPG. Their first 4 games were a 69-0 win over UNLV, 36-7 win over Arizona State, 65-7 win over Temple, and 66-10 win over Baylor. After a disappointing 13-17 loss to Texas A&M, they took their frustration out on an SMU team coming off the death penalty. Andre Ware set an NCAA record by throwing for 517 yards in the first half!!! Houston led 59-14 at halftime and eventually won 95-21. A loss to Arkansas would have Houston finish just 3rd in the 9-team SWC, but they won the rest of their games including 47-9 over Texas and 40-24 over #18 Texas Tech.
RB Chuck Weatherspoon, who holds the 2nd highest career yards per carry in NCAA history at 8.2, carried the ball 119 times for 1146 yards and 10 TD on a staggering 9.6 YPC. They didn’t call it the run and shoot for nothing. Weatherspoon was also a force in the passing game, racking up 735 yards for 1881 total yards from scrimmage. WR Manny Hazard was a 1st Team All-American, setting the NCAA record for catches in a season with 142 for 1689 yards and 22 TD. Even DB Cornelius Price led the NCAA in interceptions with 12 picks. Ware, Hazard, Weatherspoon, and DE Craig Veasey were all All-Americans. Seriously, WTF was this team on!?
2. 2011 (13-1 overall, 8-0 Conference USA)
2011 Houston had an offense that could even rival the run and shoot, leading the nation with 49.3 PPG. After QB Case Keenum missed all of 2010 with a torn ACL, he was granted a 6th year of eligibility, and ran it back with the Cougars. With a fairly soft strength of schedule (104th), they had a solid outside shot at making a run at a BCS bowl. Despite the soft schedule, Houston did the best they could, winning blowout, after blowout, after blowout. In a 6 game midseason stretch, they had wins of 56-3, 63-28, 73-34, 56-13, 73-17, and 37-7. Non-conference wins of 38-34 over UCLA and 35-34 over Louisiana Tech were so-so at the time, but UCLA ended up winning the Pac-12 South, and Louisiana Tech won the WAC. Houston entered the C-USA championship game at #7 and 12-0, but lost 28-49 to #24 Southern Miss in a major upset. Rumor has it that Houston’s coach, Kevin Sumlin, already had two feet out the door to go to the Texas A&M job, and was wholly unprepared for the game. Houston fell all the way to #20, then beating #24 Penn State 30-14 in something called the “TicketCity Bowl”. Houston deserved better.
Keenum had one of the best seasons ever by a Houston QB, which is saying something, completing 71% of passes for 5631 yards, and 48 TD to just 5 INT. He won Conference USA MVP, the Sammy Baugh Trophy, and finished 7th in Heisman voting. He set (and still holds) NCAA career records for passing TDs (155) and passing yards (19,217), 2 records that seem like they’ll withstand the test of time, even with the offensive explosion in college football over the last decade. RBs Michael Hayes and Charles Sims split time but were both very productive, combining for 2606 yards and 28 TD from scrimmage. WR Patrick Edwards led with 89 catches for 1752 yards and 20 TD, winning Conference USA Offensive POTY and becoming the C-USA career leader in receiving yards with 4507. Former RB Justin Johnson had a very productive senior year at WR, going for 1229 yards, and WR Tyron Carrier finished his fantastic Houston career with a 96 catch 958 yard season, finishing 3rd in NCAA history in career catches with 320. Even the defense had their stars—LB Sammy Brown led the NCAA in total TFL with 30, accounting for 13.5 sacks and 16.5 TFL. CB DJ Hayden was the 12th overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. Houston only finished #18 in the AP Poll, but 7th in my algorithm. I personally think they got too much flack because of their schedule—they dominated pretty much everyone in front of them.
2011 Houston is my 14th best Group of 5 team since 1983. They’re also my 230th best team since 1983 from any conference.
1. 2015 (13-1 overall, 7-1 Conference USA)
Houston’s highest finish (#8) since 1979. This is the season that got Tom Herman the Texas job (even if he didn’t leave until a year later). Houston had completed the 2014 season on a major high, coming back from a 31-6 4th quarter deficit against Pitt to win the Armed Forces Bowl 35-34. They took that momentum into 2015, outplaying Lamar Jackson and Louisville in week 2 in a 34-31 win. After a 5-0 start, Houston entered the top 25, looking like one of the conference favorites alongside Memphis and Navy. After decimating Tulane and UCF by a combined 99-17, Houston absolutely annihilated a 3-4 Vanderbilt team, taking a 34-0 lead by the end of the 3rd quarter and sitting on the ball until the end of the game. Still, the College Football Playoff Committee seemed to not like Houston’s strength of schedule, and the Cougars were ranked 25th in the initial committee rankings despite being ranked 18th by the AP Poll just a week earlier. Nevertheless, Houston beat two of the tougher teams on their schedule in Cincinnati and #21 Memphis, improving to 10-0. A brainfart upset loss to UConn ended their perfect season and took them out of the rankings, but they still controlled their destiny.
Houston QB Greg Ward Jr. outpaced the media darling’s Keenan Reynolds and #15 Navy en route to a 52-31 victory to head to the AAC title game. Against #22 Temple, Houston’s defense played a key role in a 24-13 victory, winning the American title in its third year of existence. #18 Houston earned a spot in the Peach Bowl to play #9 Florida State as the Group of 5’s New Years 6 representative. Despite being 7 point underdogs, Houston’s defense put on a show, holding FSU RB Dalvin Cook to just 33 yards on 18 carries, and picked off FSU QB Sean Maguire 4 times. Houston QB Greg Ward Jr. was an athlete who went on to play WR in the NFL, putting together a productive year of 2827 passing yards for 17 TD 6 INT, and rushing for 1114 yards and 21 TD. He and RB Kenneth Farrow (958 rushing yards and 12 TD) were both 2nd Team All-AAC. WR Demarcus Ayers was 1st Team with 97 catches for 1221 yards and 6 TD. The defense was the main source of talent—6 players on that side of the ball were drafted over the next 3 years. The offense was certainly productive though, averaging 40.4 PPG.
2015 Houston is my 11th best Group of 5 team since 1983. They’re also my 209th best team from any conference.
5th Quarter
Should Houston be higher, lower on this list? Who was better, the 2011 and 2015 Conference USA Houston teams, or the SWC Houston teams? How would you rank Case Keenum, Kevin Kolb, Clayton Tune, David Klingler, and Andre Ware for their careers at Houston? For the older fans, did you enjoy Houston in the SWC or C-USA/AAC more? Is Houston a sleeping giant in the new Big 12? Do you think my ratings of the 2011 and 2015 teams are accurate, that they are both top 15 G5 teams of the last 40 years, and top 250 teams of the last 40 years? How does that 2015 squad stack up against the Boise, Utah, TCU, and Cincinnati BCS/playoff busting teams?
Ranking the Top 131 College Football Programs of the Last 40 Years - Main Hub
