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Cougars rout Southern 55-3 in home opener

The Cougar fans who filed in for UH head coach Kevin Sumlin’s debut and Houston’s season-opener against Southern did not go home disappointed.

Robertson Stadium’s second-largest crowd for a home-opener, 26,555, witnessed a Houston offense that piled up 615 total yards en route to a 55-3 victory.

"The offense did a great job seeing what was in front of us and making good plays and communicating and doing it fast," sophomore quarterback Case Keenum said.

"It’s not always about the best play being called, but executing the play that is being called. I think we did a pretty good job doing that."

Keenum led the way, completing 33 of 43 passes for 392 yards and five touchdowns. Wide receivers senior Mark Hafner and sophomore L.J. Castille caught two touchdown passes each from Keenum, and freshman wide receiver Patrick Edwards notched his first career touchdown.

Junior quarterback Blake Joseph, who replaced Keenum as quarterback in the late in the third quarter, added a touchdown pass of his own – a 59-yarder to sophomore wide receiver Kierrie Johnson – and completed all six of his passes.

Sophomore running back Andre Kohn added Houston’s only rushing touchdown of the night from one yard out with 6:34 to go in the first quarter. He finished with 54 yards on 11 carries.

Houston’s defense put pressure on Southern junior quarterback Bryant Lee all night and held the Jaguars to just 252 yards and 13 first downs compared to Houston’s 31.

The Cougars exploded in the second quarter, racking up 31 points off four touchdowns (all from Keenum) and two field goals from junior kicker Ben Bell, who did not miss a beat. He made all six of Houston’s PATs and added two field goals on the night.

Southern’s only score came in the first half when sophomore kicker Josh Duran hit a 36-yard field goal in the second quarter.

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