Question: Will the UH football team make it to a bowl game this year?
by James Rincon
Make no bowl plans yet.
The season’s plot thickened when the Cougars pillaged then No. 23 East Carolina Pirates 41-24 in their house. Last week’s game is hard evidence that UH has the ingredients for greatness. It is also proof that for the previous three weeks the Cougars have shot†themselves in the foot time and again by committing turnovers at crucial times in games and giving up yards on penalties. UH football should earn a bowl game this†year the same way it should be 4-1 right now – but it’s 2-3, so don’t cancel those†didn’t-get-a-bowl-game backup plans for Winter break yet. They should be able to get four more wins against Alabama-Birmingham (1-4), Southern Methodist (1-4), Tulane (2-2) and Texas-El Paso (1-3). These games should be cakewalks,†but if the Cougars are counting their chickens now, they may end up with egg on†their faces.
by Matt Miller
No worries about Cougar conference play.
There are 34 bowl games this season, and six of them have ties with Conference USA, which means 68 FBS teams will†play an extra game at the end of the season. In other words, the Cougars (2-3, 1-0 C-USA) need to have†the sixth-best†record in the conference and the six wins necessary to qualify for a†bowl game. There†is no doubt UH will accomplish this, especially†after the Cougars†opened conference play with a road win against East Carolina. UH should win its next two games against UAB and SMU, arguably†the worst teams in C-USA, and the Cougars have plenty of rest in†between their meetings with SMU, Marshall and Tulane. The†Cougars’ final four regular season games are in the city of Houston, where†they only lost twice last season. For the Cougars, winning four more games should be a piece of cake.
by Rodney Leonhardt
Take performance questions to the teams.
There are no more cupcake teams, cakewalk games or anything else associated with pastry. Every win now is crucial. The only obstacle Houston faces is the Cougars. They have been taking it to themselves with missed opportunities during the last four weeks, even in the upset of ECU. These opportunities – missed field goals, stalled drives or waiting until the fourth quarter to score – have haunted the Cougars in to accumulating three early losses, two of which were by 3-point margins.
Opposing defenses struggle to keep up with the Cougars’ open field air assault, and it is something they could continue to exploit. We’ve seen what they can do. A bowl game is definitely within their reach. This question is not for fighting words to answer. The people you need to pose the question to are the guys who suit up in Scarlet and Albino White and hit the football field every week.
by Judge Dredd
Conference games never light and fluffy.
Cupcakes? Cakewalks? Judge Dredd is tired of reading about sissy stuff that other sissies write. UAB may not be a top tier team in C-USA, but the Blazers and SMU will bring it to the Cougars. Teams tend to step up their games when they are considered the underdogs.
Saying the Cougars winning their last four games will be a piece of cake is not very smart. Houston’s last contest of the season will be for the Bayou Bucket against a Rice squad that could be considered one of the top two teams in Conference USA. The Owls have an offense that is just as explosive as the Cougars’ and they never lie down for UH.
The Cougars have a chance to earn a bowl bid, but it never gets easier in conference play, no matter what sport we’re talking about.
Verdict: Rodney wins this round of Fighting Words. There shall be no more talks of pastries in Fighting Words. Judge Dredd doesn’t eat cakes, he sets them on fire with his laser eyes.
