1981 Houston Cougars football team

The 1981 Houston Cougars football team represented the University of Houston during the 1981 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Cougars were led by 20th-year head coach Bill Yeoman and played their home games at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas. The team competed as members of the Southwest Conference, finishing in third. Houston was invited to the 1981 Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas, where they lost to Oklahoma, 40–14.

1981 Houston Cougars football
Sun Bowl, L 14–40 vs. Oklahoma
ConferenceSouthwest Conference
Record7–4–1 (5–2–1 SWC)
Head coach
Defensive coordinatorDon Todd (10th season)
Home stadiumHouston Astrodome
Seasons
← 1980
1982 →
1981 Southwest Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 5 SMU $ 7 1 0 10 1 0
No. 2 Texas 6 1 1 10 1 1
Houston 5 2 1 7 4 1
Arkansas 5 3 0 8 4 0
Texas A&M 4 4 0 7 5 0
Rice 3 5 0 4 7 0
Baylor 3 5 0 5 6 0
TCU 1 6 1 2 7 2
Texas Tech 0 7 1 1 9 1
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

Schedule

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DateOpponentSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
September 5New Mexico*ESPNW 21–1026,435[1]
September 19at No. 16 Miami (FL)*L 7–1232,586[2]
September 26Utah State*
  • Houston Astrodome
  • Houston, TX
W 35–727,462[3]
October 3Baylor
  • Houston Astrodome
  • Houston, TX
ABCW 24–328,118[4]
October 10at Texas A&MESPNL 6–766,569[5]
October 17No. 10 SMU
  • Houston Astrodome
  • Houston, TX (rivalry)
L 22–3836,892[6]
October 24at No. 12 ArkansasW 20–1754,618[7]
October 31at TCUABCW 20–1613,257[8]
November 7No. 5 Texas
  • Houston Astrodome
  • Houston, TX
ESPNT 14–1452,589[9]
November 21Texas Tech
  • Houston Astrodome
  • Houston, TX (rivalry)
W 15–725,169[10]
November 28at RiceW 40–325,000[11]
December 26vs. Oklahoma*CBSL 14–4033,816[12]
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

[13]

References

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  1. ^ "UH whips New Mexico". The Tyler Courier-Times. September 6, 1981. Retrieved November 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "Miami nips Houston, 12–7". Mount Vernon Argus. September 20, 1981. Retrieved November 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Houston rolls over Utah State, 35–7". The Paris News. September 27, 1981. Retrieved November 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Houston shuts down Baylor, 24–3". Tulsa World. October 4, 1981. Retrieved November 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Aggies edge Cougars, 7–6". The Kilgore News Herald. October 11, 1981. Retrieved November 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "SMU rolls past Coogs, 38–22". The Victoria Advocate. October 18, 1981. Retrieved November 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Houston nips 17th-ranked Hogs by 3". Bryan-College Station Eagle. October 25, 1981. Retrieved November 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Wilson, Coogs drop TCU, 20–16". Longview News-Journal. November 1, 1981. Retrieved November 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Horns rally to tie Coogs". Del Rio News Herald. November 8, 1981. Retrieved November 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Houston edges Texas Tech, 15–7". San Angelo Standard-Times. November 22, 1981. Retrieved November 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Houston Cougars bury Owls, 40–3". Del Rio News Herald. November 29, 1981. Retrieved November 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Watts this? A fumble helps Sooners win". The El Paso Times. December 27, 1981. Retrieved November 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "1981 Houston Cougars Schedule and Results". Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved August 1, 2018.