Houston 24, Temple 13: Three Thoughts

ezgif-3559544331The #HTownTakeover became fully realized on Saturday afternoon at TDECU Stadium as the Houston Cougars won the American Athletic Conference championship with a 24-13 win over Temple. DCTF's Greg Tepper offers his thoughts.The Cougars’ defense played its game, and it won them the conference. We knew the biggest advantage that the Cougars were going to have in this game: their attacking defense against Temple’s overall mediocre offense. And the Coogs exploited that advantage for everything it was worth, smothering the Temple offense and forcing a pair of turnovers. It was 60 minutes of full-throttle hair-on-fire fly-to-the-football devil-may-care defense, and it was a joy to watch. Every time a Temple receiver caught the ball, there were Coogs on him. Every time Temple QB P.J. Walker dropped back, he was pressured. Every action that the Owls did on offense was affected by the Coogs’ defense. The gameplan that defensive coordinator Todd Orlando drew up was pitch-perfect, the playmakers bought in, and as a result, the Houston Cougars clinched their first outright conference title since 2006, and just their third since 1957. Greg Ward Jr. should be a household name. This isn’t breaking news, but the Cougars’ quarterback is a phenom. True, he had an off day throwing the ball — just 11-for-21 for 88 yards — but his running ability changed the entire game. His 148 yards and two scores on the ground, averaging a cool 8.7 yards per carry — especially with running back Kenneth Farrow out — paced the Cougars’ offense against what is a ferocious Temple defense. The funny thing is that this is no different from what he’s done all year. Yes, he’s had some better passing games, but on the biggest stage with the brightest spotlight, there was no bigger star than the junior from Tyler. If you don’t know his name by now, that’s your own fault. Houston is the most consistently excellent team in Texas. A year ago, Houston did not look like a team ready to win a conference title. A wild comeback win against Pittsburgh in the Armed Forces Bowl pretty well summed up the Coogs’ season — occasionally excellent, but wildly inconsistent. And now look at them — 12-1, American Athletic Conference champions and headed for a New Year’s Six bowl. A model of consistency. Credit their entire coaching staff — especially first-year head coach Tom Herman, who probably doesn’t have to worry about buying meals in Houston anymore — for pulling the team together and getting them to believe. We’re certainly willing to have an argument as to whether TCU or Baylor or Texas A&M would beat Houston. That’s a valid debate. But as far as consistency from game to game, there was no more excellent team in the Lone Star State than the Houston Cougars.