The Houston Cougars and Texas Longhorns will meet on the football field for the first time since 2002. There might be a reason for the delayed reunion.
Ahead of the team’s 2001 home-and-home matchup, Houston had concerns over stadium stability over part of the team’s stadium seating that would accommodate the Longhorns’ fanbase. As a result, several Texas fans were later encouraged by then Houston president Arthur Smith to “view the game on television screens at Hofheinz Pavilion.”
This year’s matchup at TDECU Stadium should be able to hold Texas fans, but it might not change the level of animosity between the two fanbases. For those who are unaware, the Cougars were one of the Longhorns’ most hated Southwest Conference rivals in the late 1980s and early 1990s. In fact, Texas faithful once stormed the field against Houston in 1990.
This isn’t the run-and-shoot Houston Cougars that produced 1989 Heisman winner Andre Ware or NFL quarterback David Klingler. Albeit, the current Houston squad has plenty of firepower. It’s not the rivalry it used to be for Texas, but it will mean everything to the Cougars and their fans.
Expect Houston head coach Dana Holgorsen to pull out all the stops to win this game. He likely won’t secure a win, but he could frustrate Texas in the process. The Longhorns will look to avoid that fate in the renewal of the old Southwest Conference rivalry.