Saturday, October 16, 2010

Houston Cougars and Rice Owls Face Off In The Battle For The Bayou Bucket

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2010 TexSport Publications

HOUSTON, TEXAS (October 16, 2010) The Houston Cougars (3-2, 2-0 C-USA) will face off against cross-town and Conference USA rival Rice (1-5, 0-2 C-USA) in the battle for the “Bayou Bucket.”

The two schools have previously played 26 times over the years, with Houston holding a 26-10 record in the series.

The first meeting on September 11, 1971 saw Houston winning 23-21 with their last meeting occurring last year, with the Cougars trouncing Rice 73-14.

These two inner-city rivals, one of only two Football Bowl Subdivision rivalries that pits two schools from the same city. USC and UCLA is the other.

The series vs. Rice is the longest running series in Houston football history.

The 26 wins posted by the Cougars are the most Houston has against any other team in its 65-year history.

The Cougars have recorded a 4-1 record versus the Owls while members of Conference USA.

Houston posted a 16-4 mark versus Rice while a member of the Southwest Conference.

Houston has the longest winning streak in the series, a six-game win streak from 1987-1992.

The victor of this game will win the Bayou Bucket trophy presented by State Farm.

UH head coach Kevin Sumlin is 1-1 vs. Rice in two games. The Cougars won, 73-14, in 2009 in Robertson Stadium and fell to Rice in 2008, 56-42 on the road.

Game time is set for 2:30 p.m. at Rice Stadium.

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