After a surprising victory over SMU last Saturday, The Cougars are hoping the running game they finally established last week can keep it going against a team that allows almost 350-yard per game. The Cougars feature a three-headed monster in the back-field in the form of Duke Catalon, Mulbah Car, and Dillon Birden. Birden missed last week due to a neck injury he suffered against Temple a couple weeks ago. There has been no word of Birden’s status going into Saturday. Catalon is coming off of a career game where he scored two touchdowns and ran for 177 yards.
Tulsa will be in trouble if they if they can’t contain the running game, Houston’s defense was stingy last week. Ed Oliver played at 70% last week but guys like Terrell Williams, Matt Adams, and Khalil Williams will be just a few Cougars that could have a field day Saturday. Tulsa is coming off a bad loss to a Tulane team that experts predicted would lose that game.
Tulsa though, like Houston, has a great ground attack as well. Backs D’Angelo Brewer and Shamari Brooks are the Golden Hurricane’s own two-headed monster. Brooks had an exceptional game last week, scoring two touchdowns and rushing for over 100 yards. For the Golden Hurricane, Quarterback Chad President will need to have a huge game and take a lot of pressure off of Brewer and Brooks if the Golden Hurricane plan to keep this thing close.
Houston Head Coach Major Applewhite is looking like a genius after replacing Quarterback Kyle Allen with Kyle Postma. Postma has done everything that Applewhite has needed him to do ever since he was inserted into the starting lineup. Applewhite was quoted on Monday saying, “Kyle has done what we wanted and more. When Kyle came in, we asked him to just limit the turnovers and not do too much. Now we’ve opened up the playbook for him so much, that it’s pretty much just textbook for him now”.
This game will be anything and everything Houston. Expect them to put up a lot of points, and expect the running game to keep churning, and expect the Cougars defense to force a few turnovers. I imagine Ed Oliver had another week to continue to heal up. It’ll be a long day for Tulsa. 42-21 is my final prediction. Houston will roll into their key matchup at home against Memphis.
