2012 Houston Cougars football team


The 2012 Houston Cougars football team represented the University of Houston in the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It was the 67th year of season play for Houston. The season marked the last for the Cougars as a member of Conference USA as they moved to the American Athletic Conference in 2013. In addition, it was the final season for the team to host its home games at Robertson Stadium as the university announced plans to begin construction on TDECU Stadium in December 2012—following the conclusion of the season. The 2012 season was the first full season under head coach Tony Levine as he took over for Kevin Sumlin after his departure following the 2011 Conference USA Football Championship Game.
At one time it was believed that the 2012 season would be the last for the foreseeable future with a Bayou Bucket Classic matchup against the Rice Owls. Both teams had relied on the game being on their respective conference schedules. However, with the American Athletic Conference move in 2013 for the Cougars, the matchup would have had to have been scheduled as a non-conference game. At the time of the Big East Conference announcement, Rice had its non-conference schedule completely booked for the 2013 and 2014 seasons. In April 2012, the two schools announced that they had come to an agreement to extend the series through the 2013 season. The 2012 and 2013 Bayou Bucket Classics were hosted at Reliant Stadium.

Pre-season

Recruits

Awards & award watch lists

Jacolby Ashworth
D. J. Hayden
Richie Leone
Charles Sims

Coaching staff

NamePositionAlma mater
Tony LevineHead coachMinnesota
Travis BushOffensive Coordinator/QuarterbacksTexas State
Jamie BryantDefensive coordinatorOhio Wesleyan
Jamie ChristianSpecial teams coordinator/Inside receiversCentral Washington
Lee HaysOffensive lineTexas A&M–Kingsville
Ricky LogoDefensive lineNorth Carolina State
Carlton HallDefensive lineVanderbilt
Ken McClintockRunning backsMinnesota
Brandon MiddletonOutside receiversHouston
Zac SpavitalCornerbacksMurray State

Game summaries

Texas State

Overall recordLast meetingResult
1–32010HOU, 68–28

Louisiana Tech

Overall recordLast meetingResult
4–22011HOU, 35–34

@ UCLA

Overall recordLast meetingResult
3–32011HOU, 38–34

1st quarter scoring: UCLA – Eric Kendricks 23-yard fumble recovery ; UCLA – Datone Jones 7-yard pass from Brett Hundley
2nd quarter scoring: UCLA – Fairbairn 35-yard field goal
3rd quarter scoring: UCLA – Jordon James 12-yard pass from Hundley ; UCLA – Fairbairn 23-yard field goal; UCLA – Fairbairn 33-yard field goal
4th quarter scoring: HOU – David Piland 86-yard run ; UCLA – Steven Manfro 14-yard run

vs Rice

Overall recordLast meetingResult
27–112011HOU, 73–34

North Texas

Overall recordLast meetingResult
6–72011HOU, 48–23

UAB

Overall recordLast meetingResult
4–42011HOU, 56–13

@ SMU

Overall recordLast meetingResult
17–9–12011HOU, 37–7

UTEP

Overall recordLast meetingResult
5–42011HOU, 49–42

@ East Carolina

Overall recordLast meetingResult
5–62011HOU, 56–3

Tulsa

Overall recordLast meetingResult
20–172011HOU, 48–16

@ Marshall

Overall recordLast meetingResult
2–12011HOU, 63–28

Tulane

Overall recordLast meetingResult
13–42011HOU, 73–17

Poll rankings