Today, in 1990, the #13 Houston Cougars toyed with the Baylor Bears before putting them away, 31-15. The win set up the next week’s showdown with the #20 Aggies in the Astrodome.
UH led 13-0 at the half but head coach John Jenkins was going out of his mind. He was angry with his wide receivers. Manny Hazard, an All-American in 1989, shouldered the blame.
“It’s really the receivers’ fault. We’ve been dropping a lot of passes,” Manny Hazard said. “You can’t function in this offense dropping a lot of passes and not concentrating.”
Despite the agitation, UH racked up 405 yards and two touchdowns through the air. Patrick Cooper caught eight passes for 154 yards and two scores.
After the game, Jenkins was more even-keeled.
“Really, the score looks a little closer than it was,” Jenkins said. “We were a little soft defensively in the latter stages of the second half.”
Grant Teaff had gone in reverse that season, attempting to put in a Houston Veer offense. But his Veer was no match for the Run And Shoot.
“They’re a good football team. They won the game and deserve the credit for it,” Teaff said.
“The third downs won the game for them.”
Klingler’s 68 attempts were the second-most in SWC history and it was his fourth-straight game over 400 yards.
Houston 31, Baylor 15
Stories and images provided by archived editions of the Waco Tribune-Herald and the Houstonian Yearbook.
