Today, in 1988, Jack Pardee and his Houston Cougars opened the season with a 60-0 thrashing of Louisiana Tech in Shreveport.
The game had it all, including NCAA, SWC, and school records:
- LaTech had -72 rush yards (a school record for UH’s defense) while UH set a SWC record for passing yards (552).
- The Bulldogs had nine turnovers – 10 fumbles (7 lost), two interceptions, as well as 12 punts. Twenty-one of Tech’s 91 snaps (23.1%) gave the ball to Houston.
- Houston’s Jason Phillips set a SWC record with 16 catches (to go with 224 yards and two touchdowns).
- The teams combined to set an NCAA record for total passes (129). Houston’s 100 plays were a school record.
- UH had 17 penalties.
- After a scoreless first quarter, the Cougars put up 32 points in the second quarter (FG, FG, touchdown with missed two-point conversion, touchdown with missed PAT, touchdown + PAT, touchdown + PAT).
- It was Louisiana Tech’s worst loss since 1930.
- The 1988 game was Tech’s only ‘home’ shutout between 1983 and 2006 (Over the years, Louisiana Tech has hosted power conference teams at Independence Stadium).
- Tech finished with 152 yards on 91 plays (1.67 ypp) vs. Houston’s 638 yards on 100 plays.
UH finished the year 9-3 and 18th in the AP Poll.
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