A Walk Down Memory Lane for the Houston Cougars at NRG Stadium
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On Dec. 27, the Houston Cougars and the LSU Tigers will meet at NRG Stadium to compete in the Kinder's Texas Bowl. It's safe to say the Cougars will feel right at home due to the stadium's close proximity to the University of Houston.
But there's another reason that the Cougars might feel right at home. While the players and coaching staff may be different, it was only nine years ago that Houston Football found one of its most significant out-of-conference wins at the home of the Houston Texans.
Earlier this week, the Houston Football Twitter/X account took Coog Nation on a trip down memory lane. The posted video highlighted an infamous 100-yard field goal return that inevitably sealed Houston's win over No. 3 Oklahoma.
Legendary plays happen in NRG Stadium ‼️ pic.twitter.com/Pn6Em8cGR1
— Houston Football (@UHCougarFB) December 16, 2025
Setting the Stage at the Advocare Texas Kickoff
Entering his second year as the Sooners' starting quarterback, Baker Mayfield had quickly established himself as one of the pass-throwers in the country. With some elite scrambling ability and a strong arm that excelled at medium and long range passing, he put fear into nearly every defense he faced.
After an 11-2 season that ended in the College Football Playoff semifinal, expectations for the Sooners remained high. After all, Oklahoma had its star quarterback returning, along with running back Joe Mixon and wide receiver Dede Westbrook.
The Cougars were in a similar state of mind after a 13-1 season that was capped by a win over No. 9 Florida State. While Houston finished the season ranked No. 18 in the AP Poll, there was definitely an argument for the Cougars to be ranked much higher.
With high hopes for the 2016 season, the Sooners traveled down to Houston, Texas, to take on the Houston Cougars to in the Advocare Texas Kickoff. The event normally showcases two of the more exciting teams in college football from the previous season.
How No. 15 Houston Toppled No. 3 Oklahoma
Many expected the clash between Cougars and Sooners to be a shootout, and to some degree, it was. Mayfield and Ward Jr. combined for over 640 passing yards and four touchdowns, while each team's run game struggled to find consistent production.
It was on defense and special teams that Houston truly dominated the game. The Cougars forced Mayfield to turn the ball over twice via the fumble, and kicker Ty Cummings had a perfect day, going 4 of 4 in field goal attempts.
Houston had taken the lead before halftime with a last-second field goal, and Oklahoma's first drive of the second half presented the perfect opportunity for Mayfield and the Sooners to regain control of the game.
After the Cougars' defense made a stop near midfield, Oklahoma elected to try a 53-yard field goal to take a 20-19 lead. While Austin Seibert was a consistent kicker for the Sooners, anything above 50 yards had been a struggle for the sophomore.
After Seibert's kick ended up being short of the field goal, Houston's Brandon Wilson made a play that would end up leading to an upset over the No. 3-ranked team in the country. The defensive back returned Seibert's kick 100 yards for a touchdown — giving Houston a 26-17 lead.
The Cougars would go on to topple No. 3 Oklahoma by a score of 33-23, giving Houston one of its most impactful wins in the program's out-of-conference history.
