# 2023 Houston Christian Huskies football team

The 2023 Houston Christian Huskies football team represented Houston Christian University as a member of the Southland Conference during the 2023 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by first-year head coach Braxton Harris, the Huskies played their home games at Husky Stadium in Houston. On November 11, the Huskies secured their first winning conference record along with their first non-losing season in program history with a road victory over McNeese State. Led by first-year head coach Braxton Harris, the Huskies compiled an overall record of 5–5. The Huskies finished in fourth place in conference play with a 4–3 record.

## Preseason
### Preseason poll

The Southland Conference released their preseason poll on July 24, 2023. The Huskies were picked to finish last in the conference.
| Predicted finish | Team | Votes (1st place) |
| 1 | Southeastern Louisiana | 93 (9) |
| 2 | Incarnate Word | 91 (7) |
| 3 | McNeese | 65 |
| 4 | Nicholls | 62 |
| 5 | Northwestern State | 52 |
| 6 | Texas A&M–Commerce | 33 |
| 7 | Lamar | 28 |
| 8 | Houston Christian | 24 |

### Preseason All–Southland Teams

The Southland Conference announced the 2023 preseason all-conference football team selections on July 21, 2023. HCU had a total of 5 players selected.

### Dave Campbell's Texas Football post season All-Texas Non-FBS teams

Levi Drake Rodriguez was named to the 2023 All-Texas Non-FBS Defense team.

## Schedule

Houston Christian announced their 2023 schedule on December 14, 2022.
| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 2 | 6:00 p.m. | Arkansas Baptist* | Husky StadiumHouston, TX | ESPN+ | W 66–0 | 1,763 |
| September 9 | 6:00 p.m. | at Western Kentucky* | Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith StadiumBowling Green, KY | ESPN+ | L 22–52 | 20,712 |
| September 16 | 6:00 p.m. | at UT Martin* | Graham StadiumMartin, TN | ESPN+ | L 7–66 | 3,102 |
| September 23 | 6:00 p.m. | at Southeastern Louisiana | Strawberry StadiumHammond, LA | ESPN+ | W 34–19 | 3,694 |
| September 30 | 6:00 p.m. | Lamar | Husky StadiumHouston, TX | ESPN+ | L 19–21 | 1,547 |
| October 7 | 3:00 p.m. | at Nicholls | Manning Field at John L. Guidry StadiumThibodaux, LA | ESPN+ | L 7–38 | 5,444 |
| October 14 | 6:00 p.m. | Prairie View A&M* | Husky StadiumHouston, TX | ESPN+ | W 30–0 | 2,112 |
| October 28 | 2:00 p.m. | Texas A&M–Commerce | Husky StadiumHouston, TX | ESPN+ | W 17–13 | 1,765 |
| November 4 | 2:00 p.m. | at Northwestern State | Harry Turpin StadiumNatchitoches, LA | ESPN+ | W 2–0 (forfeit) | — |
| November 11 | 7:00 p.m. | at McNeese | Cowboy StadiumLake Charles, LA | ESPN+ | W 35–24 | 6,724 |
| November 18 | 2:00 p.m. | No. 20 Incarnate Word | Husky StadiumHouston, TX | ESPN+ | L 24–45 | 1,797 |
| *Non-conference gameRankings from STATS Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Central time |||||||

## Game summaries
### Arkansas Baptist

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Buffaloes | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Huskies | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
at Husky Stadium, Houston, Texas
* Date: September 2
* Game time: 6:00 p.m.
* Game attendance: 1,763
* TV: ESPN+
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Arkansas Baptist | Passing |
| Arkansas Baptist | Rushing |
| Arkansas Baptist | Receiving |
| Houston Christian | Passing |
| Houston Christian | Rushing |
| Houston Christian | Receiving |

### at Western Kentucky

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Huskies | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hilltoppers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
at Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium, Bowling Green, Kentucky
* Date: September 9
* Game time: 6:00 p.m. CDT
* Game attendance: 20,712
* TV: ESPN+
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Houston Christian | Passing |
| Houston Christian | Rushing |
| Houston Christian | Receiving |
| Western Kentucky | Passing |
| Western Kentucky | Rushing |
| Western Kentucky | Receiving |

### at UT Martin

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Huskies | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Skyhawks | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
at Graham Stadium, Martin, Tennessee
* Date: September 16
* Game time: 6:00 p.m. CDT
* Game attendance: 3,102
* TV: ESPN+
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Houston Christian | Passing |
| Houston Christian | Rushing |
| Houston Christian | Receiving |
| UT Martin | Passing |
| UT Martin | Rushing |
| UT Martin | Receiving |

### at Southeastern Louisiana

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | Total |
| Huskies | | | 0 |
| Lions | | | 0 |
at Strawberry Stadium • Hammond, Louisiana
* Date: Saturday, September 23, 2023
* Game time: 6:00 p.m. CDT
* Game attendance: 3,694
* TV: ESPN+
* Statistics
* First downs
* Plays–yards
* Rushes–yards
* Passing yards
* Passing: comp–att–int
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Houston Christian | Passing |
| Houston Christian | Rushing |
| Houston Christian | Receiving |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Passing |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Rushing |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Receiving |

### Lamar

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cardinals | 0 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
| Huskies | 0 | 3 | 3 | 13 | 19 |
at Husky Stadium, Houston, Texas
* Date: September 30
* Game time: 6:00 p.m.
* Game weather: Sunny, 90 °F (32 °C)
* Game attendance: 1,547
* Referee: James Brookhart
* TV: ESPN+
* Box score
| Statistics | LAM | HCU |
| First downs | 22 | 25 |
| Total yards | 412 | 417 |
| Rushing yards | 118 | 189 |
| Passing yards | 294 | 228 |
| Turnovers | 3 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 29:41 | 30:19 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Lamar | Passing | Robert Coleman | 19/30, 294 yards, 2 TD |
| Lamar | Rushing | Khalan Griffin | 17 rushes, 74 yards |
| Lamar | Receiving | Izaha Jones | 7 receptions, 101 yards |
| Houston Christian | Passing | Colby Suits | 17/35, 228 yards |
| Houston Christian | Rushing | Darryle Evans | 24 rushes, 132 yards |
| Houston Christian | Receiving | Karl Reynolds | 6 receptions, 112 yards |

### at Nicholls

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Huskies | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Colonels | 7 | 7 | 24 | 0 | 38 |
at Manning Field at John L. Guidry Stadium, Thibodaux, Louisiana
* Date: October 7
* Game time: 3:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: Sunny
* Game attendance: 5,444
* Referee: Ed Bourgeois
* TV: ESPN+
* Box score
| Statistics | HCU | NICH |
| First downs | 14 | 19 |
| Total yards | 220 | 441 |
| Rushing yards | 46 | 237 |
| Passing yards | 174 | 204 |
| Turnovers | 4 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 26:55 | 33:05 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Houston Christian | Passing | Colby Suits | 17/38, 170 yards, TD, 3 INT |
| Houston Christian | Rushing | Colby Suits | 7 rushes, 18 yards |
| Houston Christian | Receiving | Ismael Fuller | 2 receptions, 35 yards |
| Nicholls | Passing | Pat McQuaide | 15/25, 204 yards, TD, INT |
| Nicholls | Rushing | Jaylon Spears | 8 rushes, 113 yards |
| Nicholls | Receiving | David Robinson | 7 receptions, 127 yards, TD |

### Prairie View A&M

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Panthers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Huskies | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
at Husky Stadium, Houston, Texas
* Date: October 14
* Game time: 6:00 p.m.
* Game attendance: 2,112
* TV: ESPN+
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Prairie View A&M | Passing |
| Prairie View A&M | Rushing |
| Prairie View A&M | Receiving |
| Houston Christian | Passing |
| Houston Christian | Rushing |
| Houston Christian | Receiving |

### Texas A&M–Commerce

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Lions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Huskies | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
at Husky Stadium, Houston, Texas
* Date: October 28
* Game time: 2:00 p.m.
* Game attendance: 1,765
* TV: ESPN+
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Texas A&M–Commerce | Passing |
| Texas A&M–Commerce | Rushing |
| Texas A&M–Commerce | Receiving |
| Houston Christian | Passing |
| Houston Christian | Rushing |
| Houston Christian | Receiving |

### at McNeese

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Huskies | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cowboys | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
at Cowboy Stadium, Lake Charles, LA
* Date: November 11
* Game time: 7:00 p.m.
* Game weather: • Wind: mph • Weather:
* TV: ESPN+
| Statistics | HCU | McN |
| First downs | | |
| Plays–yards | – | – |
| Rushes–yards | – | – |
| Passing yards | | |
| Passing: comp–att–int | – – | – – |
| Time of possession | : | : |
| Team | Category | Statistics |
| Houston Christian | Passing | 00/00; total 0 yds; TDs 0 ; long 0 yds; sack 0 |
| Houston Christian | Rushing | 0 attempts; gain 0 yds; long 0 yds; |
| Houston Christian | Receiving | 0 receptions; 0 total yds; TD 0; long 0 yds |
| McNeese | Passing | 00/00; 0 total yds; Int 0; long 0 s; sack 0 |
| McNeese | Rushing | 0 attempts; gained 0 yds; loss 0 yds; long 0; |
| McNeese | Receiving | 0 receptions; 0 yds; long 0 yds; TD 0 |

### Incarnate Word

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 20 Cardinals | - | - | - | - | 0 |
| Huskies | - | - | - | - | 0 |
at Husky Stadium, Houston, TX
* Date: November 18
* Game time: 2:00 p.m.
* Statistics
* First downs
* Plays–yards
* Rushes–yards
* Passing yards
* Passing: comp–att–int
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Incarnate Word | Passing |
| Incarnate Word | Rushing |
| Incarnate Word | Receiving |
| Houston Christian | Passing |
| Houston Christian | Rushing |
| Houston Christian | Receiving |