2010 Houston Cougars football team The 2010 Houston Cougars football team ( also known as the Houston Cougars , Houston , or UH ) represented the University of Houston in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season . It was the 65th year of season play for Houston . The team was coached by third - year head football coach Kevin Sumlin , and played its home games at Robertson Stadium — a 32 , 000 - seat stadium on campus in Houston . The program is a member of Conference USA in its West Division . Although ranked favorably early in the season , the team finished with a 5 – 7 record , ( 4 – 4 in C - USA play ) after season - ending injuries to starting quarterback Case Keenum and other key players . Previous season . The 2009 Houston Cougars team defeated the nationally - ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys in their first match - up . Following the victory , the Cougars were ranked by the AP Poll for the first time in more than twenty years . The Cougars played the Texas Tech Red Raiders in front of a record - breaking 32 , 114 sold - out crowd at Robertson Stadium . The Cougars defeated the unranked Raiders to earn No . 12 spot in the AP Poll . The Cougars continued to be nationally ranked throughout the majority of the season . Pre - season . Recruits . Houston ' s 2010 recruiting class was highly - rated relative to its previous seasons . Rated as the No . 45 best recruiting class in the nation ahead of TCU and behind Oregon State by Rivals . com , the 2010 class was Houston ' s highest - ever ranking by the site . Scout . com ranked Houston as # 54 , which was the highest Houston had been ranked since 2003 , and the 3rd - highest - ever ranking by the site . This was also the highest - rated recruiting class in Conference USA by both sites for the season . In terms of position , Houston ranked No . 13 in the nation by Scout . com for best average ratings of quarterbacks recruited . This reinforced the team ' s depth in the position , as senior Case Keenum was scheduled to compete in his last season in 2010 . Top 25 rankings . During the pre - season , Houston was ranked in several notable top 25 polls . " Sports Illustrated " placed Houston at No . 21 in its power rankings list . Lindy ' s Sports ranked Houston as # 23 , and Phil Steele ranked the team as # 24 . Just outside the top 25 , " Sporting News " ranked Houston as # 26 , and in the Coaches ' Poll as # 27 . Awards & award watch lists . Case Keenum Jamal Robinson James Cleveland Marcus McGraw Patrick Edwards Tyron Carrier Game notes . Texas State . As a season opener , Houston met with Texas State of the Southland Conference ( a Division I FCS conference ) for the fourth time in history . However , the two teams had not competed against each other in over six decades , with the last game being in 1948 . Texas State had been undefeated against Houston , and were led by fourth - year head coach Brad Wright . Attendance was at an all - time high for Robertson Stadium , as 32 , 119 fans watched the game . The record - setting crowd at the stadium surpassed the previous season record against Texas Tech . This marked the largest home - opening crowd to watch the Cougars play since 37 , 652 fans watched Houston face California at the Astrodome on September 6 , 1997 . Quarterback Case Keenum set school records for both career passing yards and career pass attempts , surpassing then - current Philadelphia Eagles starting quarterback Kevin Kolb . UTEP . Conference USA foe UTEP traveled to Robertson Stadium to face - off against Houston for the eighth time in history . Prior to UTEP ' s defeat , Houston ' s record against the team stood at 3 – 4 . During the previous season , UTEP defeated No . 12 Houston to knock the team out of the national rankings for a period of time . The team was led by sixth - year head coach Mike Price who had previously served as head coach for Washington State with Kevin Sumlin as a graduate assistant . Attendance for the game was again at an all - time high , as the 32 , 119 fans in attendance tied the previous record from the game prior . The matchup was nationally televised on ESPN . The Cougars ' offensive strategy appeared to be more focused on rushing rather than the passing game Houston was known for . It was the first time the team had achieved 300 rushing yards in a game since compiling 377 yards against Texas Southern on November 24 , 2007 . After an interception thrown by senior Case Keenum to UTEP ' s Trauvan Nixon in the third quarter of the game , the quarterback attempted to tackle the opposing player . Keenum suffered a blow to the head , and was removed from the game . Back - up quarterback Cotton Turner took his place to carry on the win . It was later reported that Keenum was exhibiting symptoms of a mild concussion , but was showing dramatic improvement two days after the game . His condition was listed as being " day - to - day " . Following the game , Houston became nationally - ranked for the first time since the previous season , as the Cougars entered both the AP Poll and Coaches ' Poll as # 23 . Junior running back Bryce Beall was named the Conference USA offensive player of the week . Houston ' s record at 2 – 0 , made it the only team in its conference division to remain undefeated overall , and allowed the team to take the number one spot in the standings . UCLA . Matt Hogan kicked a 29 - yard field goal to give the Cougars the first quarter lead . Johnathan Franklin answered with a 11 - yard run for a Bruins 7 – 3 lead . The Bruins scored two touchdowns in the second quarter . Kevin Prince ran for a 2 - yard touchdown and Franklin added a 1 - yard run touchdown . In the third quarter , UCLA had a 42 - yard field goal by Kai Forbath , the 2009 Lou Groza Collegiate Place - Kicker Award winner , and a touchdown again by Franklin ( 12 yards ) . Houston scored twice in the fourth quarter , on James Cleveland ' s 10 - yard pass from Terrance Broadway and on Matt Hogan ' s 31 - yard field goal . Two Houston quarterbacks , Case Keenum and Cotton Turner , were injured in the game and are out for the season . UCLA ' s Patrick Larimore , who had a career - high and team - high 11 tackles ( 10 solos ) , including three for loss , forced a fumble and broke up a pass in the game was named Pac - 10 Conference defensive player of the week . He was also named the FWAA / Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week . Tulane . First quarter scoring : Houston – Bryce Beall ( 3 - yard run ) . Second quarter scoring : Tulane - Cody Sparks ( 13 - yard pass from Kevin Moore ) , Devin Figaro ( 36 - yard pass from Moore ) ; Houston – Beall ( 1 - yard run , 1 - yard run ) , Michael Hayes ( 1 - yard run ) . Third quarter scoring : Tulane - Cairo Santos ( 29 - yard field goal ) . Fourth quarter scoring : Tulane - Payten Jason ( 9 - yard run ) ; Houston - Beall ( 25 - yard run ) , Loyce Means ( 42 - yard interception return ) .