The 2020 University of Houston football season ended not with a bang, but with a whimper, as the Cougars limped to a 28-14 loss to Hawaii in the New Tex-ico Bowl. We're analyzing what went wrong (and what it says about the year as a whole) but also finding some positives from a game that, if we're being frank, maybe shouldn't have been played.

In happier news, it was a banner week for the Cougar hoopsters. On the men's side, UH won its first two conference games, including a key road win against an AAC contender, while the women showed remarkable effort in a shorthanded road win. We've got all that, plus an in depth analysis of the week's coming opponents.

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Lucky you, this is the universe's first ever preview of the New Mexico Bowl when its played in a DFW Metroplex suburban town and YOUR Houston Cougars are playing in it!

We take a look at the opponents: the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors, in this very odd bowl game and their 1st year HC, none other than Todd Graham (!!!!!).

Houston Cougar men's basketball is also back, with an expected decisive win over Alcorn State AND with 2 potential conference opponents coming up in the form of: Temple and a roadie to UCF.

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Houston Cougar football, much to the delight of those of us who consider themselves fans of the Cougars' gridiron squad, returned to action last Saturday vs Memphis.

Less to the delight of Cougar fans has to be the combination of a sluggish start and heartbreaking field goal that thwarted what looked like an inspired comeback at the Liberty Bowl. We dive into what happened last Saturday and look ahead to what's left in the 2020 football season.

We also took a look at the early National Signing Day and what we think of the Cougar football's latest crop of signed recruits in this 2021 class.

AND THAT'S NOT ALL, we talk the return of Cougar men's basketball after a COVID-19 pause and re-capping an inspired Cougar women's basketball win while missing their top scorer.

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This should be a fun, positive episode. Both the Cougar men's and women's basketball teams recorded important 10-point victories over SEC opposition, setting themselves up nicely with conference play around the corner. Football has a winnable-looking game against Memphis coming up, and a bowl bid secured.

But of course, COVID looms. Men's hoops has had to pause team activities, football has missed 3 straight weeks of games, and women's hoops has had its schedule impacted. We've got status updates for all 3 programs, plus full game previews for Memphis (football) and surprisingly tough Stephen F. Austin (women's hoops), working under the assumption that those games will in fact take place!

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With a weekend of Cougar men's and women's shooty hoops showdowns happening and (unfortunately) yet another football cancellation, the guys return for a bite size Pawdcast to talk all current Cougar events.

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Kelvin Sampson's squad may still be climbing the mountain, but they comfortably passed Texas Tech during the ascent this weekend, scoring a comfortable (at times dominant) win over the Red Raiders. We're discussing what Houston is doing well, and where there is still room for improvement (?!) after a 3-0 start, including recent wins over Boise and Tech.

Plus the women's team wasn't so fortunate, dropping a contest to Alabama to fall to 1-1 on the season. We're talking what Coach Hughey's group is hoping to see with a trio of non-conference games still coming up.

Plus Cougar alumni were making an impact all over the NFL!

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HOUSTON COUGAR MENS AND WOMENS BASKETBALL MIGHT NEVER LOSE AGAIN! Okay, maybe I should turn the optimism down a little bit.

But we return to talk a pair of impressive openers from Cougar men's and women's basketball and what we think are the big picture takeaways from those games. Additionally, we look ahead at a weekend of games for both teams.

We also take a look at all recent Cougar news, PLUS our annual in-depth look at AAC men's basketball and what we think the league will look like outside the Cougars in the 2020-21 season.

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The guys are back to go in depth on Dr. Naismith's great game: basketball!

Cougar men's basketball comes into the year in the preseason top 25 for the first time in almost 40 years, with a squad coming off back to back league titles and an abundance of experience and talent!

AND we talk Cougar women's basketball who bring in an exciting and talented crop of new players after a tough end to a shorthanded 2019-20 campaign.

BUT THATS NOT ALL!!!! UH men's basketball director of sports performance Alan Bishop for the 2nd straight season to talk all things Cougar basketball and strength and conditioning.

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There's no better recipe for a bounceback game than to play a team without an FBS win, and that did the trick for the Cougars on Saturday, as they dismantled the Bulls of South Florida. We're sifting through the remains of a blowout to decide what we liked best, with an eye towards the final third of the schedule.

Plus we read your #FourWordReviews, something we've certainly never failed to do in the past, and we enjoyed some schadenfreude as SMU blew a big lead to still-undefeated-in-AAC-play Tulsa.

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We're back... except its the *royal* we this time instead of the proper plural, as Sam is riding solo this week.

We (I) recap another tough afternoon at the proverbial offense as Houston Cougar football struggled to get anything done in a 38-10 loss to the #6 Cincy Bearcats. Some relief comes in the form of the 1-6 USF Bulls who are looking at a long-term rebuild with a fresh face in 1st year HC Jeff Scott. To learn about the Bulls, I talked with 1st time guest and long time twitter friend of the show Robert Steeg from the Daily Stampede.

Additionally, the AAC/CFB action from the week that was and will be was addressed.

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