Photos: Houston Crushes Grambling State at TDECU Stadium

Houston thrashed Grambling State on Saturday night at TDECU Stadium. Houston built a 34-point halftime lead, then cruised to a 47-0 victory. The Coogs put lots of points on the board and completely shutdown the Tigers with a stifling defense.

Click through to see photos from Houston's first win in their new home. 

Defense Looks Solid

Credit: Rachel McCarson

Houston's defense looked strong.

Houston's defense forced six turnovers against GSU. The Coogs nabbed three fumbles and picked off GSU quarterbacks Stephen Johnson and D.J. Williams a total of three times in the game. The takeaways helped Houston shut the Tigers out. 

Offensive Line Keeps O'Korn off the Ground

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O'Korn looked better against GSU than he did against UTSA.

Houston's offensive line kept the Tigers away from quarterback John O'Korn. The sophomore quarterback threw for 200 yards and one touchdown against GSU. He didn't throw any interceptions and was not sacked. O'Korn was replaced by senior Billy Cosh in the third quarter when the game was well in hand. 

Rushing Attack Shines

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Rush offense looked good.

Houston gained 275 yards on the ground. Junior Ryan Jackson rushed for 36 yards and one touchdown on nine carries. The speedster is lightening-fast and should provide the Coogs with some longer runs as the season progresses. 

Coogs Have Something to Smile About

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Houston cheerleaders had something to smile about.

Houston fans had plenty to smile about on Saturday night. The Coogs' brand-new stadium is state-of-the-art, and Houston nabbed its first ever win there in fine fashion. Houston is 1-1 in the young 2014 season. 

Passing Game Woes?

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Ayers got loose for 13 yards.

Houston wide receivers are used to catching passes in the Coogs' high flying offense, but Houston relied on the ground game against GSU. Still, how the rest of the season goes will depend on how well players such as sophomore Demarcus Ayers can integrate themselves into the offense. 

Farrow Shows His Stuff

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Farrow led the Houston ground game.

Junior running back Kenneth Farrow rushed for 130 yards and one touchdown on 13 carries. On Houston's very first possession of the game, Farrow busted through the GSU defense for 55 yards, the longest run of his collegiate career. 

Levine Notches 1st Win at TDECU Stadium

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Levine led Houston to their first win of the season.

Head coach Tony Levine needed his team to dominate GSU, and they did. Houston inaugurated TDECU Stadium last week the worst way possible by losing to instate rival UTSA 27-7. Against GSU, though, the game was never in doubt from the opening drive. 

Houston Builds Big Lead Early

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O'Korn and Greenberry are a duo to watch.

Houston went into the locker room at halftime up 34-0. O'Korn and the rest of the first team got much of the fourth quarter off. While Houston's offense has struggled so far this season in comparison to previous years, it is stocked with talent. If the Coogs work out the wrinkles before conference play, they could be contenders in the AAC. 

Greenberry Shines as Coogs' Top Receiver

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Greenberry will play on Sundays.

Junior wide receiver Deontay Greenberry caught five passes for a total of 110 yards. Greenberry is a rare talent. He's big, strong and has good hands. He is the Cougars' top NFL prospect and will likely be a first-day draft pick when his college days are over. 

Can O'Korn Be More Efficient?

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O'Korn tossed a touchdown against GSU.

O'Korn led all true freshmen last season with 28 passing touchdowns, but he's been wildly inefficient this year. Against GSU, O'Korn completed just 14-of-25 passes. He missed badly at times and seemed to be pressing the action instead of letting the game come to him. He'll need to get better before AAC conference play begins. 

Fans Like New Home

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Fans like their new home.

After selling out game one against UTSA last week, Houston had over 30,000 fans show up for Saturday's game against GSU. At Houston's old home, Robertson Stadium, that would have been a virtual sellout. But now? TDECU Stadium's capacity is listed at 40,000. Still, fan support appears to be headed upward.

Halftime Showdown with GSU

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Halftime is always fun with the Coogs.

Houston has a fine marching band, but Grambling State puts on one of the best halftime shows in the nation. Still, the Houston band had fun with their fans as well as GSU. The Houston and GSU bands ended halftime by playing together, much to the delight of those in attendance. 

Is D the New O?

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Houston, we have a defense.

Houston fans have come to expect a certain level of production from their offense. Why wouldn't they? Recent star quarterbacks like Case Keenum and Kevin Kolb helped bring back Houston's passing game to the days of Andre Ware and David Klingler. Under Levine, though, Houston's defense has been the better unit. Last season, Houston lead the nation in total takeaways. 

Do Fans Still Have High Expectations?

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Houston fans hope Coogs can compete in the AAC.

Houston fans had high hopes before the season started, but the drubbing by UTSA in the opener knocked the Coogs' expectations back down to earth. Still, Houston has enough talent on both sides of the ball to compete for a conference title, and Houston fans remain cautiously optimistic that Levine can right the ship. 

Next Game: BYU Cougars

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Can Houston perform in primetime?

Houston will hit the road for the first time this season when they travel to Provo, Utah to play the BYU Cougars on Thursday, September 11. BYU thrashed Texas 41-7 in their last game to move to 2-0 on the season. If Houston hopes to compete with BYU, they'll need to be efficient on offense and disruptive on defense.