Houston vs. Tulsa: Friday's 'Other' Big College Football Game

Eighth-ranked Houston (11-0) has no room for a letdown.

A bad performance and a loss to Tulsa (8-3) today, and the Cougars can kiss their BCS Bowl hopes good bye, but also a shot at the Conference USA Championship.

So there’s a lot on the line for Houston.

Houston must defeat Tulsa and then win next week’s conference championship to become the first team from Conference USA to earn a BCS Bowl berth.

How about that for pressure?

Houston has the players, including Heisman candidate and NCAA record-breaking quarterback Case Keenum, who seems to execute Kevin Sumlin’s offense with near perfection.

Keenum, the sixth-year senior, leads an offense that ranks first nationally in total offense (618.3 yards per game), passing (447.5) and scoring (53.1).

Keenum has passed for 4,269 yards and 38 touchdowns in 2011 to raise his career numbers that are the best ever in total offense (18,771 yards), passing yards (17,855), touchdown passes (145) and completions (1,427).

As good as Houston has been this year (even ESPN’s GameDay visited campus last week for the game with SMU), Tulsa has delivered almost every week this season. The Golden Hurricanes’ three losses came against No. 9 Oklahoma, No. 4 Oklahoma State and No. 7 Boise State.

Tulsa enters today’s game at Chapman Stadium on a seven-game winning streak with a shot to win CUSA’s West Division.

Keenum may be the conference’s quarterback darling, but Tulsa’s G.J. Kinne is a special player as well. Kinne has completed more than 65 percent of his passes for 2,700 yards and 24 touchdowns. It’s a far cry from Keenum’s otherworldly numbers, but still impressive.

Kinne is a better running quarterback, which adds a dimension Houston’s defense must contend with. Kinne has rushed for 361 yards and three scores this season.

Expect a high-scoring affair today, but just don’t expect to see it on TV since this game is not being televised nationally.

Now that’s a waste. Houston is hoping it doesn’t waste the opportunity.

Prediction: Tulsa 48, Houston 47