Houston Cougars
Head Coach:  Tony Levine
2013-14 Record:  8-5, 5-3 American Athletic Conference
2013-14 Bowl Result:  41-24 loss to Vanderbilt in Compass Bowl
Odds to Win National Championship:  Field +2142

Returning Starters

Offense:  8, Defense:  9

Offense

Since 2006, no team in college football has racked up more offensive yards than Houston who has 53,780 yards in that time, which can’t be ignored when making your college football predictions on a weekly basis.

Cougars quarterback John O’Korn led all true freshmen nationally with 28 passing touchdowns—a number that ranked second in the AAC.  He completed 58.1 percent of his passes for 3,117 yards and 28 touchdowns last year.

In his second season, Deontay Greenberry easily surpassed his 2012 numbers, as he was the conference’s leading receiver with 1,202 yards—despite leaving the Louisville game on the first drive and missing the SMU contest.

Defense

The Cougars definitely benefited by leading the nation with 43 forced turnovers last season, which led directly to a plus-25 margin in that all-important statistical category.

Free safety Trevon Stewart is one of the more dynamic playmakers in the country—something that allowed the stop unit to force multiple turnovers in 12 games and at least three opponent miscues in 10 contests.

A high school quarterback, Adrian McDonald started at strong safety in 2013 and led the AAC with six interceptions to go along with 99 tackles.

Schedule

Houston definitely has the ability to get his feet wet in the early going, as it welcomes in UTSA and Grambling State to the new Houston Football Stadium, but then will face a major test in hitting the road against the BYU Cougars in a Thursday night contest in Week 3.

Two games really stick out on the schedule, with the first one being a home game against UCF on Thursday, Oct. 2, while it ends things on the road against the Cincinnati Bearcats.

Outlook

Levine seems to have everything in line to have a great season, as the roster is more experienced this season, which will help to avoid losing three of its final four games like a year ago.

O’Korn and Greenberry are special, while the running game has two players that ran for over 500 yards last season.

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