Houston 37, SMU 7

Lee Corso loses his mind in Houston: F-Bomb ensures Coogs House College GameDaywill never be forgotten

Lee Corso has sailed through ESPN College GameDay shows in traditionalcollege football hotbeds like Tuscaloosa, Gainesville, South Bend and Baton Rouge. But the excitement of the Coogs House proved to be a little too much for the veteran analyst.

The 76-year-old Corso found himself losing it as he made his pick for the SMU-Houston game. Traditionally the highlight of GameDay, Corso dons the headwear of the mascot of the team he's going with — to the loud cheers or jeers of the crowd, depending on the choice. Only in Houston, Corso added a few choice words to the routine.

"You brought out the Cougar in Corso," Chris Fowler said.

Corso feigned like he was going to pick SMU to upset 11th-ranked Houston, picking up a Mustangs megaphone. But he tossed that aside with a "Ah, fuck it" — pulling on UH's Shasta cougar mascot head instead.

Corso's F-bomb could clearly be heard on air — and it carried across Cullen Circle where hordes of Cougar fans watched the show live from the grass. The bit of spontaneity caused one of Corso's GameDay co-hosts to almost fall out of his chair on the stage (Kirk Herbstreit) and another to look like he wanted to disappear into the table (Chris Fowler). Celebrity guest picker Carl Lewis started clapping.

"You brought out the Cougar in Corso," Fowler said on air.

"That's Corso," Lewis said later. "He's crazy."

Fowler also playfully rebuked "Shasta" for his potty mouth before College GameDay went off the air, but soon ESPN had Corso back on during its broadcast of the Nebraska-Michigan game, reading an apology. "Earlier today on College GameDay while picking the SMU-Houston game I got a bit excited and used an expletive that I shouldn’t have used," Corso said to the camera. "I apologize and can promise it won’t happen again”

Hey, at least Corso turned out to be right. Houston ended up winning 37-7 to go to 11-0, moving two wins from a BCS bowl berth.

Soon the network was in full damage control, telling reporters it would have no further comment.

Whose House? Coogs House!

Cougar Red and Houston Blue

UH expands 'Houston Blue' uniforms, despite NFL cease-and-desist

UH continues using Houston Blue uniforms despite NFL rebuke

Photo courtesy of Houston Athletics

Luv ya Blue running wild.

University of Houston Athletics are in a “Luv ya blue” mood and they don’t care who knows it — not even the NFL.

The university has announced that its football and volleyball teams will wear new Houston Blue jerseys, reminiscent of the classic colors of the Houston Oilers era. The volleyball team's uniform will debut theirs starting November 9 against Texas Tech, while the football team will debut theirs against Baylor on November 23. At the latter event, the first 20,000 fans will receive commemorative Houston Blue rally towels.

The resemblance of the new colors to the Oilers brand was not lost on the NFL. When UH Athletics started incorporating Houston Blue into their uniforms in September 2023, the NFL sent a cease-and-desist letter claiming the uniforms were an attempt to leech off the legacy of the Oilers and the intellectual property of the team now known as the Tennessee Titans. As if to prove the point, the Titans have occasionally worn Columbia blue throwback uniforms at certain games.

UH is unbothered according to vice president for intercollegiate athletics Eddie Nuñez.

“As a university deeply connected to the fabric of Houston, incorporating ‘Houston Blue’ into our uniforms is a powerful way to celebrate the city’s rich history,” he said. “From iconic blue street markers to the Houston Police Department’s signature blue police cars and helicopters, this color holds a special place in the hearts of Houstonians. We’re thrilled to share this tradition with our fans and offer them the chance to show their pride through exclusive merchandise, making it an exciting time for Cougar Nation to rally together.”

The accompanying press release for the uniforms came with a helpful history lesson showing that the Oilers adopted a color widely associated with Houston, not the other way around. The city has incorporated blue into public infrastructure, from street curbs to city vehicles, since the 1920s. The Oilers weren’t even the first Houston team to use blue in their uniforms. That honor belongs to the minor league baseball team, the Houston Buffs. In addition, the university made minor changes to the uniform in response to the NFL's concerns.

UH will be offering a wide range of merchandise to sell in the new Houston Blue colors in person and online through the University of Houston Bookstore as well as at select local retailers. These include shirts, hats, polos, jerseys, and hoodies. Get them before the NFL sends a more strongly-worded letter.

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Fans of Houston sports and Houston food can now score tickets to The Tailgate, CultureMap's all-out party devoted to everyone’s favorite way to get in the gameday spirit. The event, presented by Verizon, goes down from 6-9 pm November 11 at 8th Wonder. Find out more about it here.

university of houston houston blue

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