Around this time five years ago, the University of Houston's football program experienced a seminal moment.

It was 2006 and the Cougars were five years removed from their worst season in program history, 10 years removed from their last conference championship. Blood, sweat and tears spent over the years building the program back from the ashes culminated in a memorable December night when the Cougars defeated Southern Mississippi to claim the Conference USA championship.

On Saturday, the stage is set for another transformation for the program, from national relevancy to Bowl Championship Series buster. And it seems only appropriate the opponent is once again Southern Mississippi.

The No. 8 Cougars (12-0, 8-0 C-USA), who Friday completed their first undefeated regular season in school history, will host the Southern Miss Golden Eagles in the C-USA Championship Game at 11 a.m. Saturday at Robertson Stadium.

"Twelve and zero is a pretty good position to be in," senior quarterback Case Keenum said. "I really couldn't ask for anything else. To have Southern Miss coming to our place to play for the title, I think it's fitting. We've had some great matchups between those guys and us and this will be another good one."

Eyes on the prize

Nick de la Torre

The Golden Eagles (10-2, 6-2) clinched the C-USA East Division title with a 44-7 home win over Memphis on Saturday. UH clinched the C-USA West title with its 48-16 win at Tulsa on Friday.

The Cougars are seeking their first C-USA title since that win over Southern Miss in 2006. And while a BCS bowl looms if the Cougars win, coach Kevin Sumlin is determined to keep his players focused on the first prize and their preseason goal, the C-USA title.

Considering their demeanor in the locker room after the victory over Tulsa, Sumlin figures he will have to deliver few words to ensure the Cougars are ready this week.

"I don't have to say much to them this week," Sumlin said. "I think just based on the look and how we reacted to (Friday), they're happy but they're not satisfied. I look for them to come back (this) week and be ready to prepare and go try to win a championship."

And it helps having it at home. Robertson Stadium was the site for the 2006 win, and the Cougars' only other C-USA title game berth came in 2009 when UH had to travel to East Carolina and lost. UH is expecting a sellout crowd as ticket sales to the general public reached capacity in just three hours Friday evening. The only tickets that remain are reserved for current season-ticket holders, who have a 5 p.m. Monday deadline to claim their seats, and for students, who can purchase tickets beginning at 8 a.m. Monday.

No place like home

It will be one final chance for the Cougars to play in front of a raucous home crowd.

"It's just fitting that that game, those guys are going to go out there and play their last game, the championship game, at Robertson Stadium in front of our crowd," Sumlin said. "It's a reward for them, for our fans, for our university and it's a reward for the city of Houston and I look for it to be more jam-packed than it was last time we were there.

"It's going to be a lot of energy, it'll probably be a little bit emotional, but I think these guys understand what's at hand and based on the look I saw in there, they're going to be ready to go."

sam.khan@chron.com

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