Undefeated and undaunted, the 2011 University of Houston Cougar football team will march into the university’s Robertson Stadium on a mission this Saturday…to capture the Conference USA title and proceed to its first Bowl Championship Series (BCS) game.

Fans will be wearing their best Cougar red this week to support the team as it prepares to take on the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles at 11 a.m., Dec. 3. The school’s colors also will be prominently displayed downtown as Houston’s City Hall will be illuminated with red lights to support the Coogs’ efforts.

From Dec. 2 – 4, red lights will shine outside of City Hall to celebrate the UH football team’s 2011 success. The lighting will be visible during evening hours.

“The city is rallying behind the University of Houston,” said Houston Mayor Annise Parker. “This has been a historic season for the Cougar football team and a milestone year for the university. Houstonians are proud of this Tier One institution, and we look forward to helping spread “Cougar Pride” in the community by shining a red spotlight on City Hall.”

The UH football team recently completed it first undefeated season and is No. 6 in BCS rankings and No. 7 in the Associated Press Top 25. Quarterback Case Keenum has factored heavily into the team’s success. This season, he became the NCAA’s all-time passing leader.

“Join all of us at City Hall in saying ‘Go Coogs!’” said Houston City Council member and UH alumna Melissa Noriega. “Support the University of Houston in the Conference USA Championship game. City Hall is … whose house? Coogs’ house!”

The Cougars have made two previous appearances in the Conference USA championship game. In 2006, UH defeated Southern Mississippi 34 - 20 at Robertson Stadium for the title. During the 2009 contest, UH fell to East Carolina University 32 – 38 in Greenville, N.C.

Tickets for the Conference USA Championship Game are sold out, but fans can tune into ABC television to watch the action. This is the first time this title game has been broadcast on ABC. The Cougars have not appeared on this network since 1993. For more details on UH football and other Cougar athletics, visit UHCougars.com.

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About the University of Houston

The University of Houston is a Carnegie-designated Tier One public research university recognized by The Princeton Review as one of the nation’s best colleges for undergraduate education. UH serves the globally competitive Houston and Gulf Coast Region by providing world-class faculty, experiential learning and strategic industry partnerships. Located in the nation’s fourth-largest city, UH serves more than 39,500 students in the most ethnically and culturally diverse region in the country.