No. 20 Houston is leaning hard on its home crowd ahead of a big Oct. 17 matchup with No. 18 Oklahoma State, and Willie Fritz is making the ask loud and clear.
After the Cougars’ 35-16 win over Kansas State, Fritz used his postgame press conference to push fans toward TDECU Stadium.
“We need to get as many Coogs out there as humanly possible,” Fritz said. “We’re gonna be right there in Houston TDECU Stadium. Let’s get some people out there.”
That message has been echoed all week on Houston football’s Instagram page, where the program has repeatedly urged fans to pack the building for the top-25 Big 12 showdown. Senior defensive back Jordan Allen put it plainly in one of the posts: “Top 25 matchup.
We’re challenging 10,000 of y’all to pull up to the game,” Allen said. “Be loud, wear red and go Coogs.”
Houston Athletics has also rolled out a slate of game-day extras designed to turn the night into more than just a football game. Fans will have access to five-dollar beers for the entire game, while a drone show is scheduled for halftime and the third/fourth quarter break.
Before kickoff, the party is set to start in Cougar Alley, where DJ GT Mayne, MC D-Swift, Paul Luna, Melanie Rose and Aloye are slated to perform a pregame concert.
There’s also an added incentive for students who claimed a free ticket: one will have a shot at a $1,000 scholarship during the T-shirt toss.
The Cougars and Cowboys have met 21 times, with Houston winning 11 of those games. The last meeting went Houston’s way too, a 39-17 victory last season.
Fritz pointed again to the crowd factor in remarks on Oct. 12, noting Oklahoma State will likely have its own support in the building.
“I’m sure Oklahoma State is gonna bring some people,” Fritz said. “We just need to keep banging the drum and getting everybody out there.”
The stakes go beyond one night in Houston. The result could affect where the Cougars land in the AP polls and what their path looks like toward the Big 12 Championship game.
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