This Friday night, the Houston Cougars will take on the Washington State Cougars inside NRG Stadium in Houston. It’s a battle of two of the three FBS level football programs to share the name Cougars, alongside BYU. And as we enter this Coug vs. Coog showdown, it’s worth taking a look at how Houston came to be known as the Cougars... And which program they took inspiration from.
Back in the early 20th century, John R. Bender led Washington State football for five seasons over two stints, leading Washington State College to a 21-12 record.