1963 Houston Cougars football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1963
| team = Houston Cougars
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = Independent
| record = 2–8
| head_coach = Bill Yeoman
| hc_year = 2nd
| captain = Clem Beard
| captain2 = Demaree Jones
| captain3 = Frank Brewer
| stadium = Rice Stadium
}}
{{1963 NCAA University Division independents football records}}
The 1963 Houston Cougars football team was an American football team that represented the University of Houston as an independent during the 1963 NCAA University Division football season. In its second season under head coach Bill Yeoman, the team compiled a 2–8 record. Clem Beard, Demaree Jones, and Frank Brewer were the team captains.{{cite web|title=2018 Houston Football Media Guide|publisher=University of Houston|pages=126, 145|url=https://uhcougars.com/documents/2018/8/15/_18_Houston_Football_Guide_With_Covers.pdf|accessdate=August 14, 2020}} The team played its home games at Rice Stadium in Houston.
The game against Louisville was originally scheduled to be played on November 23, but was postponed to December 14 due to the assassination of John F. Kennedy.
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
| rankyear = 1963
| poll = AP
| attend = y
| source = y
|September 21||Auburn|Rice Stadium|Houston, TX|L 14–21|30,000|{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/victoria-advocate-houston-bows-2114-to/133628758/|work=Victoria Advocate|title=Houston bows 21–14 to Auburn|date=September 22, 1963|accessdate=October 17, 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}
|September 28|at|Baylor|Baylor Stadium|Waco, TX (rivalry)|L 0–27|20,000|{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tyler-courier-times-baylor-crushes-h/168642072/|work=The Tyler Courier-Times-Telegraph|title=Baylor crushes Houston by 27–0|date=September 29, 1963|accessdate=March 23, 2025|via=Newspapers.com}}
|October 5||No. 10 Ole Miss|Rice Stadium|Houston, TX|L 6–20|30,000|{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-birmingham-news-ole-miss-skirts-coug/133629795/|work=The Birmingham News|title=Ole Miss skirts Cougar roadblock for 20–6 win|date=October 6, 1963|accessdate=October 17, 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}
|October 12|at|Texas A&M|Kyle Field|College Station, TX|L 13–23|18,500|{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/fort-worth-star-telegram-aggies-hang-23/168647684/|work=Fort Worth Star-Telegram|title=Aggies hang 23–13 loss on Cougars|date=October 13, 1963|accessdate=March 23, 2025|via=Newspapers.com}}
|October 19|at|Mississippi State|Scott Field|Starkville, MS|L 0–20|27,000|{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-commercial-appeal-state-dazes-housto/133373655/|work=The Commercial Appeal|title=State dazes Houston in bruising 20–0 win|date=October 20, 1963|accessdate=October 13, 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}
|October 26|at|No. 6 Alabama|Denny Stadium|Tuscaloosa, AL|L 13–21|28,022|{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/waco-tribune-herald-injury-riddled-tide/133378632/|work=Waco Tribune-Herald|title=Injury-riddled Tide pounds Houston, 21–13|date=October 27, 1963|accessdate=October 13, 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}
|November 2||Detroit|Rice Stadium|Houston, TX|W 55–18|15,000|{{cite news|title=Houston Humbles U-D, 55-18|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|date=November 3, 1953|page=1D|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/121029318/houston-humbles-u-d-55-18/|via=Newspapers.com}}
|November 16|at|Tulsa|Skelly Stadium|Tulsa, OK (rivalry)|L 21–22|5,662|{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-ardmoreite-tulsa-strikes-late/169965595/|work=The Daily Ardmoreite|title=Tulsa strikes late to nudge Houston 22–21|date=November 17, 1963|accessdate=April 9, 2025|via=Newspapers.com}}
|November 30|at|Memphis State|Crump Stadium|Memphis, TN|L 6–29|13,665|{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-odessa-american-memphis-state-smacks/169965715/|work=The Odessa American|title=Memphis State smacks Houston|date=December 1, 1963|accessdate=April 9, 2025|via=Newspapers.com}}
|December 14||Louisville|Rice Stadium|Houston, TX|W 21–7|5,000|{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/lubbock-avalanche-journal-houston-outsco/169965814/|work=Lubbock Avalanche-Journal|title=Houston outscores Louisville, 21–7|date=December 15, 1963|accessdate=April 9, 2025|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}{{cite web |author= |title=Brief Summary Of Cumulative Football Statistics (Houston) |url=https://stats.ncaa.org/teams/215323 |publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association |access-date=April 9, 2025 }}