Southern coach Marshall Faulk did not look for a silver lining after his team’s 77-6 loss at No. 22 Houston on Saturday night. “That was awful,” Faulk said. “That was really a preseason crash dummy test for Houston to work on all their good plays, and we didn’t show up.” Houston scored touchdowns on each of its first four possessions, forced three Southern turnovers, and outgained the Jaguars 591 yards to 121 at TDECU Stadium. Southern fell to 1-2 while Houston improved to 2-0.

WAFB’s Kevin Batiste posted Faulk’s full postgame press conference, in which the coach also addressed what he called “money games,” the guarantee matchups that send FCS programs like Southern on the road to face power conference opponents, and the broader challenges those games present.

#Southern head coach Marshall Faulk kept it real following the 77-6 loss to No. 22 Houston.

Not only on his team’s performance but “money games” and the challenges in general. Full postgames presser below. @WAFB pic.twitter.com/mPQGK2WsN0

— Kevin Batiste (@KBatisteJr) September 13, 2026

“That Was a Preseason Crash Dummy Test”

Faulk pointed to turnovers as the moment the game got away from Southern. Quarterback Christian Johnson was sacked and fumbled at the Southern 22 on the Jaguars’ second possession, a strip sack by Houston’s Jalen Mayo that DK Mays recovered, and the Cougars needed only two plays to convert it into Re’Shaun Sanford II’s 9-yard touchdown run for a 14-0 lead. Southern fumbled again on its next possession when a backward pass hit the ground, and Houston linebacker Sione Fotu recovered it, once more handing the Cougars a short field at the Jaguars’ 22. By the time the first quarter ended, Houston led 28-0 on touchdowns from Conner Weigman to Patrick Overmyer, Sanford, Makhi Hughes and Weigman to Amare Thomas, a total that tied a program record for points in an opening quarter.

Faulk did not dispute the outcome. “For the most part, the guys we had in early gave their best effort,” he said. “Let’s just be real: they’re better than us. They’re ranked 22nd, and we’re FCS. Everybody knows what this is. Let it be what it is. We’re going to get better, lick our wounds, and get ready to play some football.”

“They Have a Really Nice Budget”

Houston kept scoring after halftime, building a 49-0 lead by the break and stretching it to 70-6 by the middle of the third quarter on touchdown runs from Keisean Henderson (54 yards on a three-play, 75-yard drive to open the second half), DJ Butler and John Hebert, plus touchdown passes from Weigman and Henderson. Weigman’s 43-yard touchdown pass to Koby Young was his longest of the season and extended his streak of games with a touchdown pass to 10 in a row. The Cougars finished with 388 rushing yards, their most in over a decade, and six rushing touchdowns to go with 203 passing yards and five more scores through the air, a 591-121 advantage in total offense. Luke Carney, making his college debut at quarterback, added an 8-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter for the final margin.

Faulk was direct about what separated the two programs. “They have a good team,” he said. “They have players everywhere. They have a really nice budget. Back when Southern had juniors and seniors, this could be a competitive game against Houston. In today’s landscape, we don’t have the budget to compete against them.”

The numbers back him up. Southern’s entire FY2025 athletic department, covering all 18 of its sports programs, reported $17.0 million in total revenue against $18.4 million in total expenses, a net deficit of $1,348,308, according to NCAA Membership Financial Reporting System data on Data Driven HBCU’s Southern University dashboard. Houston, by contrast, spent $26.41 million on football alone in FY2025, per the Knight-Newhouse College Athletics Database.

Houston paid Southern a $400,000 guarantee for the game.

“You Got to Know When to Say Uncle”

With the outcome decided, Faulk pulled his starters and had Southern play the fourth quarter under a running clock, choosing his players’ health over pride in a game long out of reach. “You got to know when to say uncle,” Faulk said. “Here’s what I owe to these kids. Although we are trying to win a football game and trying to teach them lessons, they deserve to walk out of these games healthy. I have to set my pride aside.” Southern finished with three turnovers on the night, two lost fumbles and an interception thrown by Ashton Strother that Houston’s Jordan Allen brought down, while converting just 1 of 13 third downs against a Houston defense that forced six three-and-outs over the course of the game.

“A Big Part of Our Future”

Southern avoided its first shutout of the season in the third quarter when quarterback Wyatt McCauley connected with Wydell Clark Jr. for a 79-yard touchdown, the Jaguars’ only points of the night. The extra point attempt was blocked. McCauley finished 2 of 3 passing for 85 yards and the score, while Johnson (5 of 12 for 29 yards) and Strother (3 of 5 for 13 yards, one interception) also played quarterback. Faulk brightened when asked about the play. “I’m excited to see the two young guys connect,” he said. “Those guys are a big part of our future. I’m happy for Wyatt; he’s been working his butt off. Happy for Wydell as well.”

Faulk also defended Johnson’s uneven night at quarterback. “To the naked eye, it wasn’t how I wanted him to play, but a lot of times we judge quarterbacks,” Faulk said. “I have to go see what the receiver did. I have to make sure the correct line call was made. I don’t want to take anything away from him. Houston is just a really well-coached team.”

Faulk said the coaching staff would use the film to teach execution rather than to grade individual players, and that the priority now is turning the group’s attention toward the return of SWAC play, which he said is about two weeks out. Houston continues its climb through the Big 12 schedule. Track both teams and every other HBCU program the rest of the way on our 2025 football season dashboard.