by By STEVE CAMPBELL, houston chronicle , The Houston Chronicle

Tulsa, Okla. - Case Keenum watched last season's college football championship game on television, transfixed.

Not by the Heisman Trophy skills of Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford. Not by the ruthlessness of Florida or the relentlessness of quarterback Tim Tebow.

Keenum kept dialing in on a small patch of real estate under Tebow's eyes. Underneath the right eye, scrawled in white against a black backdrop, was "John." Underneath the left eye, scrawled in white against the same black backdrop, was "3:16."

"They talked about him having a million hits on Google for John 3:16 after the game," Keenum said. "I thought that was just the most amazing thing I'd ever seen in my life. If I can get just one somebody to ask me about it or one person to read a verse, go look it up, that's pretty cool."

One piece of Keenum's preparations for the Houston Cougars' game against Tulsa tonight is to produce a fitting Bible verse to put on his eye black. Keenum was an avid churchgoer and member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes long before he became the UH quarterback. Since the st?art of the season, Keenum has used his eye black as a way to spread the word.

"It's a big part of his life, and it's something he's passionate about," UH team chaplain Mikado Hinson said. "His deal is: Football is what I do; it's not who I am."

Keenum leads the nation in total offense. One of the subtle satisfactions of quarterbacking the nation's No. 13 team is the accumulation of phone calls, e-mails and text messages from people asking about his Bible-verse selections. Somebody out there is watching. Somebody is out there in cyberspace, looking for something besides trouble.

"They have good stuff on there," Keenum said, "not just bad stuff."

Here is the eye-black Bible-ography of Keenum's junior season.

Sept. 5 - Romans 12:2: Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Keenum starts thinking about a suitable verse in the middle of the week. One of his touchstones is a weekly Tuesday FCA meeting that, as he put it, "keeps you accountable."

"Having something where you can worship and have fellowship with fellow believers is something a lot of people need," said Keenum, who led the Cougars to touchdowns on their first five possessions of a season-opening 55-7 victory over Northwestern State. "Me included."

Sept. 12 and Sept. 26 - Isaiah 40:31: But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint.

Keenum likes that verse so much, he attaches it to the autographs he signs. He put the verse to eye black for a 45-35 victory at Oklahoma State. He sported that same Isaiah verse when he led the Cougars on a 95-yard drive that pulled out a last-minute, 29-28 victory over Texas Tech one game later.

"It's very reassuring," Keenum said. "The first time I heard it was on Remember the Titans. It's very powerful."

Oct. 10 - Ephesians 6:11: Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.

Mississippi State returned an interception 71 yards for the game's first touchdown and picked off a pass near the goal line in the third quarter. Keenum plugged away to pass for 434 yards and four touchdowns. Two of those touchdowns came in the fourth quarter of a 31-24 victory.

"He's the beacon of our team to follow," UH strength coach Larry Jackson said. "He's always really calm. He always leads by example. He practices everything he preaches."

Oct. 17 - 1 Samuel 16:7: But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."

The Cougars slogged to a nine-point first half against Tulane before cruising to a 44-16 victory. Keenum wasn't all that sharp with his marker, either. The scrawl on his eye black caused some to mistake it for an Isaiah 16:7 verse about wailing for Moab and mourning and grieving over raisin cakes.

"I guess," Keenum mused, "I need to get better handwriting."

Oct. 24 - Galatians 1:10: Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.

One of Keenum's passes during a 38-15 victory over SMU was uncharacteristically ill-timed. On the sideline, receiver James Cleveland asked Keenum if he'd been pressured.

"A little bit," Keenum said.

When Cleveland watched the play on video on Monday, he nearly burst out laughing.

"He got smacked in the mouth," Cleveland said. "I love that about him. It's never too high, and it's never too low. He's always trying to right his wrongs rather than praise his rights."

Oct. 31 - Matthew 5:16: In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

The Cougars had a 40-22 lead against Southern Mississippi with less than 13 minutes remaining. Next thing the Cougars knew, the score was 43-43 and 57 seconds remained in the game.

Keenum isn't just the son of a football coach. He is the son of a football coach who has devout religious beliefs. Steve Keenum is the area director of the Big Country FCA in Abilene. Case has been attending FCA camps and functions for as long as he can remember.

The coach's son calmly drove the Cougars 77 yards for the winning touchdown. His fifth TD pass of the day was a 28-yarder to Patrick Edwards with 21 seconds left.

"I found out real quickly when I got out on my own that I can't do it on my own," Keenum said. "I can't deal with all the stresses of being a college football player and an athlete and a student, a Christian, a role model and all this stuff on my own. I need somebody else in control. Because if I think I've got it under control, he definitely reminds me that I don't.

"If I start stressing and worrying about stuff, it's kind of slapping God in the face and saying, ?I don't think You have it under control.' He has a plan, and his plan is better than anything I can even imagine."

Especially alert Cougars fans will notice there is no Bible-ography entry from an untelevised 58-41 loss Oct. 3 at UTEP. Keenum winced.

"UTEP, I didn't do a verse," Keenum said. "It was a night game. But I do a verse every time now."

steve.campbell@chron.com

Houston at Tulsa

6:30 p.m. today

Records: Houston 7-1; Tulsa 4-4

TV/radio: CBS College Sports; 790 AM

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