Houston Cougars
Big 12
0-0 (0-0 conf)
SP+ #40
Ratings
2025 final
- SP+
- 7.4 (#40)
- SP+ Offense
- 31.5
- SP+ Defense
- 23.0
- SRS
- 6.3
- FPI
- 4.4
- Elo
- 1512
- Talent
- 657
- Recruiting
- —
2026 Outlook
Projected wins
8.0p10 6.0 — p90 9.0
| Round | Prob | |
|---|---|---|
| Win conference | 1.1% | |
| Make CFP | 1.9% | |
| Quarterfinal | 0.5% | |
| Semifinal | 0.1% | |
| Natl. final | 0.0% | |
| Natl. champ | 0.0% |
Schedule
proj record 7.8–4.2
Schedule
73rd
toughest of 136
Offenses faced
68th
toughest of 136
Defenses faced
74th
toughest of 136
Strength of schedule — how tough this team's opponents are, ranked 1 (hardest) to 136 (easiest) · by 2025 SP+ · 1 FCS game.
| Wk | Opponent | SP+ | Score | Proj | Win% | Res |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | vsOregon State | -15.9 | 34-19 | +14.5 | 85% | — |
| 2 | vsSouthern | FCS | 46-3* | +42.6 | 100% | — |
| 3 | @Texas Tech | +27.6 | 19-32 | -13.1 | 17% | — |
| 4 | @Georgia Southern | -9.4 | 33-23 | +9.9 | 75% | — |
| 5 | vsUCF | -1.2 | 33-22 | +10.8 | 77% | — |
| 6 | @Kansas State | +7 | 24-29 | -5.1 | 36% | — |
| 7 | vsOklahoma State | -15.1 | 33-20 | +13.3 | 82% | — |
| 8 | @Utah | +22.2 | 21-32 | -10.2 | 24% | — |
| 10 | vsCincinnati | +4.5 | 28-22 | +6.0 | 65% | — |
| 11 | @Colorado | -8.3 | 31-21 | +10.2 | 76% | — |
| 12 | @West Virginia | -6.8 | 30-23 | +6.6 | 68% | — |
| 13 | vsBaylor | +1.4 | 31-23 | +7.7 | 71% | — |
* FBS-vs-FCS estimate from the SP+ gap — no per-game model for FCS opponents.
Quarterbacks · 3
2026 · 62
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QB | 1st | Conner Weigman | JR | 6'3" | 210 | ★★★★★ |
| QB | 2nd | Zeon Chriss | JR | 6'3" | 210 | ★★★ |
| QB | 3rd | Luke Carney← Syracuse | FR | 6'2" | 205 | ★★★ |
Running Backs · 6
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RB | 1st | Dean Connors | SR | 6'0" | 206 | — |
| RB | 2nd | DJ Butler | SO | 6'0" | 190 | — |
| RB | 3rd | Stacy Sneed | SR | 5'11" | 185 | — |
| RB | 4th | Makhi Hughes← Oregon | JR | 5'11" | 210 | ★★★ |
| RB | 5th | JayShon Ridgle | SO | 6'0" | 197 | ★★★ |
| RB | 6th | Zane Smith | FR | 5'9" | 235 | — |
Wide Receivers · 9
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WR | 1st | Trent Walker← Oregon State | SR | 6'2" | 194 | ★★★ |
| WR | 2nd | Amare Thomas | JR | 6'0" | 205 | — |
| WR | 3rd | Mekhi Mews | SR | 5'8" | 185 | — |
| WR | 4th | Stephon Johnson | SR | 6'2" | 190 | — |
| WR | 5th | Koby Young | FR | 6'0" | 180 | ★★★ |
| WR | 6th | Harvey Broussard III | JR | 6'3" | 185 | ★★★ |
| WR | 7th | Jaquise Martin | FR | 5'10" | 180 | — |
| WR | 8th | Muizz Tounkara← Florida | FR | 6'3" | 208 | ★★★ |
| WR | 9th | Tyson Turner← Texas Tech | FR | 6'2" | 210 | ★★★ |
Tight Ends · 2
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TE | 1st | Patrick Overmyer← UTSA | SO | 6'5" | 235 | ★★★ |
| TE | 2nd | Luke McGary | JR | 6'4" | 250 | — |
Offensive Line · 3
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OL | — | Dalton Merryman | SR | 6'9" | 305 | — |
| OT | — | Hayden Wright← Northwestern | FR | 6'5" | 255 | ★★★ |
| OT | — | Drew Terrill← Miami (OH) | JR | 6'6" | 280 | ★★★ |
Defensive Line · 12
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DL | 1st | Carlos Allen Jr. | SR | 6'1" | 295 | — |
| DL | 2nd | Eddie Walls III | SR | 6'4" | 250 | — |
| DL | 3rd | Khalil Laufau | JR | 6'3" | 300 | ★★★ |
| DL | 4th | Ashton Porter← Oregon | SO | 6'3" | 290 | ★★★ |
| DL | 5th | De'Marion Thomas← Oklahoma State | JR | 6'2" | 337 | ★★★ |
| DL | 6th | Darius Washington | FR | 6'6" | 265 | — |
| DL | 7th | Zavian Tibbs | JR | 6'1" | 275 | — |
| DL | 8th | Myles Parker | SO | 6'0" | 335 | — |
| DL | 9th | Travis Buhake | FR | 6'2" | 265 | ★★★★ |
| DL | 10th | Chance Bryant | FR | 6'2" | 255 | ★★★ |
| DL | 11th | Xavier Stillman | SR | 6'3" | 310 | — |
| DL | — | Ejiroghene Egodogbare← Yale | — | — | — | ★★★ |
Linebackers · 8
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LB | 1st | Jalen Garner | SR | 6'1" | 225 | — |
| LB | 2nd | Sione Fotu | JR | 6'0" | 226 | — |
| LB | 3rd | Jaden Yates← Ole Miss | JR | 6'1" | 215 | ★★★ |
| LB | 4th | Latreveon McCutchin | JR | 6'3" | 245 | — |
| LB | 5th | Brandon Mack II | JR | 6'4" | 245 | — |
| LB | 6th | Miller Malone← Western Kentucky | SO | 6'2" | 216 | ★★★ |
| LB | 7th | Carmycah Glass | SO | 6'4" | 230 | — |
| LB | 8th | Christian Brathwaite | FR | 6'2" | 220 | ★★★ |
Defensive Backs · 14
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DB | 1st | Kentrell Webb | JR | 5'11" | 185 | ★★★ |
| DB | 2nd | Wrook Brown | SR | 5'11" | 190 | ★★★ |
| DB | 3rd | Latrell McCutchin Sr. | SR | 6'1" | 185 | ★★★★ |
| DB | 4th | Jordan Allen | SO | 5'11" | 200 | ★★★ |
| DB | 5th | Will James | SO | 6'0" | 185 | ★★★ |
| DB | 6th | Marc Stampley II | SR | 5'11" | 185 | ★★★ |
| DB | 7th | Blake Thompson | SR | 6'1" | 195 | — |
| DB | 8th | Zelmar Vedder | SR | 6'3" | 195 | — |
| DB | 9th | C.J. Douglas | JR | 5'11" | 200 | — |
| DB | 10th | Johnsley Barbas | SO | 5'11" | 185 | — |
| DB | 11th | Keany Parks | JR | 6'1" | 180 | ★★★ |
| DB | 12th | Jamaal Shaw | SO | 6'1" | 200 | — |
| DB | 13th | Alvin Williamson Jr. | FR | 6'0" | 200 | ★★★ |
| S | 1st | Javion White← Tulane | SO | 6'0" | 180 | ★★★ |
Special Teams · 5
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| K | — | Evan Noel← Florida | FR | 6'1" | 165 | ★★★ |
| LS | — | Jack Carson-Wentz← Florida A&M | — | — | — | — |
| P | 1st | Liam Dougherty | SO | 6'2" | 205 | — |
| PK | 1st | Ethan Sanchez | SR | 5'9" | 192 | — |
| PK | 2nd | Zac Yoakam | SR | 5'8" | 195 | — |
SP+ Trend
points vs avg team
— Overall— Offense— Defense
SP+ = opponent-adjusted points vs an average team. Overall & Offense higher = better; Defense lower = better.
Season History · last 12
0 AP top-10 · 9 postseason
| Season | Record | Conf | SP+ | AP | Post |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 9-3 | 6-3 | #40 | #22 | 1-0 |
| 2024 | 4-8 | 3-6 | #101 | — | — |
| 2023 | 4-8 | 2-7 | #94 | — | — |
| 2022 | 7-5 | 5-3 | #57 | #24 | 1-0 |
| 2021 | 11-2 | 8-1 | #31 | #16 | 1-0 |
| 2020 | 3-4 | 3-3 | #51 | — | 0-1 |
| 2019 | 4-8 | 2-6 | #82 | — | — |
| 2018 | 8-4 | 5-3 | #64 | — | 0-1 |
| 2017 | 7-4 | 5-3 | #43 | — | 0-1 |
| 2016 | 9-3 | 5-3 | #39 | — | 0-1 |
| 2015 | 12-1 | 8-1 | #53 | — | 1-0 |
| 2014 | 7-5 | 5-3 | #56 | — | 1-0 |
Recruiting Classes
avg #66 · 11 blue-chip
■ 5★■ 4★■ 3★107 rated signees
| Class | Natl | Pts | 5★ | 4★ | 3★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #52 | 199 | 0 | 2 | 7 |
| 2024 | #60 | 184 | 0 | 2 | 7 |
| 2023 | #55 | 192 | 0 | 3 | 8 |
| 2022 | #50 | 188 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| 2021 | #81 | 153 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 2020 | #82 | 155 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 2019 | #72 | 165 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 2018 | #73 | 167 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
| 2017 | #69 | 160 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| 2016 | #36 | 202 | 1 | 2 | 8 |
247Sports composite · class rank vs all FBS
Roster Talent
2026
Portal in 18net +2Out 16
Portal avg stars (in / out)3.0 / 3.0
Notable Portal Moves
| ▲ | Anthony Boswell | IOL | 3★ | ← Toledo |
| ▲ | Makhi Hughes | RB | 3★ | ← Oregon |
| ▲ | Ashton Porter | DL | 3★ | ← Oregon |
| ▲ | Shadre Hurst | IOL | 3★ | ← Tulane |
| ▼ | Corey Platt Jr. | LB | 3★ | → Texas Tech |
| ▼ | Demetrius Hunter | IOL | 3★ | → Colorado |
| ▼ | Austin Carlisle | QB | 3★ | → UL Monroe |
| ▼ | J'Marion Burnette | RB | 3★ | → App State |
returning PPA · portal · talent composite · 2026
Injury Report · 0
No injuries reported.
Team News
20 items
- What Wins and What Loses the Game for Houston vs UtahHere is what wins and loses the game for Houston against Utah.HOU22h
- How This Freshman WR Can Change The Game for Houston Next SeasonCould this receiver really impact Houston's WR room?HOU1d
- 5 Utah Players Houston Fans Need to Know For 2026 MatchupHere are 5 Utah players that fans need to watch out for.HOU2d
- Trap Game or Tune-Up? A Look at Utah on Houston's 2026 ScheduleWhere does Utah rank in Houston's 2026 schedule?HOU2d
- Willie Fritz Embraces Houston's Expectations in Suddenly Wide Open Big 12The Cougars return the core of a 10-win team. With spring practice in the rearview and fall fast approaching, Fritz spoke with Athlon Sports about his 2026 team.HOU3d
- Houston vs Utah: The Matchups That Will Decide The GameHere are all the matchups that will determine the game.HOU3d
- What Utah Does Better Than Houston And Why It MattersHere's what Utah does better than Houston and why it will impact the game.HOU4d
- LSU QB Peyton Houston reaffirms commitment after another visitThe Tigers continue to make an impression on the young signal-caller.HOU4d
- Why Houston Football Could Have the Big 12's Best Offensive LineWhy is this group the greatest in the Big 12?HOU4d
- Breaking Down Utah's Strengths, Weaknesses, & 1 Thing That Could Upset HoustonHere is Utah's strengths, weaknesses and one thing that could upset Houston.HOU5d
- How Dangerous Could Utah Be for Houston This Season?How dangerous are the Utes for the Houston Cougars next season?HOU5d
- Houston Football Preview 2026: The Cougars Are Good Enough to Win the Big 12Houston took a few years to get up to speed in the Big 12. Now Willie Fritz has a team capable of making a run at the conference title.HOU5d
- One Defensive Player That Could Be The Backbone for HoustonWhy this one player is the backbone for Houston's defense.HOU6d
- Why Latreveon McCutchin Is A Wild Card For the Houston DefenseWhat makes Latreveon McCutchin a wildcard at the JACK position?
- Houston Has a Star That Nobody Is Talking About EnoughHouston football has an underrated player who will be a household name by the end of the 2026 season.HOU7d
- Where LSU football QB commit Peyton Houston sits in latest rankingsLSU football's 2027 recruiting class is one of the best in the country. Here's where elite QB commit Peyton Houston stands in the latest rankings.HOU7d
- WR Gary Burney Jr. flips from Houston to LSULSU flips in state WR from Willie Fritz and the Houston CougarsHOU7d
- LSU Flips Key 2027 Offensive Recruit Away From HoustonHouston football lost another talented wide receiver commit in the 2027 recruiting class.HOU7d
- LSU, Lane Kiffin add new weapon in flip from HoustonLSU football secured a massive recruiting flip on Father's Day, as Lane Kiffin and company flipped this Houston target.HOU7d
- LSU flips 2027 WR Gary Burney Jr. away from Houston: ‘I have been waiting for this’LSU flipped another prized in-state prospect committed elsewhere. The Tigers secured a commitment from three-star WR Gary Burney Jr. after hosting the 6-foot-4, 200-pound pass-catcher a second time this month. LSU offered Burney shortly after he declared for Houston during his official visit. The Tigers kept their foot on the gas with the flip target, […]HOU7d