Houston Defensive back Kriston Davis (17) and defensive back Kentrall Webb (8) celebrate with a mid-air body bump during the first half of an NCAA college Football game, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, in Houston. | Raphael Fernandez/The Cougar
The Houston Cougars have their sights set on a marquee matchup against No. 17 Kansas State this weekend.
This will be the Cougars’ second consecutive game at TDECU Stadium, and it presents an opportunity for Houston to get past the .500 plateau at home for the first time this season.
Ten unanswered fourth-quarter points in a come-from-behind fashion gave Houston the 17-14 victory against Utah on Oct. 26, but it will take a more concerted effort to get another win against the tough opponent.
Eyes on the air attack
Through his first two starts against TCU and Utah, sophomore quarterback Zeon Chriss has gone 21-31 through the air for three touchdowns and one interception. He’s also showcased his dual-threat ability, rushing for a combined 142 yards in those two games, though Utah held him to 2.6 yards per carry.
There was a clear emphasis on running the football against Utah, as Houston had four players with at least eight carries. The 228-yard rushing was good for the Cougars’ second-best offensive output on the ground this season.
As proficient as Houston was in the ground game, this will be a matchup that may call for Chriss to deliver more as a passer. The Kansas State Wildcats’ defense has held opponents to 96.8 rushing yards per game, 19.1 less than the next closest team. In their last three games, their opponents have averaged only 3.3 yards per carry.
Kansas State’s passing defense has shown vulnerability, particularly on the road. They have allowed opponents to complete 68.03% of passes to be caught away from home.
Chriss has displayed the ability to be crisp throwing the football, going 15-18 for a touchdown in Houston’s 30-19 victory against TCU on Oct. 4.
Red Zone redemption
Amplified by the quarterback carousel and inconsistency at the position, Houston currently holds the worst red zone scoring percentage in college football at 53.3%. Against Utah, the Cougars had two drives go by the wayside in the red zone for no points, further highlighting an issue that has plagued the team all year.
“The teams that score touchdowns in the red zone have got a high win percentage,” said head coach Willie Fritz. “That’s a pretty clear-cut path to victory if you can score touchdowns instead of field goals down there.”
Part of what has hurt the Cougars in that regard has also been miscommunications and missed assignments on offense. Houston ran four plays from the 1-yard line against Utah that didn’t amount to anything, which cannot happen against the Wildcats, where scoring will be even more imperative.
There is some slight room for optimism; however, despite the numerous shortcomings against Utah, Houston has still seen a 10% increase in red zone efficiency in their last three games. It’s still far from where the Cougars would want the numbers to be, but it does indicate that progress is being made.
A formidable opponent
The Kansas State Wildcats will enter Saturday’s matchup ranked 17th in the country, making them Houston’s third-ranked opponent of the year. Their only loss this season came at the hands of BYU, who would make the college football playoffs if things ended today.
Since that 9-38 defeat on the road, they’ve strung together a four-game winning streak, averaging nearly 37 points per game.
The Wildcats are led by sophomore quarterback Avery Johnson, who during this winning streak, has thrown 10 touchdowns to only two interceptions.
On the season he’s thrown for 1,624 yards and 16 touchdowns. He also happens to be their second-leading rusher, with 373 rushing yards.
Kansas State is one of the most adept teams when it comes to running the football, as their 214.7 rushing yards per game is the ninth most of any team in the nation.
Fritz is aware of the firepower Kansas State brings to the table, “They got two outstanding runningbacks and an outstanding quarterback who can run the ball as well,” he said.
Standout junior running back DJ Giddens has run for 945 yards this season, with a very efficient 6.5 yards per carry. However, he has not been featured much in the end zone, scoring only 4 touchdowns to this point.
Sophomore wide receiver Jayce Brown has been Johnson’s primary target all year long and is an explosive play waiting to happen with his 17.3 yards per catch.
The Wildcats have three players with receptions of 50 yards or more this season, and it is something Houston will have to plan for this Saturday.
At this juncture of the season, most teams have established identities at both sides of the ball, and that was reiterated by Fritz regarding the approach against Kansas State.
“You are what you are right now. We’ll tweak things, and make minor adjustments like they will,” said Fritz.
The Cougars made a bid for an upset against a ranked team on Sept. 7 when they nearly defeated the then-ranked Oklahoma Sooners. If Houston can pull one off this week, it’ll be one of the bigger stunners of the season, as they’ll enter the game as 13-point underdogs.
Houston will aim for their first victory against a ranked team as a member of the Big 12 when the game kicks off Nov. 2 at 2:30 p.m.
