Houston Cougars quarterback Conner Weigman (1) hands the ball to Houston Cougars running back Dean Connors (44) for a running play during the second half of an NCAA college football game against the Colorado Buffaloes, Friday, Sep. 12, 2025, in Houston, Texas. | Oscar Herrera/The Cougar
Looking back on Houston’s historic 2025 football season, it is easy to see which returning players will lead Houston once again. Senior quarterback Conner Weigman went the distance, leading with 2,705 passing yards and junior wide receiver Amare Thomas became one of Houston’s most reliable offensive weapons with 966 receiving yards.
With many of Houston’s key offensive players returning, expectations for the 2026 season are already high. But even after a successful season, Houston’s schedule still comes with challenges.
UH stood undefeated on the road in 2025, and another undefeated run could cause some shake-ups against top Big 12 teams. Houston is expected to overcome previous opponents Colorado and Kansas, but West Virginia, which beat Houston 45-35 and finished the season 4-8, could still be a difficult matchup.
Some of Houston’s biggest tests will come against teams that exposed weaknesses last season.
Challenges ahead
2025 quarterfinalist Texas Tech beat Houston 35-11 and then lost to Oregon 23-0. A victory against the Red Raiders gives UH the chance to show its growth and could strengthen Houston’s chances of earning a playoff spot. UH will also have to compete with some of the conference’s strongest returning programs.
Utah could also be a problem, finishing ranked third in the Big 12, just above Houston. Utah’s success can be attributed to junior quarterback Devon Dampier, who threw for 2,490 yards in 2025. Fortunately, though, parts of the schedule appear more manageable.
Back at home, Houston starts the season off with Oregon State, who’s been caught up with the almost abandoned Pac-12 and a 2-10 overall record for the 2025 season. Along with Oregon, Southern should also be one of Houston’s easier matchups after finishing 1-11 in 2025. Still, not every middle-tier matchup will be guaranteed.
Cincinnati could face some hurdles after finishing 7-6 in 2025, and so could UCF, which, even though it was beaten in 2025, Houston only won by three points, finishing 30-27, showing how competitive the matchup was.
Houston’s rivalry week game against Baylor should go similarly to the first few games of the season after Baylor lost 31-24 to Houston in 2025 and finished with a 5-7 record. Part of the excitement surrounding the 2026 season also comes from Houston’s offseason recruiting success.
The future of Houston
Houston stepped up its recruiting game with five-star quarterback Keisean Henderson. In his senior year, Henderson recorded 3,821 passing yards and 591 running yards, showcasing his skill as a quarterback.
Three-star defensive lineman Xavier Fleming adds another strong presence to Houston’s defense after recording 65 tackles during his senior year of high school.
Fleming was also ranked as the 18th-best defensive lineman in Texas, making him one of UH’s strongest recruits heading into the season.
Houston also strengthened its defense through the transfer portal by adding three-star junior defensive lineman Ashton Porter from the Oregon Ducks football and three-star junior defensive lineman De’Marion Thomas from the Oklahoma State Cowboys football.
Porter contributed sacks and defensive pressure during the 2025 season, while Thomas added depth and experience to Houston’s defensive lineup.
All in all, Houston seems to be more ready than ever to kick off another historic season with a well-rounded patch of recruits, transfers and high hitters. If UH can build off last season’s momentum, the Cougars may finally be ready to establish themselves as one of the Big 12’s most consistent contenders.
Opinion@thedailycougar.com
