How The Houston Cougars Feel About Their Enormous Expectations

Last season’s Houston Cougars team seemed like it was fated for a National Championship. They had the pieces in place, the coaches to do it, even the lead in the final dance, but just could not get it done.

After reloading the team with top talent, coach Kelvin Sampson and the Houston Cougars are ready to make another run at the National Championship and AP voters think so too. The Coogs came in at the No. 2 spot in the initial AP Poll, but are not worried about the high placement.

On Wednesday, Houston guard Milos Uzan spoke to the media regarding the high rank.

Milos Uzan’s Comments

Houston Cougars guard Milos Uzan (7) walks off the court after losing to the Florida Gators in the national championship game of the Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament at the Alamodome. | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

After finishing last year’s season as runners-up to the National Champion Florida Gators, the Cougars found themselves in the second spot once again, this time behind the Purdue Boilermakers. The Coogs managed to leapfrog the Gators, who are set to enter the season as the No. 3-ranked squad.

“Preseason Rankings? I really don't feel like those matter as much,” Uzan said. “Those are based off of teams before you, so it’s cool that we’re a top-two team for sure but I think it doesn’t really mean too much right now.”

Recently, athletic programs in the state of Texas have not had the most success when ranked high in initial AP Polls. Last season, Texas A&M baseball was touted as the No. 1 team heading into the season before an unceremonious and sudden tumble that saw the Aggies miss the postseason despite their high preseason ranking.

The Texas Longhorns football team had a similar experience this year, starting out as the preseason No. 1 squad. Within a few weeks, the team would be unranked with their playoff hopes on the line. Crawling back into the Top-25 after a much-needed victory over the Oklahoma Sooners, Texas is attempting to turn things around.

Uzan and the team’s approach to the high ranking is a great way to try to make sure the Coogs do not meet the same fate as the other Texas programs have.

Houston is set to start its season on Sunday, October 26, when it faces the Mississippi State Bulldogs at the Fort Bend Epicenter in Rosenberg, Texas. The Coogs are set to open Big 12 play on Jan. 3 when they travel to Cincinnati, Ohio, to face the Cincinnati Bearcats. Whether the Coogs will remain ranked as high will fall on the team’s ability to put the rank aside and play their brand of basketball.