Where Houston Cougars Land in Way-Too-Early Top 25 Rankings
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While the immediate redemption tour for Houston men's basketball to get back to the national championship came short in 2025-26, in its Sweet 16 loss to No. 3-seed Illinois at Toyota Center on March 26, the window to fulfill that redemption is still open for at least three more seasons under the current contract of coach Kelvin Sampson.
The highest preseason mark from this past season, the No. 2 preseason AP Poll ranking, delivered the idea that Houston had the potential to finish the job after falling short just a season ago.
But in the end, the tournament draw, the talent, and the consistency on both ends of the court, on and off-ball, are the key recipes for the Cougars to still be able to accomplish that goal no matter where multiple preseason rankings have them listed.
Houston Ranked No. 7 in On3's Way-Too-Early Top 25
In the case of the men's college basketball season ending Monday as a result of Michigan's national championship win over UConn, On3 insider James Fletcher III released On3's way-too-early top 25 rankings for the upcoming season, in which he listed Houston at No. 7.
Naturally, with as many as seven players total either out of eligibility or enterting the transfer portal, which opened at 11 p.m. CST on Monday, there may not be enough of a gauge to put Houston within a top-five position considering the Cougars have yet to load up with it just opening.
But if there's one thing that can put Houston's title contention on the minds of multiple analysts and insiders again, it's that Sampson has maintained a proven track record of utilizing the transfer portal to the fullest.
Fletcher's ranking may not be much a change, if any, compared to Houston's stance in the final 2025-26 AP Poll, but it shows that the portal and a rework of returning players' roles in any way, shape or form are incubators to keeping the Cougars within the championship window.
While guard Mercy Miller and forward Joseph Tugler are likely set to return for 2026-27, Houston will need to find a way to build off the departures of forward Chris Cenac Jr. and guards Milos Uzan, Emanuel Sharp and Kingston Flemings.
And with guard Ikenna Alozie and top-ranked frontcourt commit Arafan Diane will make their way to campus, the possibilities are endless for another ranging scale of talent young and seasoned in a rotation to find stride for the big dance.
Questions remain as to how everyone will be utilized, and how Houston's backcourt will be fulfilled as indicated by Fletcher. But with an offseason having practically just started, it may be best to let the reputable cards of Sampson play the way they have been.
Michael Carrara is a staff writer for Houston Cougars on SI. He attends the University of Houston, where he is a journalism major and a marketing minor. He is also a sports writer and reporter for the Daily Cougar, having covered baseball as an NCBWA member. You can find Michael on all major social media channels, including X on @michaelcoalec.