Four Houston Cougars Make Associated Press All-Big 12 Team
In this story:
Houston Cougars football has experienced its best season since 2021 with a 9-3 record and a fourth-place finish in the Big 12 conference.
While the Cougars have one more game left with the Texas Bowl against LSU on Dec. 27, the awards and recognitions have been plenty since the regular season ended just over two weeks ago. 11 players on Houston officially received some sort of honor from the Big 12.
Additionally, the Associated Press has its own all-Big 12 team. Here are the four Cougars that made the cut.
All Big 12 Coogs
Houston had one player make the AP all-Big 12 first team. It was breakout junior wide receiver Amare Thomas. As an experienced transfer from UAB, Thomas was expected to play a big role in the revamped wide receiver room for the Cougars. Nobody really foresaw this level of contribution, but Thomas is now one of the stars on the Houston offense.
Thomas made the official all-Big 12 second team, but he made the cut into the first team from the AP. He was also on PFF’s All-Big 12 first team.
The 6-foot, 205-lb wideout racked up 906 receiving yards on 59 receptions along with 10 touchdowns. Thomas ranked second overall in the Big 12 in yards, while tied for second in touchdowns.
It is possible Thomas could cross 1000 yards in his first season with the Cougars if he has a good game in the Texas Bowl. The connection between him and junior quarterback Connor Weigman was on full display, and it will likely continue next season.
The other three Cougars all made it onto the AP all-Big 12 second team. A name that has widely been selected for recognition has been senior tight end Tanner Koziol, and it was no different for this list. Koziol was expected to be one of the best tight ends in the country, and he has lived up to that expectation. He was an official all-Big 12 first-team member.
Koziol led all FBS tight ends with 65 receptions and ranked third nationally at the position with 651 receiving yards. His five receiving touchdowns are 10th among tight ends. The 6-foot-7 big man reeled in 17 contested catches, the most by any tight end. Koziol is just one of two tight ends with at least 50 catches and five scores.
Houston’s defense picked up where it left off last season, and that unit had playmakers on all three levels. A true standout was senior defensive lineman Carlos Allen Jr. The 6-foot-1, 295-lb disrupter made 75 tackles, which ranks second in the country and the best mark among Big 12 defensive linemen. It was also the most tackles by an interior lineman in the FBS. Additionally, Allen Jr. made 27 run stops, which was the most among FBS interior defensive linemen.
Senior cornerback Latrell McCutchin Sr. was the final Cougar on the AP All-Big 12 second team as arguably the best player in Houston’s secondary this year. McCutchin Sr. also made the official All-Big 12 team as well. The 6-foot-1, 185-lb defensive back started all 12 games and posted the best season of his career.
More awards for our stars ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/HZ1TNvq7M7
— Houston Football (@UHCougarFB) December 11, 2025
He had season highs in tackles (37), pass breakups (3), and a blocked kick on special teams. The Austin, Texas native also forced a fumble and did a tremendous job as a consistent corner that Houston could trust. Head coach Willie Fritz believes McCutchin Sr. has a bright future and can play at the next level.
After not receiving much recognition of players last season, the Cougars have continued to reap the rewards of their successful 2025 campaign.
Maanav Gupta is a staff writer for Houston Cougars on SI. He graduated from the University of Houston in the summer of 2025 with his bachelor’s in journalism and a minor in Spanish. Gupta spent three years at the student newspaper, The Daily Cougar, and also covered the 2025 Final Four and National Championship as Houston beat writer for College Basketball Review. He also has his own YouTube channel, Maanav’s Sports Talk, where he has interviewed professional athletes and broadcasters like Jim Nantz, Jose Altuve, J.J. Watt, Rich Eisen, and Alperen Sengun. Gupta was also a contributor to the Houston athletic program as a student. You can find Gupta on X, Instagram and TikTok @MGSportsTalk.