Houston Cougars Make Their Way Back into the National Polls
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The Houston Cougars got the chance to rest this weekend after getting back on track, coming out with a win on the road at the Acrisure Bounce House after securing 30-27 with a late made field goal from Ethan Sanchez and a game-sealing interception from Kentrell Webb.
While Houston got to sit back and relax, the rest of college football was business as usual, with impressive performances padding some teams' resumes or upsets that will shake up college football down the stretch of the season.
With the most recent national rankings, the Cougars have returned to their spot as one of the top 25 teams in the country after previously being ranked but falling out after losing to West Virginia, but now, following their bye week, the Coogs are back in the mix.
Where do the Coogs Rank This Week?
As mentioned, the Cougars were ranked as high as No. 22 in both the AP and Coaches Poll after their impressive 7-1 start to the season; however, after a disastrous loss to the West Virginia Mountaineers, the Coogs were taken out of the rankings, but this week, despite not even playing, the Coogs came out with a win.
The Cougars find their highest ranking this week, given by the Coaches Poll, with the coaches around college football ranking Willie Fritz's team No. 24 in the country. The Coogs find themselves slotted right in front of the Tulane Green Wave and right behind the North Texas Mean Green.
In the AP Poll, the Cougars sneak back into their rankings, slotted at No. 25, with the AP voters having Tulane ranked in front of the Coogs. And with the College Football Playoff rankings coming out on Tuesday, it will be interesting if the Cougars make that ranking for the first time this season.
What's Left for Houston this Season?
The Coogs have been bowl eligible since midway through the season and still have a realistic chance at making a push for the Big 12 title game. Currently, the Coogs stand as one of two teams with two Big 12 losses, sharing the space with the Utah Utes. A spot in the title game will depend on outside results for the Coogs, needing either Texas Tech or BYU to pick up its second conference loss of the season to make things really interesting for a berth in the title game.
Trying not to look too far ahead, the Coogs still need to take care of business themselves to have any chance at the Big 12 title game with two games left of the regular season. Beginning this weekend, as the Cougars celebrate senior day in their final home game of the season, they will take on the 6-4 TCU Horned Frogs.
Houston ends the season on the road, traveling up I-45 to Waco to take on the 5-5 Baylor Bears at McLane Stadium on Nov. 29.
