Houston Cougars Receive Intriguing Bowl Projections After First Loss
In this story:
For the first time in 2025, the Houston Cougars got the taste of defeat after falling to the Texas Tech Red Raiders in a one-sided affair, with a final score of 35-11. While the Coogs managed to hang in with the Red Raiders through the early part of the game, Texas Tech separated itself down the stretch.
Now the Cougars should look to get back on track with what could be a much more favorable matchup, taking on the Oklahoma State Cowboys, who have endured a rough start to the 2025 season with a 1-4 record and the firing of long-time head coach Mike Gundy.
While there are still plenty of weeks left of the 2025 season, for the Cougars to regain their form and look to compete down the stretch of the season, a pair of ESPN analysts have the Cougars earning a spot in bowl season in their most recent predictions.
What are the postseason predictions for the Cougars?
While the Coogs look to keep their Big 12 championship game hopes alive, which would be a first since the Cougars joined the Big 12, they currently sit needing just two more victories away from being bowl eligible, which Houston was not a year ago.
ESPN's Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach predicted the Cougars to pick up those last two victories and find themselves in the action in bowl games season, with predictions for matchups against one SEC squad and the other from Conference USA.
Houston vs. Vanderbilt
In what would have the Cougars taking on the SEC's Vanderbilt Commodores, Bonagura predicts the two squads facing off in the Kinder's Texas Bowl in NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas.
The Commodores currently sit with a 5-1 record and are ranked No. 20 in the latest AP Poll, as the Commodores come off a rough 30-14 road loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide. However, outside of the loss, Vanderbilt has been flying, outscoring their opponents 245 to 86 in their five victories of the season.
With quarterback Diego Pavia undoubtedly being the biggest story from the Commodores squad, as in his second year in Nashville, the quarterback has completed 115 of his 161 pass attempts for 1,409 yards while throwing for 14 touchdowns and four interceptions.
Houston vs. Western Kentucky
As for Schlabach, he has the Cougars taking on the Conference USA's Western Kentucky Hilltoppers in the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana.
The Hilltoppers have also seen a good start to their season, currently sitting with a 5-1 record, with their only loss coming on the road to the Toledo Rockets, and sit at the top of the Conference USA standings at a perfect 3-0 in conference play.
