Houston Emerges as Big 12’s Viewership Leader in Week 3

So far in the 2025 season, the Houston Cougars (3-0) have been one of the more interesting storylines in college football.

This past weekend, the Cougars led the Big 12 in viewership with nearly 3 million people watching their 36-20 win over the Colorado Buffaloes.

With clear results from a strong transfer portal haul and a rapidly improving recruiting class under Coach Fritz, the Cougars have completely changed the narrative around the football program through the first three weeks.

All eyes on the Coogs 👀 pic.twitter.com/NABDbTUzqx
— Houston Football (@UHCougarFB) September 17, 2025

Houston gaining national attention speaks volumes about the school's investment in collegiate athletics.

So far in 2025, the increased investment in the football program has paid off, with the Cougars remaining undefeated after their first week of conference play.

The Power of Primetime Spotlight

Sep 12, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars linebacker Corey Platt Jr. (9) dives to make a tackle on Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Ryan Staub (16) during the fourth quarter at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The power of primetime television has been noticeably effective throughout the college football world. With teams now playing more on Friday and Monday rather than strictly on Saturdays, those matchups have drawn steadily larger audiences. The shift has created new opportunities for programs like Houston to showcase themselves on a national stage.

Matchups against teams like Colorado bring an added surge in viewership. With the hiring of Deion Sanders as their head coach, the viewers have followed the former NFL Hall of Famer around the country. In his first game with Colorado, Coach Sanders drew over 7.2 million viewers as he knocked off the TCU Horned Frogs on Big Noon Kickoff.

Colorado's upset of TCU pulled 7.26M viewers on FOX — the most-watched Week 1 Big Noon Saturday game ever.

It was the most-watched game of the day on any network. pic.twitter.com/n8xgPKyQXh
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) September 7, 2023

While the 2023 Colorado team didn't find itself bowl-eligible at the end of the season, the fact remains that Colorado is an outlier when playing in primetime games. Not only do the Buffaloes provide an increase in game attendance, as seen recently with the game in Houston, but the amount of eyes on both programs is enhanced with higher TV ratings.

For Houston, getting the win over Colorado affected the opinion of many outside of just the Houston fans and media. In the AFCA Coaches Poll, the Cougars earned 8 votes that had the team ranked after the third week of the season. While Houston is still far from being ranked, the votes from coaches around the country are a sign that Coach Fritz and his staff are trending in the right direction.

Could Wins on the National Stage Impact Recruiting?

Sep 12, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars wide receiver Stephon Johnson (5) makes a reception as Colorado Buffaloes cornerback Makari Vickers (10) defends during the fourth quarter at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The increased visibility also has long-term impacts on Houston’s recruiting efforts. Having the ability to perform at a high level under the spotlight means an increased reach in both the transfer portal and at the high school level.

For Coach Fritz and his staff, especially with the commitments Houston has gotten recently, that kind of exposure is invaluable. It allows them to showcase a program on the rise, and one that's capable of competing with recognizable opponents on the biggest stages.

If the Cougars can continue to build off of their hot start to the season, that recruiting power could be amplified depending on who Houston beats during conference play.