Houston Must Avoid These Traps On Their 2026 Schedule

Traps are hidden.

No one ever sees it coming.

For Houston football, there are definitely scenarios on its schedule where they could fall into that “trap” and drop a game they couldn’t afford. Houston head coach Willie Fritz cannot let that happen because he needs to keep his team on track to punch a ticket to the Big 12 Championship Game and possibly earn a berth to the College Football Playoffs.

Which games do the Cougars need to avoid so that it doesn't happen to avoid the season spiraling out of control?

Kansas State

No one is giving the Wildcats their flowers. There isn't a ton of talk for new coach, Collin Klein, who is quietly building something special there, and he hasn’t been there a year. He has all the supporting cast and has proven that he can do it wherever he goes. It’s a matter of getting his players to execute and making sure his troops are prepared when they study the Cougars and every other opponent they clash with.

Houston did not play Kansas State last season, so it's been a while since the programs met, and things have changed since then. New players and coaches have entered the picture. Operations look different. Both schools have solid offenses with quarterbacks who have experience in the Big 12 and with their offense. It’s a matter of which one can take the next step in another year. It’s also a revamp for both defenses, so keep an eye on how those matchups go, as that might be an area that comes back to haunt Houston.

Oregon State

Last season, when the Cougars traveled to Corvallis to take on the Beavers, it didn’t go as planned, but they escaped with a win. Not the ideal way to take your first road trip out of the state and be down and have to mount the way back into the game. Luckily, this time it is at TDECU Stadium, and the environment will look different, and the coaching staff will be able to learn from that contest, which was a 27-24 win in overtime.

Establishing the run game will be important because Oregon State was prepared for what was coming on the ground. Houston had 30 carries for only 82 yards, and that killed them. As for Oregon State, they pounded the ball down their throats for 189 yards on 49 carries, so if the defense isn’t locked in and loaded, it could be a long Week 1.

Add us as a preferred source on Google