Houston's Path to the Big 12 Championship Game
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The Houston Cougars are about to start fall camp this week, as the highly anticipated football season is just over a month away. Houston is expected to be one of the contenders in the Big 12 this year after finishing fourth in the standings last season.
Houston was rebuilding in its first two seasons in the Big 12 in 2023 and 2024 before breaking out in 2025 with a massive turnaround. The Cougars won four games total in 2024 before jumping to 10 wins in 2025, which included a Texas Bowl victory.
The Cougars will likely be ranked in the top 25 at the start of the year and will be one of the teams in the Big 12 vying for a spot in the conference title game in December. Houston was expected to improve last season, but made significant strides forward that made the Cougars a bit of a surprise contender in 2025.
Houston was 6-3 in the Big 12 last year and got some quality wins, including over a ranked Arizona State team at the time. The Cougars also went undefeated on the road. With improvements across the roster and stability among the coaching staff, Houston can be a real player in the race for the Big 12 championship game.
Houston's Path to the Big 12 Title Game
The Cougars have key returning members such as senior quarterback Conner Weigman and wide receiver Amare Thomas besides some big transfers such as senior guard Shadre Hurst and junior defensive lineman Ashton Porter.
Houston's schedule is also favorable for a run in some ways; it doesn't face BYU, which is expected to be one of the Big 12 title favorites. The Cougars also don't face either Arizona or Arizona State, or TCU. The non-conference portion of the schedule is also favorable.
Houston's path to the Big 12 title game will likely be decided on the two biggest games on the schedule. The first of those two is in Week 3 against Big 12 favorites Texas Tech. That is a Friday night game in Lubbock and has massive implications.
While Texas Tech is still the favorite to win the conference, the gap may not be as large. The Brendan Sorsby situation impacted the Red Raiders' quarterback room, and redshirt sophomore Will Hammond is now the starter.
While Houston won't be the favorite, the Cougars will have an opportunity given how they improved the offensive line and added more depth. The Week 8 game at Utah will also a play a huge factor in Houston's chances to make the title game. Utah is expected to be among the top of the conference, and it will be another challenging road game.
If Houston can win both of these huge tests, while taking care of business throughout the schedule, the Cougars will likely find themselves with a chance at a Big 12 Championship.
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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.