The Milestone Houston Football is Chasing in 2026
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Houston Cougars football is just about two months away, and the countdown has already begun for college football. This a big year for Houston and a chance to put itself truly at the top of the Big 12. There are also high expectations for the program to take that next step forward.
The Cougars won 10 games for the first time since 2021 and ended up ranked for the first time since the start of the 2022 season. A lot has gone well for Houston over the offseason, and that sets them up for a chance to do something even more special in 2026.
There are significant milestones that Houston will be chasing this year, and it starts by making the Big 12 championship game in Arlington, Texas. Here is why that is achievable.
Houston's Eyes Set on The Big 12 Prize
Houston ended up fourth in the Big 12 standings last year with a 6-3 record. Two of those losses were from teams in the bottom half of the conference, while the other was from Big 12 champions Texas Tech.
While Texas Tech is still likely the favorite to win the Big 12 again, the gap does feel like it has closed a bit. Especially after the whole Brendan Sorsby saga. Houston has gotten better and deeper on both sides of the ball, and the Cougars have a legit shot of pulling off a huge win in Lubbock in Week 3 to open up the conference schedule.
BYU also remains one of the biggest contenders to win the Big 12 after making the title game last season. BYU has also returned plenty of key players, but for the second straight season, Houston will not play them. Utah rounds out the top three of the conference, but Houston could be right in the mix.
The Cougars would have to beat both Texas Tech and Utah to likely end up at the top of the standings and make it to the title game. That is the milestone Houston would like to achieve. The Cougars travel to Utah in Week 8. Houston's offense made huge progress last season, notably with veteran quarterback Connor Weigman at the helm, who enters his senior year and second season with the program.
That kind of experience with his No. 1 target in Amare Thomas and another year with Slade Nagle as the offensive coordinator is bound to pay dividends. Houston's running game is also expected to be better this year with senior transfer from Oregon, Makhi Hughes.
The Cougars' defense also reloaded with lots of talent across positions from both the transfer portal and high school recruiting. The secondary remains strong with key pieces from last season, while Oregon transfer Ashton Porter highlights the front seven.
A run to the Big 12 title game is definitely possible for coach Willie Fritz's group in 2026.
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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.