This Will Be The Most Interesting Test Houston Faces All Season

Do the Houston Cougars have enough manpower to overcome the formerly ranked 15 Utah Utes?

Nov 22, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars quarterback Conner Weigman (1) passes the ball during the fourth quarter against the TCU Horned Frogs at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The 2026 Houston Football schedule has a lot of threatening opponents heading into the later half of the season.

After their game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys, Houston will be travelling over to Salt Lake City to face off against the formerly ranked Utah Utes for their week 8 matchup. The last game between the two teams had Houston on top, with the Cougars winning 17-14.

However, if we put these two teams in a modern day matchup, what could Houston do to make sure that they keep their win streak against Utah alive?

What makes Utah a threat to Houston?

Nov 28, 2025; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Utah Utes quarterback Devon Dampier (4) throws a pass during the first half against the Kansas Jayhawks at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

The Utah Utes are one of the biggest headlines coming off of a successful 2025 season. After beating Nebraska 44-22 in one of the most dominant wins in Las Vegas Bowl history, Houston seems to be equally matched against this threatening team.

Under first-year Head Coach Morgan Scalley, Utah seems to be one of the biggest powerhouses in the Big 12 conference. After going 11-2 in 2025, only dropping two games against Texas Tech and BYU, Utah was ranked 15 nationally and became one of the more successful teams in the conference.

Their roster includes senior quarterback Devon Dampier, who proved to be one of the most threatening quarterbacks for any defense they had gone up against. After showcasing his strength against Nebraska, scoring two touchdowns and having 310 yards total, Houston's defense needs to be on top of its game when going up against this key piece in the Utah roster.

Another key player in Utah's roster is Wayshawn Parker, who led the Utah team in rushing yards all throughout the 2025 season. After having a total of 981 rushing yards and nine total touchdowns last year, Houston's defense has to shut down this offensive star.

While Utah seems threatening at first, Houston has built itself up from last year and has more manpower than before. After their spectacular 2025 campaign, Head Coach Willie Fritz has had one of the best recruiting classes in school history, allowing Fritz to have more weapons on the turf.

The game will definitely come down to the wire, and Houston will have to be on top of their game on the defensive side of the ball to keep their chances of winning alive.