What Week 3 College Football Games Should Houston Cougars Watch?

After playing in its first Big 12 conference game of the week, there’s plenty of Big 12 games the Cougars should keep its eyes on

UH quarterback Conner Weigman (1) and UH quarterback Zeon Chriss (2) | Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer

Big 12 football is physical. Big 12 football is intense. Big 12 football is exciting. 

In Week 4 of the college football season, the Cougars have a bye week, which gives them an extra week to rest and prepare for their game against Oregon State in Corvallis, Oregon. Since it is an early bye week, it couldn’t come at a better time to recuperate after a hard-fought three weeks of physical, intense, and exciting football. 

Studying film on how to improve in practice and how future opponents run their offense and defense will be a primary focus. So, who does Houston watch this weekend in preparation for a gauntlet schedule the rest of the 2025 season? 

No. 17 Texas Tech at No. 16 Utah

Houston had a pretty decent defense last season, but there were still some holes to be filled. | PFF

In a couple of weeks, TDECU Stadium will be packed with a ton of red when the first-ranked team on Houston’s schedule comes to town. Arguably, one of the best recruiting years that Texas Tech had in a long time came under head coach Joey McGuire, who rebuilt the program quickly in year four in Lubbock, Texas. 

Senior quarterback Behren Morton leads the Red Raiders with a strong 2025 campaign to start the season. Thus far, Morton has a 70.4 completion percentage, throwing for 923 yards in the air and accumulating 11 impressive touchdowns. If the Red Raiders pull off the upset in Salt Lake City, Utah, there will be a momentum boost within the program to continue building on wins week-by-week and make the matchup even tougher for the Cougars’ defense. 

However, Utah QB Devon Dampier won’t want Morton outdueling him and will definitely try to defend his home turf. The Phoenix, Arizona, native has only thrown 628 yards passing with seven touchdowns, but has a 76.3 total quarterback rating and will do everything in his power to stay in the race for a ticket to the Big 12 Championship Game. It starts with a win on Saturday. 

Arizona State at Baylor

Both the Bears and Sun Devils are on the Cougars’ schedule later in the season. This matchup will be intriguing because both programs had games earlier in the year that they lost and need to rebound quickly. Fortunately, neither of those losses for either team was against a conference opponent, which gives both programs a fresh start when it comes to the Big 12 standings. 

Head coaches Dave Aranda and Kenny Dillingham lead their programs. Cunningham is coming out of the College Football Playoff Quarterfinals with a heartbreaking loss to the Texas Longhorns and hopes his program will make it back to the playoffs with a better outcome.

As for Aranda, he is coming off a bowl game loss to the LSU Tigers. Sun Devils sophomore QB Sam Leavitt knows he faces pressure after the excitement he brought to his university. Meanwhile, senior QB Sawyer Robertson is attempting to knock off the Sun Devils and end their college football playoff hopes. 

The winner of this game gives Houston a run for its money.