What Wins and What Loses the Game For Houston vs. Georgia Southern

Houston has a big matchup in week four, but what can change the tides of the match in Georgia Southern's favor?

Nov 22, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars head coach Willie Fritz celebrates with wide receiver Amare Thomas (0) after Thomas scores a touchdown during the second quarter against the TCU Horned Frogs at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Georgia Southern versus Houston will be the first time these two teams face off.

Georgia Southern has many opportunities to take advantage of Houston's weaknesses and upset the Cougars before they head into conference play. Studying film from last year's campaign will definitely give the Eagles an edge when it comes to gameday.

However, when it comes to Houston, what strengths and weaknesses do the Cougars have and how can Georgia Southern strategize for a potential upset against a Big 12 team?

Houston's Strengths

Nov 22, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars quarterback Conner Weigman (1) looks for an open receiver during the first quarter against the TCU Horned Frogs at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

With a newly rebuilt offense, Houston's biggest strength is definitely the players who have experience when it comes to gameday.

Conner Weigman is a quarterback from Houston's 2025 campaign and makes his return for the 2026 season. He led Houston to a big bowl victory against LSU and became the MVP of the night.

With his experience at quarterback and his college football career also having a long history with other teams like Texas A&M, which could help Weigman with the Georgia Southern defense. He also has many weapons when it comes to the passing game, with amazing receivers in Amare Thomas.

Alongside that, Head coach Willie Fritz's playcalls have improved from last season. Many times during the games, fans were questioning the constant run game strategies, but after the bowl win from this past season, Fritz seems to be leaning more into the passing game.

Houston's Weaknesses

To begin with Houston's weaknesses, we must first talk about positions that don't have much depth or talent.

The offensive line is one of those positions on the roster that doesn't have much flexibility when it comes to players on the roster, as many are seniors or have been injured before the 2026 season. With all of these issues piling up, we may see the ground game suffer with less yardage through the run.

Another huge weakness for Houston is its pass defense, with many defensive backs either graduating or being injured this year. The roster still has a lot of time to develop, but with fewer players on the roster and a growing culture of the passing game in college football, we may see the defense struggle against the deep pass.

Lastly, the defensive line has improved from last year, but not much has changed in the production department. With some new transfers and recruits for the 2026 season, there are some young talents on the roster that may need to be developed before they can hit the turf.