Where Does Houston Stand In Big 12 Race?

The Cougars are still fighting to be one of the top two seeds in the conference.

Nov 7, 2025; Orlando, Florida, USA; UCF Knights tight end Dylan Wade (0) is tackled by Houston Cougars defensive back Kentrell Webb (8) during the first quarter at Acrisure Bounce House. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images | Mike Watters-Imagn Images

Closing out a race is never easy. 

The last leg is never easy, and Houston is going through the final heat, where two opponents remain on the schedule, with three still to catch up to in the conference. 

Coach Willie Fritz is crossing his fingers and hoping that it works in his program’s favor to pull out wins that will finish the season in a position to earn a ticket to the Big 12 Championship Game. There are still several scenarios that need to go the Cougars' way, but don’t doubt the possibilities. 

Big 12 Relay

Dec 7, 2024; Arlington, TX, USA; A view of the Big 12 logo and American flag before the game between the Iowa State Cyclones and the Arizona State Sun Devils at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

At the front of the run is currently No. 6 Texas Tech, which defeated Houston earlier in the season. Behind Texas Tech is No. 12 BYU, which is just coming off a road loss a week ago against Texas Tech. 

The No. 25 team in the nation, Cincinnati, is roaring with a golden opportunity to catch BYU, as both teams meet each other in a week, setting up an intriguing matchup. Both teams are 5-1 in the conference, but Tech currently has one more victory in the win column. 

Then, Houston sits in fourth place at 5-2, needing all three schools above them to lose, so it opens a lane for them to maneuver their way to second place. Utah and Arizona State trail with a narrow margin at 4-2, so if it comes down to tiebreakers, being tied with them isn’t ideal. 

A pack of 3-3 teams, then all squeeze in the middle of the conference. Those programs include Arizona, TCU, Baylor, and Kansas State, which haven’t met their expectations going into the season but want to create a run down the stretch. 

Iowa State and Kansas are alone at 3-4 overall. One of the other schools that defeated Houston was West Virginia, which holds a 2-5 record. UCF is one game behind West Virginia. In the back of the line are Colorado and Oklahoma State, who both have six losses in the Big 12. 

Houston Schedule

Nov 1, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars student section cheers against the West Virginia Mountaineers in the second half at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

In the blink of an eye, the football season will be over. There are only two games left in the regular season that the Cougars will compete in. One game will be at TDECU Stadium, and the other will be the regular-season finale on the road. 

At home, the Cougars will host the Horned Frogs, and on the road, the Bears will host the Cougars at McLane Stadium. Both games will be must-win scenarios regardless of what happens elsewhere in the league. 

Fritz & Co. will want to finish the season strong and earn a big bowl game that sets up a matchup against another top-ranked program. If Houston doesn’t make the postseason, one of those bowl games might be in San Antonio, Texas, where the Valero Alamo Bowl is. That’s one of the sights the program could play at based on some projections. There’s still a lot of football to be left, so that it will be a waiting game.