Where Houston is Ranked in First College Football Playoff Rankings of 2026
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The Houston Cougars are still in the race for the Big 12 Championship and came into the 2026 season with hopes of contending for more. The Cougars are currently sitting at 6-2 after their bye week and are ranked No. 17 in the AP Poll.
With the calendar hitting November, the time for the College Football Playoff rankings has arrived. Those rankings are what ultimately matter in order to play significant December football.
Houston was also ranked No. 17 in the first CFP Rankings that came out on Nov. 3. The Cougars were behind Wake Forest at No. 16 and ahead of Missouri at No. 18. This is the highest ranking that Houston has ever had in the College Football Playoff rankings.
More on Houston's CFP Ranking
Houston was placed at No. 18 back in the final CFP rankings back in the 2015 season where the Cougars won the Peach Bowl. That season was the last time Houston was named in the teens of the rankings was 11 years ago.
There are four other Big 12 teams that made the rankings, highlighted by Utah at No. 3. That just shows how different it could've been for Houston had it taken care of business in the fourth quarter against the Utes in Week 8. BYU was at No. 9, with Texas Tech at No. 15 and Arizona at No. 22.
The Cougars made it into the CFP rankings for the first time since 2021, last season with the No. 23 ranking in Week 13. Houston ended up at No. 21 in the final rankings of 2025 after the Texas Bowl win over LSU to get to 10-3.
Although Houston may be considered a long shot, the chance is still there to make the CFP. The clearest path to that is to win the Big 12 Championship. The Cougars are still alive at the moment, and have shown what they are capable of.
Houston has only been in the CFP rankings in four prior seasons. The rankings show that the Cougars aren't too far off. UH must win its remaining four games, with two of those on the road to get to 10-2. It starts on Saturday against Cincinnati in the homecoming game.
UH also faces a tough road challenge at West Virginia in Week 11. Houston is looking to make the CFP for the first time in program history and winning out could make that possible.
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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.