Why Houston Could Be One of the Big 12's Toughest Teams to Evaluate
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Houston is one of the few teams in the Big 12 that is coming into the 2026 season with optimism.
However, Houston is a very difficult team to evaluate, not because of the talent it possesses but because of the uncertainty about expectations and its ceiling.
Are the Cougars a legit contender for the Big 12 Championship Game? Does Houston stack up with the powerhouses in the Big 12? Here is why Houston is difficult to evaluate.
Expectations
The ceiling for this team is high but so are expectations. Now that Houston had a winning season and even won a bowl game, its margin of error is little to none.
Losing against a weak team such as Southern or Georgia Southern brings those expectations back to the ground. The challenge now is being consistent.
The last time Houston was able to have back-to-back winning seasons was in 2021 and 2022, when the Cougars went 12-2 and then went 8-5 while also winning bowl games. It is not impossible for the Cougars to have another 10-win season, but expectations demand more.
Winning 10 games is already difficult as it is. Winning 10 games again while every single opponent sees Houston as a Big 12 contender is a challenge of a new level.
Houston has the talent to take another step but it must prove that it can be consistent and go further.
Defensive Questions
Houston’s offense has received a lot of attention and praise over the offseason, as it should. Quarterback Conner Weigman is ready to take another step, wide receiver Amare Thomas is in a prime position to have an excellent year and running back Makhi Hughes is coming back into head coach Willie Fritz’s offense.
With that said, the defense has not received recognition for many reasons. The Cougars lost a lot of talent on the defense. Defensive back Latrell McCutchin Sr., defensive lineman Carlos Allen and linebacker Eddie Walls III have left, creating huge gaps that Houston has to fill in.
Questions arise from the defensive line and the secondary. Last year, Houston sacked opposing quarterbacks 28 times. Compared to Texas Tech, the Red Raiders recorded 41 sacks, nearly double what the Cougars had.
Additionally, the defense allowed 22.8 points and 347.8 yards per game. Compared to other teams in the conference, Houston’s defense is in the middle of the pack in the Big 12.
This is not to say that Houston’s defense can’t be better than it was last year; however, it is hard to evaluate Houston as a top team in the Big 12 if both sides of the ball aren’t among the best in the conference.
Schedule
Houston’s schedule in 2026 is definitely harder than it was last year. Not only do the Cougars have to go up against Texas Tech, but they also have to play Utah and Cincinnati.
Texas Tech and Utah had more than 10 wins last year and Cincinnati had seven wins. Houston has a lot to improve on if it wants to be one of the best teams in the conference.
The Cougars could be an interesting team to watch out for this upcoming season due to this uncertainty but could also be a second chance slipped away from them.
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Micah Clay is a staff writer for the Houston Cougars on SI. He is currently a freshman at the University of Houston and majoring in Sports Administration. He also works for The Cougar organization. You can find Clay on his Instagram(@mcjosh_btw_podcast)