Houston Cougars
Big 12
4-8 (3-6 conf)
SP+ #101
Ratings
2024
- SP+
- -8.2 (#101)
- SP+ Offense
- 18.1
- SP+ Defense
- 24.5
- SRS
- -2.0
- FPI
- -3.4
- Elo
- 1313
- Talent
- 647
- Recruiting
- 184 (#60)
Schedule
record 4–8
Schedule
13th
toughest of 134
Offenses faced
15th
toughest of 134
Defenses faced
16th
toughest of 134
Strength of schedule — how tough this team's opponents are, ranked 1 (hardest) to 134 (easiest).
| Wk | Opponent | SP+ | Score | Margin | Res |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | vsUNLV | +9.3 | 7-27 | -20 | L |
| 2 | @Oklahoma | +9.5 | 12-16 | -4 | L |
| 3 | vsRice | -11.4 | 33-7 | +26 | W |
| 4 | @Cincinnati | -0.1 | 0-34 | -34 | L |
| 5 | vsIowa State | +10.3 | 0-20 | -20 | L |
| 6 | @TCU | +10.8 | 30-19 | +11 | W |
| 8 | NKansas | +4.9 | 14-42 | -28 | L |
| 9 | vsUtah | +7.7 | 17-14 | +3 | W |
| 10 | vsKansas State | +14.1 | 24-19 | +5 | W |
| 12 | @Arizona | -2.8 | 3-27 | -24 | L |
| 13 | vsBaylor | +8.4 | 10-20 | -10 | L |
| 14 | @BYU | +15.3 | 18-30 | -12 | L |
Quarterbacks · 4
2024 · 74
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QB | 1st | Zeon Chriss | JR | 6'3" | 210 | ★★★ |
| QB | 2nd | Donovan Smith | — | — | — | — |
| QB | 3rd | Ui Ale | JR | 6'0" | 210 | — |
| QB | — | Holman Edwards | — | — | — | — |
Running Backs · 7
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RB | 1st | Re'Shaun Sanford II | SO | 5'9" | 190 | ★★★ |
| RB | 2nd | Stacy Sneed | SR | 5'11" | 185 | — |
| RB | 3rd | J'Marion Burnette | SO | 6'2" | 225 | ★★★★ |
| RB | 4th | DJ Butler | SO | 6'0" | 190 | — |
| RB | 5th | Parker Jenkins | JR | 5'11" | 209 | — |
| RB | 6th | JayShon Ridgle | SO | 6'0" | 197 | ★★★ |
| RB | — | Sherman Smith | — | — | — | — |
Wide Receivers · 8
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WR | 1st | Mekhi Mews | SR | 5'8" | 185 | — |
| WR | 2nd | Stephon Johnson | SR | 6'2" | 190 | — |
| WR | 3rd | Joseph Manjack IV | SR | 6'3" | 205 | — |
| WR | 4th | Devan Williams | JR | 6'1" | 190 | ★★★ |
| WR | 5th | Jonah Wilson | SO | 6'2" | 211 | — |
| WR | 6th | Marquis Shoulders | JR | 5'10" | 170 | ★★★ |
| WR | 7th | Koby Young | FR | 6'0" | 180 | ★★★ |
| WR | — | Austin Bice | FR | 6'2" | 185 | — |
Tight Ends · 5
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TE | 1st | Maliq Carr | — | — | — | ★★★★ |
| TE | 2nd | Jayden York | SR | 6'4" | 245 | — |
| TE | 3rd | Traville Frederick Jr. | SO | 6'3" | 240 | — |
| TE | — | Darson Herman | SO | 6'3" | 250 | — |
| TE | — | Ivan Autenreith | SO | 6'2" | 230 | — |
Offensive Line · 5
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | — | Tyler Johnson | SR | 6'5" | 325 | ★★★★ |
| OL | — | Ezekiel Akin-Abiodun | FR | 6'3" | 265 | — |
| OL | — | Ray'Quan Bell | FR | 6'4" | 305 | — |
| OL | — | Tank Jenkins | SR | 6'3" | 320 | ★★★★ |
| OL | — | Cam'Ron Johnson | SR | 6'4" | 305 | — |
Defensive Line · 12
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE | 1st | Nadame Tucker | SR | 6'3" | 250 | — |
| DL | 1st | Keith Cooper Jr. | — | — | — | — |
| DL | 2nd | Carlos Allen Jr. | SR | 6'1" | 295 | — |
| DL | 3rd | A.J. Holmes Jr. | JR | 6'3" | 300 | ★★★ |
| DL | 4th | Zykeius Strong | — | — | — | — |
| DL | 5th | Quindario Lee | SR | 6'5" | 285 | — |
| DL | 6th | Xavier Stillman | SR | 6'3" | 310 | — |
| DL | 7th | Zavian Tibbs | JR | 6'1" | 275 | — |
| DL | 8th | Everitt Rogers | SR | 6'2" | 300 | ★★★ |
| DL | 9th | Torren Coppage-El | — | — | — | ★★★ |
| DL | — | Thomathan Good II | SR | 6'0" | 350 | — |
| DL | — | Joshua Diaz | SO | 6'1" | 260 | — |
Linebackers · 9
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LB | 1st | Michael Batton | — | — | — | — |
| LB | 2nd | Jamal Morris | — | — | — | — |
| LB | 3rd | Brandon Mack II | JR | 6'4" | 245 | — |
| LB | 4th | Jalen Garner | SR | 6'1" | 225 | — |
| LB | 5th | Kendre' Gant | — | — | — | — |
| LB | 6th | Latreveon McCutchin | JR | 6'3" | 245 | — |
| LB | 7th | Cavan Tuley | JR | 6'2" | 255 | — |
| LB | — | Jett Thompson | FR | 6'3" | 210 | — |
| LB | — | Blake Okoye | JR | 6'2" | 210 | — |
Defensive Backs · 19
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DB | 1st | Kentrell Webb | JR | 5'11" | 185 | ★★★ |
| DB | 2nd | Hershey McLaurin | SR | 6'2" | 210 | — |
| DB | 3rd | Latrell McCutchin Sr. | SR | 6'1" | 185 | ★★★★ |
| DB | 4th | Bryan Massey | — | — | — | ★★★ |
| DB | 5th | Jeremiah Wilson | SR | 5'10" | 183 | ★★★★ |
| DB | 6th | Ajani Carter | — | — | — | ★★★ |
| DB | 7th | Noah Guzman | — | — | — | — |
| DB | 8th | Kriston Davis | — | — | — | — |
| DB | 9th | Johnsley Barbas | SO | 5'11" | 185 | — |
| DB | 10th | JD Rhym | JR | 6'2" | 190 | ★★★★ |
| DB | 11th | Jamaal Shaw | SO | 6'1" | 200 | — |
| DB | 12th | Jalen Emery | SR | 5'10" | 185 | ★★★ |
| DB | 13th | Teagan Wilk | SR | 6'0" | 196 | ★★★ |
| DB | — | Ikenna Agoh | FR | 6'0" | 185 | — |
| DB | — | Carter Jenkins | FR | 5'11" | 200 | ★★★★ |
| DB | — | Beau Clewett | FR | 6'0" | 195 | — |
| DB | — | Rickey Green | FR | 6'0" | 165 | — |
| S | 1st | A.J. Haulcy | SR | 6'0" | 222 | ★★★ |
| S | 2nd | Juwon Gaston | SR | 5'11" | 188 | — |
Special Teams · 5
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LS | — | Jacob Garza | SR | 6'2" | 215 | — |
| P | 1st | Liam Dougherty | SO | 6'2" | 205 | — |
| PK | 1st | Jack Martin | — | — | — | — |
| PK | 2nd | Joseph Kim | — | — | — | — |
| PK | — | Trey Furey | FR | 6'0" | 175 | — |
2024 · pct vs FBS
SP+ Off
18.113
Off PPA
+0.003
Pass PPA
+0.014
Rush PPA
+0.0110
Success
36%6
Explosive
1.1713
PlayerMedian (50th)percentile vs league
SP+ Trend
points vs avg team
— Overall— Offense— Defense
SP+ = opponent-adjusted points vs an average team. Overall & Offense higher = better; Defense lower = better.
Advanced
2024 · opponent-adjusted PPA / play
| Split | Offense | Defense |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | +0.00 | +0.12 |
| Passing | +0.01 | +0.21 |
| Rushing | +0.01 | +0.04 |
| 1st Down | +0.03 | -0.01 |
| 2nd Down | -0.10 | +0.14 |
| 3rd Down | +0.15 | +0.31 |
Scoring Trend
2024 · pts/game
PPG For
14.0
PPG Against
22.9
Differential
-8.9
— Points for— Points against
dots: W / LResults
2024
- Overall
- 4-8
- Home
- 3-3
- Away
- 1-4
- Neutral
- 0-1
- Conference
- 3-6
- Non-Conference
- 1-2
- One-Score (≤8)
- 2-1
- Avg Margin
- -8.9
Situational Splits
2024 · record · pts
| Split | Record | PF | PA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Venue | |||
| Home | 3-3 | 15.2 | 17.8 |
| Away | 1-4 | 12.6 | 25.2 |
| Neutral | 0-1 | 14.0 | 42.0 |
| Competition | |||
| vs Ranked (SP+ 25) | 2-1 | 24.0 | 22.7 |
| Conference | 3-6 | 12.9 | 25.0 |
| Non-conference | 1-2 | 17.3 | 16.7 |
Season History · last 12
0 AP top-10 · 9 postseason
| Season | Record | Conf | SP+ | AP | Post |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 9-3 | 6-3 | #40 | #22 | 1-0 |
| 2024 | 4-8 | 3-6 | #101 | — | — |
| 2023 | 4-8 | 2-7 | #94 | — | — |
| 2022 | 7-5 | 5-3 | #57 | #24 | 1-0 |
| 2021 | 11-2 | 8-1 | #31 | #16 | 1-0 |
| 2020 | 3-4 | 3-3 | #51 | — | 0-1 |
| 2019 | 4-8 | 2-6 | #82 | — | — |
| 2018 | 8-4 | 5-3 | #64 | — | 0-1 |
| 2017 | 7-4 | 5-3 | #43 | — | 0-1 |
| 2016 | 9-3 | 5-3 | #39 | — | 0-1 |
| 2015 | 12-1 | 8-1 | #53 | — | 1-0 |
| 2014 | 7-5 | 5-3 | #56 | — | 1-0 |
Recent Form · last 5
2-3 SU · 3-2 ATS · O1/U4
Betting Profile
2024 · 12 w/ line
| Straight up | 4-8 |
| ATS | 6-650% |
| Over / Under | 2-10 O-U |
| — ATS splits — | |
| As favorite | 1-1 |
| As underdog | 5-5 |
| Home | 3-3 |
| Away | 3-2 |
vs closing line · splits show cover–no cover
Recruiting Classes
avg #66 · 11 blue-chip
■ 5★■ 4★■ 3★107 rated signees
| Class | Natl | Pts | 5★ | 4★ | 3★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #52 | 199 | 0 | 2 | 7 |
| 2024 | #60 | 184 | 0 | 2 | 7 |
| 2023 | #55 | 192 | 0 | 3 | 8 |
| 2022 | #50 | 188 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| 2021 | #81 | 153 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 2020 | #82 | 155 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 2019 | #72 | 165 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 2018 | #73 | 167 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
| 2017 | #69 | 160 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| 2016 | #36 | 202 | 1 | 2 | 8 |
247Sports composite · class rank vs all FBS
Roster Talent
talent #66
Returning prod 64%Departed 36%
Portal in 27net -7Out 34
Talent composite646.7 #66 / 134
Portal avg stars (in / out)3.0 / 3.2
Returning usage (pass / rush / rec)100 / 94 / 45
Notable Portal Moves
| ▲ | Corey Platt Jr. | LB | 4★ | ← Tulane |
| ▲ | Maliq Carr | TE | 3★ | ← Michigan State |
| ▲ | Kendre Gant | LB | 3★ | ← Louisiana |
| ▲ | Jeremiah Wilson | CB | 3★ | ← Syracuse |
| ▼ | Jamaree Caldwell | DL | 4★ | → Oregon |
| ▼ | Sam Brown | WR | 4★ | → Miami |
| ▼ | Matthew Golden | WR | 4★ | → Texas |
| ▼ | Tyler Johnson | IOL | 4★ | → Colorado |
returning PPA · portal · talent composite · 2024
Injury Report · 0
No injuries reported.
Team News
20 items
- Houston QB Conner Weigman Turns Heads at Manning Passing AcademyHouston's senior quarterback had a standout performance at the 2026 Manning Passing Academy, and he is set for another big season with the Cougars.
- What Wins and What Loses the Game for Houston vs UtahHere is what wins and loses the game for Houston against Utah.HOU1d
- How This Freshman WR Can Change The Game for Houston Next SeasonCould this receiver really impact Houston's WR room?HOU2d
- 5 Utah Players Houston Fans Need to Know For 2026 MatchupHere are 5 Utah players that fans need to watch out for.HOU2d
- Trap Game or Tune-Up? A Look at Utah on Houston's 2026 ScheduleWhere does Utah rank in Houston's 2026 schedule?HOU3d
- Willie Fritz Embraces Houston's Expectations in Suddenly Wide Open Big 12The Cougars return the core of a 10-win team. With spring practice in the rearview and fall fast approaching, Fritz spoke with Athlon Sports about his 2026 team.HOU4d
- Houston vs Utah: The Matchups That Will Decide The GameHere are all the matchups that will determine the game.HOU4d
- What Utah Does Better Than Houston And Why It MattersHere's what Utah does better than Houston and why it will impact the game.HOU5d
- LSU QB Peyton Houston reaffirms commitment after another visitThe Tigers continue to make an impression on the young signal-caller.HOU5d
- Why Houston Football Could Have the Big 12's Best Offensive LineWhy is this group the greatest in the Big 12?HOU5d
- Breaking Down Utah's Strengths, Weaknesses, & 1 Thing That Could Upset HoustonHere is Utah's strengths, weaknesses and one thing that could upset Houston.HOU6d
- How Dangerous Could Utah Be for Houston This Season?How dangerous are the Utes for the Houston Cougars next season?HOU6d
- Houston Football Preview 2026: The Cougars Are Good Enough to Win the Big 12Houston took a few years to get up to speed in the Big 12. Now Willie Fritz has a team capable of making a run at the conference title.HOU6d
- One Defensive Player That Could Be The Backbone for HoustonWhy this one player is the backbone for Houston's defense.HOU6d
- Why Latreveon McCutchin Is A Wild Card For the Houston DefenseWhat makes Latreveon McCutchin a wildcard at the JACK position?
- Houston Has a Star That Nobody Is Talking About EnoughHouston football has an underrated player who will be a household name by the end of the 2026 season.HOU7d
- Where LSU football QB commit Peyton Houston sits in latest rankingsLSU football's 2027 recruiting class is one of the best in the country. Here's where elite QB commit Peyton Houston stands in the latest rankings.HOU8d
- WR Gary Burney Jr. flips from Houston to LSULSU flips in state WR from Willie Fritz and the Houston CougarsHOU8d
- LSU Flips Key 2027 Offensive Recruit Away From HoustonHouston football lost another talented wide receiver commit in the 2027 recruiting class.HOU8d
- LSU, Lane Kiffin add new weapon in flip from HoustonLSU football secured a massive recruiting flip on Father's Day, as Lane Kiffin and company flipped this Houston target.HOU8d