Marcus Jones, Patrick Paul and Ed Oliver were among the former Houston Football standouts who made their presence felt in the opening week of the NFL season, with Cougar alumni helping power five wins.
Ed Oliver had the biggest day of the group in Buffalo’s 36-31 win at Houston. The Bills defensive lineman started, finished with five tackles and pushed his career total to 248. He also logged one tackle for loss, one quarterback hit and came up with the second fumble recovery of his career on Houston’s first drive, a play that helped set up Buffalo’s first scoring drive.
Patrick Paul got the nod at left tackle for Miami in the Dolphins’ 27-13 loss at Las Vegas. He was one of six Dolphins to play every one of the team’s 56 offensive snaps.
Marcus Jones was part of New England’s 13-10 loss at Seattle. Josh Jones also saw action in that game, playing one offensive snap for the Seahawks without recording a statistic.
Keith Cooper played 15 defensive snaps and six special teams snaps for Miami in the loss at Las Vegas, while Logan Hall made his debut as a Texan in Houston’s 36-31 loss to Buffalo. Hall played 22 defensive snaps and did not record a statistic.
Case Keenum was inactive for Chicago’s 59-37 win at Carolina.
Grant Stuard appeared on 14 special teams snaps for the Rams in Thursday’s game against San Francisco and did not record a statistic.
Carlos Allen did not play for Atlanta’s practice squad, and Payton Turner and Eddie Walls III were listed on injured reserve with Detroit and the Rams, respectively.
In Other News...
Houston Has A Real Opening In Friday Nights Ranked Road Test
Texas Tech enters its Big 12 opener against Houston already dealing with some early-season attrition, with cornerback Amier Boyd out and linebacker Trey White listed as questionable. For a Houston team coming off a dominant win, that makes Friday night feel like more than just another road test. It is a chance to walk into a ranked matchup with a healthier roster and, at least on paper, a little more stability than the home team.
Willie Fritz has been clear about where his team still needs to grow, pointing to better play on both the offensive and defensive lines as the next step. That makes this trip to Lubbock especially interesting for the Cougars, because the line of scrimmage figures to decide whether their momentum carries over or gets checked by a conference opponent still trying to sort through its own injury issues. [Read more 🡒]
Houston Faces A Big 12 Reality Check Up Front Against Texas Tech
The No. 22 Cougars are headed into one of those Big 12 matchups that can tell you a lot about where a team really stands. Houston has built some of its early edge on stout run defense and a line that has held up well on offense, while Texas Tech arrives with a rushing attack that has not found much traction but a defensive front that can still disrupt a game. Add in two passing offenses with enough talent to make noise, and this looks like the kind of meeting where the trenches decide how comfortable either side gets.
For Houston, the larger question is whether its protection and its own front can keep the game in a rhythm the Cougars prefer, because Texas Techs pass rush can force even a polished offense to speed up. On the other side, both secondaries have left room to prove themselves, which is why this one has the feel of a game that could turn into a track meet if either quarterback gets settled early. For a Houston team trying to measure itself against the leagues better teams, this is more than just another ranked matchup up front. [Read more 🡒]
Houston Gets An Early Reality Check Before Big 12 Play
Houston will get an immediate measuring stick before the games start counting, and it comes against the reigning national champion. The Cougars are set to face Michigan in an exhibition on Oct. 25 at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, part of The Battleground 2k26 event, giving Kelvin Sampsons team a chance to see where it stands against one of the sports standard-bearers.
For a roster that will feature several new starters and transfer additions, the setting matters almost as much as the opponent. This is a rare meeting between the programs, and the road atmosphere should offer Houston a useful early test before Big 12 play begins, even if the real payoff wont be known until the season gets rolling. [Read more 🡒]