Houston’s return to the AP top 20 is the kind of climb that turns heads, and the Cougars earned it with a 42-28 win over Georgia Southern. That victory pushed Houston up to No. 20, its highest ranking in five years.
The last time the Cougars were sitting this high came in 2021, when they finished 12-2 and 8-0 in the American Athletic Conference. Houston opened this season at No. 23 in the preseason poll, then moved up a spot after beating Oregon State and held steady through Week 2.
Things changed in Week 3, when No. 12 Texas Tech slipped past the Cougars 28-26 and Houston dropped to No.
Since then, the response has been sharp. The Cougars have now appeared in all five AP polls this season, something they last managed in 2016.
And compared with that 2021 group, this version of Houston looks ahead of schedule. In 2021, the Cougars didn’t crack the rankings until they stunned SMU 44-37.
That earlier team finished No. 17.
This one is moving faster, and some of the familiar pieces are hard to miss. Wide receiver Amare Thomas has put up 287 yards and four touchdowns so far, a profile that brings to mind former Houston receiver Tank Dell, who finished with 1,329 yards and 12 touchdowns on 90 catches.
The quarterback play has also carried a similar feel. In the first four games, Clayton Tune had 729 yards and four touchdowns. Conner Weigman has already piled up the 5th-most passing yards with 947 and is tied for first in touchdowns with 11 in the Big 12 Conference.
That production gives Houston a real ceiling. The Cougars have a path to the Big 12 Conference Championship game and, if things break right, the College Football Playoff is on the table.
But the flaws are there too, and they’re impossible to ignore now that conference play is here. Houston’s pass defense sits second-to-last, and the secondary has to do a better job of cutting off explosive plays.
The next ranked opponent on the schedule is No. 19 Oklahoma State, and that game could matter a lot for Houston’s championship hopes. Before anything else, though, the Cougars have to clean up the back end of the defense.
In Other News...
Conner Weigman Is Turning Houstons Hot Start Into Something Bigger
Conner Weigmans debut stretch at Houston is already drawing national attention, and the senior quarterback picked up two weekly honors after powering the Cougars past Georgia Southern. He landed on the Manning Award Stars of the Week and the Davey OBrien Great Eight lists, recognition that comes on the heels of one of the most productive outings of his college career.
Weigman was efficient and explosive all at once, completing 17 of 22 passes for 239 yards and four touchdowns through the air while adding two more scores on the ground. For Houston, the bigger takeaway is what the hot start suggests about the ceiling of an offense that has quickly found a rhythm behind its new leader. [Read more 🡒]
UCFs Big 12 Road Suddenly Looks Tougher Than Fans Expected
Houston finished out its non-conference slate with a 42-28 win over Georgia Southern, and the payoff was more than just a clean exit from September. The Cougars moved up from No. 25 to No. 20 in the AP poll, a sign that the early momentum is starting to carry real weight as they turn fully toward league play.
For UCF, the Big 12 road now looks a little steeper than it did a week ago. Oklahoma States 41-24 win over West Virginia pushed the Cowboys into the Top 25, while Georgia State answered its loss to UCF by beating Northern Illinois 35-14 behind a strong showing from quarterback Taron Dickens. The early results around the conference are starting to sort contenders from hopefuls, and the Knights are about to find out how much margin they really have. [Read more 🡒]
Case Keenum Gave Houston Fans A Feel Good NFL Moment
Case Keenums return to the NFL had a little extra meaning for Houston fans watching from afar. In his first start in 1,009 days, the former Cougar quarterback helped the Chicago Bears to a 27-7 victory, a reminder of the steadying presence that made him such a beloved figure during his time in Houston and in the pros.
It was also a notable weekend for a couple of other former Cougars taking their first steps into the league. Dean Connors made his professional debut with the Los Angeles Rams, while Tanner Koziol got his first NFL action with the Jacksonville Jaguars, adding another layer to a weekend that had a distinctly Houston feel for anyone tracking the programs alumni. [Read more 🡒]