Houston opens its 2026 season with a familiar opponent, and there’s plenty riding on how the Cougars handle a few key areas when Oregon State comes to TDECU Stadium on Sept. 5 at 11 a.m.
These teams met just last season, and Houston had to claw its way back from a 14-point fourth-quarter hole before pulling out a 27-24 overtime win in Corvallis, Oregon. That was Week 4.
This one should look different, because both rosters have shifted since then. Houston enters as the favorite, but that edge only holds if it wins the matchups that matter most.
One of the biggest tests comes through the air. Houston showed flashes last season of being able to hit explosive plays downfield, and that part of the offense appears to have taken a step forward in camp. Senior quarterback Conner Weigman has added arm strength and velocity, which gives the Cougars more punch on vertical throws.
He’s not doing it alone, either. Redshirt sophomore receiver Koby Young gives Houston another big-play threat alongside senior wideout Amare Thomas. Young brings breakaway speed and the ability to win contested catches, while senior transfer Trent Walker adds another layer to the equation as he faces his former team in his first game as a Cougar.
That passing-game advantage could matter even more because Oregon State’s safety group is still inexperienced and lacks stability. The Beavers do have capable corners, but Houston has enough weapons to attack that part of the field and create chunk gains.
On the other side of the ball, Houston’s secondary may end up deciding the game. It’s one of the strongest units on the roster, built around three returning starters. Fifth-year senior safeties Kentrell Webb and Jordan Allen are back, redshirt junior cornerback Will James is a preseason All-Big 12 team member, and senior transfer Jalen Mayo is entering his fifth college season.
That group will be tested by Oregon State’s receivers, and the Beavers have some real talent there. Sophomores Aeryn Hampton and Aaron Butler both have SEC experience from Alabama and Texas, respectively, and they won’t be easy to corral. Oregon State coach JaMarcus Shephard also brings a strong reputation for developing receivers, including his work at Washington and Alabama.
Houston’s offensive line is another area that should be better, and it has to show up against Oregon State’s front seven. The Cougars added three quality transfers up front, headlined by preseason All-American left guard Shadre Hurst. Senior right tackle Drew Terrill and redshirt sophomore center Anthony Boswell, both All-MAC transfers, bring real strength in the run game.
Terrill posted the No. 1 run block grade among MAC tackles in 2025 at 76.7, while Boswell finished with the No. 3 run block grade among FBS centers at 79.6. If that group holds up, it should give senior transfer running back Makhi Hughes a chance to get rolling on the ground.
Oregon State does have talent in the front seven, and the linebacker room stands out. Senior Dylan Layne, USC senior transfer Raesjon Davis, and senior Jabari Odoemenem are all names Houston will have to deal with if it wants to run the ball effectively.
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The wait now centers on the paperwork and approvals that will determine whether Rowser can officially join the mix, with Fritz saying the process is complex and the staff is aiming to have those eligibility decisions wrapped up by the end of the week. It is the kind of late-summer administrative delay that can matter a lot to a team trying to get its depth chart in place, especially with Houston also welcoming back wide receiver Stephon Johnson for an extra year under the latest eligibility rules tied to the high school class of 2022. [Read more 🡒]
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The Big 12 preseason picture already has a few teams feeling the squeeze, and Houston is among the programs being watched closely as expectations rise around the conference. With a new look across the league and plenty of uncertainty still hanging over the season, the Cougars find themselves in a spot where the margin between meeting and missing the hype can be thin.
Houston has enough going for it to believe it can stay in the mix, but the broader projection is a reminder that not every team with upside turns it into a September-to-November climb. The leagues tougher paths, coaching changes elsewhere and the general unpredictability of college football all feed into that uneasy middle ground, where a promising roster can still wind up on the wrong side of the preseason conversation. [Read more 🡒]