Houston’s offense has been rolling all season, and the work up front is a big reason why.
The Cougars have scored at least 26 points in every game this season, and the big numbers behind that success point straight to the offensive line. Houston Athletics said the unit was named to the 2026 Joe Moore Award Midseason Honor Roll on Wednesday, a recognition that fits what the numbers already show.
Houston’s line - McKenzie Agnello, Anthony Boswell, Alvin Ebosele, Shadre Hurst, Drew Terrill, and Ronnell McLain, who spot started because of a brief injury on the offensive line - has allowed the second fewest tackles for loss in the country. The group also leads the Big 12 in offensive grade and ranks third nationally with an 84.0 offense grade as a unit.
The Cougars also have four of the 10 highest-graded offensive linemen in the Big 12: Anthony Boswell at No. 1, Shadre Hurst at No.
2, Alvin Ebosele at No. 5, and McKenzie Agnello at No. 9.
On the ground, Houston’s run block grade of 85.2 leads the Big 12 and ranks third in the nation.
That kind of production didn’t happen by accident. Willie Fritz made improving the trenches a priority in the offseason, and Houston brought in several key transfers as part of that push, including former All-American Shadre Hurst and Anthony Boswell, who arrived from Toledo and has developed into one of the nation’s best offensive linemen.
The payoff has shown up everywhere. Conner Weigman has been protected well enough to keep the offense on schedule, and the Cougars’ backs have had room to work, too.
Through the first part of the season, Weigman has been sacked only five times, which is less than one sack per game. Houston has also given up just 12 tackles for loss, or two per game including sacks.
That matters because sacks and tackles for loss wreck drives. Houston has done a strong job of preventing defenses from getting into the backfield, and that shows up in both pass protection and run blocking.
Some lines are better in one area than the other. Houston has been effective in both.
With a quarterback, two good running backs, a star tight end, and receivers like Amare Thomas, the offense already had pieces in place. Add a line like this, and the Cougars can do what they want, when they want. That’s also helped keep the ball in Houston’s hands, with Weigman throwing just one interception.
The schedule is about to test all of it. Houston opens this week at home against No.
18 Oklahoma State and follows that with No. 11 Utah the next week.
Those two games will go a long way toward showing whether the Cougars are contenders or “pretenders,” as many like to say.
If Houston can win even one of those two games, the College Football Playoff is not out of reach. If the Cougars get to 10-2 or better, and maybe even reach the Big 12 title game and the CFP, the offensive line’s value only grows.
Houston’s offense has been fun to watch, and the line has been every bit as important as Weigman, Re’Shaun Sanford III, Patrick Overmyer, and the rest.
In Other News...
Baylor Faces A Huge Home Test With Early Big 12 Stakes
Week 8 in the Big 12 brings a useful snapshot of where the league is starting to sort itself out, and Houston is right in the middle of it with Oklahoma State coming to town. The Cougars are fresh off a 35-16 win at Kansas State, a result that gave their season some needed momentum and made this one feel a little more meaningful than a typical conference date. For fans looking for a game to circle, this matchup fits the bill, with a road-tested opponent, an energized home setting and stakes that are beginning to matter more by the week.
Oklahoma State also arrives with enough individual talent to keep Houston honest, especially quarterback Drew Mestemaker, who is already drawing midseason honors attention after a fast start to his Cowboys career. The broader weekend slate includes Baylor hosting TCU and Cincinnati heading to West Virginia, but from Houstons perspective, this is the one that can say the most about where the Cougars fit in the Big 12 picture. A solid showing would only sharpen the conversation around a team that is trying to turn one good win into something more lasting. [Read more 🡒]
Houston Faces A Tough Formula To Upset Oklahoma State
Houstons path to an upset in Stillwater starts with making Oklahoma State uncomfortable. The Cowboys offense leans on quarterback Drew Mestemakers ability to stay on schedule, while receiver Wyatt Young adds another layer of difficulty because he can move around and force the Cougars to sort things out on the fly. For Houston, the first order of business is simple in theory and difficult in practice: tackle cleanly, avoid giving up easy yards, and make the Cowboys earn every bit of space they get.
The challenge only grows when Caleb Hawkins gets rolling, because Oklahoma State can turn a routine run into a much bigger problem if the first wave of tacklers does not finish the play. On the other side, Houstons own offense has to manage pass rusher Jaleel Johnson while still looking for chances to attack outside and create some balance. It is the kind of game where a few missed stops or one clean pocket at the wrong time can tilt everything, and that leaves the Cougars with a thin margin for error if they want to pull this off. [Read more 🡒]
Houston Secondary Faces Its Biggest Test Yet Against Oklahoma State
The No. 20 Cougars head into a significant home matchup with No. 18 Oklahoma State carrying a defense that has quietly started to settle in, especially on the back end. Houstons secondary has looked better of late and brings experienced pieces to the field, which matters in a game of this size and in a league where one busted coverage can change everything in a hurry.
Oklahoma State brings a dangerous challenge into town, with quarterback Drew Mestemaker directing an offense that has been one of the more productive units in the Big 12. For Houston, this is the kind of test that can sharpen a defenses identity, and the Cougars will need their secondary to keep matching routes, contesting throws and holding up under the pressure of a top-tier conference opponent. [Read more 🡒]