No. 14 Houston heads to Salt Lake City on Saturday for a top-10 clash with No. 10 Utah, and the Cougars won’t be able to lean on just one hot hand if they want to leave with a win.
Conner Weigman has already made sure Houston has a chance in games like this. The quarterback was recognized as the Big 12 Player of the Week after torching the Oklahoma State Cowboys: 24/33, 343 passing yards, five touchdowns, one interception, 11 carries, and 52 rushing yards. He’s now stacked back-to-back outings with a QB rating around 95, and Houston has ridden his steady command and dual-threat ability through recent wins over the Kansas State Wildcats and Oklahoma State.
But Utah will ask for more than quarterback heroics. Houston needs a few more pieces to rise with the moment, starting with Amare Thomas.
The wideout was quiet for much of the season after a strong Week 1, then exploded against Oklahoma State with seven catches for 126 yards and two touchdowns. He also delivered the kind of chunk play that can flip a game:
Conner Weigman finds Amare Thomas for a 51-yard gain 🏈@UHCougarFB pic.twitter.com/plDvZUDSwe
Thomas had been waiting to remind everyone what kind of threat he can be. Houston would love for that version to show up again against the Utes.
Trent Walker has been the other dangerous piece on the outside. Houston brought him in through the portal after he piled up more than 1,700 receiving yards in two seasons at Oregon State, and he’s started to settle in after the first three weeks.
Since catching six passes for 85 yards against Georgia Southern in Week 4, Walker has been consistent. Against Oklahoma State, he added seven receptions for 104 yards and a touchdown, giving Houston a one-two punch that shredded the Cowboys’ secondary.
That duo will matter again, especially if the Cougars want to keep Utah from dictating the game. A strong day from Thomas, Walker, or both would go a long way toward opening things up.
Houston also needs pressure up front, and Brandon Mack II is the key name there. The defensive end opened the 2026 season below expectations after posting five sacks last year, but he’s starting to look like himself again.
Over his last three games, Mack has collected two sacks and forced two fumbles. That kind of disruption will be essential against a mobile quarterback like Devon Dampier, especially with Houston still trying to cover a weakness in the secondary.
Then there’s the run game, where either Makhi Hughes or Re’Shaun Sanford III could be the difference. Hughes, in particular, has been hard to pin down this season.
He’s been good, but the truly dominant outing hasn’t arrived yet. The former Tulane star has the talent, and Houston could really use the breakout now as a way to take some of the load off Weigman.
The Cougars have the offense to hang with a top-10 opponent, but they’ll need more than one star to do it. Against Utah, Houston’s path runs through a few players stepping up at once.
In Other News...
Houston Faces Its Biggest Chance Yet To Prove It Belongs
No. 14 Houston is heading into one of the seasons biggest stages with a chance to make a national statement, and it already has at least one prominent believer. ESPN College GameDay host Rece Davis backed the Cougars to beat No. 10 Utah in their upcoming Big 12 matchup, setting up a top-15 showdown at Rice-Eccles Stadium with real league and playoff-adjacent implications hanging over it.
Houston has leaned on quarterback Conner Weigman throughout the year, and Davis singled out the way the offense has operated under him as a key reason the Cougars can handle the trip. The challenge now is doing it against a Utah team that has not lost yet, in a building where the pressure will only grow as the night goes on. [Read more 🡒]
Houston Defense Faces Its Toughest Test Yet At Utah
No. 14 Houston is heading into its biggest defensive challenge of the season with a trip to face No. 10 Utah, a matchup that will ask a lot more than just standard pass coverage. The Cougars have been good enough to earn their ranking, but the Utes bring a different kind of stress test, one built around senior quarterback Devon Dampier and an offense that can make defenses defend the whole field.
Willie Fritz pointed to Utahs versatility and Dampiers ability to hurt opponents with both his arm and legs, which means Houston will have to stay disciplined snap after snap. The Cougars also have to be ready for Utah to lean on its ground game in creative ways, forcing Houstons defenders to sort out assignments quickly and avoid losing contain in a game where one busted look can turn into a long night. [Read more 🡒]
Houston's Run Game Faces Its Biggest Big 12 Test Yet
Houstons ground game heads into its toughest Big 12 measuring stick yet, and the matchup starts in the trenches. The Cougars have leaned on one of the countrys better offensive lines to fuel a rushing attack that averages 220.3 yards per game, with Makhi Hughes and ReShaun Sanford II doing most of the damage while Conner Weigman has added enough through the air to keep defenses honest.
Utah brings the kind of discipline that can force a heavy rush offense to earn every yard, sitting among the nations better units in points allowed and run defense. With the game expected to stay tight, Houstons ability to move the ball on the ground could decide whether the Cougars control the pace or get pushed into a more one-dimensional fight. [Read more 🡒]