Houston’s rise to No. 14 in the College Football Playoff rankings has brought plenty of attention to the Cougars, and Patrick Overmyer is now getting his share of it.
The Houston tight end was named a semifinalist for the John Mackey Award, which goes to the nation’s best tight end. It’s the latest national nod for Overmyer, who was also recently placed on the Biletnikoff Award watchlist for the nation’s best receiver.
That recognition fits what he’s done in 2026. Overmyer has been one of quarterback Conner Weigman’s most reliable weapons and has emerged as a major piece of Houston’s offense during the Cougars’ rebuild. Head coach Willie Fritz also deserves credit for landing him through the transfer portal, especially after 247Sports ranked Overmyer as the 92nd-best tight end in the 2026 transfer portal.
Instead, Overmyer has been far better than that label suggests. He’s second on the team with 498 receiving yards and seven touchdowns, and a few weeks ago he turned in a four-touchdown game against Kansas State that stood out as a record-breaking performance.
The Mackey Award semifinalist group is loaded, which makes Overmyer’s path tougher. The list includes Luke Reynolds of Virginia Tech, Jelani Thurman of North Carolina, Kari Ashley of TCU, Rocky Beers of Oklahoma, Eli Finley of Louisiana Tech, Jamari Johnson of Oregon, Willie Rodriguez of Kentucky and DJ Vonnahme of Iowa. Overmyer is right in the mix, but names like Ashley, Thurman and Reynolds make the race a difficult one.
Houston has now had a tight end among the Mackey semifinalists in back-to-back seasons. Last year, Jacksonville Jaguar Tanner Koziol was also a semifinalist. The finalists were Michael Trigg of Baylor, Kenyon Sadiq of Oregon and Eli Stowers of Vanderbilt, and Stowers won the award with 769 receiving yards and four touchdowns.
Overmyer still has work to do, and the rest of the season matters. He missed a game this year, but he has remained a steady target and will need to keep producing if he wants to stay in the conversation. The source of the momentum around Houston is clear: a 10-2 finish would likely put the Cougars in the CFP, and the team also has a Maxwell Award semifinalist in Weigman.
For Overmyer, the formula is simple now - keep stacking games, keep putting up numbers, and let the recognition keep coming.
In Other News...
Houstons Depth Just Sent Another Message In A One-Sided Win
Houstons early-season depth kept making its case in a lopsided home win over Jacksonville State, another reminder that the No. 8 Cougars are not leaning on just one or two scorers to get through November. Dedan Thomas Jr. led the way with 17 points and seven assists, Mercy Miller added 15 points, and Houston kept the pressure on with a balanced offensive showing in a 92-46 rout that moved the team to 3-0.
The most encouraging part for Houston may have been how many different pieces contributed once the game opened up. Chendall Weaver chipped in 10 points off the bench, and the Cougars were sharp at the line, finishing 27 of 32 on free throws. For a team trying to build rhythm while protecting its ranking, it was the kind of one-sided result that can still tell a useful story about how deep this roster can be. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado Still Has Two Big Injury Questions Before Houston
Colorados Week 11 injury report does at least offer a little stability heading into its matchup with Houston, with no new players added to the unavailable list. The Buffaloes still have several important names to monitor, though, and the report leaves the door open on a few situations that could shape how they approach the game plan.
Taufatofuas status is one of the clearer developments, as he moved from doubtful to questionable, while Martinez and Arnold remain in that same uncertain category. Arnolds availability carries an extra layer of importance on special teams, since Colorado would turn to Daniel Gerlach for place-kicking duties if he cannot go. [Read more 🡒]
Houston Heads To Boulder With Colorado Facing One Huge Problem
Colorado is getting ready to host No. 14 Houston in a Big 12 matchup, and the Buffaloes are already dealing with a special teams issue that could matter in a close game. Kicker Elliott Arnold is listed as questionable after getting hurt on a field-goal attempt against Arizona State, leaving Colorado with uncertainty in a spot where every point can loom large.
The Buffaloes also enter with offensive questions of their own, which puts more pressure on quarterback Isaac Wilson and wide receiver Joseph Williams to help keep pace. Houstons defense has been tougher against the run than the pass, so Colorados ability to attack through the air could shape how competitive this one feels once the Cougars settle in. [Read more 🡒]