West Virginia’s late-November date with Houston brings a team to Morgantown that looks a lot more dangerous than the one the Mountaineers saw a year ago.
The matchup is set for Saturday, November 21, 2026 at Milan Puskar Stadium, and the series is still dead even at 1-1. Both previous meetings came in Houston, where WVU dropped a 41-39 shootout in 2023 before turning the tables with a 45-35 win last season.
Houston’s rise under Willie Fritz has been quick and real. After winning four games in his first year, Fritz guided the Cougars to 10 victories in year two, capped by a Texas Bowl win over LSU. He enters his third season with the same coordinators, the same starting quarterback, and what appears to be an upgraded roster.
That quarterback is Conner Weigman, who put together a big year with 2,700 passing yards and 25 touchdowns while also adding 700 rushing yards and 11 more scores. Now in his fifth college season, he’s operating in the same system for a second straight year for the first time in his career.
Houston’s backfield got a major boost with the addition of Makhi Hughes. A preseason All-Big 12 selection and two-time All-AAC First Team pick at Tulane, Hughes ran for 1,378 yards and seven touchdowns in 2023, then 1,401 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2024 before a redshirt year at Oregon that didn’t amount to much. DJ Butler is back as a steady complement, and Re’Shaun Sanford II is fully healthy again after his ACL tear.
At receiver, Amare Thomas is the name that jumps off the page. The preseason All-Big 12 First Team pick caught 67 passes for 966 yards and 12 touchdowns last season, finishing second in the conference in both yards and scores.
WVU fans already know what he can do after he posted a career-high three touchdowns and ten catches against the Mountaineers last November. Trent Walker, a transfer from Oregon State, gives Weigman a 6-foot-2 target on the outside to work with Thomas, while Koby Young operates from the slot.
Muizz Tounkara, who came over from Florida, also drew some spring buzz. At tight end, Patrick Overmyer steps in for Tanner Koziol.
The Kingwood, Texas native and cousin of former NFL tight end Kyle Rudolph put up 627 receiving yards, 58 catches, and eight touchdowns over three seasons at UTSA.
The biggest changes may be up front, where Houston made its most important upgrades. Shadre Hurst, a Phil Steele preseason All-American and the sixth-highest rated guard nationally by PFF last season, is back with Fritz after starting his career at Tulane.
He has nearly 2,600 college snaps under his belt. Anthony Boswell arrives from Toledo with Freshman All-America First Team honors and a reputation as one of the top run-blocking centers in the FBS; he ranked third among all FBS centers in run-block grade before transferring, and Fritz has said he’s one of the better centers he’s coached.
Drew Terrill also stood out all spring at right tackle.
On defense, Ashton Porter is the new face to know. The Cypress, Texas native transferred from Oregon after watching Houston lose to Texas Tech last season and deciding he wanted to help fix it.
Brandon Mack II and Latreveon McCutchin are back on the edge with Porter. Inside, Khalil Laufau - a preseason All-Big 12 Second Team pick - and De’Marion Thomas give the Cougars experience and size.
At linebacker, Jaden Yates comes over from Ole Miss to join Sione Fotu, a preseason All-Big 12 Fourth Team selection who made 56 tackles last year. The secondary returns three starters, including Will James, who earned preseason All-Big 12 First Team honors after leading the team in interceptions, turnovers gained, and forced fumbles.
Javion White, a transfer from Tulane, slides in at nickel.
The market sees Houston as a real threat, too. FanDuel lists the Cougars at +1800 to win the Big 12 and -162 to go over 7.5 wins, while ESPN’s SP+ has them 36th nationally.
Even so, the setup gives WVU a chance. Conner Weigman is absolutely a problem the Mountaineers will need to handle, but this one lands on Senior Day in Morgantown. Houston beat a worse WVU team by ten in Houston last season, and if the Mountaineers’ offense has found enough rhythm by late November, this is the kind of home game they can take.
In Other News...
WVU Is Moving On From A Longtime Helmet Look In 2026
West Virginia is making a notable visual change for 2026, swapping out the white matte helmet that has been part of the look since 2013. The new version will bring back a gloss finish, a move the program says better fits the current uniform design and freshens up one of the more familiar pieces of the game-day identity.
The updated lid will feature a blue state decal with a gold flying WV at the center, keeping the Mountaineers' branding front and center while changing the finish underneath it. The matte look is not going away entirely, though, since it will stay attached to the Coal Rush uniforms, preserving a style that has become tied to that alternate set. [Read more 🡒]
WVUs 2027 Class Still Has One Problem Fans Know Too Well
West Virginias 2027 recruiting class has moved out of the most active stretch of the calendar, with official visits wrapped and the staff now in a dead period that limits how much contact it can have with prospects. The class is already deep, with 23 commitments, and June accounted for 11 of them, but the work is far from finished as the coaches keep sorting out where the next additions might come from and which positions still need help.
Quarterback, running back, tight end, defensive line, edge rusher, cornerback and safety all remain in play depending on how the board changes, and that picture can shift quickly once other schools get involved or transfers enter the mix. A few of the current pledges are still likely to draw outside attention, too, which is part of the challenge now for West Virginia as it tries to hold the class together while also deciding whether the next move comes from high school recruiting or the portal. [Read more 🡒]
Several Former Mountaineers Just Reached Crucial NBA Crossroads
A few former Mountaineers are sitting at important NBA junctures this summer, with Treysen Eaglestaff trying to turn an undrafted finish into a foothold and Jevon Carter finding another landing spot after a turbulent stretch with Chicago and Orlando. For Eaglestaff, the next step is Summer League, where a strong showing can still open the door to a deeper opportunity and keep his pro path moving in the right direction.
Miles McBride adds another layer to the picture because his name is at least being floated in trade conversation, a reminder that former West Virginia standouts are not just fighting for spots, but also for stability. For Mountaineers fans, it is the kind of NBA summer that can change quickly, with one performance or one roster move reshaping where these familiar names fit next. [Read more 🡒]