The 2025 season was what many Houston Cougars fans envisioned when the program first received a Big 12 Conference invite back in September 2021. The Cougars debuted in the league in 2023 and after a 2-year
acclimation period, they made it clear they’re ready to contend.
In year two under head coach Willie Fritz, Houston successfully strung together a 10-3 season, sweetened by a Texas Bowl victory over LSU in front of a hometown crowd decked in red. The Cougars were rewarded for the efforts with the No. 22 ranking in the final AP Poll, checking in as the fourth-highest ranked Big 12 team — as they concluded a season with a number beside their name for the first time since 2021.
Now the page turns to 2026, and the momentum is palpable. Fritz enters year three at the helm. Starting quarterback Conner Weigman returns. First Team All-Big 12 wide receiver Amare Thomas is back in the fold. Other starters including Alvin Ebosele, McKenzie Agnello, Brandon Mack, Khalil Laufau, and Sione Fotu have committed to running it back, and the Cougars brought in several notable transfers such as running back Makhi Hughes and star guard Shadre Hurst.
On Wednesday, Houston learned the path it must trek in order to take that extra step and qualify for the Big 12 Championship Game. Their full schedule was revealed, along with the rest of the Big 12, and here’s what Fritz and the Cougars must conquer in 2026:
Notes and trivia
- The Big 12 Championship Game is moving to Friday night for the first time ever. It will kick off at 8 p.m. ET on ABC from its usual location of AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX on Dec. 4. Since the Big 12 relaunched its title game in 2017, it has occupied the 12 p.m. ET window on ABC every year. There has been a growing trend of conference championships moving to Friday night. Conference USA has occupied Friday night since 2020. The American and Mountain West joined in 2024. The Sun Belt also moved to Friday night in 2025. Unless any of those championships revert back to Saturday, there will be five title games on Friday, Dec. 4, 2026.
- All of Houston’s games are currently slated for Saturday, but the Big 12 will move select games to Friday night in the coming weeks. In 2025, Houston played three Friday games (vs. Colorado, at Oregon State, vs. at UCF). In 2024, Houston played two Friday games (at TCU, at Arizona). In 2023, Houston played zero Friday games but hosted West Virginia on a Thursday night.
- Houston’s home venue since 2014 — TDECU Stadium — is expected to be renamed to Space City Financial Stadium for the 2026 season, although no official date is slated for the renaming.
- Houston finished 5-1 against its 2026 opponents in 2025 with wins over Oregon State, UCF, Oklahoma State, Colorado, and Baylor and a lone defeat to Texas Tech. Kansas State, Utah, Cincinnati, and West Virginia are the conference opponents the Cougars did not see in 2025, but played in 2024 and will face again in 2026.
- The six Big 12 opponents missing from Houston’s 2026 schedule include Arizona, Arizona State, BYU, Iowa State, Kansas, and TCU. This is the first time Houston has avoided TCU on the schedule since joining the Big 12.
- There are three road trips Houston will take for the first time as a Big 12 member — Utah on Oct. 24, Colorado on Nov. 14, and West Virginia on Nov. 21. Houston last played in Salt Lake City in 1977. The Cougars have never visited Boulder or Morgantown.
- Houston hosts UCF for the first time since both teams joined the Big 12. The Knights last visited TDECU Stadium in 2020 for an American Conference matchup. The other three Big 12 teams the Cougars host — Oklahoma State, Cincinnati, and Baylor — visited in 2023, 2023, and 2024, respectively.
- Houston plays in three different time zones in three-straight weeks in November. Central Time home games vs. Cincinnati (Nov. 7) and Baylor (Nov. 28) sandwich a Mountain Time road game at Colorado (Nov. 14) and an Eastern Time road game at West Virginia (Nov. 21).
- This is the first time Houston’s non-conference schedule has excluded Rice since 2020 (although a game was originally planned but axed due to the COVID-19 pandemic). Since 1999, the only other times the Cougars didn’t play their Bayou Bucket rival were 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2019. There are no scheduled contests in the future.
- The only FBS opponent Houston has never played on the 2026 schedule is Georgia Southern. The Big 12 and Sun Belt opponents meet in Statesboro on Sept. 26.
