2026 Houston Cougars football team

Record0–0 (0–0 Big 12)

Headcoach

Willie Fritz (3rd season)

OffensivecoordinatorSlade Nagle (2nd season)

2026 Houston Cougars football

Conference	Big 12 Conference
Record	0–0 (0–0 Big 12)
Head coach	Willie Fritz (3rd season)
Offensive coordinator	Slade Nagle (2nd season)
Defensive coordinator	Austin Armstrong (2nd season)
Home stadium	Space City Financial Stadium
Seasons ← 2025 2027 →

2026 Big 12 Conference football standings
v t e
Team	W		L	W		L
Arizona	0	–	0	0	–	0
Arizona State	0	–	0	0	–	0
Baylor	0	–	0	0	–	0
BYU	0	–	0	0	–	0
Cincinnati	0	–	0	0	–	0
Colorado	0	–	0	0	–	0
Houston	0	–	0	0	–	0
Iowa State	0	–	0	0	–	0
Kansas	0	–	0	0	–	0
Kansas State	0	–	0	0	–	0
Oklahoma State	0	–	0	0	–	0
TCU	0	–	0	0	–	0
Texas Tech	0	–	0	0	–	0
UCF	0	–	0	0	–	0
Utah	0	–	0	0	–	0
West Virginia	0	–	0	0	–	0
Championship: December 4, 2026
As of April 25, 2026 Rankings from AP poll

The 2026 Houston Cougars football team will represent the University of Houston during the 2026 NCAA Division I FBS football season as a member of the Big 12 Conference. The Cougars will be led by third-year head coach Willie Fritz and play home games at Space City Financial Stadium in Houston, Texas.

Transfers

Outgoing

Player	Position	Destination
J'Marion Burnette	RB	Appalachian State
Demetrius Hunter	IOL	Colorado
Devan Williams	WR	Lamar
Austin Carlisle	QB	Louisiana–Monroe
Joshua Donald	DL	Louisville
Cavan Tuley	EDGE	Missouri
Jesus Machado	LB	Rice
Zion Taylor	EDGE	Sam Houston
David Ndukwe	OT	Syracuse
Derek Joiner	IOL	Tarleton State
Corey Platt Jr.	LB	Texas Tech
Zeon Chriss-Gremillion	QB	Tulane
Reshad Sterling	EDGE	Tulane
Zavian Tibbs	DL	Western Michigan
Cayden Bowie	IOL	Unknown
Marquis Shoulders	WR	Unknown
Jayden York	TE	Unknown

Incoming

Player	Position	Previous School
Evan Noel	K	Florida
Muizz Tounkara	WR	Florida
Jack Carson-Wentz	LS	Florida A&M
Drew Terrill	OT	Miami (OH)
Hayden Wright	OT	Northwestern
De'Marion Thomas	DL	Oklahoma State
Jaden Yates	LB	Ole Miss
Makhi Hughes	RB	Oregon
Ashton Porter	DL	Oregon
Trent Walker	WR	Oregon State
Jalen Mayo	CB	Stephen F. Austin
Luke Carney	QB	Syracuse
Tyson Turner	WR	Texas Tech
Anthony Boswell	IOL	Toledo
Shadre Hurst	IOL	Tulane
Javion White	S	Tulane
Patrick Overmyer	TE	UTSA
Miller Malone	LB	Western Kentucky
Ejiroghene Egodogbare	DL	Yale

^[1]^[2]

Preseason

The Cougars opened spring practice on March 9.^[3]

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV
September 5	TBD	Oregon State*	Space City Financial Stadium Houston, TX	TBD
September 12	TBD	Southern*	Space City Financial Stadium Houston, TX	TBD
September 18	TBD	at Texas Tech	Jones Stadium Lubbock, TX (rivalry)	TBD
September 26	TBD	at Georgia Southern*	Paulson Stadium Statesboro, GA	TBD
October 3	TBD	UCF	Space City Financial Stadium Houston, TX	TBD
October 10	TBD	at Kansas State	Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium Manhattan, KS	TBD
October 17	TBD	Oklahoma State	Space City Financial Stadium Houston, TX	TBD
October 24	TBD	at Utah	Rice–Eccles Stadium Salt Lake City, UT	TBD
November 7	TBD	Cincinnati	Space City Financial Stadium Houston, TX	TBD
November 13	TBD	at Colorado	Folsom Field Boulder, CO	TBD
November 21	TBD	at West Virginia	Milan Puskar Stadium Morgantown, WV	TBD
November 28	TBD	Baylor	Space City Financial Stadium Houston, TX (rivalry)	TBD
*Non-conference game All times are in Central time Source: ^[4]

Game summaries

vs Oregon State

Oregon State Beavers (0–0) at Houston Cougars (0–0) – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	Total
Beavers			0
Cougars			0

at Space City Financial Stadium • Houston, Texas

Date: September 5
Game time: TBD

Statistics	ORST	HOU
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Oregon State	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving
Houston	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving

vs Southern

Southern Jaguars (0–0) at Houston Cougars (0–0) – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	Total
Jaguars (FCS)			0
Cougars			0

at Space City Financial Stadium • Houston, Texas

Date: September 12
Game time: TBD

Statistics	SOU	HOU
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Southern	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving
Houston	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving

at Texas Tech

Houston Cougars (0–0) at Texas Tech Red Raiders (0–0) – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	Total
Cougars			0
Red Raiders			0

at Jones AT&T Stadium • Lubbock, Texas

Date: September 18
Game time: TBD

Statistics	HOU	TTU
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Houston	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving
Texas Tech	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving

at Georgia Southern

Houston Cougars (0–0) at Georgia Southern Eagles (0–0) – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	Total
Cougars			0
Eagles			0

at Paulson Stadium • Statesboro, Georgia

Date: September 26
Game time: TBD

Statistics	HOU	GASO
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Houston	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving
Georgia Southern	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving

vs UCF

UCF Knights (0–0) at Houston Cougars (0–0) – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	Total
Knights			0
Cougars			0

at Space City Financial Stadium • Houston, Texas

Date: October 3
Game time: TBD

Statistics	UCF	HOU
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
UCF	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving
Houston	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving

at Kansas State

Houston Cougars (0–0) at Kansas State Wildcats (0–0) – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	Total
Cougars			0
Wildcats			0

at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium • Manhattan, Kansas

Date: October 10
Game time: TBD

Statistics	HOU	KSU
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Houston	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving
Kansas State	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving

vs Oklahoma State

Oklahoma State Cowboys (0–0) at Houston Cougars (0–0) – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	Total
Cowboys			0
Cougars			0

at Space City Financial Stadium • Houston, Texas

Date: October 17
Game time: TBD

Statistics	OKST	HOU
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Oklahoma State	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving
Houston	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving

at Utah

Houston Cougars (0–0) at Utah Utes (0–0) – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	Total
Cougars			0
Utes			0

at Rice–Eccles Stadium • Salt Lake City, Utah

Date: October 24
Game time: TBD

Statistics	HOU	UTAH
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Houston	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving
Utah	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving

vs Cincinnati

Cincinnati Bearcats (0–0) at Houston Cougars (0–0) – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	Total
Bearcats			0
Cougars			0

at Space City Financial Stadium • Houston, Texas

Date: November 7
Game time: TBD

Statistics	CIN	HOU
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Cincinnati	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving
Houston	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving

at Colorado

Houston Cougars (0–0) at Colorado Buffaloes (0–0) – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	Total
Cougars			0
Buffaloes			0

at Folsom Field • Boulder, Colorado

Date: November 13
Game time: TBD

Statistics	HOU	COLO
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Houston	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving
Colorado	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving

at West Virginia

Houston Cougars (0–0) at West Virginia Mountaineers (0–0) – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	Total
Cougars			0
Mountaineers			0

at Milan Puskar Stadium • Morgantown, West Virginia

Date: November 21
Game time: TBD

Statistics	HOU	WVU
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Houston	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving
West Virginia	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving

vs Baylor

Baylor Bears (0–0) at Houston Cougars (0–0) – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	Total
Bears			0
Cougars			0

at Space City Financial Stadium • Houston, Texas

Date: November 28
Game time: TBD

Statistics	BAY	HOU
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Baylor	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving
Houston	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving

v t e Houston Cougars football
Venues	Robertson Stadium (1946–1950, 1994–2012) Rice Stadium (1950–1964) Houston Astrodome (1965–1997) Reliant Stadium (2013) BBVA Compass Stadium (2013) TDECU Stadium (2014–present)
Bowls and rivalries	Bowl games Baylor Rice SMU Texas Tech
Culture & lore	Shasta "Cougar Fight Song" Spirit of Houston Veer option The Comeback Victory 2022 SMU game
People	Head coaches NFL draftees Statistical leaders
Seasons	1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

2026 Houston Cougars football team

Transfers

Outgoing

Incoming

Preseason

Schedule

Game summaries

vs Oregon State

vs Southern

at Texas Tech

at Georgia Southern

vs UCF

at Kansas State

vs Oklahoma State

at Utah

vs Cincinnati

at Colorado

at West Virginia

vs Baylor

References

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