2026 Houston Cougars football team

2026 Houston Cougars football
ConferenceBig 12 Conference
Record0–0 (0–0 Big 12)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorSlade Nagle (2nd season)
Defensive coordinatorAustin Armstrong (2nd season)
Home stadiumSpace City Financial Stadium
2026 Big 12 Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
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 March 20, 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.

Offseason

Transfers

Outgoing

Player Position Destination
J'Marion Burnette RB Appalachian State
Demetrius Hunter IOL Colorado
Devan Williams WR Lamar Christian
Austin Carlisle QB Louisiana–Monroe
Joshua Donald DL Louisville
Cavan Tuley EDGE Missouri
Jesus Machado LB Rice
Zion Taylor EDGE Sam Houston
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
David Ndukwe OT 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

DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResult
September 5TBDOregon State*TBD
September 12TBDSouthern*
  • Space City Financial Stadium
  • Houston, TX
TBD
September 19TBDat Texas TechTBD
September 26TBDat Georgia Southern*TBD
October 3TBDUCF
  • Space City Financial Stadium
  • Houston, TX
TBD
October 10TBDat Kansas StateTBD
October 17TBDOklahoma State
  • Space City Financial Stadium
  • Houston, TX
TBD
October 24TBDat UtahTBD
November 7TBDCincinnati
  • Space City Financial Stadium
  • Houston, TX
TBD
November 14TBDat ColoradoTBD
November 21TBDat West VirginiaTBD
November 28TBDBaylor
  • Space City Financial Stadium
  • Houston, TX (rivalry)
TBD

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 StadiumHouston, Texas

  • Date: September 5
  • Game time: TBD
Statistics ORST HOU
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: compattint
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: compattint
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 StadiumLubbock, Texas

  • Date: September 19
  • Game time: TBD
Statistics HOU TTU
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: compattint
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 StadiumStatesboro, Georgia

  • Date: September 26
  • Game time: TBD
Statistics HOU GASO
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: compattint
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: compattint
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 StadiumManhattan, Kansas

  • Date: October 10
  • Game time: TBD
Statistics HOU KSU
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: compattint
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: compattint
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 StadiumSalt Lake City, Utah

  • Date: October 24
  • Game time: TBD
Statistics HOU UTAH
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: compattint
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: compattint
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 FieldBoulder, Colorado

  • Date: November 14
  • Game time: TBD
Statistics HOU COLO
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: compattint
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 StadiumMorgantown, West Virginia

  • Date: November 21
  • Game time: TBD
Statistics HOU WVU
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: compattint
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: compattint
Time of possession
Team Category Player Statistics
Baylor Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Houston Passing
Rushing
Receiving

References

  1. ^ "2026 Houston Football Transfer Portal". ON3.
  2. ^ "2026 College Football Transfer Portal". 247Sports.
  3. ^ Duarte, Joseph (March 9, 2026). "'Go out there and be elite': QB Conner Weigman raises bar for second season at UH". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved March 12, 2026.
  4. ^ "2026 Houston Football Schedule". FBSchedules.com. Retrieved February 14, 2026.