#25 Houston 42, Georgia Southern 28

Willie Fritz returned to Statesboro, Georgia to face the team he once coached. He left with a closer-than-expected win.

The Good: The Cougar offense was unstoppable. They scored touchdowns on six of their seven full possessions and amassed 441 yards of total offense. In addition to throwing four touchdown passes, QB Conner Weigman rushed for a pair of scores. Re'Shaun Sanford II led all rushers with 120 yards, and the Coogs did not turn the ball over.

The UH defense forced a turnover and held Georgia Southern to 66 total rushing yards. But the Eagles really didn't need to run the ball because...

The Bad: The Houston pass defense was abysmal, surrendering 289 yards to the Eagles. Georgia Southern QB Max Johnson completed 26 of 38 passes with three touchdowns and no interceptions, while Eagle WR Alex Taylor ripped through Houston's secondary with 119 receiving yards and two scores. UH's pass defense, or lack thereof, is quickly becoming the most concerning story of the season.

The Ugly: Houston's special teams was caught flat-footed and allowed Georgia Tech to recover an onside kick after their first touchdown. The Eagles would go on to convert that recovery into another score and tie things up. All of a sudden a game that looked like an easy Cougar win became something of a nail-biter.

What It Means: This game was always going to present a challenge for the Coogs. They were playing the second of back-to-back games on the road, while Georgia Southern was hosting a Power Four team at its stadium for the first time ever and Eagles Coach Clay Helton was facing his alma mater. It stands to reason that they would be hyped up for this game and pull out all the stops (i.e. the onside kick) to try to win; in fact, this game might have been even closer had Georgia Southern not been flagged nine times for 64 yards. So I can't be too upset that Houston beat a Sun Belt program by "only" two touchdowns.

That being said, if the secondary doesn't improve - and quickly - the Cougars are going to be at a huge disadvantage against Big XII opponents. That includes Central Florida, who comes to TDECU Stadium this Saturday.

#22 Houston 26, #13 Texas Tech 28

They say football is a game of inches, and Houston QB Connor Weigman could have used a couple of them late in the fourth quarter as he lunged to score a two-point conversion that would have tied the game with 49 seconds remaining. Alas, the ball was ruled down just short of the goal line, and Houston fell to Texas Tech in Lubbock, 26-28.

The Good: Weigman passed for 282 yards and three touchdowns. TE Patrick Overmeyer caught eight passes for 72 yards and a TD, while WR Amare Thomas caught seven balls for 72 yards and a score. WR Koby Young made a ridiculous 42-yard circus catch, while DB Jalen Mayo made an incredible one-handed interception.

If you look at the stat sheet, the Cougars had a great game. They had more total yards, more first downs, more third-down conversions, a greater time of possession, and fewer turnovers than the Red Raiders. Unfortunately, the only stat that matters is the final score.

The Bad: I was rather disappointed in the defense, especially their inability to tackle or put pressure on Texas Tech QB Will Hammond. Weigman had a good day but not a great one, as 11 of his 38 passes fell incomplete. He also fumbled while attempting a scramble.

The Ugly: Aside from the poor tackling, the Cougars did not do themselves any favors by committing seven penalties for 60 yards. Special teams play wasn't stellar, either; the Cougars gave up a lot of yards by not fielding punts. 

What It Means: This was the biggest game on Houston's schedule, and the Cougars could have come away with a statement win had they played just a little better: fewer incomplete passes, better tackling, fewer penalties, better special teams play. As Ryan notes, "the Cougars had plenty of chances to win, but Texas Tech was the better team when it mattered most."

The Cougars now make a (frankly rather bizarre) road trip to play the Sun Belt's Georgia Southern Eagles. I was originally thinking about making this roadtrip and spending a few days in Savannah, but decided against it as I'm still in financial recovery from my last trip to the Atlantic Coast. 

Is September a worse month than August?

We're halfway through September and the weather outside is still miserably hot. As much as the month of September is popularly associated with the beginning of fall, those of us who've lived in Houston for any length of time know otherwise. In fact, Eric Berger and Matt Lanza are having a debate over at Space City Weather as to which month is actually worse:

Matt and I routinely debate whether August or September is the worst month in Houston. I say August because it is guaranteed to be sizzling hot, and there is no hope for respite. Matt argues that September is worse because it holds the false promise of fall, when it fact the region typically does not experience meaningful cooling until October.

Berger concedes that this September, at least, is making a good case for Matt's position, as temperatures are hotter than normal and there's really no relief in sight, a chance at drier (but not necessarily cooler) air reaching Houston this weekend notwithstanding. Eric maintains that September is still the better month, due to "the slightly cooler daytime highs, and with shorter days the evenings cool off a little faster. But September is definitely not fall in Houston."

The truth is, a Houston summer runs from early-to-mid may to sometime in October, and while I agree with Eric that August is truly the worst month of the summer, September really isn't all that much better. There may be psychological forces in play - Labor Day, the start of football season, the September equinox marking the first day of astronomical fall - that cause us to expect September to be more "fall-like" than it actually is. That, in turn, causes frustration when the cooler weather we're expecting never materializes.

One thing my ears have noticed over the last few days is that the nighthawks - the nocturnal birds with the "meent" vocalizations whose appearance in our skies in late April or early May is a true harbinger of summer - seem to have disappeared. This means they've likely begun their migration southward because the change of seasons is indeed upon us.

Hopefully and eventually. 

#22 Houston 77, Southern 6

This game went about as expected, which is to say it was a beatdown.

The Good: The Cougars thoroughly dominated the game in all aspects - Ryan runs through some of the numbers - and were able to empty the benches on both offense and defense. Nine different Cougars scored touchdowns, including highly-rated freshmen such as QB Keisean Henderson (who passed for two scores as well) and RB John Hebert. Ten different players accounted for Houston's 388 rushing yards; this is mainly because Houston stopped passing the ball after their first score of the second half. Both coaching staffs and the officiating crew agreed to shorten the fourth quarter to eight minutes.

The Bad: Southern did not bring their famous band, the Human Jukebox, to this game. Aren't the bands the entire reason we sign these SWAC schools to play - and get beaten up by - us? You'd think the band's presence would be a stipulation in our contract with Southern.

Oh, and power glitch that briefly caused the stadium's lights to go out towards the end of the first half. It didn't affect the game, but it could have been really embarrassing had it been a nationally-televised game against a major opponent. 

What It Means: Southern coach Marshall Faulk was none too pleased that his program had to play this game. "That wasn't really a game, that was kind of a preseason crash-dummy test for Houston to work on all the good plays," he said, and he's not wrong. Glorified scrimmages like these are played because we need an easy opponent for our players to gain reps and experience against and they need a paycheck (in this case, $450,000 and 125 pizzas) to keep their programs afloat. It didn't feel good back in the 90s and 00s when those weak UH teams had to go play against the likes of Michigan, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, USC or LSU (although one time that didn't really work out for the Tigers) for money, and it can't feel good for Southern now, especially in the era of unlimited transfers and NIL money.

Now the real fun begins, as the Cougars travel to Lubbock to face the 13th-ranked Texas Tech Red Raiders on Friday night. 

Brandon Fisher 1972 - 2026

Brandon Fisher was our neighbors' nephew* and every summer he and his family would come down from Pittsburgh to visit them. Brandon would end up hanging out with myself and other kids from the neighborhood, and we'd watch movies with him or take him to places like Astroworld or Galveston. 

Those visits ended along with our childhoods, but many years later we reconnected on Facebook, and I always enjoyed the posts he shared about sports (including his favorite team, the Pittsburgh Penguins) or about musical acts that we both enjoyed.

Brandon had been battling illness for a while. He passed away a few weeks ago, on August 29th, just one day short of his 54th birthday.  His obituary ran in The Beaver County Times; as is my custom on this blog, I am reproducing it here.

Rest in peace, Brandon. Wherever you are now, may the Penguins always win and the music always be loud.

Brandon J. Fisher, 53 of Ellwood City died Saturday, August 29, 2026 at Quality Life Services of Grove City. He was the son of Joseph "Joe" and Sidney (Gulentz) Fisher and was born August 30, 1972, in New Brighton.

He is survived by his daughter; Elyse Fisher, brothers; Paul Fisher and his wife Alison of Cranberry Twp, Elliot Fisher and his wife Alexis of Economy Borough, his nephew; Devin and Niece; Carys, his uncle; Robert Fisher and his wife Donna of Houston and his aunt; Robyn Webb and her husband Bruce of Houston. He enlisted in the US Army Reserves in 1991 and served eight years and was honorably discharged. Brandon was also an active member of the J. Wilbur Randolph Post 157 of the American Legion. He was a full-time Civil Engineer working in the greater Pittsburgh area as well as Erie. He was an avid hockey fan, especially the Pittsburgh Penguins. Brandon enjoyed fishing, collecting hockey cards, building custom Lego structures, playing vintage pin ball machines and video games. He loved to bake and cook, most enjoying making chocolate chip cookies. He enjoyed music especially listening to Nine Inch Nails. Brandon was a loving father, son, and brother. He will be missed by so very many.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents; John and Julia Fisher and John Gulentz and Velma Kuhn.

The family will receive friends on Friday, September 4, 2026, from 4-7pm at Turner-Hyde Funeral Home of Ellwood City. Additional calling hours will be held on Saturday, September 5, 2026, at North Sewickley Presbyterian Church located at 106 Chapel Drive Ellwood City from 10-11am. Military Honors will be rendered by the Veteran’s Honor Guard immediately before the Funeral Service following at 11:00AM with Rev. Dr. Rebecca Collins, officiating.

Interment will be in the North Sewickley Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting memorial donations be made in Brandon’s name to the J.Wilbur Randolph Post 157 of the American Legion at Post Office Box 569 Ellwood City, PA 16117

Arrangements entrusted to the Turner-Hyde Funeral & Cremation Services located at 6th and Park in Ellwood City.

* Those neighbors being a professor at the UH College of Architecture - who would later become dean and sign my undergraduate diploma - and his wife. 

#24 Houston 33, Oregon State 20

The Cougars endured brutal heat, a rain delay, and a late Oregon State rally to start the 2026 campaign with a win.

The Good: QB Conner Weigman threw for 305 yards and a touchdown - a 31-yard strike to Amare Thomas - and rushed for what turned out to be the game-sealing score. RB Re'Shaun Sanford, who was forced to sit out the last two seasons with ACL injuries, rushed for 75 yards on 11 carries, including a beautiful 56-yard touchdown scamper in the second quarter. The Cougar ground game would accumulate 228 yards in total; the 533 yards in total offense was the most in a UH home opener since 621 yards against Tennessee Tech in 2015.

The UH run defense was superb, limiting the Beavers to 26 rushing yards for the entire game. 

The Hilarious: Early in the game, some dipshit ran onto the field and was promptly tackled by a UHPD officer who exhibited perfect wrap-up form. Does that officer have any eligibility remaining?

The Bad: The Beavers scored 14 unanswered points in the second half to creep back within six points midway through the fourth quarter, creating some tense moments for the Cougar fans who managed to stick around through the heat and rain. The Cougars didn't do themselves any favors during the OSU rally, surrendering two long scoring drives, throwing an ill-advised INT in the red zone, and dropping what should have been a sure INT of their own. Oregon State QB Braden Atkinson gave Houston's pass defense fits, accounting for 376 yards and a touchdown through the air.

The Ugly: While some sloppiness is to be expected in the first game of the season, the Cougars had more than their share of miscues on Saturday. They committed ten penalties, turned the ball over twice (while failing to force any turnovers of their own), and missed way too many tackles. More pressure on the QB would have helped too: Atkinson had way too much time to find open receivers, despite being sacked four times.

The actual number of attendees in TDECU Stadium was well beneath the announced attendance of 28,732, and most of those who did attend left during the rain delay. While the attendance was disappointing, it's not like this a new issue for the program, and after sitting in the heat, then the rain, then the after-rain steaminess of yesterday's game, I certainly can't fault anybody for deciding to stay home and watch the game in air-conditioned comfort.

What It Means: While this performance might not have been the dominating one coaches, fans or some bettors (Houston was a 21-point favorite) would have liked, it was still a win and it exposed the things the Cougars need to work on over the next couple of weeks before that pivotal matchup against Texas Tech.

But before they go on the road to Lubbock,  they have another home game this Saturday against Southern University. Fortunately, it is 6 pm kickoff so the heat should not be as much of a factor.

2026 Houston Cougar Football Preview

Congratulations to all college football fans, myself included, who have successfully endured another offseason. Now, let the games begin!

Looking Back: The 2025 season was by any measure a success. The Cougars notched a 10-3 record, a bowl win over Louisiana State, and ended their year with a spot on the AP's final top 25. 

The Big Story for 2026: Can the Coogs, under third-year head coach Willie Fritz, maintain last season's momentum and have an even more successful 2026 campaign? Can they - dare I say it - even compete for the Big 12 championship and a spot in the College Football Playoff? 

Reasons for Optimism: There is lots of continuity from last year's team. Willie Fritz enters his third season as head coach, and offensive coordinator Slade Nagle and defensive coordinator Austin Armstrong return as well. On the field, veteran dual-threat quarterback Conner Weigman returns, as does WR Amare Thomas. They are joined by several highly-rated portal transfers, including RB Makhi Hughes (who transfers in from Oregon and originally played for Willie Fritz at Tulane). Highly-rated incoming freshman QB Keisean Henderson joins the team as well. On the defensive side of the ball, standout linemen Brandon Mack and Latreveon McCutchin return, as do safeties Kentrell Webb and Jordan Allen. 

Reasons for Pessimism: There's still a lot of talent lost from last year's team, such as RB Dean Conners and TE Tanner Koziol on the offensive side of the ball, or DE Carlos Allen and CB Latrell McCutchin, Sr from the defense. The coaching staff thinks their portal additions will more than adequately fill in these holes (for example, on the defensive line), but time will tell if these new players pan out and/or successfully to adjust to the philosophy of Fritz and his staff.

The schedule is going to be tough, particularly as it relates to road games. The Cougars have to travel to Lubbock, Manhattan, Salt Lake City, Boulder and Morgantown (those last three likely being cold-weather games) for conference matches. Last year's team found ways to win, going 6-1 in one-possession games. Can they do the same against a more difficult schedule?

What the Computers Think: Congrove's algorithm is especially bullish on Houston, placing them eleventh in their preseason ratings and predicting an 11-1 season. Massey's preseason outlook is more measured, ranking the Coogs #47 to start the season and giving them a 50% or better chance of winning nine games. Jeff Sagarin's preseason ratings start the Cougars at #37 and imply a 9-3 record as well, when home filed advantage is taken into account. The Cougars are ranked 35th (out of 138 FBS teams*) in ESPN's preseason Football Power Index and their game-by-game matchup predictor gives the Cougars more than a 50% chance of winning seven games (with another game - Colorado - being essentially a toss-up).

What the Humans Think: Houston begins the season ranked #23 in the preseason AP poll and #24 in the USA Today Coaches Poll. The Athletic's Stewart Mandel pegs the Cougars to finish second in the Big 12, with a 10-2 overall record, and to make it to the conference championship game; his colleague Chris Vaninni thinks the Coogs start the season as the 19th-best team in the country. "Willie Fritz always figures it out," he writes. R.J. Young at Fox Sports also starts the Coogs out in the #19 spot and says that Fritz is "one of the 10 best living coaches in college football;" he sets Houston's season over-under at 8.5 wins.

ESPN's Bill Connelly predicts the Cougars to come in 7th in the conference with an expected win total of 7.4. He says Fritz "is one of the most underrated coaches of the 21st century" but notes Houston's tough schedule. Connelly's colleague Mark Schlabach has the Cougars 22nd in his preseason power rankings. "With 12 starters coming back, including quarterback Conner Weigman and receiver Amare Thomas, the Cougars might be a sleeper candidate to challenge for the Big 12 title," he writes. On the other hand, ESPN's David Hale believes the Cougars are going to take a step backwards this season, simply because their winning margins were so thin last year.

Dave Campbell's Texas Football foresees a 9-3 season for Houston, with a best case scenario of 11-1 and a worst case of 6-6. They wonder if Houston can compete with other Big 12 schools when it comes to NIL funds. Pete Fiutak at College Football News also anticipates a 9-3 campaign for the Cougars, as does USA Today. Four out of seven sportswriters at CBS Sports expect the Cougars to finish third in the Big 12, although a couple of them think Houston is one of the nation's most underrated teams. Athlon thinks the Cougars are the third-best team in the Big 12 as well.

Underdog Dynasty's excellent preview of the Cougars doesn't come with a win-loss prediction but is generally optimistic, stating that "Houston has the ingredients to contend for its first-ever Big 12 Championship" if they can find a way to on the road at Texas Tech and Utah. Indeed, those are likely going to be the games that define the Coogs' season. 

What I think: The Cougars are returning a lot of talent and Willie Fritz has proven himself to get results. However, the schedule gives me some heartburn, with road games against teams expected to the Conference's best and two sets of back-to-back roadtrips. The University of Houston may actually put a stronger and more talented product on the field than they did a year ago but still manage fewer wins, simply because the schedule is so less favorable.

And that's what I think is going to happen. While I'd obviously love to see the Coogs win a conference championship and CFP appearance, I don't think the program is quite there yet. I predict a 9-3 season for Houston in 2026.

*Sacramento State and North Dakota State join the FBS this year.