The UFL ends Houston's spring football experiment

August is upon is, which means that it's time to being this blog out of hibernation in preparation for another college football season. But before I get to college football, I have to briefly mention last week's announcement that another Houston football team - the Gamblers, formerly known as the Roughnecks - are leaving town.

The United Football League today announced the difficult decision to depart Birmingham and Houston as part of its strategic market realignment and long-term growth strategy. Two new replacement markets will be added for 2027, and the league plans to expand to 10 teams by 2028, including the addition of Oklahoma City. The UFL has been actively evaluating markets across the country interested in bringing professional spring football to their city. The UFL has targeted a 12-team league by 2030, but with strong interest from prospective markets and league momentum that timeline may be accelerated to 2029.

I am mildly saddened that the Gamblers are leaving, but I can't say I'm surprised. Houston's spring football franchise, whether named the Roughnecks or the Gamblers, never regained the momentum it had before the pandemic.

A brief refresher: the Roughnecks originally debuted in the spring of 2020 as part of the XFL; they were undefeated (and drawing decent crowds at TDECU Stadium; I attended all of their home games and had an enjoyable time) until the COVID-19 pandemic shut the season down. The XFL then entered bankruptcy and was reorganized; the league, along with the Roughnecks, reappeared in 2023. They made it all the way to the conference championship game that season but lost to the eventual champions, the Arlington Renegades.

While all this was going on, another spring league, the USFL, debuted in 2022. The league, which harkened back to the days of the original USFL in the 1980s, also had a Houston team, the Gamblers. However, they didn't actually play any of their games in Houston. The USFL successfully completed its 2022 season and returned in 2023; this meant that, in 2023, Houston fans actually had two spring football teams to root for: the Roughnecks and the Gamblers.

Following the 2023 season, the XFL and the USFL realized that there was such a thing as "too much" spring football and decided to merge into the United Football League (UFL). This meant whittling down the number of total teams in the two leagues from 16 to 8, but since Houston had a team in both leagues it was inevitable that the city would be represented in the new UFL. The combined league ended up moving what were then the Roughnecks to San Antonio, and renamed the Gamblers the Roughnecks. (Confused yet?)

Anyway, the UFL debuted in the spring of 2024, with the Roughnecks playing in front of sparse crowds at Rice Stadium (because TDECU Stadium was being renovated that spring). The team was abysmal, ending the season with a 1-9 record. In 2025, the Roughnecks returned to TDECU and were slightly better, finishing 5-5, but still weren't attracting fans. Corinne and I managed to catch a game late that season - a sweltering, poorly-attended, sloppy football game that we at the time thought might well be the franchise's last.

The UFL tried to reboot the franchise for 2026, moving the team from TDECU Stadium to the smaller Shell Energy Stadium, changing the team name from the Roughnecks back to the Gamblers, and installing former UH and Texas A&M head coach Kevin Sumlin to lead the team. However, the Gamblers only managed a 4-6 record in 2026 and, as Eddie Maisonet notes, that wasn't enough to attract bigger crowds:

That lack of winning certainly impacted attendance. According to the UFL's 2026 data, the Gamblers finished last in average announced attendance for their home games this season, with just 5,683 in the stands at Shell Energy Stadium. The 2026 number is a minimal decline from last season's mark of 5,712. The Gamblers filled only 25.7 percent of Shell Energy Stadium's 22,039-seat capacity. 

In their announcement that they were pulling the plug on Houston, the UFL's management concedes that “the reality is that we did not give this market the consistency it deserved. Between venue changes, team-name changes, and different approaches, we made it difficult to build lasting momentum.”

This is true. Between the constant home stadium relocations, the ill-advised name change (few locals remember the Jim-Kelly led USFL team of the mid-80s anymore), the washout head coach (did UFL management not understand how much Kevin Sumlin is still disliked in Houston?), and the poor scheduling (the Gamblers played home games on Easter Sunday, Mothers Day and Memorial Day weekend). it’s as if the UFL was setting the Gamblers up for failure. But there were larger, league-wide problems at play as well:

1, The UFL season starts too late. The XFL was wise enough to begin their season right after the Super Bowl ended, when people still had a taste for football and there were no conflicts with events such as NCAA March Madness, the NBA and NHL playoffs, or the start of baseball season. By April when the UFL season begins, sports fans have moved on. For teams in warm climates like Houston, the April start date also means that the season runs into June, when outdoor sports become unpleasant.

2. The UFL does not market the way XFL 2.0 did. Whatever you might think about Vince McMahon, he knew how to promote the XFL, and that was key to the Roughneck's pre-pandemic success. I never sensed the same level of promotion for the Roughnecks/Gamblers after the merger. In fact, if you weren't following the franchise on social media you might not know they existed at all.

3. The quality of on-field play is poor. To be fair, this is a problem inherent in spring football because the pool of available players are people who weren't good enough for the NFL. But every UFL game I've watched over the past few springs seemed to be little more than a slop-fest of incomplete passes, lousy tackling, penalties and head-scratching playcalling that makes for a very low-quality on-field product. If somebody like me, who is generally supportive f spring football, finds this to be a turn-off, I can only imagine how casual fans might feel.

It remains to be seen whether the UFL can go where all of the original USFL, the WLAF/NFL Europe, the original XFL, the AAF, and the 2020 XFL reboot didn't and sustain itself as a springtime football league, providing year-round entertainment for diehard football fans as well as providing a platform for not-quite-ready-for-the-NFL players to prove themselves and perhaps get invited to some NFL training camps. 

At this point I'm skeptical. But I guess I'll always have that Roughnecks shirt hanging in the closet to remind me of what could have been. 

The UFL is also relocating the Birmingham Stallions, which means that going forward there will be no more "USFL-branded" teams in the league. 

1940 Air Terminal Museum suddenly closes

A week ago, one of Houston's more unique museums abruptly shut its doors:

The 1940 Air Terminal Museum, a longstanding tribute to Houston's aviation history, has closed because it was no longer economically sustainable, according to its president.

The museum is adjacent to Houston's Hobby Airport. Karen Nicolaou, president and director of The Houston Aeronautical Heritage Society, the nonprofit that operates the museum, said she hopes the closure is temporary as a workable financial solution is sought. 

"The museum has ceased operations at this time," according a Facebook post. "Thank you to everyone who has contributed."

That terse post, which appeared the evening of Sunday March 1st, was followed by a longer post a few days later that went into details about the museum's financial troubles:

The closure of the 1940 Air Terminal Museum, an all-volunteer organization, is the result of mounting financial pressures that accumulated over time, ultimately reaching a breaking point. The problem is straightforward: the museum's revenues simply do not match its expenses.

The economic climate has made it increasingly difficult for small, independently operated cultural institutions like this one to stay afloat. Operating costs — from utilities and staffing to maintenance of an aging historic structure — have continued to climb, while income streams have proven unreliable and insufficient.

Perhaps the most significant financial blow came from the failure of a once-reliable fundraising channel. The museum had previously raised $100,000 or more per year by raffling vintage aircraft; however, that revenue stream dried up entirely. Due to inflation and other economic factors, vintage aircraft we have raffled in the past have easily doubled in cost.  This loss represented a critical pillar of the museum's operating budget, and no adequate replacement has been found. While the museum continued to generate income through admissions, events, and private rentals, those sources simply haven't been sufficient to cover costs.

Although not mentioned here, the Chronicle article about the closure also notes that the raffle was also hampered by Facebook's decision to not promote posts about the raffle because they considered it to be gambling. (As if you need another reason to hate Mark Zuckerberg...) The post also points out the challenges caused by the museum's location, in an industrial area a couple of blocks off Telephone Road and not directly accessible from Hobby Airport's main terminal. Unlike the institutions in the Museum District that can feed off each other for patronage, the 1940 Air Terminal Museum's isolated location makes it difficult to attract casual visitors. Indeed, both times I've attended the museum it was essentially empty.

The building's listing on the National Register of Historic Places means that its preservation is not simply a local concern — it is a matter of national cultural heritage. While that designation provides legal protections against demolition, it does not guarantee funding for upkeep. The ongoing maintenance of a structure of this age and architectural complexity requires a steady, reliable, and substantial financial commitment that the current model has proven unable to sustain.

The Board hopes the closure will serve as a wake-up call. What this museum needs is not another raffle or another one-time fundraiser — the museum needs a permanent and sustainable funding structure that can weather economic downturns and changes in the philanthropic landscape.

The museum's financial challenges are nothing new; I remember they had an emergency fundraiser several years ago that I donated to. I'm sorry the situation got to the point where the had to shut down completely. I can only hope that the city and its philanthropic ecosystem can step in to find a solution. The 1940 Air Terminal Museum is a valuable piece of the city's history and its permanent demise would be a significant cultural loss for Houston.

 Kuff has more.

Attila 2013-2026

A couple of weeks ago, my ex-girlfriend Michelle broke the news that Attila, the labrador/border collie mix that was her companion for almost thirteen years, had passed away. Although not a surprise due to his age, it was still saddening.

Michelle adopted Attila from Friends for Life in the Heights in April of 2013. My claim to fame is that I picked him out from the photos of all the puppies in his litter. I made a pretty good choice! I'm not sure I'll be as lucky the next time I'm asked to pick out a dog...

Attila was well-behaved and gentle, in spite of the size he quickly grew into. His worst habits were trying to escape from the house whenever the front door was opened and jumping up on me because he was happy to see me (with his dirty paws!) when I got home from work. He got along well with a then-eight-year-old Kirby; in fact I'm not sure he ever met a human of any age he didn't like. 

He did have to contend with my cats; in fact Attila's first experience with them as a puppy left him yelping and scurrying into the next room after Little Girl hissed and swiped at him. But over time he learned to tolerate them. Attila was well-socialized with other dogs and spent a lot of time at dog parks such as the one at the corner of Westpark and the West Loop with his canine friends.

Even after Michelle moved out, I still got to dog-sit him on occasion. Most recently, he stayed with me in the spring of 2024 when Michelle went on a cruise. Although older and a few steps slower, he was still the gentle dog I knew from a decade before. As he continued to age his health issues prevented any future stays with me, so 2024 was the last time I saw him.

He was an excellent dog, and he will be missed.

Left: me with young Atilla, April 2013. Right: both of us are a bit older, May 2024 

Attila gallops through the surf at Bolivar Peninsula, August 2014. Attila loved water!

g

I don't remember which Christmas Michelle had this photo taken, but it's a really good one.

Relaxing on my living room floor, May 2024

Share your steak, humans! Attila and Black Cat wait by the dinner table, May 2024 

2026 Winter Olympics Thoughts

Every four years, the Winter Olympics causes millions of people to spend a couple of weeks paying attention to speed skating, luge, ski jumping, the giant slalom, and other sports they normally wouldn't care about. The 2026 Winter Games, held in various venues across northern Italy, has come and gone, and I have some thoughts:

All Hail Norway: More people live in the Houston metropolitan region than live in the entire nation of Norway, but that didn't stop the Folks from the Fjords from dominating these Olympics. They won the most golds (18) and the most medals overall (41) in the Milano Cortina Games. This is the third Winter Olympics in a row where Norway has ended up at the top of the medal chart. 

Norway's medal haul also makes them the most efficient country in terms of medals per capita, with the Norwegians winning a medal for every 140,000 people. (The United States, by comparison, won one medal per every 10 million people.)

How good is Norway? The IOC is thinking about eliminating some events because Norwegian domination of them has rendered them uncompetitive.

The United States Did Alright: Team USA came in second to Norway, both in gold medals (12) and number of medals overall (33). The 12 gold medals surpassed the United States' previous record of 10 set at the 2002 Winter Olympics held in Salt Lake City, and the 33 overall medals they snagged was the most since their 37-medal haul in Vancouver in 2010. 

Highlights include team USA's Mens Hockey team, which snagged its first gold since the 1980 Miracle on Ice. The Womens Hockey team won gold as well. Alisa Liu brought home the first gold in womens figure skating since Sarah Hughes did it back in Salt Lake City in 2002. American speedskater Jordan Stolz set two Olympic records and claimed two gold medals in his performance at these games. I could go on, but suffice to say the United States represented well.

Host nation Italy, Germany and Japan round out the top five overall medal winners. For those who might be interested, Germany had the most "Aluminum Medals," i.e. fourth-place finishes. Norway was second in this category, suggesting that they were very close to dominating even more than they actually did.

Quad God Chokejob: One American athlete who did not do well was figure skater Ilia Malinin. I am a Houston sports fan, so I know what a good chokejob looks like. And I gotta say, because I watched it live: the "Quad God's" epic meltdown was indeed spectacular.

Much has since been written about the psychological aspects of Malinin's choke. And yes, the pressure got to him. But here's the thing: Malinin embraced the "Quad God" nickname (referring to his ability to perform quadruple-turn jumps on the ice). He even has an apparel line with that nickname. 

If you're going to talk the talk, you need to walk the walk (or, in this case, skate the skate). Especially on the world's biggest stage. Malinin couldn't do it when it counted the most.

I hope the "Quad God" returns in 2030, because he truly is an amazing talent on the ice. But I also hope he brings a dose of humility with him next time.

South America's First: Before these Games, no South American nation had ever won a medal in the Winter Olympics. I've always found that fact curious, because countries like Argentina and Chile experience real winters and have legitimate winter sports facilities where those country's athletes can train. 

South America's Winter Olympic drought was finally broken in these games, not by anybody from Chile or Argentina but by Lucas Pinheiro Braathen of Brazil, who took gold in the giant slalom. 

As his last name might suggest, his father is Norwegian. Which likely explains his win.

In addition to Brazil, Georgia (the nation, not the state) also won their first-ever Winter Olympic medal.

NBC Olympic Coverage Update. Anybody who's read this blog for awhile (or who even read my Daily Cougar article from three decades ago) knows how I like to complain about NBC's Olympics coverage. In that regard, I really have nothing new to say. The live daytime programming was actually okay, if you were able to watch it. The prime-time coverage was its usual dreck, with heavy editing (they didn't even show the first performance of eventual mens figure skating gold medalist Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan) and the goofy human-interest stories (they seriously focus-grouped these things and got good feedback?) that interrupted the events they were trying to show. The attention the broadcast paid to Snoop Dogg and Martha Stewart was just... weird.

All that said, I think we've reached a point of equilibrium when it comes to NBC's Olympics coverage: as long has you keep your expectations low and know how to navigate their offerings (via NBC, broadcast partners like USA Network, or streaming platforms like Peacock), you can probably make the overall coverage work for you. They'll still show their heavily-edited slop during prime time because old habits die hard, but the audience for that particular product continues to shrink and in the era of social media they know they can no longer present it as "live." 

And I know I've said it before, but I'll say it again: replacing Bob fucking Costas with Mike Tirico was the best thing NBC ever did in regards to their Olympics coverage.

I wonder what it feels like

Last night, as I watched the Seattle Seahawks win their second NFL championship, I wondered what it must feel like to watch your football team win the Super Bowl and lift up the Lombardy Trophy. 

Unfortunately, I will never know, because my football team is the Houston Texans.

Artemis "Little Girl" Gray 2007-2026

Eighteen years is a pretty good lifespan for a housecat, and Little Girl was very healthy for most of it. She had been aging gracefully up until around Christmastime, when she began to go into steep decline; she had lost her appetite and was becoming increasingly frail. Two weeks ago, and with the concurrence of her veterinarian, Corinne and I made the difficult but necessary decision to euthanize her.

Lori and I got her along with her brother, Orion "Black Cat," in the fall of 2007. Although her real name was Artemis, Lori nicknamed her "Little Girl" as a kitten and that's the name that stuck, partly because it was easier for Kirby to say. I kept both cats after the divorce and they remained my faithful, if not demanding, companions over the subsequent years and through subsequent relationships. They even tolerated Michelle's and Corinne's dogs.

Little Girl was the quintessential lap cat: if you sat down on the couch, she would immediately come and sit on your lap. It didn't matter who you were because she never met a human she didn't like (although Corinne would eventually become her favorite human). She was always looking for affection, too; if your hand got anywhere near her, she would nudge it with her head it as a clear demand to be pet.

She had a beautiful coat of long hair, but she may end up being the last long-haired cat I get because they require a lot of maintenance. Little Girl needed to be constantly brushed; if not her fur would get matted and she'd leave clumps of hair all over the house. 

Now with all of the "Begging Bunch" - Piper, Black Cat and Little Girl - gone, Corinne and I are probably going to be pet-free for a little while. There will come a time when we adopt "Nextpuppy" and "Nextkitten" (preferably simultaneously), but we can use a short break from the responsibilities of pet ownership.

Thank you, Little Girl, for being such a sweet and loyal furry friend. You will be missed. 

UH Cougar Football: 2025 attendance and 2026 schedule

The Houston Cougars end the 2025 season with a 10-3 record, a #22 ranking in the final AP poll (they're #19 in the final Coaches poll), and a bowl win over an SEC blue blood. Pretty good for a season for which I struggled to predict six wins last August, and good enough to earn an end-of-season "A" grade from Dave Campbell's Texas Football. Incidentally, this is only the fourth time since 1990 (!) that the Cougars have ended the season with an AP top 25 ranking.

Another positive from last season was attendance: the Cougars averaged 32,215 fans per game over the 2025 season, an increase of 4,793 fans per game from 2024.

That being said, this was still the worst average attendance of the 16 schools in the Big 12. And these numbers got a boost by the large contingent of Texas Tech fans that helped sell out that game. Hopefully this year's on-field success will translate into more ticket sales in 2026. I also hope that the athletics department takes a hard look at the gameday experience at TDECU Stadium, which hasn't been great. Fewer 11 AM kickoffs would help, too, but that's not something UH can control. 

Speaking of 2026, the schedule was released earlier this week:

    Sat Sep 05      Oregon State
    Sat Sep 12      Southern
    Sat Sep 19      at Texas Tech
    Sat Sep 26      at Georgia Southern
    Sat Oct 03      Central Florida
    Sat Oct 10      at Kansas State
    Sat Oct 17      Oklahoma State
    Sat Oct 24      at Utah
    Sat Oct 31      (off)
    Sat Nov 07     Cincinnati
    Sat Nov 14     at Colorado
    Sat Nov 21     at West Virginia
    Sat Nov 28     Baylor

As of right now, these are all Saturday games. However, I wouldn't be surprised to see the networks flex at least a couple of these games to Friday. 

This schedule starts off great, with back-to-back home games against Oregon State and Southern. But it gets rough from there, with two sets of back-to-back road games, lots of long-distance travel (e.g. Salt Lake City, Utah; Morgantown, West Virginia), and only one bye week two-thirds of the way through the season. Those last three road trips may be played in winter conditions, as well. The home slate is manageable (although Oklahoma State will likely be improved), but Ryan calls the road schedule "daunting."

As for the on-field product, it's hard not to be optimistic about 2026; Willie Fritz and his staff clearly have momentum on their side, and have diligently worked the transfer portal to bring fresh talent into the program. How well this team does is likely going to come down to how it performs on the road.

The Cougars appear on "way-too-early" top 25 rankings from USA Today, CBS Sports, Yahoo, Athlon and Sporting News.

My iPhone's top 20: End of 2025 edition

It's hard to believe that it's been 20 years since I received an iPod Shuffle for Christmas. Over those two decades, as my music library has grown and has migrated from iPod to iPhone, I've periodically taken stock of the twenty most listened-to songs in my collection (see here for the 2010, 2015 and 2020 lists). In continuing my tradition, here are the twenty most listened-to songs on my iPhone, as of December 31, 2025 (2020 ranking in parentheses):

If this list looks very similar to the 2020 list, that's because it is: my top four most-listened songs are the same (#5 and #6 swapped places) and there are only three songs on this list that weren't on the 2020 list. The lack of change is at least partly due to the fact that I don't listen to music on my phone as much as I used to; for one thing, I don't need to use music to block out office noise because I spend so much time working from home now. Additionally, I lost some of my play history when I upgraded phones a couple of years ago.

1. Ride a White Horse - Goldfrapp (Supernature, 2006, Mute/Universal Music) (#1)
2. That Smiling Face - Camouflage (Voice and Images, 1988, Atlantic) (#2)
3. Home - Erasure (Chorus, 1991, Sire) (#3)
4. Burst Generator - The Chemical Brothers (We Are The Night, 2007, Australwerks/EMI) (#4)
5. Hysteria - Def Leppard (Hysteria, 1987, Mercury) (#6)

6. Sometimes [Erasure/Flood Two Ring Circus Remix] - Erasure (The Two Ring Circus, 1987, Sire) (#5)

7. Dissolve - The Chemical Brothers (Further, 2010, Australwerks) (#10)

8. Thank U - Alanis Morissette (Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie, 1998, Maverick/Reprise) (#11)

9. Life Is Sweet - The Chemical Brothers (Exit Planet Dust, 1995, Australwerks) (#8)

10. Dance Hall Days - Wang Chung (Points on the Curve, 1982, Geffen) 

11. Looking at You - Sunscreem (Looking at You: Club Anthems, 1998, Centaur Entertainment) (#7)

12. Let Forever Be - The Chemical Brothers (Surrender, 1999, Australwerks) (#9)

13. A Moment's Shifting - Anything Box (Hope, 1993, Orangewerks) (#13)

14. Lightning Blue Eyes - Secret Machines (Ten Silver Drops, 2006, Reprise) (#14)

15. Dancing On My Own - Robyn (Body Talk, Pt. 1, 2010, Konichiwa) (#20)

16. Destroy Everything You Touch - Ladytron (Witching Hour, 2005, So Sweet) (#12)

17. Primary - The Cure (Faith, 1981, Elektra) (#17)

18. Save It For Later - The English Beat (Special Beat Service, 1982, Go-Feet)

19. A Modern Midnight Conversation - The Chemical Brothers (We Are The Night, 2007, Australwerks) (#15)

20. So Far Away - Dire Straits (Brothers In Arms, 1985, Vertigo)

Happy New Year!

Himeji Castle

Of all the cool, interesting or delightful sights I saw during my travels in 2025, I'd have to put Himeji Castle at the top of my list. Granted, everything we saw during our trip to Japan last summer was amazing, but the Shogun-era castle was truly unique in terms of its history and its beauty.  

Corinne and I took the Shinkansen from Osaka - it was her first experience riding the bullet train - to Himeji, and we then took a short bus ride from the train station to the entrance to the castle grounds. It was very hot the day we visited, so rules prohibiting drinks within the castle were waived (we were actually encouraged to bring water with us during our walk through the castle, which was a kind and thoughtful gesture on the part of the staff). The castle grounds were enormous, with many interactive exhibits in both Japanese and English. There was also a lot of climbing involved, both around the castle grounds and within interior spaces such as the Main Keep. The entrance fee of ¥1,050 per person (about $6.70) was a true bargain, given how much there was to see!

Himeji Castle dates back to 1333; the current structure largely built between 1581 and 1618. Although much of Himeji was reduced to rubble by American bombers during World War II, the castle itself was largely untouched. It has withstood frequent earthquakes over its centuries of existence as well.

While the castle structure is original, it underwent an extensive restoration between 2009 and 2016. The Main Keep (the largest and tallest part of the castle) was essentially dismantled and reassembled. The castle's roof was completely restored, its walls were re-plastered, and earthquake-resistant structural elements were added. 

A closer look at the castle's architecture. The castle had to be built with withstand both invaders and earthquakes; that this was accomplished with such beauty is remarkable.

The view from the top of the Main Keep, looking back at Himeji's train station. The top of the Main Keep reaches an elevation of 302 feet, providing spectaular views of the surrounding city. 

A view from inside the Main Keep, showing the centuries-old wood craftmanship. In order to protect the castle's wooden floors, and in keeping with Japanese tradition, you are required to take your shoes off before entering the Main Keep.

Another view of the Main Keep's interior, showing the castle's traditional wood architecture. The Main Keep has seven stories, including a basement. A small Shinto shrine is located at the keep's top level.

The Bizen Bailey (a fortified courtyard) in front of the Main Keep was the perfect place for Corinne and me to take a picture. Himeji Castle was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993.

A pathway leading to the Taiko (Drum) Tower just outside of the Bizen Bailey. Note the loopholes, where archers or gunmen could fire upon invaders, to the left. Himeji Castle's defenses are impressive, but it was never attacked.

After visiting the castle, we went next door to see the Koko-En Garden. The garden was built in 1992 to commemorate Himeji's 100th anniversary as a municipality and was delightfully serene and beautiful. 

Koko-En Garden is divided into separate sections with different landscaping themes. A tower along the castle's West Bailey wall can be seen peeking out above the trees to the right. 

The castle at twilight, as seen from Himeji's train station. After leaving the castle and adjacent garden, we walked back to the station, stopping at a small restaurant for amazingly delicious Tonkatsu, and then took the Shinkansen back to Osaka. All of our days in Japan were wonderful, but Corinne and I agree that the day we visited Himeji was our favorite. 

Even though my trip to Japan was months ago, I'll be able to enjoy Himeji Castle anytime I want. This is because Corinne got me the Himeji Castle LEGO set for Christmas!

2025 Kinder's Texas Bowl: Houston 38, LSU 35

My marriage may be ruined (such is the risk of marrying into an LSU Tiger family), but this was an amazingly fun game. Houston fell behind 0-14 early in the first quarter but rallied, took a ten-point lead, and then withstood a late Bayou Bengal rally of their own to beat the Tigers, 35-38, and win their first bowl game since 2022.

I don't know who made this graphic, but it's very cool

The Good: Houston's offense. All of the people who contributed to the Cougars' resurgent offense over the course of the season played major roles in this win. QB Conner Weigman accumulated 236 yards passing, 56 yards rushing, and threw 4 touchdown passes - a Texas Bowl record - while not being intercepted or sacked once. RB Dean Conners ran for 126 yards, including a 20-yard touchdown scramble. TE Tanner Koziol caught nine passes for 76 yards and a score, while WR Amare Thomas caught seven passes for 66 yards and two touchdowns.

Once the Houston offense got hot, LSU's defense simply didn't have an answer for them. The Cougars ended the game with 437 total yards of offense.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Cougars limited LSU to 77 yards rushing, while notching four sacks and seven tackles for loss. They also forced a key LSU fumble in the second quarter that kept the Tigers from regaining momentum after the Cougars tied things up.

The Tigers threaten to score

The Bad: Houston's pass defense. Playing in place of an injured Garrett Nussmeier, LSU QB Michael Van Buren completed16 of 26 passes for 267 yards and three touchdowns. The Cougars had a tough time containing Tiger TE Trey'Dez Green and WR Kyle Parker, who combined for 11 catches, 146 yards and three touchdowns. Watching the Cougars give up a 46-yard pass on LSU's final possession as they attempted a late rally was especially disheartening

The Ugly: Houston special teams. They began the game by giving up a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to LSU returner Barion Brown. Brown almost got away from the Cougars again on a slippery 43-yard return late in the first half. A Houston kickoff in the second half went out of bounds, drawing a penalty. Finally, LSU came terrifyingly close to recovering their own onside kick attempt late in the game; the Cougar "hands team" didn't seem to be positioned well and simply got lucky.

What It Means: Some LSU fans may discount this game because several key Tiger players sat out, including Nussmeier and former UH safety A. J. Haulcy. But SEC fans can't have it both ways; LSU's remaining talent was top notch, they had the Cougars on the ropes early, and came within a nearly-recovered onside kick of winning or going into overtime. This was a hard-fought, legitimate win for Houston.

The Cougar offense at work

The Coogs end the season with a bowl win over an SEC school, finish with double-digit wins for only the tenth time in program history, and (unless the AP sportswriters are completely out of their minds) should end the 2025 season with a top-25 ranking, If you had read the previous sentence to me back in August, I would have laughed in your face. 

The University of Houston Cougars and Louisiana State University Tigers are now 2-2 all-time, with the tiebreaker game to come at the beginning of the 2027 season. The Cougars' next game is at TDECU Stadium on September 5, 2026, when they host the Oregon State Beavers. 

Pete Fiutak of CollegeFootballNews offers five thoughts about the Texas Bowl, while Mario Punete has some excellent pictures of the game action.

Yes, she was still on speaking terms with me after the game.