Houston Cougars football is in the best place it’s been since 2021 and is coming off another game-winning field goal in a 31-28 victory over Arizona last weekend.
The Cougars have a 6-1 record and are 3-1 in the Big 12 so far.
Houston is finally starting to get some respect nationally with 34 votes in the latest AP poll. Additionally, the recognition has come in through power rankings for the state of Texas as well.
Oct 18, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; A detail view of a Houston Cougars helmet on the sideline during the first half against the Arizona Wildcats at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images / Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images
Every week, Dave Campbell’s Texas Football website releases their rankings for all 13 FBS Texas college football teams. It featured a pleasant surprise this week for Houston fans, as the Cougars were ranked No. 3, ahead of the Texas Longhorns who were just below them at No. 4.
The top two were not surprising at all, with the Texas A&M Aggies holding down the top spot with the only undefeated record in Texas. The 7-0 Aggies are ranked No. 3 in the AP poll and quarterback Marcel Reed had over 330 yards and four total touchdowns against Arkansas. Texas Tech came in second in the rankings with the health of quarterback Behren Morton of high importance.
Houston jumps into the top three this week after being ranked No. 5 previously. The notes section for the Cougars said, “Ethan Sanchez’s 41-yard field goal as time expired gave the Coogs a 31-28 win over Arizona and punched Houston’s ticket to a bowl game. The vibes are high in Third Ward.”
The Cougars are clearly getting a lot of respect here, ranked as the third-best college football team in the state. Texas comes in at no. 4 and is lower than Houston for the first time this year. The Cougars being over the Longhorns came as a surprise to many, especially those in Austin.
The preseason No. 1 team in America has not lived up to those expectations at the moment, with a surprisingly tight 16-13 overtime win over Kentucky. Even though Texas is ranked no. 22 in the AP poll, Houston still gets the nod over them. The Cougars’ 6-1 record compared to Texas’s 5-2 may have played a role, and Houston being on a high compared to that not so much being the case in Austin.
The website’s notes for Texas say, “Arch Manning and the offense were bailed out by a great defensive performance and Mason Shipley field goals, including the game winner in OT against Kentucky.”
While many may believe Texas would still beat Houston if both of them played each other, the rankings for this week do not share that opinion. It is quite possible that a head-to-head matchup against the Longhorns may not favor well for the Cougars, but you just never know in that fierce rivalry.
Oct 21, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns defensive lineman Byron Murphy II (90) and Houston Cougars offensive lineman Tank Jenkins (72) in action during the fourth quarter at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images / Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images
The last time these two programs faced off was in 2023 at TDECU Stadium in Houston, where the Longhorns came out on top in a close affair 31-24. Texas, ranked No. 3 at the time, led 21-0 early in the second quarter before Houston stormed back to make it 24-21 heading into the fourth quarter. That was Houston’s first season in the Big 12. Things have changed since then.
Either way, Houston is getting some big credit for their incredible turnaround season, with head coach Willie Fritz doing an exceptional job now in his second season with the Cougars. It’s clear that heads are turning, and if Houston can pull out the upset win over no. 24 Arizona State this weekend, expect even more of that to continue.
TCU rounds out the top five in these rankings, with their 5-2 mark on the season.