The saying goes that the bigger they are, the harder they fall, and the Houston Cougars found that out the hard way.
Heading into Week 10, the Cougars were riding high after an upset win after an upset win over Arizona State on the road, which propelled them into the AP and Coaches polls for the first time in over three years. With a home matchup against the lowly West Virginia Mountaineers – who were 2-6 and on a five-game losing streak – up next, it seemed like the Cougars were in great position to build on their momentum.
However, that’s not what happened. Instead, the Cougars came out flat and suffered a shocking 45-35 loss against the Mountaineers, with four turnovers – including a pick-six by Conner Weigman – sealing their fate. It was a devastating loss for a team that seemingly had so much momentum, and unfortunately, the media took notice.
Nov 1, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars quarterback Conner Weigman (1) fumbles the ball against the West Virginia Mountaineers in the first half at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images / Thomas Shea-Imagn Images
The Cougars’ return to the AP and Coaches’ polls was short-lived, as they predictably fell out of both rankings following the upset loss.
In the AP Poll, the Cougars were the eighth team in the others receiving votes category with just six points, which places them at No. 33 in the country. They are now the fifth-highest-ranked team in the Big 12 behind No. 8 BYU, No. 9 Texas Tech, No. 17 Utah and No. 25 Cincinnati.
In the Coaches Poll, the Cougars were the seventh team in the others receiving votes category with 18 points. That essentially puts them as the No. 32 team in the ranking, a 10-spot drop from last week. As such, they are the fifth-highest-ranked team in the Big 12 – again behind BYU, Texas Tech, Utah and Cincinnati, who all have the same placements as in the AP Poll.
Unfortunately, the Cougars may not have a chance to make much of an impression for the rest of the season. Their final three opponents – UCF, TCU and Baylor – have a combined record of 15-10, and none of them are ranked.
That said, they can definitely still run the table and finish 10-2, which would be a great season after posting a 4-8 record in each of the prior two years. Additionally, a 7-2 conference record would have them in the mix for the Big 12 Championship Game, though the competition at the top is stiff.
It’s definitely frustrating to lose what should’ve been a gimme game, but there’s still a lot to like about the Cougars this season.