Breaking Down Houston Cougars' Strengths, Weaknesses, & 1 Thing That Could Beat Oklahoma State
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Oklahoma State's Oct. 17 game with the Houston Cougars could represent a turning point for the season. It should be the first time that the Cowboys will play a Big 12 contender in 2026.
Oklahoma State's first two games in conference play are against West Virginia and UCF, teams that like the Cowboys are trying to build up to where Houston ended up last season.
The Cougars won 10 games under their second-year head coach Willie Fritz and the team is getting plenty of love from preseason prognosticators who believe the Cougars could challenge the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the BYU Cougars for a spot in the Big 12 championship game in December.
When the Cowboys get their crack at Houston, these are the Cougars' strengths, weaknesses and the one thing that could beat the Cowboys.
Strengths
The QB-WR Combo
Houston could have the most productive quarterback-wide receiver combination in the conference this season. Quarterback Conner Weigman had a terrific year for Houston in 2025, as he threw for 2,705 yards and rushed for another 700 yards. His top target was Amare Thomas, who was an all-Big 12 selection who caught 12 touchdown passes and had nearly 1,000 receiving yards. The Cowboys know the pair well. In last year's meeting Weigman threw for 306 yards and Thomas caught seven passes for 157 yards.
The Secondary
A blend of returning talent and transfers from the FCS level could make the Cougars' secondary a formidable unit. Safeties Jordan Allen and Kentrell Webb are back from a season ago. Webb was third on the team with 71 tackles and picked off a pass. Allen had 48 tackles and broke up two passes. The Cougars hung onto their all-Big 12 cornerback in Will James, who had three interceptions and five pass break-ups. Houston added a top FCS transfer in Jalen Mayo, who picked off four passes for Stephen F. Austin in 2025 as the Lumberjacks made the playoffs. It's stout unit that could give the Cowboys real issues.
Weaknesses
The Pass Rush
The Cougars lost their best pass rusher from a season ago in Eddie Walls III. He had seven sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss. Plus, Houston lost their best interior lineman, Carlos Allen Jr. He was a rarity for a defensive lineman in any scheme – a team's leading tackler. He finished with 80 tackles, including 7.5 for a loss. Without the pair, the Cougars will be looking to De'Marion Thomas, a transfer, inside and more production from returning Jack linebacker Brandon Mack II, who had five tackles last year.
The Kicking Game
The Cougars bludgeoned the Cowboys with field goals in last year's win. But Houston will be looking for a new kicker and winning or losing a game on the margins could come down to that. Houston hopes that Zac Yoakum can replace Ethan Sanchez, who was 21-of-26 on field goals with a long of 52 yards.
The One Thing That Could Beat Oklahoma State
Makhi Hughes
Hughes has two terrific seasons for Tulane, one of which was under Fritz. In 2023 Hughes rushed for 1,378 yards and seven scores. He followed that up with a 2024 in which he rushed for 1,4-1 yard and 15 touchdowns under his replacement, Jon Sumrall (now at Florida). Hughes transferred to Oregon and only played four games as he rushed for 70 yards on 17 carries. Hughes transferred to Houston to play for the coach that recruited him to Tulane and to play in an offense that should showcase his talent. His production could make things hard for the Cowboys.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/oklahomastate as Breaking Down Houston Cougars' Strengths, Weaknesses, & 1 Thing That Could Beat Oklahoma State.
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