Houston
Houston is 7-2, No. 14 in the CFP rankings, and No. 38 of 138 in the machine's ratings, 9.4 points better than an average FBS team. Last game: won 31-24 vs Cincinnati in Week 10. The machine gives Houston a 3% chance to make the playoff.
Week 11: at Colorado, Friday, Nov 13: the matchup, unit by unit
Why Houston is No. 38
- Houston's rating is 9.4: the machine's estimate that Houston is 9.4 points better than an average FBS team on a neutral field. That is No. 38 of 138. For scale, 0 is an average FBS team: right now the closest to it is No. 68 Arizona State (0.2).
- It started the season at 7.1, ESPN's preseason Football Power Index from July. Its results since have moved it up 2.3.
- The biggest weekly moves: +2.4 after Week 6 (W 35-16 at Kansas State) and −0.9 after Week 8 (L 13-21 at Utah).
- Its record is 7-2. The 2 losses were to No. 12 Utah, No. 21 Texas Tech, by 5.0 points on average. The 7 wins came by 19.6 points on average; the best was over No. 24 Oklahoma State. The rating weighs how much a team won or lost by and against whom, not just the win-loss count.
- Its FBS opponents so far average No. 49 in the machine's ratings.
- Just above is No. 37 Auburn (9.6); just below is No. 39 Northwestern (9.3).
The rating, week by week
Strengths and weak spots
Head coach
Willie Fritz is in his 3rd season at Houston (since 2024). This season: 7-2. At Houston overall: 21-13, counting this season.
Data provided by CollegeFootballData.com.
Team stats
Season totals and averages over 9 games, each with its national rank among 138 FBS teams (No. 1 = best). The game-by-game story is in the season, week by week.
Passing
| Completions-attempts | 176-265 |
|---|---|
| Passing yards | 2362 |
| Touchdowns-interceptions | 24-2 |
| Yards per attempt* | 8.9No. 16 of 138 |
| Explosive pass rate | 12.5%No. 28 of 138 |
| Sacks allowed (rate) | 3.0%No. 17 of 138 |
Rushing
| Carries-yards | 357-1870 |
|---|---|
| Yards per carry | 5.2No. 24 of 138 |
| 10-plus-yard runs (rate) | 14.4%No. 57 of 138 |
| Stuffed at or behind the line (rate) | 12.4%No. 6 of 138 |
Scoring
| Points per game | 35.4No. 22 of 138 |
|---|---|
| Yards per play | 6.85No. 11 of 138 |
| Third-down rate | 59.3%No. 1 of 138 |
| Red-zone TD rate | 64.4%No. 53 of 138 |
| Giveaways | 6No. 10 of 138 |
Defense
| Points allowed per game | 21.3No. 41 of 138 |
|---|---|
| Yards per play allowed | 5.94No. 102 of 138 |
| Yards per pass attempt allowed | 7.8No. 110 of 138 |
| Yards per carry allowed | 3.8No. 49 of 138 |
| Sack rate | 4.2%No. 108 of 138 |
| Takeaways | 13No. 40 of 138 |
| Third-down rate allowed | 40.9%No. 96 of 138 |
Totals are the official box score. * Yards per attempt and the rates come from the play-by-play, where passing yards count on completions only, so they can differ from the box score by a play or two.
Data provided by CollegeFootballData.com.
Player leaders
The top 3 in each category over the same games. Passing yards count every completion (official box score).
Passing
- Conner Weigman170-257, 2279 yds, 22 TD, 2 INT
- Keisean Henderson6-8, 83 yds, 2 TD, 0 INT
Rushing
- Makhi Hughes129 carries, 607 yds, 4 TD
- Re'Shaun Sanford II102 carries, 573 yds, 3 TD
- Conner Weigman73 carries, 279 yds, 7 TD
Receiving
- Amare Thomas47 catches, 698 yds, 8 TD
- Patrick Overmyer43 catches, 497 yds, 7 TD
- Trent Walker32 catches, 439 yds, 2 TD
Tackles
- Kentrell Webb50
- Javion White44
- Jaden Yates38
Sacks
- Ashton Porter3
- Javion White2.5
- Brandon Mack2
Interceptions
- Jordan Allen2
- Latreveon McCutchin2
- Will James2
Data provided by CollegeFootballData.com.
Who's playing
Based on who has actually played this season, from the box scores, not the team's published depth chart. Each bar is that player's share of the team's attempts, carries (quarterbacks left out), catches or tackles. The box score lists no positions, so there is no offensive line here.
Throwing
- Conner WeigmanMost passes in the last game9 games257 attempts97%
- Keisean Henderson2 games8 attempts3%
Carrying
- Makhi Hughes9 games129 carries47%
- Re'Shaun Sanford II9 games102 carries37%
- DJ Butler4 games11 carries4%
- Zane Smith1 game10 carries4%
Catching
- Amare Thomas9 games47 catches27%
- Patrick Overmyer9 games43 catches24%
- Trent Walker9 games32 catches18%
- Koby Young9 games19 catches11%
Tackling
- Kentrell Webb9 games50 tackles10%
- Javion White8 games44 tackles9%
- Jaden Yates5 games38 tackles8%
- Jalen Mayo8 games34 tackles7%
Data provided by CollegeFootballData.com.
The season, week by week
- Week 1 W 33–20 vs Oregon State. The run defense was the strength: Oregon State got 1.0 yards a carry, 3.7 under what it usually gains. Lost the turnover battle by 2.
- Week 2 W 77–6 vs Southern. Southern is an FCS team, so there is no FBS baseline to grade this one against. Won the turnover battle by 3.
- Week 3 L 26–28 at Texas Tech. The run game was the strength: 4.8 yards a carry, 1.4 more than Texas Tech usually allows.
- Week 4 W 42–28 at Georgia Southern. The passing game was the strength: 10.9 yards an attempt, 4.0 more than Georgia Southern usually allows. Its most yards an attempt of the season.
- Week 5 W 27–17 vs UCF. The passing game struggled: 7.0 yards an attempt, 1.1 less than UCF usually allows. Its fewest yards an attempt of the season.
- Week 6 W 35–16 at Kansas State. The run defense was the strength: Kansas State got 4.0 yards a carry, 1.0 under what it usually gains. The fewest yards an attempt it has allowed all season.
- Week 7 W 35–32 vs Oklahoma State. The passing game was the strength: 10.4 yards an attempt, 2.5 more than Oklahoma State usually allows. The most yards an attempt it has allowed all season.
- Week 8 L 13–21 at Utah. The run defense gave ground: Utah got 6.5 yards a carry, 1.4 over what it usually gains. Its fewest yards a carry of the season.
- Week 10 W 31–24 vs Cincinnati. The run game was the strength: 6.9 yards a carry, 2.3 more than Cincinnati usually allows. Its most yards a carry of the season.