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· collected 2026-08-21 · by Kristie Rieken The Associated Press
No. 23 Houston is entering the 2026 season with high expectations after a breakout 10-win season in coach Willie Fritz's second year, led by quarterback Conner Weigman who threw for a career-high 2,705 yards and 25 touchdowns last year. The team returns 12 starters, including Weigman and running back Makhi Hughes, a transfer from Oregon, who joins an experienced offense that should get a boost with the addition of the new players. Houston's defense has some weaknesses, having lost top pass rusher Eddie Walls III and defensive tackle Carlos Allen Jr., but is looking to linebacker Brandon Mack II to step up and make up for their absence. The Cougars have several key games lined up, including matchups against No. 12 Texas Tech, Kansas State, and No. 21 Utah.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-21,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
The University of Houston's football team, led by quarterback Conner Weigman, is looking to build on its 10-win season from 2025 and make a run at the Big 12 title. The Cougars return 12 starters, including Weigman, who threw for a career-high 2,705 yards and had 25 touchdowns while also rushing for 700 yards and scoring 11 times in his first season with the team. Weigman will be protected by an experienced offensive line and should receive a boost from the addition of running back Makhi Hughes, who spent last season at Oregon but has experience rushing for over 2,779 yards in two seasons at Tulane. Despite the addition of five-star recruit Keisean Henderson, Weigman is expected to remain the starter.
Written for “Houston College Football” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
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No political leaning scored for article 1866 · logged 2026-08-28
HOUSTON (AP) — 2025 record: 10-3
Expectations
The Cougars should be one of the top teams in the Big 12 a year after making a six-game improvement to win 10 games in coach Willie Fritz’s second season.
asserted
Cougars → make → season
“We’ve got to build off it and not live off it,” quarterback Conner Weigman said.
asserted
Weigman → get → it
“Some people are like: ‘We won 10 games last year.
asserted
We → win → games
That’s going to happen this year.’
asserted
That → go → ?
No, we’re going into Week 1 0-0.
asserted
we → go → Week
We’ve go to go and play an even better brand of football than we did last year, but we’re in a good spot right now.
asserted
we → go → spot
Houston returns 12 starters, led by Weigman.
asserted
Houston → return → Weigman
He threw for a career-high 2,705 yards and 25 touchdowns and added 700 yards rushing and 11 scores in his first season at Houston in 2025 after transferring from Texas A&M.
Weigman will be protected by an experienced offensive line and the offense should get a boost with the addition of running back Makhi Hughes.
asserted
offense → throw → Hughes
He spent last season at Oregon, where he got limited playing time after running for 2,779 yards in two seasons at Tulane.
asserted
he → spend → Tulane
Weigman will remain the starter despite the addition of five-star recruit Keisean Henderson.
asserted
Weigman → remain → Henderson
The dual-threat QB was ranked by some publications as the top recruit in the country after throwing for 6,415 yards and 76 touchdowns and running for 661 yards and 14 scores in four high school seasons.
asserted
QB → rank → seasons
Fritz could figure out creative ways to get the athletic freshman on the field.
uncertain
Fritz → figure → field
Strengths including QBs and RBs
Weigman and Henderson make the team’s quarterbacks the undisputed strength of the team.
asserted
quarterbacks → include → team
The transfer of Hughes reunited him with Fritz, after he played for him at Tulane in 2023 when he ran for 1,378 yards.
asserted
he → reunite → yards
Second on Houston’s depth chart at running back is Re’Shaun Sanford II, who had 444 yards rushing in 2024 but missed all last season recovering from an ACL injury.
asserted
who → have → injury
The Cougars also added freshman and Houston product John Hebert, who piled up a whopping 7,210 yards rushing with 80 touchdowns combined in his last two high school seasons.
asserted
who → add → seasons
Weaknesses include pass rush
asserted
Weaknesses → include → rush
Houston lost top pass rusher Eddie Walls III, after he had seven sacks and 11 1/2 tackles for loss last season.
asserted
he → lose → loss
Also gone is defensive tackle Carlos Allen Jr., who led the team with 80 tackles, including 7 1/2 for loss.
asserted
who → go → loss
They’ll look to linebacker Brandon Mack II to step up to make up for the absence of Walls after he had five sacks and forced two fumbles in 2025.
asserted
he → look → 2025
They also added Oklahoma State transfer De’Marion Thomas to help the interior defensive line.
asserted
They → add → line
