Oregon State Football Opponent Outlook 2025: Houston Cougars

On a Friday night, September 26, Oregon State will welcome to town the Houston Cougars out of the Big 12 Conference. Following a 4-8 season that was plagued by lackluster offense, Houston will be looking to bounce back in Willie Fritz's second year.

Offense:

Houston's offense struggled mightily last season. The Cougars failed to reach the end zone in three seperate games, and finished 128th in the FBS total offense. While these problems stemmed from a multitude of issues, poor quarterback play was a significant factor. The two starting QBs that Houston used in 2024 combined for just eight TDs compared to 16 interceptions, and passed for less than 1700 yards. Needing vast improvement at this position, coach Fritz has decided to take a chance on transfer Conner Weigman, who was benched last season at Texas A&M. A former five-star recruit, Weigman has a high ceiling if he can reach his potential, and could be a big step forward for Houston under center.

The good news for Weigman is that he should have quality targets to throw to, as the receiving group looks like a bright spot for Houston this year. Though the Cougars were far from being exceptional through the air last season, they will be returning their three leading receivers, a rarity in today's era of college football. They have also added some weapons in the portal, the most notable being Ball State TE Tanner Koziol. A four-star transfer who was initially committed to Wisconsin, Koziol racked up 839 receiving yards and caught eight TD passes in 2024. A crisp route-runner who stands at 6'7", Koziol could be a real headache for opposing defenses, and could create space for wideouts like Stephon Johnson and Joseph Manjack.

Houston's offensive line could be a work in progress at the start of the season, as they've lost three starters from last year. But the line has made some important additions this offseason, such as Texas Tech transfer Dalton Merryman and Cal transfer Matthew Wykoff. With a capable offensive line and a receiving group that could be fairly deep, Houston's offense could be significantly improved from a year ago if Conner Weigman proves to be a reliable arm.

Defense:

Contrary to their poor offensive production, the Houston defense was strong last season. The secondary in particular really shined, finishing 128th in the country in passing yards allowed per game. Though they struggled to get pressure on the quarterback, the front seven was also solid, allowing just 136 rushing yards per game in 2024.

With only three returning starters, this unit is going to look different in 2024. However, things have been shaping up fairly well so far this offseason. On the defensive line the Cougars are returning DE Carlos Allen, who was strong against the run in 2024. They have also acquired defensive tackles Joshua Donald and Khalil Laufau. Laufau was an impact player last season at Washington State, tallying four sacks and proving to be strong against the run. At linebacker, Houston is suffering the losses of both Michael Batton and Jamal Morris to graduation. On the bright side, they are returning Jalen Garner, who was solid last season as a junior. The Cougars are also bringing in guys at this position with ample starting experience, such as Carmycah Glass from Louisiana Lafayette and Jesus Machado from Tulane. While there is certainly potential for this group to stand out, it will be hard to match the production of last season's linebacking unit.

Despite being the team's biggest strength last season, the secondary could potentially be a point of vulnerability for Houston in 2025. Standout DBs AJ Haulcy and Jeremiah Wilson have transferred to different schools, and returning starters Latrell McCutchin and Kentrell Webb both struggled last season. It's likely that the Cougars will be relying on transfers from smaller programs to play a lot of snaps at both safety and nickel. With a secondary that has some question marks, a lot will be riding on the D-line's ability to generate an effective pass rush.

Wrap-Up:

An opportunity to get a win against a power four opponent, this will be an important game for Oregon State. Though Houston will have only played three games to this point(they have a bye in week four), we should be able to get some idea of where they stand when the Cougars host Colorado on September 12th. An effective pass rush could be crucial for the Beavers in this game, given Houston's potential to be dangerous through the air. On the other side of the ball, OSU will want to get Anthony Hankerson going early in order to open up the pass, and attack what could be a vulnerable secondary.