Houston Awaits Its First CFP Ranking
Houston will learn where it stands in the College Football Playoff committee’s first ranking on November 3, as coach Willie Fritz’s rebuilding team pursues a possible playoff place.
The Houston Cougars are set to receive their first College Football Playoff ranking on November 3, offering an early measure of how the committee views their chances of reaching the postseason. Houston rose to No. 17 in the AP poll during its bye week, after reaching No. 14 before losing to Utah.
Houston is 7-2, with both defeats coming away from home by a single score: 21-13 against Utah, now 8-0 and ranked third, and against Texas Tech, which is 7-1 and ranked 13th. The Cougars also have a 35-32 win over Oklahoma State, which was ranked No. 18 at the time.
The team’s path could depend on finishing 10-2 and earning a high enough ranking, particularly if Houston does not reach the Big 12 title game. The report’s outlook is that losses by other contenders could strengthen the Cougars’ case, while a crowded field of teams with three defeats may complicate the committee’s choices.
Houston’s next game is against Cincinnati on Saturday. The season finale also looms as a key test, and the team has recently received positive injury news. The first committee ranking will put the Fritz rebuild in the national spotlight, but the Cougars still need to finish their schedule strongly.