Houston Opens CFP Rankings at No. 17
Houston was ranked No. 17 in the first College Football Playoff rankings of 2026, released on November 3. The 6-2 Cougars are still pursuing a Big 12 title and a potential playoff berth.
Houston appeared at No. 17 in the first College Football Playoff rankings of the 2026 season, released on November 3. It is the highest position the Cougars have reached in the CFP rankings. They were placed between Wake Forest at No. 16 and Missouri at No. 18.
Houston is 6-2 overall and 3-2 in Big 12 play. The team also stands at No. 17 in the AP poll and No. 18 in the USA Today Coaches Poll. Utah, at No. 3, leads five Big 12 teams in the CFP rankings; BYU is No. 9, Texas Tech No. 15 and Arizona No. 22.
The Cougars’ previous highest CFP position was No. 18 in the final rankings of the 2015 season, when they won the Peach Bowl. Houston was also ranked No. 21 in the final 2025 CFP standings after beating LSU in the Texas Bowl to finish 10-3.
A Big 12 championship remains Houston’s clearest route to the playoff, but the team needs to win its final four games to reach 10-2. The run begins at home against Cincinnati on November 7, during the Cougars’ Homecoming and Military Appreciation Day. Houston then faces a road game at West Virginia in Week 11.