Report: Houston to host Texas, TCU during first year in Big 12

Some new boys will be on the block in the Big 12 next year, with four teams joining the conference for the 2023 season. While three new states will be introduced to the conference, another Texas school will be added with the Houston Cougars set to join from the AAC. As a welcome gift, the Big 12 has reportedly given them two in-state games to host next season.

According to the Houston Chronicle, both Texas and TCU will play road games against Houston next season. It’s one of the slim opportunities the Longhorns will have to make the trip before bolting to TCU, while the Horned Frogs could become a near-annual opponent in H-Town.

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“Sources: UH to open its first year in Big 12 football with home games against TCU and Texas in 2023,” Joseph Duarte said via Twitter.

The Big 12 has not fully announced how the 2023 schedule will work with four new members joining the conference. A round-robin format has been in place with 10 teams over the past several years. With 14 next year, a new scheduling format will be rolled out.

Texas, TCU has prior history with Houston

Not too long ago, the three Texas programs were all in the same conference. Before the Longhorns left in favor of the Big 12 in 1996, the Southwest Conference was home to all three with annual games taking place.

Texas and Houston have played against each other 25 times, with the Austin native program winning 16 of them — including seven in a row. Three of those have been nonconference showdowns during the Mack Brown era for the Longhorns. 2001 was the last time they met in the Space City.

As for TCU, the Cougars have a lot more recent history with them. The two were shortly conference foes after the Southwest Conference fell apart, being in C-USA together from 2001-2004. Gary Patterson was able to get four wins during that time, part of an eight-game streak in the series.

Overall, the rivalry between TCU and Houston is a bit closer, with the Cougars winning 13 of 25. While it’s been dominated recently by the current Big 12 program, there will be a chance to reverse fortunes beginning in 2023.