Houston Preview
A methodical, efficient offense complemented by a stout defense has defined the most surprising team in the Big 12 this year. Here’s our closer look at the Houston Cougars, who will visit Tempe this weekend.
Houston Offense
Formerly a high four-star prospect out of high school, quarterback Conner Weigman spent the 2022-24 seasons at Texas A&M before transferring to Houston.
On the year, he averages under 200 passing yards per game (197.1) with 11 touchdowns and two interceptions, adding 243 net rushing yards with a team-best six rushing touchdowns.
Weigman has been solid if unspectacular, as outside of wins against lowly opponents in Oregon State and Oklahoma State, Weigman has only one other 200-yard passing game on the year. Similarly, he rushed for 83 yards with two touchdowns against Colorado and then ran for 98 yards with a score against Arizona last week, but he only has 62 combined net rushing yards in the other five games he’s played in 2025.
On the ground, Dean Connors is trending toward a possible 1,000-yard rushing season as he has 538 yards on 115 carries (4.7 avg.) with four scores in seven games, adding 16 receptions for 113 yards and a touchdown.
Connors, who transferred to Houston this offseason from nearby Rice, has authored a pair of 100-yard games this season, first, coincidentally, against his former team when he posted 132 yards with two scores against Rice, and, most recently, an even 100-yard outing last weekend against Arizona. He has, however, had three of seven games with a yards per carry average of 3.3 or lower.
Amare Thomas, Harvey Broussard, and Koby Young are positioned to start at wide receiver, with Thomas as the head-and-shoulders preferred target of the group.
On the year, Thomas has team-highs of 410 receiving yards and four touchdowns while ranking second on the team with 27 catches. Thomas, who transferred to Houston from UAB, has posted two 100-yard receiving games this season, first a six-catch, 104-yard outing against Oregon State and later a seven-reception, 157-yard performance against Oklahoma State. He also had a two-touchdown day last Saturday against Arizona.
Houston recently suffered a significant loss at wide receiver in Stephon Johnson, the team’s second-leading pass-catcher among wide receivers, who caught 13 passes for 275 yards with two touchdowns in six games before suffering a season-ending injury two weeks ago. A dynamic playmaker, Johnson currently ranks seventh nationally in yards per catch (21.15).
Behind Thomas, Broussard is the team’s second-leading pass-catcher among wide receivers available for Saturday’s game, but he has just four receptions for 55 yards with one touchdown on the year. Young has collected 49 yards on two receptions through seven games.
At tight end, Houston acquired a major boost through the transfer portal in 6-foot-7 Tanner Koziol, who has clearly paid off as he leads the team with 36 receptions and ranks second on the roster with 350 yards with three touchdown catches.
To put that all in perspective, Koziol currently ranks second in the nation and leads Big-12 tight ends in receptions, and ranks seventh nationally and second in the Big-12 among tight ends in receiving yards.
The Houston offensive line is slated to start Alvin Ebosele at left tackle, Jason Brooks, Jr. at left guard, Demetrius Hunter at center, Matthew Wykoff at right guard, and Dalton Merryman at right tackle.
Houston Offense Summary
Statistically, the Cougars are very much a middle-of-the-pack team thus far as Houston is tied for 53rd nationally in rush offense (169.6), while tying for 62nd in scoring offense (29.4) and also ranking 72nd nationally in total offense (380.9). The Cougars tie for 47th nationally in tackles for loss allowed per game (4.71), while also ranking 58th nationally in third down offense (.415) and tying for 60th in sacks allowed per game (1.71).
Coincidentally, Houston’s pass game, statistically, is almost right in stride with Arizona State’s, as the Cougars have thrown for 1,479 yards in seven games, while the Sun Devils have thrown for 1,482. In that department, Houston ranks 90th nationally, while ASU ties for 88th.
The Cougars do, however, excel when they advance the ball down the field, as Houston ranks 15th in the country in red zone offense (.955).
Houston Defense
The Cougar starting defensive line figures to feature Eddie Walls, with end Khalil Laufau, and with Carlos Allen at nose guard.
Allen remarkably ties for the team lead with 48 tackles – an outstanding achievement for a nose guard – adding 3.5 for loss with a sack, two pass breakups, and one forced fumble.
Walls leads the team with 5.0 tackles for loss, with 26 total tackles including 2.5 sacks with four pass breakups and three quarterback hurries. Laufau has 23 tackles, including a sack with three quarterback hurries, one pass breakup, and one forced fumble.
Either Brandon Mack or Latreveon McCutchin will occupy the “Jack” position. Mac leads the team with 3.0 sacks as part of his 19 total tackles, adding 4.0 tackles for loss, a quarterback hurry, and a forced fumble. McCutchin has 21 tackles, including a sack with an interception, two pass breakups, and a forced fumble.
At linebacker, Jalen Garner, Sione Fotu, and Chance Bryant are listed as the starters for Saturday’s game.
Garner ties for the team lead with 48 tackles on the year, adding 2.5 for loss with 2.0 sacks, a team-high five quarterback hurries, two pass breakups, and a team-best two forced fumbles.
Fotu has added 33 tackles, including half a sack with a fumble recovery, while Bryant has two tackles on the year.
In the secondary, cornerbacks Will James and Latrell McCutchin figure to be joined by safeties Kentrell Webb and Jordan Allen, along with either Marc Stampley or Wrook Brown at the “Star” position.
Webb leads all Houston defensive backs with 40 tackles, adding 1.5 for loss with a forced fumble. Allen has posted 31 tackles with a pass breakup. Brown has a loaded stat line of 29 tackles, including 4.5 for loss, 2.5 sacks, an interception, and a pass breakup. McCutchin has 28 tackles, including 2.0 for loss, with four pass breakups, a fumble recovery, and a blocked kick.
James has registered 16 tackles, including 3.0 for loss, with an interception, two pass breakups, a forced fumble, and a blocked kick, and Stampley has 22 tackles, including 2.0 for loss, with a sack, an interception, and two pass breakups.
Houston Defense Summary
A steady defense, Houston ranks in the nation’s top 30-40 in several key categories as the Cougars rank 22nd in yards per carry allowed (3.30), are tied for 27th in scoring defense (19.00) and place 31st in total defense (317.1), while tying for 33rd in team sacks per game (2.43) and ranking 37th in pass defense (193.6) and 39th in third-down defense (.350).
In other areas, the Cougars rank 43rd in rush defense (123.6) and are tied for 68th nationally in turnovers forced (eight).
An area of weakness against weakness likely will surface Saturday when ASU drives deep into Houston territory, as the Cougars are tied for 102nd nationally in red zone defense (.900), while the Sun Devils’ unfathomable issues with scoring touchdowns deep in the red zone remain a major concern. Additionally, Houston is tied for 106th in team tackles for loss per game (4.7).
Houston Special Teams
At kicker, Houston has a very good one in Ethan Sanchez, the hero of last week’s win over Arizona. He has connected on 15 of 18 field goals this season, with a long of 52. This contest will feature two of the most frequently used placekickers in the country, as Sanchez ranks fourth nationally with 18 attempts, while ASU’s Jesus Gomez is tied for the national lead with 20 field goal attempts.
Punter Liam Dougherty averages 44.9 yards on 28 punts, good enough for 28th nationally in punting average.
In the return game, Mehki Mews is listed as the top option at both kickoff and punt returns. He averages 21.3 yards on 12 kickoff returns and 6.1 yards on 12 punt returns so far this season.
Overall Summary
In what will be the 10th all-time meeting between Arizona State and Houston – and the first since a December 1990 meeting in Tokyo that included Houston’s quarterback setting a NCAA single-game passing yardage record that stood until 2014 – a great deal is on the line as Houston has just one loss on the year and ASU, following its resounding upset win over Texas Tech last week, is back in the viable conversation of Big-12 Conference contenders.
A proven winner, second-year Cougar head coach Willie Fritz, who guided Tulane to a 12-win season and a top 10 final ranking in 2022, appears to have Houston well on track, as after a 4-8 debut season in 2024 with UH, he has the Cougars at 6-1 and already bowl eligible for 2025.
In 2024, Houston had only three players earn first-team, second-team, or honorable mention All-Big-12 recognition, and none of the three returned for 2025. But regardless, Houston already has its highest team win total since 2022 – with five regular-season games left to play.
Houston has been solid on offense and defense, albeit without many superstar performances, perhaps save for Koziol, one of the nation’s most elite tight ends this year.
That said, ASU will face the same issue it did in the Big-12 championship game and the Peach Bowl last year with elite wide receiver Jordyn Tyson on the sidelines.
If ASU’s defense can play anywhere near its level of performance last week and if Sam Leavitt can find a reliable passing target in Tyson’s absence, ASU can continue its ascent back into high level relevance, but the Sun Devils must be keenly aware of what Houston brings to the table, or the euphoria of last week’s upset victory will come crashing back down to earth Saturday evening.
