Four storylines as Houston football prepares for Senior Day against TCU

Houston football re-entered the national rankings at No. 25 this past Sunday, following its second bye week of the season.

The re-entry comes after several programs on the bubble of the AP top 25 lost over the course of last week.

It is also the second time Houston has been ranked this season, after entering the polls at No. 22 when it defeated then-No. 24 Arizona State 24-16 on the road in week 10.

And for the first time since 2021, the Cougars have also entered the College Football Playoff Selection Committee Rankings, ranking No. 23.

Houston’s previous AP ranking lasted but one week, following the 45-35 upset loss at home to West Virginia. 

To stay in the polls consecutive weeks, the Cougars will have to win at home, where Houston yields a 3-2 record, compared to its undefeated 5-0 mark on the road.

Early in the Big 12 edition of its rivalry against TCU, neither program has been able to capture victory in front of the home crowd.

TCU defeated Houston 36-13 at TDECU Stadium in 2023, but the Cougars returned the favor one year later, taking to Amon G. Carter Stadium and snapping a nine-game losing streak to the Horned Frogs which began in 1993. 

Before Houston looks to claim its first home win of the series in 33 years, here are four storylines surrounding the game. 

A senior sendoff

Prior to the opening kickoff on Saturday, 22 seniors will be recognized in a ceremony as part of Senior Day festivities. 

“Some of them have been here not real long, and some have been here a long time,” Fritz said. “We’d really like to get a great crowd out here and honor these guys.” 

One of the seniors who will be honored on Saturday is not only new to the team, but has gone through the process before as well.

Running back Dean Connors went into Senior Day last season with the Rice Owls, believing it’d be his last, until he was granted an extra year of eligibility due to the NCAA’s JUCO ruling last fall.

“I’m just really thankful for that, especially just meeting all the guys, coaches and staff,” Connors said. “It’s been a blessing.”

The chance to experience a second Senior Day has given him added perspective on the moment, one that rarely comes twice.

“The last home game is special, because this is very familiar territory. You do the same things after games,” Connors said. “When all that comes in, it’s pretty emotional. But it’s exciting I think, if anything…To just go to the next chapter, and be excited about it.”

Health is wealth 

The timing of Houston’s second and final bye week of the regular season has given some of its players much-needed recovery time ahead of Saturday’s matchup. 

Coach Willie Fritz noted that it was “really good” for the team, adding that the number one goal during Monday’s team meeting was to get as healthy as possible. 

“Five or six” players in particular had been limited during practice over the last several weeks and have taken advantage of the extra week of rest. 

“Just getting done with practice now, it looked like all those guys were really healthy,” Fritz said. “Now we have to be careful about doing too much this week, too.”

Toning down turnovers

Ball security had been the backbone behind Houston’s 7-1 start to 2025. However, the last two games have shown a stark contrast to the team that possessed one of the top turnover margins in all of football.

Before the West Virginia matchup, the Cougars boasted only four turnovers through the first eight games of the season, the third-lowest mark in college football.

Against WVU and UCF alone, Houston turned the ball over eight times, with junior quarterback Conner Weigman throwing five interceptions in that span. 

West Virginia totaled 17 points off of UH’s four turnovers, and UCF was in the midst of a game-winning drive before junior safety Kentrell Webb spared the Cougars from a second consecutive loss.

Weigman has thrown pick-sixes in back-to-back games after having not recorded one through his first 18 career starts. 

TCU’s defense has forced the fifth-most interceptions in the Big 12 Conference this season, with 11 through its first 10 games, only magnifying Houston’s need to protect the ball on Saturday. 

Halting the Hoover-McAlister connection

To this point, Houston has managed to avoid the top two passing offenses in the Big 12, in TCU and Baylor. 

 UH will have the challenge of closing its regular season with games against the two programs.

TCU’s quarterback, redshirt junior Josh Hoover is the catalyst behind the Horned Frogs’ second-ranked passing attack in the conference. 

He has averaged 287.3 passing yards per game, and despite having only thrown two passing touchdowns his last three games, Hoover still ranks third in the conference with 23 passing touchdowns so far. 

Hoover has thrown for 300+ yards in four games this season, and 370+ yards twice. 

The man responsible for 941 of those passing yards is senior wide receiver Eric McAlister, who has three consecutive 100-yard games, and has surpassed that mark in four of his last five outings. 

Longtime Cougar, senior wide receiver Joseph Manjack IV is also one of Hoover’s top targets, alongside junior receiver Jordan Dwyer. 

TCU has stumbled since its 3-0 start, going 3-4 in its next seven games, and is heading into TDECU Stadium Saturday with consecutive losses.

Despite that, its passing offense remains an equalizer for a Houston secondary that has not faced a top three air attack since playing then-No. 11 Texas Tech in early October. 

The Cougars will kick off against TCU on Saturday, Nov. 22 at 3:00 p.m. CT at TDECU Stadium.