Mailbag: No. 21 Houston football takes on LSU in Texas Bowl

Just days away, Houston football has a chance at a 10-win year in coach Willie Fritz’s second season at the helm when it takes on LSU in the Texas Bowl at NRG Stadium on Saturday, Dec. 27. 

The Cougars, who went 4-8 in 2024, showed significant improvement this season with a 9-3 regular-season record, including a perfect 6-0 mark on the road, and will look to further validate Fritz’s program turnaround by facing the 7-5 Tigers.

Senior staff writers Sean Paul and Michael Carrara answered fan questions ahead of one of the top postseason matchups between the Big 12 conference and the SEC, taking place just down the road from the University of Houston campus.

Which team has the most to prove in this matchup? – Matthew Prior via email

Michael: If anything, it’s Houston’s game to lose as a slim favorite over LSU and having a chance at 10 wins after a fourth-place finish in the Big 12, largely from a revival of its explosive offensive brand of football and the presence of junior quarterback Conner Weigman under center. Fritz once turned a 2-10 Tulane team in 2021 into a 12-2 AAC champion team the following season with one of the top New Year’s Six bowl wins of 2022, so an emphatic campaign finish is certainly in play for him at Houston in 2025.

On the other hand, the Tigers have lost five of their last eight games after starting 4-0 in being touted as a national championship contender at the beginning of the season. The 5-3 start with their 49-25 loss to Texas A&M on Oct. 25 led to the dismissal of coach Brian Kelly and the buyout of his $54 million contract, and of athletic director Scott Woodward, who ironically is also behind the largest contract buyout in college football history with coach Jimbo Fisher at Texas A&M.

Nonetheless, for LSU, it’s a chance to end a troublesome and once-hopeful season on a positive note with the hiring of coach Lane Kiffin taking effect after the bowl game.

What will the offense and defense of Houston be looking to succeed in this game? – Christian Bowman via email

Michael: Houston took a significant jump from dead last in offensive rankings in the Big 12 from 2024 to ninth in 2025, having averaged 28.3 points a game. 

A key contributor to that massive boost is Weigman’s new and improved mobility, in which he’s run for a career-high 644 yards and is averaging just over 4 yards per carry. For context, his season-best total in three seasons at Texas A&M was 101 rushing yards in 2024. One season later with the Cougars, he’s now captured his first three career 100-yard games on the ground. 

Weigman’s healthiest stage of his career has also allowed him to throw for 2,475 yards while averaging 7.8 per completion, leaving him with a top 50 FBS quarterback rating through the conclusion of the regular season. In large part, it’s due to his top two receiving targets, also first-team All-Big 12 selections in senior tight end Tanner Koziol and junior wide receiver Amare Thomas. 

Supplementing both has been his improved offensive line play, which has allowed Weigman to be more comfortable in the pocket and execute zone reads despite various injuries affecting its depth throughout the season.

From a defensive standpoint, Houston dropped two spots in the Big 12 defensive standings from 2024, but improved in points allowed per game with a 21.8 mark through the regular season. With the help of senior standouts including linebacker Jalen Garner, who leads the team in tackles, defensive lineman Eddie Walls III, leading in sacks, and defensive lineman Carlos Allen Jr., who’s shown no match for double teams on opposing offensive lines, defensive coordinator Austin Armstrong’s instruction has delivered a pleasant surprise as a coined “rising star” himself among other FBS coordinators.

Altogether, it’s a mostly balanced matchup that favors Houston, as the Cougars will look to hold LSU to its 22 points per game average. Although Houston may have a slight edge at signal caller with Weigman compared to fifth-year senior Garrett Nussmeier, it’ll have to contend with the Tigers’ top 15 opponent points per game allowed mark of just 19.1.

What size crowd is expected? 60K? – Alan Gibson via Facebook

Michael: Considering NRG Stadium’s 72,220 official capacity and the city of Houston being one of the largest LSU alumni network bases in the nation, that estimation is not too far off. 

Although Houston will be well represented by its sizable alumni association and a sold-out 6,000-ticket allotment through the program and Cougar Pride, LSU’s fanbase is also expected to travel in force, having sold out its own allotment and making the five-hour drive down I-10 for the occasion.

As one of the top-tier power conference bowl games between the Big 12 and the SEC, the crowd size, with these fanbases in mind, may give the Texas Bowl no need to contend for such bragging rights. 

How does Houston’s record this year reflect our likelihood of success next year? What does a bowl game win against LSU mean for the team now and in the future? – Morgan Harper via email

Michael: Houston’s 9-3 turnaround campaign is a significant step towards success in the 2026 campaign in the Big 12. Though the official schedule has yet to be released, depending on the alignment, it looks like a mostly favorable schedule that allows the Cougars to shoot for 10 or more regular-season wins. 

It wouldn’t be entirely surprising if this team, with the return of Weigman and other pieces, finishes top three in the conference with a shot of contending for a Big 12 title and a College Football Playoff berth.

A win over LSU not only bolsters the case that Houston can go toe-to-toe with high-caliber programs down the line but also presents a small step in program preparation for the slated 2027 season opener against LSU, also at NRG Stadium. Only this time, Fritz would be matched up with the proven Kiffin, who is the head coach currently in waiting for the Tigers.

How can the Cougars build off their incredible season into 2026? – Christopher Paul via email

Sean:  The biggest thing for Houston is to treat this season as a foundation and not the finish line. Success now has to turn into continuity if it wants to remain competitive in the Big 12. That means retaining key players, staff stability and recruiting, where the city is one of the most talent-rich regions in the country.

From there, the standard needs to be raised. The team should be hungry for more success and not be satisfied with what it has achieved. Consistency is the key for players and teams that want to be remembered forever in the history books.

Let’s say the Houston fans show up, but LSU fans dominate the crowd. Would that be a win or a loss for the program? -Alexander Hernandez via Instagram

Sean: The Texas Bowl is essentially a home game at NRG Stadium, but the Cougars already struggled with attendance at TDECU Stadium. According to D1Ticker, Houston ranked last in the Big 12 in average home attendance (32,215) and percent capacity (81%).

This game is a chance for the fanbase to show up and support a team that has made great strides in Fritz’s second year. If the Tigers dominate attendance, it would be a missed opportunity for a program working to build momentum and local buy-in.

Will all players for UH suit up? Has anyone left in the portal? – Greg Wall via Facebook

Sean: Based on the latest depth chart release, it appears that all active Houston players will be suiting up for Saturday. There have been no reports of any player leaving the program via the transfer portal.

Notably, starting senior offensive lineman Demetrius Hunter will not compete as he left the team following the conclusion of the regular season.