Four storylines as No. 20 Houston resumes Big 12 play against UCF

“Plan to win.”

Those are the words displayed throughout No. 20 Houston’s facilities, a constant reminder of the five principles it emphasizes in each practice and game.

Take care of the football. 

Control the running game. 

Great special teams. 

“Coogs don’t beat the Coogs.”

Finish.

“We pride ourselves on doing that,” coach Willie Fritz said.

UCF has excelled at those same keys. Fritz saw it clearly when watching film of their 21-13 win over TCU in week four.

Houston and UCF share space-themed ties, but when the two meet on Saturday, they’ll also share a similar blueprint for winning.

Here are four storylines ahead of the game:

Conference play from here onward

Houston’s first taste of Big 12 action came in week three, against then-No. 13 Texas Tech—one of the conference’s heavyweights—in a 28-26 heartbreak at Galaxy Stadium in Lubbock. 

It put into perspective what Houston needs to improve upon to keep up in the conference’s arms race, one that now includes five programs ranked in the AP top 25: No. 10 BYU, No. 12 Texas Tech, No. 13 Utah, No. 19 Oklahoma State and No. 20 Houston.

Houston responded with a 42-28 win at Georgia Southern, behind six touchdowns on six of its eight drives offensively.

“We went out against Georgia Southern and did what we were supposed to do against them,” fifth-year quarterback Conner Weigman said. “So just being able to carry that into Big 12 play… we’ve got to step up our game as well and rise to that level of competition.”

It’s early enough in Houston’s campaign that its conference goals are still within reach, including its quest for a Big 12 Championship.

“We’re in go-mode. Everything we’ve got, empty the tank and let’s not have anything left or no regrets at the end of this thing,” Weigman said.

Keep the offense rolling

The Cougars enter Saturday with one of the top offenses in college football, with their 505.8 total yards ranking 11th nationally, and their 24 touchdowns tying for the fourth-most in the nation.

To offer some perspective, the Cougars only scored 18 offensive touchdowns in 2024, Fritz’s first year at the helm.

Weigman has thrown 11 passing touchdowns to five different targets, with two receivers leading the way: senior Amare Thomas (4) and junior Koby Young (4) accounting for eight.

The running back tandem of senior Makhi Hughes and junior Re’Shaun Sanford II account for 133.5 of Houston’s 248.3 rushing yards per game. Sanford enters

Saturday coming off of a career-performance, tallying 120 rushing yards on 17 carries against Georgia Southern.

UH’s offensive line has played its part, too, so much so “they deserve a steak dinner,” he said. “We’ll get that done here soon.” Weigman was sacked once against the Eagles, and only four times through four games in 2026.

He acknowledged the numbers Houston has amassed, but knows the next step is for it to become a consistent theme.

“The good teams, they go out and do that. The great ones go out week after week. That’s our goal and we’re trying to achieve that,” he said.

Having a “killer instinct” defensively

Rewatching games to break down film is “always a bittersweet moment,” for senior safety Jordan Allen. “Just looking at all those plays we gave up.”

There were several against Georgia Southern.

Houston gave up four passes of 20 or more yards against the Eagles, and allowed seventh-year quarterback Max Johnson to throw for 284 yards and three touchdowns.

The coaching staff has reminded players to have a “killer instinct” when it comes to finishing plays defensively. 

Part of it is turning pass breakups into interceptions.

Houston enters Saturday with just three on the season, after it came away with 12 one year ago.

“It completely changes the complexion of the game when you get those takeaways,” coach Willie Fritz said.

An interception was the difference-maker in last year’s meeting between Houston and UCF. 

In the closing seconds, junior defensive back Kentrell Webb intercepted a pass from Central Florida’s sophomore Davi Belfort in the end zone to close out the game at Acrisure Bounce House, handing the Knights their first “Space Game” loss at home.

Limiting the Knights’ running game

The hallmark of UCF’s offense rests on the shoulders of junior running back Duke Watson, who enters Saturday leading the backfield with 88 rushing yards per game and 354 total yards on the ground.

Accompanied by junior Landen Chambers and sophomore Taevion Swift, the trio combines for nearly 150 of the Knights’ 197.5 rushing yards per game.

TCU—the fifth-best run defense in the Big 12–held Watson to 57 yards on 17 carries, 31 below his season average.

Their performance on the ground is key to a UCF offense that has the fourth-fewest passing attempts in the Big 12, and is last in total passing yards with 632.

Across the line of scrimmage, Houston’s defensive front is limiting opponents to just 63.5 rushing yards per game, on an average of 2.4 yards per carry, with both marks leading the Big 12.

The teams will meet on Saturday, Oct. 3 at 11 a.m. at TDECU Stadium.