A top-25 matchup at TDECU Stadium?
It hasn’t happened since 2015.
Eleven years later, the stage is set again, this time featuring two programs that have rapidly reversed their fortunes.
Houston, backed by quarterback Conner Weigman and numerous key transfers, ended 2025 at 10-3 after a 4-8 campaign the year prior.
2026 is proving to be Oklahoma State’s turn to do the same.
Now sitting at 4-1, Oklahoma State is much improved from the program Houston defeated 39-17 at Boone Pickens Stadium last season, a result that remains the Cougars’ largest Big 12 victory since joining the conference.
“Coach (Eric) Morris has done a great job turning that program around in one year,” coach Willie Fritz said. “They’re very talented. Very well-coached.”
No. 20 Houston and No. 18 Oklahoma State will enter Saturday night firmly in contention for a Big 12 Championship game berth.
Here are four storylines ahead of the matchup:
Battle of marquee quarterbacks
This isn’t the first time Weigman has heard of Morris and his quarterback, sophomore Drew Mestemaker.
Though he admits it’s hard to keep up with the rest of the college football world, he watched the pairing at North Texas last season and what they accomplished offensively.
“Drew is one of the best quarterbacks in the country, and coach Morris is a great offensive mind,” Weigman said. “It’s going to be a great matchup on Saturday and I’m really looking forward to it.”
Mestemaker’s 4,379 passing yards in 2025 led all FBS quarterbacks, while his 34 touchdowns were the most of any quarterback in the AAC.
Through six games with Oklahoma State, he’s tallied 13 touchdowns and 315 passing yards per game, while its offense is first in the conference in total yards per game (521.4) and passing yards (322.4).
For Weigman, his 21 total touchdowns are second nationally only to Oregon State’s sophomore quarterback Braden Atkinson’s 24.
Ball security has been a hallmark of his play, as he’s only registered a lone interception, and has gone five consecutive games without throwing one.
“I still think I’m leaving stuff out on the field,” Weigman said. “There’s more plays to be made. I try to be perfect every week. I mean, you know you can’t do that, but to try and reach that level each and every week, that’s my goal.”
Fritz encounters a familiar offensive mind
Fritz sees plenty of similarities between the offense Morris brought to Oklahoma State and the one he operated at North Texas.
The two crossed paths in 2023, Morris’ first year at North Texas and Fritz’s final year at Tulane.
Three years later, they’ll meet again, this time with Morris leading one of the Big 12’s most productive offenses.
“I’ve got a lot of respect for Eric and the way he runs his program,” Fritz said. “He’s hired a very good staff.”
Numerous staff members and players followed Morris to Oklahoma State, including offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Sean Brophy, Mestemaker and lead running back, sophomore Caleb Hawkins.
“He did a good job of bringing good players over with him, and they were a very good team his last year there.”
Improving secondary gets huge test
Houston’s defensive backfield is coming off a performance in which it limited Kansas State senior quarterback Avery Johnson to a season-low 182 passing yards, and 53.3% completion rate.
“I think our safeties, all three of them: Jordan Allen, Kentrell Webb and Javion White are really the three that have played the majority of snaps for us at safety,” Fritz said. “The thing they’re doing a good job of, when they make a decision to go, they go.”
Allen’s decision to attack and intercept an errant throw from Johnson in the fourth quarter also highlights a continued effort from the secondary to reel in more takeaways.
“The corners, I think Jalen Mayo has really played well the last couple of weeks,” Fritz said.
Junior cornerback Will James, Houston’s interception leader from last season, is “full-strength and healthy,” after being “banged up” previous weeks.
Aggressiveness can be a double-edged sword, and Mestemaker’s willingness to take chances through the air could open the door for Houston’s secondary to capitalize on mistakes.
He enters Saturday with five interceptions, presenting the Cougars with opportunities to add to their takeaway total.
Controlling the clock against an explosive offense
Houston’s ability to control the clock played a significant role in its 35-16 victory over Kansas State last Saturday.
The Cougars had nearly 10 more minutes of possession time, leading to 14 more plays being run.
Replicating that formula on Saturday could prove crucial against an Oklahoma State team capable of scoring in a hurry.
Houston’s offensive line, which has emerged as one of the Big 12’s strongest run-blocking units, will play a significant role in that effort, alongside running backs junior Re’Shaun Sanford II and senior Makhi Hughes.
“With Re’Shaun coming back and putting some good stuff on film, the emphasis was trying to run the ball and take some hits off the quarterback,” offensive line coach Eman Naghavi said. “Those guys have been doing really good, and it’s helped us.”
Sanford (67.3) and Hughes (64.5) lead Houston’s 230 rushing yards per game, doing so efficiently with Sanford averaging 5.4 yards per attempt to Hughes’ 4.8.
“Probably the biggest reason for our time of possession has been conversion downs,” Fritz said. “Third down conversions. Fourth down conversions. Keeping the clock running, keeping the offense out there on the field. Making a defense having to defend you eight-to-12 snaps.”
Houston leads college football in third-down conversion percentage (58.21%), an efficiency it will look to maintain when it hosts Oklahoma State at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at TDECU Stadium.
“Looking forward to it, and it’s going to be a tremendous challenge for us,” Fritz said.
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