Home / Sports / Houston Cougars' 2026 opener: Tune-up vs. Oregon State?

Houston Cougars' 2026 opener: Tune-up vs. Oregon State?

9 May

•

Summary

Houston Cougars begin 2026 season against Oregon State Beavers.
Oregon State has a completely new coaching staff and roster.
Houston finished 2025 with a 10-3 record, capping with a bowl win.

Houston Cougars' 2026 opener: Tune-up vs. Oregon State?

The Houston Cougars will commence their 2026 football season by hosting the Oregon State Beavers on September 5. This matchup pits a rising Houston program, now in head coach Willie Fritz's third year, against an Oregon State team undergoing a complete overhaul.

After a 4-8 record in 2024, similar to Oregon State's recent struggles, Houston achieved a 10-3 record in 2025, culminating in a 38-35 win over LSU in the Texas Bowl. The Cougars are emerging as a formidable Big 12 contender.

Oregon State, conversely, enters the 2026 season with a new head coach, JaMarcus Shephard, and new coordinators. Having lost 35 players and recruited 37 new ones, the Beavers are in a rebuilding phase, contrasting sharply with Houston's established core and veteran leadership.

Disclaimer: This story has been auto-aggregated and auto-summarised by a computer program. This story has not been edited or created by the Feedzop team.