The Houston Cougars will host the Utah Utes in Week 9 of the college football season, and after the Week 8 games wrapped up, it was announced on Saturday night that the game will kick off at 6:00 p.m. CT on ESPN+ on Saturday, October 26th.
The Cougars are coming off a 42-14 loss to Kansas last weekend, while Utah is getting over its third consecutive defeat — most recently a 13-7 loss to TCU.
Related: Five Biggest Takeaways From Week 8 of the Big 12 Football Season
These two teams were picked to finish on opposite ends of the Big 12 spectrum before the season, as Utah was the favorite to win the league in its first year and Houston was expected to finish among the bottom three teams in the conference.
Utah vs. Houston Football History
The Utes and Coogs have met a total of four times in their history, with Houston owning a 4-0-0 record in the series. Their last meeting, which came in 1978, ended in a 42-25 Houston win. The two programs have met in H-Town three out of their four matchups, with one game being played in Salt Lake City in 1977.
Both teams enter this game with 1-3 records in Big 12 play, while Utah is 4-3 overall and Houston is sitting at just 2-5 overall.
Utah vs. Houston is one of seven Big 12 games on the schedule for Week 9 of the season, with two teams, Iowa State and Arizona State, having their bye weeks.
Utah vs. Houston Odds
| Team | Open | Spread | Total | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
UTAH (4-3) | -3.0 (-120) | -3.5 EVEN | o36.5 (-115) | -165 |
HOU (2-5) | u37.5 (-105) | +3.5 (-120) | u36.5 (-105) | +140 |
Utah vs. Houston Prediction
Utah has looked lost over its last three games, and Houston has a lot to gain from pulling off an upset here. A win for Willie Fritz’s team would be massive in terms of program momentum, but can the Cougars matchup with the Utes in the trenches?
If Utah is ever going to get things back on track in 2024, it’s got to start with this game. It might not be pretty, but I’ll take Utah to win in an ugly game.
Prediction: Utah 21, Houston 19
