Teams / Big 12 / Houston
Index · this season
79
▲ Above its 5-year level +12▲ Up 3 this season
Career67since 1936
Peak911989
Last 567seasons
#18 nationally · 5-1 (2-1 conf)
Résumé #17
Schedule so far #37
Margin ±5 pts (tightens with games)
Houston Cougars
Big 12 · Houston, TX · TDECU Stadium · Head coach Willie Fritz
35-12 all time (47 meetings since 1971)
Houston leads
Last: won 35-9 (2025) · Houston has won 2 straight
Holds it
program traits are earned from history
0national titles
1Heisman
6AP top-10
8All-Americans
102NFL picks
54.5%win pct
History since 1936 · football since 1950. Every season →
Chemistry
74
74Foundation
73Gel
gel counts 45% so far
▲ Above its norm +21
early · #5 of 138
HC year3
Ret. starters55%
QB yrs w/ OC2
| Season | Record | Conference | AP final | Season rank | Rating | Head coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026in progress | 5-1 | Big 12 | #22 | #18 | 79 | Willie Fritz |
| 2025 | 10-3 | Big 12 | #22 | #40 | 72 | Willie Fritz |
| 2024 | 4-8 | Big 12 | — | #77 | 62 | Willie Fritz; Dana Holgorsen |
| 2023 | 4-8 | Big 12 | — | #80 | 60 | Dana Holgorsen |
| 2022 | 8-5 | American Athletic | — | #57 | 68 | Dana Holgorsen |
| 2021 | 12-2 | American Athletic | #17 | #36 | 74 | Dana Holgorsen |
| 2020 | 3-5 | American Athletic | — | — | — | Dana Holgorsen |
| 2019 | 4-8 | American Athletic | — | #61 | 64 | Dana Holgorsen |
| 2018 | 8-5 | American Athletic | — | #69 | 63 | Major Applewhite |
| 2017 | 7-5 | American Athletic | — | #56 | 67 | Major Applewhite |
| 2016 | 9-4 | American Athletic | — | #43 | 70 | Tom Herman; Major Applewhite |
| 2015 | 13-1 | American Athletic | #8 | #17 | 79 | Tom Herman |
| 2014 | 8-5 | American Athletic | — | #72 | 62 | Tony Levine; David Gibbs |
| 2013 | 8-5 | American Athletic | — | #39 | 71 | Tony Levine |
| 2012 | 5-7 | Conference USA | — | #95 | 54 | Tony Levine |
| 2011 | 13-1 | Conference USA | #18 | #13 | 80 | Kevin Sumlin |
| 2010 | 5-7 | Conference USA | — | #70 | 62 | Kevin Sumlin |
| 2009 | 10-4 | Conference USA | — | #45 | 70 | Kevin Sumlin |
| 2008 | 8-5 | Conference USA | — | #51 | 67 | Kevin Sumlin |
| 2007 | 8-5 | Conference USA | — | #75 | 60 | Art Briles |
| 2006 | 10-4 | Conference USA | — | #44 | 70 | Art Briles |
| 2005 | 6-6 | Conference USA | — | #80 | 59 | Art Briles |
| 2004 | 3-8 | Conference USA | — | #89 | 55 | Art Briles |
| 2003 | 7-6 | Conference USA | — | #81 | 57 | Art Briles |
| 2002 | 5-7 | Conference USA | — | #90 | 55 | Dana Dimel |
| 2001 | 0-11 | Conference USA | — | #108 | 40 | Dana Dimel |
| 2000 | 3-8 | Conference USA | — | #96 | 52 | Dana Dimel |
| 1999 | 7-4 | Conference USA | — | #51 | 67 | Kim Helton |
| 1998 | 3-8 | Conference USA | — | #73 | 59 | Kim Helton |
| 1997 | 3-8 | Conference USA | — | #97 | 51 | Kim Helton |
| 1996 | 7-5 | Conference USA | — | #43 | 69 | Kim Helton |
| 1995 | 2-9 | Southwest | — | #88 | 55 | Kim Helton |
| 1994 | 1-10 | Southwest | — | #103 | 34 | Kim Helton |
| 1993 | 1-9-1 | Southwest | — | #88 | 53 | Kim Helton |
| 1992 | 4-7 | Southwest | — | #61 | 62 | John Jenkins |
| 1991 | 4-7 | Southwest | — | #43 | 68 | John Jenkins |
| 1990 | 10-1 | Southwest | #10 | #18 | 78 | John Jenkins |
| 1989 | 9-2 | Southwest | #14 | #2 | 91 | Jack Pardee |
| 1988 | 9-3 | Southwest | #18 | #10 | 81 | Jack Pardee |
| 1987 | 4-6-1 | Southwest | — | #45 | 67 | Jack Pardee |
| 1986 | 1-10 | Southwest | — | #80 | 54 | Bill Yeoman |
| 1985 | 4-7 | Southwest | — | #74 | 56 | Bill Yeoman |
| 1984 | 7-5 | Southwest | — | #54 | 65 | Bill Yeoman |
| 1983 | 4-7 | Southwest | — | #77 | 56 | Bill Yeoman |
| 1982 | 5-5-1 | Southwest | — | #68 | 59 | Bill Yeoman |
| 1981 | 7-4-1 | Southwest | — | #20 | 78 | Bill Yeoman |
| 1980 | 7-5 | Southwest | — | #25 | 76 | Bill Yeoman |
| 1979 | 11-1 | Southwest | #5 | #9 | 85 | Bill Yeoman |
| 1978 | 9-3 | Southwest | #10 | #9 | 87 | Bill Yeoman |
| 1977 | 6-5 | Southwest | — | #34 | 73 | Bill Yeoman |
| 1976 | 10-2 | Southwest | #4 | #14 | 81 | Bill Yeoman |
| 1975 | 2-8 | FBS Independents | — | #90 | 56 | Bill Yeoman |
| 1974 | 8-3-1 | FBS Independents | #19 | #30 | 74 | Bill Yeoman |
| 1973 | 11-1 | FBS Independents | #9 | #16 | 78 | Bill Yeoman |
| 1972 | 6-4-1 | FBS Independents | — | #36 | 71 | Bill Yeoman |
| 1971 | 9-3 | FBS Independents | #17 | #11 | 81 | Bill Yeoman |
| 1970 | 8-3 | FBS Independents | #19 | #20 | 76 | Bill Yeoman |
| 1969 | 9-2 | FBS Independents | #12 | #11 | 85 | Bill Yeoman |
| 1968 | 6-2-2 | FBS Independents | #18 | #7 | 83 | Bill Yeoman |
| 1967 | 7-3 | FBS Independents | — | #3 | 86 | Bill Yeoman |
| 1966 | 8-2 | FBS Independents | — | #5 | 87 | Bill Yeoman |
| 1965 | 4-5-1 | FBS Independents | — | #48 | 66 | Bill Yeoman |
| 1964 | 2-6-1 | FBS Independents | — | #70 | 61 | Bill Yeoman |
| 1963 | 2-8 | FBS Independents | — | #59 | 63 | Bill Yeoman |
| 1962 | 7-4 | FBS Independents | — | #33 | 72 | Bill Yeoman |
| 1961 | 5-4-1 | FBS Independents | — | #42 | 67 | Hal Lahar |
| 1960 | 6-4 | FBS Independents | — | #53 | 64 | Hal Lahar |
| 1959 | 3-7 | Missouri Valley | — | #65 | 61 | Hal Lahar |
| 1958 | 5-4 | Missouri Valley | — | #30 | 71 | Hal Lahar |
| 1957 | 5-4-1 | Missouri Valley | — | #50 | 64 | Hal Lahar |
| 1956 | 7-2-1 | Missouri Valley | — | #20 | 75 | Bill Meek |
| 1955 | 6-4 | Missouri Valley | — | #50 | 64 | Bill Meek |
| 1954 | 5-5 | Missouri Valley | — | #58 | 60 | Clyde Lee |
| 1953 | 4-4-1 | Missouri Valley | — | #38 | 70 | Clyde Lee |
| 1952 | 8-2 | Missouri Valley | — | #22 | 74 | Clyde Lee |
| 1951 | 6-5 | Missouri Valley | — | #61 | 62 | Clyde Lee |
| 1950 | 4-6 | FBS Independents | — | #36 | 69 | Clyde Lee |
★ = a national title the school claims. Seasons before 1936 (the first AP poll) are the early era: shown in gray and rated on the same yardstick, but the all-time pool and program totals that matter most start in 1936.