Houston ends 2025 football season ranked No. 22 in final Associated Press Top 25 poll
Cougars return to the national rankings after 10-win year under Willie Fritz
The University of Houston closed the 2025 college football season ranked No. 22 in the final Associated Press Top 25 poll, capping a 10-3 campaign that included a marquee bowl victory and a return to national relevance after several unranked finishes.
The final poll was released on January 20, 2026, a day after the College Football Playoff championship, which set the last data point for voters evaluating the full season. Houston’s placement marked the program’s first season-ending AP ranking since 2021 and its first as a Big 12 member.
Season résumé: 10-3 overall, 6-3 in Big 12 play
In Willie Fritz’s second season leading the program, Houston produced one of the strongest records in the conference at 6-3 and finished 10-3 overall. The Cougars’ path included a clean run through non-conference play and a set of conference wins that positioned them among the top tier of the Big 12.
Houston also finished as the fourth-highest-ranked Big 12 team in the final AP poll, trailing Texas Tech (No. 7), BYU (No. 11) and Utah (No. 14). That placement reflects how voters weighed Houston’s overall results against a conference field that placed five teams in the Top 25.
Texas Bowl result at NRG Stadium helped define the final evaluation
Houston’s ranking was strengthened by its performance in the postseason, highlighted by a 38-35 win over LSU in the Texas Bowl at NRG Stadium on December 27, 2025. After falling behind 14-0 early, the Cougars rallied and held off LSU late to close the season with a high-profile victory.
Quarterback Conner Weigman threw four touchdown passes in the bowl win, a performance that served as a centerpiece of Houston’s late-season narrative and helped frame the Cougars as a team capable of competing with major-conference opponents outside league play.
Where Houston fits in the final Top 25 landscape
The final poll underscored the broader national picture as well as Houston’s place within it. The top five teams were Indiana (No. 1), Miami (No. 2), Ole Miss (No. 3), Oregon (No. 4) and Ohio State (No. 5). Within Texas, six programs finished ranked, with Houston joining Texas Tech, Texas A&M, Texas, North Texas and TCU.
- Final AP ranking for Houston: No. 22
- Final record: 10-3
- Conference record: 6-3 (Big 12)
- Signature postseason result: 38-35 win over LSU in the Texas Bowl (Dec. 27, 2025)
Houston’s final placement reflects a season defined by double-digit wins, a ranked finish, and a bowl comeback that resonated with voters evaluating the complete body of work.
For Houston, the No. 22 finish provides a measurable benchmark heading into the next cycle: a return to the final Top 25 and a foundation built on conference wins, a 10-win season, and a bowl victory on a national stage.