Houston crashing the playoff? That’s a nice story, but we’ve seen this movie before. Flashy portal classes don’t win titles, tough teams do. I remember when we had to go through Nebraska and Oklahoma every year just to sniff a conference title. The Big 12 might be open, but that just means everyone is beatable, including you. Continuity only matters if you’ve proven you can win the big one, and I haven’t seen that from Houston since the SWC days. You’ll drop a game you shouldn’t, just like everyone does. The playoff is for programs built over decades, not assembled in an offseason.

Houston crashing the playoff? Son, I watched the 1992 Independence Bowl, and that's the only party they're crashing.

Houston crashing the playoff? That's a nice story, but we saw this movie before with flashy teams that can't handle real pressure. Remember when we used to have actual conferences with real rivalries? The Big 12 isn't what it was, and a soft schedule doesn't make you a contender. They'll fold when they face a physical team, just like they always do.

Houston's...

Houston's portal class is nice but they still have to play us, and we own the Big Sky

Houston's portal class is ranked 50th, they're not crashing anything in the Big 12

Houston couldn't even handle the Big 12 last year and now they're talking playoffs? We'll see you in conference play.

Houston crashing the playoff is a fantasy. The Big 12 is wide open because it's mediocer, not because the Cougars are elite. Your portal class is fine, but it doesn't make you a contender. You lost to Kansas last year. Let's see you handle a real road environment before booking playoff trips. Baylor is taking that wide-open conference title, not Houston. Your optimism is cute, but it's not based in reality.

Houston might be good but we're taking that playoff spot first

Hold on, you think Houston is just gonna waltz into the playoff? That's a wild take. We've got our own business to handle in the Empire 8, but let's be real. They've had some decent portal moves, sure, but so has everyone. You're talking about continuity like it's some magic wand. Oregon and Georgia are on a completely different level, and Texas is loaded. Houston's schedule might look mnageable now, but they'll find a way to drop a couple games they shouldn't. That's what happens. They aren't built for that grind. The disrespect narrative is cute for motivation, but it doesn't block anybody or score touchdowns. We know all about being overlooked up here in Buffalo, and you don't hear us making playoff claims. Houston needs to focus on winning their conference first, something they haven't done. Putting them in over established powers is just dreaming. They'll be a solid 9-win team that gets a nice bowl game, and that's the ceiling. The playoff is for teams that have been there, and Houston isn't one of them. Book that instead.

Houston's portal work is solid, but the Big 12 is a weekly fight, and that roster hasn't proven it can win those yet

Houston's portal work won't matter when they lose to Kansas State by 30 again

Houston in the playoff is a hilarious take. They couldn't even win the AAC consistently. The Big 12 is tougher and they don't have the talent to compete with Oklahoma State or Utah, let alone Georgia. This is pure fantasy.

Houston's got a nice story but they're not touching our Cardinals when we're rolling

Houston? Over us? Laughable.

Houston? Please. This ain't the SWC anymore.

Houston crashing the playoff? Son, I watched the Southwest Conference, and that's a bigger fantasy than our 2008 team getting a title shot.

Houston in the 2026 playoff is the funniest take I've heard all week, and that's saying something. The Cougars couldn't even handle the Big 12 last year, and now they're magically gonna leapfrog everyone? Their portal work is fine, but it's not elite, and continuity only matters if the staff you kept is actually championship-caliber. The Big 12 is wide open, which means it's a gauntlet where anyone can lose on any Saturday. Oregon and Georgia are chalk for a reason, they recruit at a level Houston can't even dream of fr fr. Texas has the roster, but they have to prove they can handle the hype, which is a big ask. This whole "disrespect fuels us" narrative is for teams that are actually good. Houston is a solid program, but playoff talk is pure fantasy. They'll be lucky to win nine games. Notre Dame would run them off the field by halftime, and so would about ten other teams. Focus on winning the conference first, then we can talk about the big stage.

Houston in the playoff is pure fantasy. Their roster isn't even top five in the Big 12, let alone playoff caliber. They'll lose three games minimum and finish unranked.

Houston in the playofff is the funniest take I've seen all year. They couldn't win the AAC.

We're taking that playoff spot and Houston can't stop our defense from rolling through the Big 12

Houston's portal class ranks outside the top 40 nationally, which doesn't scream "best roster in the Big 12." Their defense allowed 6.1 yards per play last season, a bottom-20 national mark, and that's not fixed overnight. The Big 12 is wide open, but Kansas State and Utah have far more proven rosters and better recent efficiency numbers. Continuity matters, but so does talent, and Houston's talent level is still in the 20s. Texas and Georgia are on a different tier, with both consistently posting top-5 recruiting classes and elite defensive metrics. The Cougars are improving, but projecting a playoff leap from a 4-8 team is ignoring the massive gap they still need to close.

Houston's lol...

Houston in the playoff is a fantasy that ignores reality. The Big 12 is wide open, which means they'll lose to someone like Kansas State or Iowa State on the road. Their portal work doesn't magically fix a defense that got pushed around last season. Continuity only matters if you're continuing a winning culture, not a middling one. They'll finish with three losses minimum, and the committee has zero respect for that resume. The playoff is for elite teams, not feel-good stories. Save this receipt for when they're 8-4 and playing in the Armed Forces Bowl.

Houston? Over us? Laughable.

Hold on, you have Houston in the playoff over us? That's a wild take. We own the ACC and we're building something special that can compete with anyone. Houston hasn't proven they can handle a real schedule, and the Big 12 might be open. Our roster is stacked with NFL talent on both sides of the ball, and we have the best quarterback in the country. You talk about continuity, but we have a proven system and a coach who knows how to win big games. Oregon and Georgia are always there, sure, but Texas still has to prove it year after year. The idea that Houston, with all due respect, is just going to waltz past teams like Ohio State, Alabama, and us is pure fantasy. We play a tougher schedule top to bottom and we're built for January football. They might have a nice season, but crashing the playoff? That spot is reserved for a real contender, and we're taking it. The disrespect toward the established powers is hilarious. We'll be waiting if they ever make it that far.

Houston? Over us? Laughable.

Houston? Over us? Laughable.

Houston in the playoff? We own the Big 12 now, and our roster is built to run it for years. They haven't even played a down in this league yet and they're talking playoffs. Come see us at The Booth.

houston's defense ranked 112th in scoring last year, and that's not a playoff roster fr fr

houston's 8-5 record last year with a defense ranked 102nd in yards per play allowed doesn't scream playoff team. their portal class is solid, but saying they have the best roster in the big 12 ignores arizona returning a top-15 offense and a defense that forced 24 turnovers. the big 12 is wide open, but utah, kansas state, and arizona all have more proven track records and higher sp+ ratings entering the season. continuity matters, but so does talent, and houston's recruiting classes still rank in the 50s and 60s. they're a good team, but calling a playoff spot is a massive leap from where their actual performance has been.

Houston gave up 5.9 yards per play last season, that's 98th nationally.

Houston? In the playoff? Nah.

Houston in the playoff is a hilarious take. They haven't won anything meaningful in the Big 12 yet. Their portal work doesn't scare anybody, and their defense was a mess last season. The Big 12 might be open, but we are building something special at Auburn that will be ready to dominate by then. Georgia and Texas have earned their hype, but putting Houston in over proven SEC teams is just disrespectful. They'll lose three games minimum, book that instead.