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.