Houston's Rise

[NuttinItUp]

After beating OU, is anyone else rooting for Non-Power 5 American Athletic Conference #6 (current AP Poll) Houston to crash the Top 4 by the end of the year?

According to ESPN FPI, Houston has only one game left on their schedule (Louisville) in which they have a less than 67% chance of winning. (all the rest of the games are 67% or higher chance of winning)
http://www.espn.com/college-football/team/fpi?id=248&year=2016


Every year, at least one Power 5 conference is left out of the Top 4, but Houston getting in would leave at least two Power 5 conferences out. Would this hasten the coming 8-team playoff at all?

Does their rise guarantee Houston an invite to the Big 12 when they expand?

[NuttinItUp]

Also, as a side note/question: Does Houston becoming good and possibly joining the Big 12 hurt Razorback recruiting in the Houston (or other Texas) areas?

It appears that we have five players on our current roster from the immediate Houston area. (and 21 total from Texas in general)


The ones from the immediate Houston area are:
94   Taiwan Johnson   DL   Sr   284   Manvel, Texas   Manvel HS
24   Ryder Lucas   DB   So   190   The Woodlands, Texas   College Park HS
42   Jonathan Marshall   DL   Fr   299   Shepherd, Texas   Shepherd HS
31   Connor McPherson   RB   Jr   208   The Woodlands, Texas   College Park HS
21   Devwah Whaley   RB   Fr   216   Beaumont, Texas   Central HS

[sickboy]

Also, as a side note/question: Does Houston becoming good and possibly joining the Big 12 hurt Razorback recruiting in the Houston (or other Texas) areas?

It appears that we have five players on our current roster from the immediate Houston area. (and 21 total from Texas in general)


The ones from the immediate Houston area are:
94   Taiwan Johnson   DL   Sr   284   Manvel, Texas   Manvel HS
24   Ryder Lucas   DB   So   190   The Woodlands, Texas   College Park HS
42   Jonathan Marshall   DL   Fr   299   Shepherd, Texas   Shepherd HS
31   Connor McPherson   RB   Jr   208   The Woodlands, Texas   College Park HS
21   Devwah Whaley   RB   Fr   216   Beaumont, Texas   Central HS

Well, based off what A&M has managed to do by joining the SEC -- I'm gonna say, yes. Houston joining the Big 12 isn't going to help Arkansas recruiting Texas. It's only going to make competition stiffer.

[trippigs]

I remember when Houston joined the SWC.......generally not much notice until we saw them play! They can be formidable

[GoHogzzGo]

Not rooting for them out of jealousy quite frankly. They get to pull in a couple great recruits among below average ones, whoop their crap conference, then over perform in one big game a year, maybe two.

Will fully admit they have good coaching and out performed a conference on the same equal playing field. Took advantage of local talent abundance in TX as well.

Hope we return to equal prominence soon.

[bphi11ips]

Good questions.  With its population, Houston should be good. They have underperformed for years and seem to have suffered from weak local and alumni support. Houston has never really had an identity aside from Phi Slamma Jamma. That could change as a member of the Big 12.

[hobhog]

Not rooting for them out of jealousy quite frankly. They get to pull in a couple great recruits among below average ones, whoop their crap conference, then over perform in one big game a year, maybe two.

Will fully admit they have good coaching and out performed a conference on the same equal playing field. Took advantage of local talent abundance in TX as well.

Hope we return to equal prominence soon.

This

[Atlhogfan1]

No I am not rooting for them. 

Not interested in an expanded playoff. 

[AugustaHog]

I'm not rooting for them to make the CFP simply because I don't think they are one of the top 4 teams in the country.  They play nobody else outside of Louisville in November.  If it comes down to them or Ohio St., Michigan, Notre Dame, Texas, etc. then I will change my tune because I despise those teams.  Even with that scenario, I want some really outstanding games in December/January, and though I think they can step up for one game, I don't see them as a team that could handle a tough schedule consistently.  Herman is fantastic though and if I were an AD and had an opening, he'd be the first name on the list. 

[phadedhawg]

It will be hard to unseat a one loss P5 school for an undefeated Houston team.  Their schedule is too soft bc of their conference. 

[Atlhogfan1]

A better, perhaps more sustainable version of Boise due to the Houston area high school football and academic requirements.  They had weeks to prepare to play an FSU team who had won a NC and played in the playoffs in the previous two seasons and found themselves trying to get motivated to play Houston in a Peach Bowl.  Then they had all offseason to prepare for OU in a game in Houston.  Congrats to UH for doing a great job of preparing mentally and with game plans.  That Fr DT is impressive.  Looks like one of the many programs like Bama or Clemson get.  The type we will have to face multiple times this season.

[NuttinItUp]

It will be hard to unseat a one loss P5 school for an undefeated Houston team.  Their schedule is too soft bc of their conference. 

Unless that one-loss team is OU or Louisville.

Also, if they are already at #6, I don't see how you drop them any lower if they don't lose from here on out.

Another component is how well OU plays from here on out. If they end up playing lights out from here on out, then it will lend credibility to Houston, but if OU is terrible the rest of the year, then Houston's stock drops.

[greenie]

If they get into the Big 12, we will find recruiting TX even more difficult.  This will be on top of the increasing success of the Longhorns making them more of a draw.

[rzrbk4life]

A better, perhaps more sustainable version of Boise due to the Houston area high school football and academic requirements.  They had weeks to prepare to play an FSU team who had won a NC and played in the playoffs in the previous two seasons and found themselves trying to get motivated to play Houston in a Peach Bowl.  Then they had all offseason to prepare for OU in a game in Houston.  Congrats to UH for doing a great job of preparing mentally and with game plans.  That Fr DT is impressive.  Looks like one of the many programs like Bama or Clemson get.  The type we will have to face multiple times this season.

Exactly what I was thinking. They remind me of Boise State of a few years ago. Only had to play a few top teams a year but would do well in their bowl game.

Not taking anything away from UH because I think they are a good team, I just don't know if they are top 4 good for the playoff. I do know that I would not want to face them in a bowl

[Atlhogfan1]

Exactly what I was thinking. They remind me of Boise State of a few years ago. Only had to play a few top teams a year but would do well in their bowl game.

Not taking anything away from UH because I think they are a good team, I just don't know if they are top 4 good for the playoff. I do know that I would not want to face them in a bowl

They are a story and college football has always been about hype as much as substance.  It is why we end up with the Heisman winners we do and why the award has become a joke.  Houston can be hyped and gives the media, who now have many shows - tv and radio, - a story with which to fill time.  They are the Cinderella hope right now.  Those who hate the establishment can latch on. 

I'd face them if we had something to play for such as in a playoff game.  BIG difference in playing an FSU with a hobbled qb in a consolation game vs FSU in a playoff game.  BIG difference in playing Bama and Saban in a Sugar Bowl where they are in it because they failed to win the SEC vs a Bama playing for the NC.  It is why the Oh St win is more impressive than Utah's or OU's. 

[hawginbigd1]

Exactly what I was thinking. They remind me of Boise State of a few years ago. Only had to play a few top teams a year but would do well in their bowl game.

Not taking anything away from UH because I think they are a good team, I just don't know if they are top 4 good for the playoff. I do know that I would not want to face them in a bowl

The difference between those teams is Houston should be able to sustain a P5 program, especially in a Big12 because they basically don't have to leave their area code to field a talented roster. My dad said something like 70 or 80% of their current roster is from within 35 miles or something like that. If they can beat LSU for a few, and A&M fore a few and the horns for a few and voila instant respectability if they get to P5 IMO.

[swinesation]

Hasn't Houston had a sudden bump in recruiting success, similar to, say, Ole Miss and Baylor??

[Adam Stokes]

As a BYU alum I wish Houston would lose every game on the rest of their schedule, since the biggest thing they have going for them right now is that they are good right now.  Unfortunately it seemed like every contender for expansion won their games.

[NuttinItUp]

As a BYU alum I wish Houston would lose every game on the rest of their schedule, since the biggest thing they have going for them right now is that they are good right now.  Unfortunately it seemed like every contender for expansion won their games.

BYU would be a smart move for the Big 12, imo.

[holeinthewall]

Houston needs other teams in the conference to win big games and Ward not get hurt. Navy plays ND. East Carolina play South Carolina, NCST and VT. Memphis play Ole Miss. 

ACC Atlantic with Clemson, FSU and Louisville could put 2 teams in the playoffs with the non con games they scheduled if 2 finish with 1 loss or less.

[HiggiePiggy]

All they got to do is go undefeated and hope all of the p5 conferences don't go undefeated.

[Dwillhog66]

Ward is out of the Houston game. He hurt his shoulder. Not sure how serious it is.
Would b a shame for them to lose him

[NuttinItUp]

Ward is out of the Houston game. He hurt his shoulder. Not sure how serious it is.
Would b a shame for them to lose him

I heard that this morning too. I wonder how bad he is hurt?

It looks like their game got (weather?) delayed.