Houston Cougars vs Utah Utes Final — October 24, 2026
HOUOffense2026 regular season to dateUTAH
HOUDefenseUTAHHOURecent formUTAHHOUHome and roadseason to dateUTAHHOULast 10 gamesUTAHRest & travelrest and travel
HOURest & travelUTAHAbout these numbers
2026 regular season to date, captured before kickoff. League rank in small type (138 teams); the gold side ranks higher. Bars show rank, longest = 1st. Source: Gridiron & Wine public Analytics tables.
Last five results this season, oldest to newest. Records are season to date, with home and road splits. Against-the-spread (ATS) and over–under records use the consensus closing line.
Margin of each of the last 7 games this season, oldest to newest (gold = won). Hover a bar for the score margin.
Distance is straight-line from each team's home arena; time-zone change is at game time. Rest counts days since each team's previous game.
The pre-game matchup
Houston (5-1) visited Utah (5-0) on Saturday, October 24 at 10:15 PM ET.
Houston has the 12th-ranked offense by EPA per play (expected points added per snap) and the 103rd-ranked defense (ranks among the 138 teams with play-by-play data). Meanwhile, Utah has the 23rd-ranked offense and the 7th-ranked defense. When Houston has the ball, a 12th-ranked offense (+0.269 EPA per play) meets a 7th-ranked defense (−0.140 allowed); when Utah has it, a 23rd-ranked offense (+0.214) meets a 103rd-ranked defense (+0.160 allowed).
By success rate (the share of plays that gain expected points), the Houston offense is at 54.3% (5th) and the Utah offense at 53.7% (9th). Houston scores 33.0 points per game (29th) and allows 23.5 (47th); Utah scores 35.0 (21st) and allows 15.0 (8th).
Houston is 5-1 and 2-4 against the spread; its last game was a 35-32 win over Oklahoma State. Utah is 6-0 and 5-1 against the spread; its last game was a 27-24 win over Colorado.
Utah closed as a 6.5-point favorite at home against Houston. The spread opened at Utah -5.5. The total closed at 57.5, up from 55.5 at the open. After removing the vig, the closing moneyline (Houston +195, Utah -235) prices Houston at 33% and Utah at 67%.
Written from the numbers available before kickoff.
Result
Final score and result vs the closing line
Houston Cougars 13, Utah Utes 21
Utah Utes won by 8.
- Against the closing spread (Utah Utes -6.5): Utah Utes covered.
- Combined score 34 vs the closing total of 57.5: Under.
- Utah Utes closed at -235 on the moneyline (a 67% no-vig market-implied chance).
Before the game: market and G&W
From open to close the market moved 2 points toward Utah Utes.
Market numbers are the consensus moneyline with the bookmaker margin removed.
Win probability
Each team's chance of winning through the game, starting from the market's closing price (Houston Cougars 33%, Utah Utes 67%) and moving with every snap until the final.
Biggest swings
- Q1 6:02 — Houston Cougars ball, 3rd & 5 at HOU 32No Huddle-Shotgun #1 C.Weigman pass complete short left to #0 A.Thomas caught at HOU36, for 56 yards to the UTA12 (#1 R.Evans), 1ST DOWNHouston Cougars 36% → 48% (+12 pts) · Drive 4 in Drive X-Ray
- Q2 0:02 — Utah Utes ball, 2nd & 10 at HOU 16No Huddle-Shotgun #4 D.Dampier pass incomplete short right to #7 B.Pegan thrown to HOU00 broken up by #2 J.MayoHouston Cougars 38% → 50% (+11 pts) · Drive 9 in Drive X-Ray
- Q3 4:08 — Houston Cougars ball, 1st & 10 at HOU 33No Huddle-Shotgun #1 C.Weigman pass complete deep middle to #0 A.Thomas caught at UTA47, for 45 yards to the UTA22 (#23 J.Bennee), 1ST DOWNHouston Cougars 57% → 68% (+11 pts) · Drive 12 in Drive X-Ray
- Q4 7:57 — Utah Utes ball, 1st & 10 at HOU 49No Huddle-Shotgun #4 D.Dampier pass intercepted by #10 L.McCutchin at HOU34 #10 L.McCutchin return for loss of 1 yard to the HOU33 (#1 W.Parker), out of boundsHouston Cougars 25% → 46% (+21 pts) · Drive 15 in Drive X-Ray
- Q4 2:15 — Houston Cougars ball, 1st & 10 at HOU 20No Huddle-Shotgun #1 C.Weigman sacked for loss of 11 yards to the HOU09 (#23 J.Bennee), fumble by #1 C.Weigman recovered by UTA #90 J.Moe at HOU09, End Of PlayUtah Utes 58% → 92% (+34 pts) · Drive 18 in Drive X-Ray
Utah Utes won after falling as low as 25% (Q3 6:34).
Game DNA
| Houston | Points added | Utah |
|---|---|---|
| -1.4 | Passingdropbacks | +4.3 |
| -6.3 | Rushingdesigned runs | -2.9 |
| +11.8 | Explosive plays4 plays · 4 plays | +11.3 |
| +0.0 | Turnovers0 giveaways · 2 giveaways | -7.4 |
| -3.5 | Special teamskicks, punts and returns | -4.8 |
| +2.5 | Penaltiespre-snap and dead-ball | +0.5 |
| -6.8 | Red zoneTDs on trips: 1 of 3 · 2 of 3 | +8.1 |
| -3.7 | All plays | +9.2 |
The biggest single gap: red zone, worth about 15.0 points to Utah Utes. The final margin was 8.
Points added: what each team's plays added to its expected points, credited to the team with the ball. Each play counts once.
The official play, graded
The official play on this game, at the price it was sent, graded against the final score.
Every official play is logged and graded, wins and losses alike. Full track record.
Line review
Utah Utes closed as the market favourite at 67% and won.
The line moved toward Utah Utes before kickoff, and they won.
Market
Closing line and line movement
Houston +5.5 (-110)
Houston +6.5 (-109)
Utah -215 65%
Utah -235 67%
Consensus of US sportsbooks. Open = first line after both teams' previous games; Close = consensus at kickoff. Percentages are the moneyline's no-vig market-implied chances.
Members
G&W Line
G&W’s own number for this game, next to the market. Analytics
Matchup
Players to watch
- Attempts198
- Completion %67.7%37th
- Passing yards1,77029th
- Yards per attempt8.935th
- TD–INT20–2
- Rushing yards46449th
- Season line98 carries, 464 yds, 3 TD
- Receiving yards48737th
- Season line36 catches, 487 yds, 6 TD
- Tackles43144th
- Attempts172
- Completion %68.6%29th
- Passing yards1,41291st
- Yards per attempt8.263rd
- TD–INT15–4
- Rushing yards59722nd
- Season line89 carries, 597 yds, 7 TD
- Receiving yards42264th
- Season line32 catches, 422 yds, 6 TD
- Tackles35292nd
Season passing totals from public box scores, captured before kickoff. Ranks among the 262 quarterbacks with at least 60 attempts. Rushing, receiving and tackle leaders: season totals captured October 21, 5:34 a.m. ET; ranks among FBS players.
Success by situation
| Situation | Houston | Utah |
|---|---|---|
| Early-down success rateHouston offense vs Utah defense | 47.9%17th | 30.6%1st |
| Early-down success rateUtah offense vs Houston defense | 46.1%108th | 48.8%13th |
| 3rd-down conversion rateHouston offense vs Utah defense | 60.3%1st | 32.7%16th |
| 3rd-down conversion rateUtah offense vs Houston defense | 39.7%63rd | 53.7%9th |
| Explosive play rateHouston offense vs Utah defense | 6.8%66th | 6.6%60th |
| Explosive play rateUtah offense vs Houston defense | 8.5%114th | 8.5%25th |
| Pass rateshare of plays that are passes or sacks | 44.3%114th-highest | 51.3%66th-highest |
On 3rd down Houston converts 60.3% (1st) against a Utah defense allowing 32.7% (16th).
On 3rd down Utah converts 53.7% (9th) against a Houston defense allowing 39.7% (63rd).
2026 regular season before kickoff, from play-by-play with garbage time removed; ranks among the 138 teams in the play-by-play data (defense: 1st = allows the least). Success = a play that gains expected points.
Coaching staff
| Staff | Houston | Utah |
|---|---|---|
| Head coach | Willie Fritz | Morgan Scalley |
| Tenureat this school | 3rd season | 1st season |
| Record at schoolthis season included, as of the date below | 20–12 | 7–0 |
| Career recordas an FBS head coach | 91–66 | 7–0 |
| Offensive coordinator | Slade Nagle | Kevin McGiven |
| Defensive coordinator | Austin Armstrong | Colton Swan |
Staff list as of October 20, 6:50 a.m. ET.
Head-to-head
The teams have met 1 time since 2021: Houston won 1 and Utah 0.
| Date | Score | Line | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 26, 2024 | Utah 14, Houston 17 Houston won |
Meetings since 2021, most recent first. Line and total are the consensus closing numbers where line history is available.
Teams
Houston Cougars
- Houston Cougars team stats
- Oklahoma State Cowboys 32, Houston Cougars 35 (Oct 17)
- Houston Cougars 35, Kansas State Wildcats 16 (Oct 10)
- UCF Knights 17, Houston Cougars 27 (Oct 3)
Utah Utes
- Utah Utes team stats
- Utah Utes at Cincinnati Bearcats (Oct 31)
- Utah Utes 27, Colorado Buffaloes 24 (Oct 17)
- Kansas Jayhawks 24, Utah Utes 41 (Oct 10)
Gridiron & Wine graded a pick on this game: see the archived pick.
More NCAAF games on October 24, 2026
- LSU Tigers 38, Auburn Tigers 17 (Oct 24)
- Texas Tech Red Raiders 24, Cincinnati Bearcats 37 (Oct 24)
- Rice Owls 49, Florida Atlantic Owls 51 (Oct 24)
- Pittsburgh Panthers 23, Miami Hurricanes 52 (Oct 24)
- Indiana Hoosiers 13, Michigan Wolverines 6 (Oct 24)
- Rutgers Scarlet Knights 14, Northwestern Wildcats 42 (Oct 24)
- California Golden Bears 20, SMU Mustangs 59 (Oct 24)
- West Virginia Mountaineers 24, TCU Horned Frogs 20 (Oct 24)
- Western Michigan Broncos 38, Toledo Rockets 45 (Oct 24)
- Miami (OH) RedHawks 28, Central Michigan Chippewas 27 (Oct 24)
- Baylor Bears 24, Kansas Jayhawks 25 (Oct 24)
- Akron Zips 20, Kent State Golden Flashes 35 (Oct 24)
- Oregon Ducks 10, Illinois Fighting Illini 21 (Oct 24)
- Texas A&M Aggies 20, Alabama Crimson Tide 31 (Oct 24)
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