Head coach: Willie Fritz, 2nd season (4-8; 212-124 career)

2024 season: 4-8, 3-6 Big 12

Series with CU: Buffs lead 1-0

Matchup with the Buffs: Friday, Sept. 12, 5:30 p.m. (ESPN), at TDECU Stadium in Houston

5 Guys to Watch

NT Carlos Allen: Leader up front finished last year with 43 tackles, four tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and two fumble recoveries. He is a sixth-year senior who played his first four seasons at Kennesaw State

LB Brandon Mack II: A seventh-year senior who was granted an extra year of eligibility, he posted 39 tackles, five tackles for loss and three sacks last year, along with two forced fumbles. Started his career with four years at Mississippi.

RB Re’Shaun Sanford II: Houston didn’t have a great rushing attack last year, but Sanford was the leader and he’s back this year. He gained 444 yards and a touchdown, averaging 4.7 yards per carry.

WR Amare Thomas: Comes to Houston after two productive years at UAB. Last year, he caught 62 passes for 670 yards and eight touchdowns. As a freshman, he hauled in 53 passes for 437 yard and three touchdowns. In addition to a redshirt year (2019) and COVID season (2020), he missed all of the 2021 season and all but two games in 2023.

QB Conner Weigman: Texas A&M transfer threw for 2,964 yards and 19 touchdowns (seven interceptions) in 13 career starts with the Aggies and he’s projected to take over at Houston. Last year, he struggled a bit, completing 56.1% of his passes for 819 yards, three touchdowns and five interceptions.

Good to know

• The only previous meeting between these teams was a 29-17 CU victory on Dec. 31, 1971, in the Bluebonnet Bowl in Houston. CU’s Charlie Davis rushed for 202 yards and two touchdowns.

• Fritz went 54-47 in eight seasons at Tulane before going to Houston. That included 12-2 in 2022 and 11-2 in 2023. He’s also been a winner at Georgia Southern (2014-15), Sam Houston (2010-13), Central Missouri (1997-2009) and Blinn College (1993-96).

• Prior to joining the Big 12, Houston enjoyed a great deal of success in the American Athletic Conference (2013-2022) and Conference USA (1996-2012). From 2003-22, the Cougars played in 16 bowls in 20 seasons, with six different head coaches.

• Houston was just 13-of-19 (68.4%) on field goals last year but brought in Ethan Sanchez from Old Dominion to fix that. He was 11-for-12 (91.7%) at ODU last year and 35-of-46 (76.1%) in three years with the Monarchs.

• Tight end Tanner Koziol could be one of the most impactful transfers in the conference. The 6-foot-7 senior caught 94 passes for 839 yards and eight touchdowns at Ball State. In three years at Ball State, he caught 163 passes for 1,507 yards and 18 TDs. He spent this past spring at Wisconsin before making the move to Houston.

Portal movement

It’s been a busy offseason for the Cougars, who lost 28 players to the portal. Most notably, first-team All-Big 12 safety AJ Haulcy went to LSU last month. Other key players from the defense — safety Hersey McLaurin (Purdue), defensive lineman Anthony Holmes Jr. (Texas Tech) and cornerback Jeremiah Wilson (Florida State) — departed, as well. They also lost nickel Keionte Scott, a projected starter who transferred from Auburn in January but went to Miami in May. Receiver Joseph Manjack IV (TCU) was the main loss on offense. Houston added 30 transfers, however, and many of them are projected to start, including Koziol, Thomas, Weigman and a trio of offensive linemen: Jason Brooks Jr. (Oklahoma State), Dalton Merryman (Texas Tech) and Matthew Wykoff (California). Receiver Harvey Broussard III (Louisiana) and running back Dean Connors (Rice) are expected to make an impact on offense. Defensively, edge rushers Eddie Walls III (FIU) and Khalil Laufau (Washington State), linebacker Jesus Machado (Tulane) and defensive backs Jordan Allen (LSU), Wrook Brown (Wyoming) and Blake Thompson (Louisiana Tech) could all be starters. Sanchez takes over at kicker.