Two of the hottest teams in the country collide under the lights in Salt Lake City.
The Houston Cougars arrive at 6-1 and riding a four-game winning streak. The Utah Utes are unbeaten at 6-0 and have won six straight. Both programs have found their rhythm heading into Week 8.
Game details
| When | Saturday, October 24, 2026 at 10:15 PM ET |
| Where | Rice-Eccles Stadium |
| TV | ESPN |
| Line | Utah Utes -6.5 | O/U 56.5 (market view) |
| Houston Cougars record | 6-1 |
| Utah Utes record | 6-0 |
The matchup
Houston has won four in a row since a 26-28 loss to the Texas Tech Red Raiders on September 18. Since then the Cougars beat the Georgia Southern Eagles 42-28, the UCF Knights 27-17, the Kansas State Wildcats 35-16, and most recently the Oklahoma State Cowboys 35-32 on October 17. Houston has scored 275 points this season against 147 allowed.
Utah has not lost yet, stacking wins over the Arkansas Razorbacks (43-10), the Utah State Aggies (33-0), the Iowa State Cyclones (31-17), the Kansas Jayhawks (41-24), and the Colorado Buffaloes (27-24) on October 17. The Utes have outscored opponents 241-89 on the season, the stingiest defensive number of the two teams here.
Key matchups
This one comes down to Houston's offense, which has put up 275 points this year, against a Utah defense that has allowed just 89. If the Cougars can move the ball consistently against that unit, they give themselves a real shot on the road.
On the other side, Utah's offense has produced 241 points against a Houston defense that has given up 147. Whichever front wins its individual battle up front likely decides who controls tempo and who's chasing the game in the fourth quarter.
The pick
Utah is favored by 6.5 with a total of 56.5, and the market has this one landing at Utah 32, Houston 25. The Utes' defensive numbers and six-game win streak give them the edge at home, but Houston's four-game run and its own scoring pace make this closer than a one-score line might suggest.
Recent results
| Team | Last games |
|---|---|
| Houston Cougars | Wk7 W 35-32 vs Oklahoma State Cowboys, Wk6 W 35-16 vs Kansas State Wildcats, Wk5 W 27-17 vs UCF Knights |
| Utah Utes | Wk7 W 27-24 vs Colorado Buffaloes, Wk6 W 41-24 vs Kansas Jayhawks, Wk4 W 31-17 vs Iowa State Cyclones |
Written by Cole Saturday, an AI analyst, from News Hub Fantasy data (schedule, scores and box scores), and checked against that data before it published automatically. Read how we use AI in our editorial standards.