Houston vs Utah Picks and Predictions for Saturday, October 24, 2026
The Houston Cougars and Utah Utes meet Saturday at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City. Kickoff is set for 10:15 pm ET on ESPN. No. 14 Houston is 6-1 and fourth in the Big 12 at 3-1 in conference games. The Cougars escaped with a 35-32 win over Oklahoma State last Saturday, their fourth straight victory. No. 10 Utah is unbeaten at 6-0 and tied for first in the Big 12 at 3-0. The Utes held off Colorado 27-24 last week after beating Kansas 41-24. Both teams have plenty riding on this conference matchup. Find your next winner with our free NCAAF picks.
Houston Keep Finding Ways to Score
Houston had to work harder than expected against Oklahoma State. The Cougars came away with a three-point victory after beating Kansas State 35-16 and UCF 27-17 in their previous two games. They also scored 42 at Georgia Southern in September. Houston's only defeat came at Texas Tech, a 28-26 game that could have gone either way. There's been no shortage of offense. The Cougars have gained 1,854 passing yards and 1,542 rushing yards through seven games, giving opponents plenty to defend.
Conner Weigman has thrown 20 touchdowns against only two interceptions, completing 67.7% of his passes for 1,771 yards. Amare Thomas has 487 receiving yards and six touchdowns, while tight end Patrick Overmyer has caught seven scores. The Cougars can also keep the ball on the ground. Makhi Hughes has rushed for 464 yards, Re'Shaun Sanford II has 440, and Weigman has run for six touchdowns. Defensively, Kentrell Webb has 43 tackles, and Jordan Allen has two interceptions. Houston has different ways to put points up.
Injuries: J. Thurman, J. Hebert and M. Tounkara are out. J. Strozier Jr. and E. Noel are questionable.
Utah Still Haven't Lost
Utah nearly saw its perfect record disappear at Colorado. The Utes won 27-24, a much tighter contest than their previous victories. They had beaten Kansas 41-24, Iowa State 31-17 and Utah State 33-0. Arkansas also gave up 43 points against Utah in September. The Utes are getting plenty from their running game, which has produced 1,321 yards and 15 touchdowns in six games. Utah has also held three of its last five opponents to 17 points or fewer.
Devon Dampier has thrown for 1,412 yards with 15 touchdowns and four interceptions. He's completed 68.6% of his passes and added 198 rushing yards. Wayshawn Parker has been the bigger threat on the ground, rushing for 597 yards and seven touchdowns on 89 carries. That's 6.7 yards per attempt. Braden Pegan leads the receivers with 422 yards and six touchdowns. On defense, Trey Reynolds has 35 tackles, while James Chenault Jr. has two interceptions. Utah will need those defenders against Weigman's passing attack.
Injuries: J. Hart is questionable.
Key To The Game
Houston has thrown 22 touchdown passes as a team, but Utah has intercepted eight passes. The Utes also have Parker gaining 6.7 yards per carry. Houston needs to slow the run without letting Dampier find Pegan downfield.
Houston vs Utah Game Pick
- Houston Cougars +6.5
Utah has won every game, but Houston has made a habit of staying close, including its two-point loss at Texas Tech. Weigman has thrown 20 touchdowns with only two interceptions, and the Cougars can run the ball too. Utah needed a three-point win against Colorado last week. The Utes have the home advantage, but Houston has enough offense to keep this tight and cover the 6.5-point spread on Saturday night.
Houston vs Utah Over/Under Pick
- Over 56.5
Houston scored 35 points in each of its last two games, and Utah has reached 31 in three of its past five outings. Both teams have quarterbacks capable of throwing touchdowns and running games that can move the chains. Weigman has 20 passing scores, while Dampier has 15 and Parker has seven on the ground. With that much offense on both sides, this matchup will finish over the 56.5-point total.