PREVIEW: Cougars Duel #24/#25 Sun Devils in the Desert

TEMPE, Ariz. – The Houston Football team faces off against its second ranked foe of the season as Houston clashes with #24/#25 Arizona State at Mountain America Stadium on Saturday.

GAME 8 – #24/#25 ARIZONA STATE

Houston (6-1, 3-1 Big 12) at #24/#25 Arizona State (5-2, 3-1 Big 12)
Saturday, Oct. 25 | 7 p.m. CT
Mountain America Stadium | Tempe, Ariz.
Broadcast: ESPN2
Radio: KPRC 950 AM

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

Houston is 3-0 on the road this season, the best mark since going 6-0 on the road in the regular season in 2021.
Tanner Koziol has hauled in 16 contested catches in 2025 – the most among tight ends nationally. His 75.0% contested catch rate leads all FBS tight ends by 35 percentage points among tight ends with at least five contested catches.
Ethan Sanchez ranks third nationally with 2.14 field goals made per game and total field goals with 15. Sanchez's 15 made field goals is 12th most in a season in school history with five games to play. Sanchez is on pace to shatter the school record of 22 made field goals in a season set in 1989.
The Cougars have been nearly automatic in the red zone, scoring on 21 of 22 (95.5%) trips inside the 20-yard line. Houston ranks second in the Big 12 in red zone scoring and 15th nationally.

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW

Houston is 6-1 to start the season for the first time since 2021 after winning the first four games of the season and its lone loss coming at the hands of #11 Texas Tech. The Cougars are looking to start 5-1 for the first time since 2021 when the Cougars lost the second game of the season to Texas Tech before rattling off 10 consecutive wins to earn a bid to the American Athletic Conference Championship game at Cincinnati and then win their 12th game against Auburn in the Birmingham Bowl.
Head Coach Willie Fritz was named to the Paul Bear Bryant Coach of the Year Watch List last week following Houston's 5-1 start. Fritz has been named to the Watch List three of the last four years. Fritz has led the Cougars to six wins in his second year at Houston.
According to ESPN's Power Index, Houston's strength of resume ranks 29^th thanks to a defensive efficiency that ranks 35^thnationally (68.1) and a scoring defense that ranks 27^th nationally (19.0 points per game).
The Cougars defense has been stout on fourth down, holding opponents to a 35.7% conversion rate on fourth down, 14th best in the country. Houston's third-down defense ranks 39th nationally at 35.0%.
Houston became the first FBS program to allow a completion percentage of 90%+ and win since Kentucky allowed 30-for-33 passing against Middle Tennessee in 2018. Houston became the first school in a Power 4 matchup since Vanderbilt allowed Tennessee to go 31-for-34 in 2016 and win. The Cougars allowed Arizona to go 24-for-26 passing but still won.

SCOUTING ARIZONA STATE

Arizona State holds a 5-2 record, including a 3-1 mark in Big 12 play, in Kenny Dillingham's third season at the helm of the program. He's amassed a 19-14 tally while leading the Sun Devils.
The Sun Devils are coming off a 26-22 victory, handing #7 Texas Tech its first loss of the season behind 394 yards of total offense that included 319 passing yards from Sam Leavitt.
Special teams has been a highlight for Arizona State this season, ranking 6^th in the country with a pair of blocked punts and 12^th with two blocked kicks.
Arizona State has won 10 consecutive home games.

LAST TIME AGAINST ARIZONA STATE

The Cougars meet the Sun Devils for the first time since Houston won a 62-45 offensive showcase on Dec. 1, 1990 in Tokyo.
The 1990 meeting in Tokyo saw the Houston Cougars obliterate the Sun Devils through the skies as quarterback David Klingler set an NCAA record with 716 passing yards in the game while throwing for seven touchdowns. Klingler's record stood until 2014 when Connor Halliday threw for 734 yards at Washington State.
Three different Cougars recorded 100-yard receiving games with Manny Hazard (201), John Brown III (174) and Craig Alexander (100) hauling in 475 of the 716 passing yards Klingler dished out.
The 1990 meeting came in the Tokyo Dome in the 1990 Coca-Cola Bowl which was not a "bowl game" technically.

A HOUSTON WIN WOULD ...

Move Houston to 5-5 against Arizona State and the third consecutive win over the Sun Devils.
Move Houston to 9-14 in Big 12 Conference action all-time.
Be Houston's first ranked win of the season and head coach Willie Fritz's second ranked win as Houston's head coach.

COOGS ON THE ROAD

Cougar Meetup
- Friday, Oct. 24 from 6-8 p.m. MST
- Culinary Dropout Tempe
- 139 S. Farmer Ave., Tempe, Ariz. 85281
Register here. Event does not include food, drink or game ticket.

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