Houston Faces Kansas State in Big 12 Football Showdown

No. 22 Houston visited Kansas State on Saturday, October 10, 2026, for a Big 12 football matchup at Bill Snyder Family Stadium in Manhattan, Kansas. The Cougars entered the contest with a 4-1 record and a two-game winning streak, while the Wildcats sought to recover from their first defeat of the season and secure their first conference victory of 2026.

According to coverage published by Yahoo Sports and AL.com, kickoff was scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Central Time, with FOX broadcasting the game. Houston aimed to extend its winning run after defeating UCF 27-17, while Kansas State returned from a bye week following a 31-26 loss to Cincinnati.

Houston quarterback Conner Weigman had thrown 11 touchdown passes and accumulated nearly 1,200 passing yards entering the matchup, according to AL.com. He had also scored six rushing touchdowns, giving the Cougars another offensive option against a Kansas State defense that had struggled to contain Cincinnati's ground attack.

Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson presented a different dual-threat challenge. Yahoo Sports reported that Johnson had rushed for 291 yards during the season, while AL.com identified him as the Wildcats' leader in both passing and rushing yards.

The teams had split their previous two meetings. Kansas State won 41-0 in their 2023 matchup in Manhattan, while Houston responded with a 24-19 victory in Texas in 2024. Houston coach Willie Fritz had also led Tulane when the Green Wave defeated Kansas State in 2022, adding another recent matchup involving Fritz and the Wildcats.

Houston's conference campaign had included a narrow 28-26 loss to Texas Tech. Weigman threw three touchdown passes for 282 yards in that game, but the Cougars fell short of defeating the conference contender, according to Yahoo Sports.

The Cougars subsequently defeated UCF 27-17, entering the Kansas State game with consecutive victories. Their rushing attack remained a central matchup concern, particularly after their performance against Texas Tech and the Wildcats' defensive difficulties against Cincinnati.

In its preview published October 7, Bring on the Cats highlighted Kansas State's vulnerability against interior rushing plays. Cincinnati had accumulated 1,154 rushing yards on 190 carries, scored 17 rushing touchdowns and averaged 5.95 yards per carry, according to the outlet's analysis.

The same analysis noted that Houston had rushed for 388 yards against Southern, averaging 8.6 yards per carry, although that performance inflated its season statistics. Against UCF, the Cougars recorded 155 rushing yards on 43 attempts, averaging 3.6 yards per carry.

Houston also demonstrated its ability to run between the tackles against stronger opposition. Bring on the Cats reported that the Cougars gained 177 rushing yards on 34 attempts against Texas Tech, averaging 5.2 yards per carry in their 28-26 defeat.

Running backs Makhi Hughes and Re'Shaun Sanford II offered contrasting styles for Houston. According to Bring on the Cats, the 6-foot, 210-pound Hughes provided a power-running option, while the 5-foot-9, 190-pound Sanford brought speed and could attack both the outside and interior gaps.

Kansas State's defensive response was a major question after Cincinnati controlled the line of scrimmage. The Wildcats had used their bye week to regroup following the defeat, but the preview questioned whether the available defensive personnel could adequately address the team's difficulties stopping inside runs.

The October 10 broadcast was scheduled to feature Tim Brando on play-by-play, Devin Gardner as analyst and Josh Sims reporting from the sidelines, according to Yahoo Sports' Kansas State coverage. The game was also scheduled for radio coverage through the 29-station K-State Sports Network, with additional audio access through SiriusXM Satellite Radio channels 173 and 237 and the Varsity Network app.