Houston Cougars 2023 Future Odds
Cougars Ready for Big 12 Conference Debut
The Houston Cougars finished 2022 with an 8-5 record, including a victory in the Independence Bowl. But it was still a disappointing season. After winning 11 games in 2021 and having many of its players back, Houston was thinking big. But the Cougars struggled against the better teams. The Houston Cougars future odds suggest the team will have its troubles against tough competition once again.
Houston Cougars At A Glance
| Odds to Win | Opening Odds | Current Odds |
| National Championship | +50000 | +50000 |
| Conference | +8000 | +10000 |
| Regular Season Win Total | 4.5 (o+100, u-120) | 4.5 (o-145, u+115) |
| To Make Playoffs (if applicable) | N/A | N/A |
Cougars Expected to Find Tough Going in Big 12
For a team that’s had its share of troubles lately against Power 5 teams, a move to the Big 12 Conference appears to be asking for trouble. Many think that’s what the Houston Cougars are going to find this year. After having a win total of 9.5 last season, the Cougars are all the way down to 4.5 wins this season. Last year’s Houston team was senior-dominated, so there are going to be a number of new faces on this year’s squad.
One of the new faces will be quarterback Donovan Smith, who is coming over from Texas Tech. He threw for 1,500 yards and 12 touchdowns with the Red Raiders last season before being injured. He’s a decent two-way threat.
Stacy Sneed, Brandon Campbell, and West Virginia transfer Tony Mathis give Houston a decent backfield tandem. The Cougars will miss wideout Tank Dell, but have some solid players coming back. Matthew Golden caught seven TD passes last season and Samuel Brown caught four.
The offensive line will be fine and has a couple of good ones in Patrick Paul and Jack Freeman.
It’s the defense that let Houston down last season, allowing 32.2 points per game. And as bad as the defense was, the top five tacklers from last year’s squad are gone. But Houston was active in the transfer portal and how well the defense can play as a unit will determine the team’s fate.
National Championship Odds: Not Going to Happen
The Houston Cougars future odds of +50000 to win the national title are being kind to the Cougars. Houston should be thinking about finishing .500, which is pretty much the best-case scenario for the Cougars.
Conference Odds: Longest Shot on the Board
After being the co-favorite to win the American Athletic Conference last year, Houston now finds itself as the longest shot on the board to win the Big 12 at +10000. The NCAAF schedule is going to be tougher than anything Houston has ever seen and it’s logical, they’ll drop in the college football standings. But playing in a major conference will make recruiting easier down the road. It will take time, but the Cougars will be a contender for the Big 12 Conference soon enough. Just not this season.
Regular Season Wins: Total Could be Too Low
The Houston Cougars future odds on the win total are probably a bit low. A better number for Houston is probably 5.0 wins, which is evident in the way the odds have shifted. When Houston’s win total came out, the over 4.5 wins was even money. Now, it’s -145, so some bettors are expecting Houston to get to five wins or more. It’s entirely possible. But the Cougars can’t take any weeks off and still expect to win.
The Cougars have five very winnable games on their schedule. There are home games against UTSA, Sam Houston, West Virginia, and Cincinnati. The road game at Rice is almost a home game and one Houston can win. Houston could pull off another win in conference play to get to a bowl game if things fall right. The Cougars over 4.5 wins offer slight value at -145. It’s not one of the best college football betting win totals out there, but there are far worse bets you could make.
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