Since joining the Big 12 in July 2023, Houston has shattered projections, quickly rising as the league’s dominant force. Over two seasons, the Cougars have posted a staggering 34-4 mark in Big 12 play, securing consecutive regular-season crowns and the 2025 conference tournament title.
Houston set a program record with 35 wins in 2024-25, ending the season with a national title game loss to Florida at the Alamodome. On Thursday, the Big 12 and Houston unveiled the 2025-26 conference schedule matrix, signaling another daunting path forward.
Back-to-Back Big 12 Champs Houston Set for Brutal 2025-26 Conference Gauntlet
After dominating the Big 12 in their first two seasons, Houston now faces its toughest conference stretch yet. The league on Thursday released the full 2025-26 schedule matrix, and it immediately raised eyebrows.
2025-26 #Big12MBB Opponent Matrix 🏀 pic.twitter.com/akz6gZsOJK
— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) June 12, 2025
In a recent episode of “Locked On: College Basketball” podcast, analyst Andy Patton explained how this year’s matrix of opponents is a tough draw for the Cougars.
“Nobody else is getting 19 conference wins anytime soon, at least until the conference probably goes back to 20 games at some point, Patton explained, referencing Houston’s historic 19-1 Big 12 record in 2024-25, a mark unlikely to be replicated under the new format.
The revised schedule model has each team playing six schools at home, six on the road, and three in home-and-away series. For Houston, those repeat matchups are with Baylor, Cincinnati, and Texas Tech. It’s a formidable draw.
“Of all of these top six teams, looking at the three teams they’re playing twice, I think Baylor, Texas Tech, and Cincinnati are arguably the toughest trio,” Patton said. He pointed specifically to the grind of playing both Baylor and Texas Tech twice, calling the stretch “really brutal.”
Houston’s road itinerary only adds to the difficulty. The Cougars will travel to BYU, Iowa State, Kansas, Oklahoma State, TCU, and Utah—four notoriously tough venues.
“Two of their true road games are BYU, which is a brutal road trip… and Kansas. Fog Allen’s a brutal place to play. So is Ames,” Patton explained. He also emphasized that Utah, while not elite, presents challenges due to travel and altitude. “They also have Utah… not a good team necessarily, but a really brutal road trip.”
The Cougars return a core built for such challenges. They bring back three starters and seven total lettermen, including standout guard Emanuel Sharp, who earned Most Outstanding Player honors at both the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship and NCAA Midwest Regional.
MORE: NCAA World Remains Unconvinced by Kelvin Sampson’s Plans Amid Houston’s Championship Ambitions
Milos Uzan, an All-Big 12 selection, and Joseph Tugler, a Naismith Defensive Player of the Year finalist, also return. While other leagues continue experimenting with unbalanced formats, many believe the Big 12 got it right.
“This seems so simple… and yet other conferences with 18-game schedules are not doing this,” Isaac Schade said, comparing the Big 12’s structure favorably to the ACC’s. “The best teams are playing the best teams,” added Patton, noting the schedule keeps elite programs tested and strong in the NET rankings.
With a battle-tested roster and a punishing slate ahead, Houston begins its quest for a third-straight league title amid rising stakes and shrinking margins.
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