HOUSTON — The Houston Cougars' playoff hopes are hanging by a thread. Still, the program finds itself on the brink of unprecedented history as the college football season draws to a close.
Houston Cougars could clinch the College Football Playoff ahead of Texas A&M, Texas Tech, and possibly Texas.
Houston (8-2, 5-2 Big 12) is in the hunt for a spot in the Big 12 Championship Game in Arlington, where a victory would secure the Cougars' first berth in the College Football Playoff under the expanded 12-team format. The Big 12 champion is guaranteed one of five automatic bids, joining champions from the SEC, Big Ten, ACC, and the highest-ranked Group of Five school.
The Cougars' path to the title game remains narrow. After dropping a heartbreaker to TCU, Houston now must win its final two games and hope for losses—and upsets—from a host of contenders such as BYU, Utah, Cincinnati, and Arizona State, as tiebreaker scenarios come into play.
Oddsmakers at BetMGM and BetRivers list Houston as a significant long shot, with current Big 12 title odds ranging from +10,000 to +20,000 as of November 20. According to Pro Football Network, Houston's chance to reach Arlington sits at less than 2 percent, but projections show a postseason berth remains possible mathematically if results break favorably down the stretch.
Houston climbed to No. 23 in this week's College Football Playoff rankings after an impressive start, offering hope that a conference title would be enough for a playoff bid despite long-shot odds and mounting pressure in the final weeks.
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