Houston Is The Cleanest Big 12 Dark Horse
Context
Show response to Ethan's question on which Big 12 teams benefit most from the Brendan Sorsby uncertainty at Texas Tech. The answer foregrounds Houston as the structurally interesting upgrade case: defense was ahead of offense in 2025; experienced returning QB; Willie Fritz is a noted program-builder with wins everywhere he's been; recruiting and portal savvy; good returning production (Bill Connelly had them ~17th nationally). The 2025 road record (6-0, including wins at ASU, at Baylor late-season, OT at Oregon State) is the underrated indicator — winning on the road is not an accident.
The structural step Houston still needs: become a team that can dictate line-of-scrimmage stuff against Utah, BYU, and Texas Tech. If they take that step, the Sorsby-induced crack in the Big 12 is theirs to exploit. Other 2026 candidates (Arizona, Kansas State, Oklahoma State) are in the conversation but at lower confidence.