The Houston Cougars didn’t just keep pace in a crowded Big 12 race on Saturday; they bought themselves a few more weeks of relevance. Behind a fast start and just enough late, No. 17 Houston held off the Cincinnati Bearcats 31-24 to climb to 7-2 and keep its long-shot Big 12 Championship and College Football Playoff hopes alive.
What Are the Chances of Houston Making the College Football Playoff?
According to the PFN College Football Playoff Meter (FPM), Houston’s CFP chances ticked up from 7.3% to 9.9% with the win. More meaningful for a team whose postseason math runs through Arlington, the Cougars’ Big 12 Championship Game odds climbed from 13.9% to 18.6%.
For Cincinnati, the defeat was a serious blow to an already-fading postseason picture. The Bearcats fall to 5-4 (2-4 Big 12), and with a fourth loss on the board, their conference title hopes are all but finished…