The No. 18 Houston Cougars now face some major questions. The Cougars were unable to hang on to a 10-0 lead against the No. 6 Utah Utes, are currently 6-2, and have taken a tumble in the rankings .

That was the second time this season that Houston blew a lead of such proportion. And that's also why these next two weeks will define how this 2026 season will go.

How Will Houston Respond After a Crushing Loss?

The Cougars took a 10-0 lead over the then No. 13 Texas Tech Red Raiders before losing 28-26. It was a disappointing way to lose their first game, as they had dominated the first quarter.

Houston took a 3-0 lead into halftime against Utah and even added a touchdown to begin the third quarter to take a 10-0 lead. The Utes rallied and went on to outscore the Cougars 21-3 for the rest of the game. After an ugly fourth quarter for the Cougar offense, Houston was handed another disappointing loss.

Utah QB Devon Dampier scrambles against Houston.…