Houston coach Willie Fritz named to Bear Bryant Coach of the Year watch list
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The gist
Houston coach Willie Fritz was named to the Bear Bryant Coach of the Year watch list again.
His 6-1 Cougars are in the Top 15 for the first time since 2016.
Background
Willie Fritz, 66, is the head football coach at the University of Houston, hired on Dec. 3, 2023 after previous stops at Blinn College, Sam Houston, Georgia Southern and Tulane. Houston won four games in his first season, then reached 10 wins in 2025 and beat LSU in the Texas Bowl. This season the Cougars are 6-1 and ranked No. 14, their highest standing since 2016, and are contending for a Big 12 title and a College Football Playoff spot. The watch-list recognition follows that rise and arrives ahead of a marquee road game at Utah.
How it unfolded
- Dec 3, 2023Willie Fritz is hired as head coach at Houston.
- 2024Houston wins four games in Fritz's first season.
- 2025Houston reaches 10 wins and beats LSU in the Texas Bowl, its first bowl appearance since 2022 and first final poll ranking since 2021.
- Oct 17, 2026No. 20 Houston beats No. 18 Oklahoma State at TDECU Stadium before an announced crowd of 42,544, the fourth-largest and eighth sellout in stadium history.
- Oct 19, 2026At his Monday press conference, Fritz previews the Utah game as "another big test."
- Oct 21, 2026University of Houston Athletics announces Fritz was named to the Paul "Bear" Bryant Coach of the Year Watch List for the second consecutive season.
- Oct 23, 2026SI reports Fritz was also named to the Dodd Trophy Midseason Watchlist.
- Oct 24, 2026No. 14 Houston travels to Salt Lake City to face No. 10 Utah.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Houston Athletics announced Fritz's second straight Bear Bryant Coach of the Year Watch List selection.
- Fritz
- Fritz called Utah "another big test" and a well-coached team, saying he has never coached at that venue but has heard it is a great place to play.
- Fritz
- On resources, Fritz said Houston simply doesn't have all the financial resources and can either complain or be smart with what it does.