The No. 25 Houston Cougars are coming off a heartbreaking road loss to the No. 11 Texas Tech Red Raiders.
The good news is that Houston can immediately bounce back with an impressive performance against the Georgia Southern Eagles . Here are three matchups that will determine Houston's Week 4 game in the "Prettiest Little Stadium in America."
The Cougars have struggled to get to the opposing quarterback so far in 2026, racking up only six sacks. Worse, Houston got four sacks against Oregon State, which is good, but only got one against FCS opponent Southern in Week 2 and one against Texas Tech on Friday.
Will Hammond simply had too much time to throw as the Houston defense gave up 257 passing yards. As Houston prepares to take on Georgia Southern, it needs to find a way to get more sacks and, at the very least, disrupt the pocket more. The Eagles have only allowed five sacks so far, so they present an interesting challenge for the Houston defensive line.
Houston remains the best run defense in the Big 12. But the Cougars need to step up their pass rush to support a secondary that has struggled so much so far.
Giving quarterback Max Johnson too much time to throw the ball will invite unnecessary trouble in Week 4. Houston is an 18.5-point favorite, so it would love for things to go smoothly on Saturday. But for that to happen, it needs a better pass rush and to hold up against the run.
Houston's pass defense has been awful so far, as it has allowed 253.3 passing yards per game, second worst in the Big 12 behind only Texas Tech.
Of course, the Eagles don't present a huge challenge, but neither should've Oregon State. The Beavers ended up throwing all over the Cougars, as QB Braden Atkinson threw for 376 yards and a touchdown.
Georgia Southern gives Houston a bit of a test with Illinois transfer wide receiver Ashton Hollins, who has 14 receptions for 202 yards and two touchdowns; wide receiver Josh Dallas, with 21 receptions for 125 yards; and tight end River Helms, with 11 receptions for 89 yards so far in 2026.
Clemson corner back Elliot Washington II (3) defends Georgia Southern University receiver Ashton Hollins during the fourth quarter at Memorial Stadium Saturday, September 12, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
This receiving corps shouldn't make Cougar fans jump out of their skin, but this secondary shouldn't overlook the group either. If the Cougars keep struggling to defend the pass, the Eagles not only have a chance, but it would also have serious implications for the rest of the season.
Houston has talent in the back end, but it hasn't shown as much as it would like. The matchup between the Eagles' receiving corps and the Houston secondary will be huge in determining who wins on Saturday.
Houston's run game against Texas Tech wasn't horrible, totaling 176 yards on 37 carries. But those numbers aren't ideal and don't fully capture the Cougars' struggles to run the ball after their early success.
The Cougars ran for 388 yards the week prior and 228 yards in Week 1, showing they have had a lot of success running the ball. In a potential upset bid, the favored team may struggle to run the ball, allowing the underdog to establish the line of scrimmage. Without a solid run game, the Cougars may let the Eagles dominate time of possession and force Houston to throw more than it would like.
Seeing someone like running back Makhi Hughes, running back Re'Shaun Sanford, or even dual-threat Conner Weigman put up nice numbers on the ground would be great for Houston fans. If Houston can dominate the trenches, and running the ball will be a part of that, then this game should be an easy win.
Expect Weigman to put up some numbers with his arm, especially after throwing for nearly 300 yards against the Red Raiders. But to top it off in Week 4, Houston needs to be able to run the ball how they want, when they want.
Simply put, if the Cougars don't look dominant against the Eagles, they may be in trouble in 2026.
A 28-26 loss on the road against the reigning Big 12 champs is certainly something to bounce back from. As Houston looks to storm back, they first need to take down the upset-hopeful Georgia Southern. If Houston can get more sacks, defend the pass better, and run the ball with success, then not only will it win, but it will be a good indicator for the future.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/houston as 3 Matchups That Will Decide Houston's Week 4 Game Against Georgia Southern .
