Oregon State is hosting Houston on Friday night of Week 5. The game will take place at 10:30 p.m. ET in Corvallis, Oregon.
The Cougars are 13.5-point road favorites in this game on DraftKings Sportsbook, with the total set at 47.5 points. This is a preview, prediction and pick for this Houston vs. Oregon State non-conference matchup.
Houston vs. Oregon State prediction, preview
Houston Preview
It has been an exciting start to the season for the Houston Cougars. Last season, Houston hired Willie Fritz from Tulane to be their new head coach. Houston went 4-8 in the first year under Fritz, but after hitting the portal hard, they raised their expectations for 2025. In their fourth game of the season, they already have a chance to match last year’s win total if they can beat Oregon State. After dominating their two non-conference games to start the season, Houston had a statement win over Colorado to open Big 12 play. Former Texas A&M quarterback Conner Weigman has played great for the Cougars. He has seven total touchdowns and no interceptions through three games. The Cougars are likely still a few pieces away from contending for the Big 12, but they could be a team that makes some noise and gets to a bowl game this season, especially if they keep improving as the season goes along.
Oregon State Preview
It is not a fun time to be an Oregon State fan. The Beavers, alongside Washington State, were the odd men out when the Pac-12 Conference dissolved. They were left in purgatory, forced to play a hybrid Mountain West schedule with nowhere to call home. They also lost the future of their program, head coach Jonathan Smith and quarterback Aidan Chiles, to Michigan State. New head coach Trent Bray failed to make a bowl game in his first season, going 5-7 against a soft schedule. This season, things have gone from bad to worse. Oregon State is off to an 0-4 start, losing games to a couple of tough out-of-conference opponents like Oregon and Texas Tech, but also to Fresno State and Cal. Oregon State did nab a solid transfer quarterback, former Texas and Duke signal-caller Maalik Murphy. However, with little talent around Murphy, there is only so much that he can do.
Houston vs. Oregon State pick, best bet
My best bet for this game is for Houston to cover the large spread. Oregon State has looked completely lost so far this season. The Beavers are allowing 39 points per game, the sixth-worst mark in all of college football. They rank 122nd in defensive EPA/pass and 112th in defensive EPA/drive. Conner Weigman’s offense should move the ball efficiently, both through the air and on the ground. Houston put up 36 points against Colorado, then got a bye week before this game. They should be well-prepared and ready to make another statement. Maalik Murphy has been the lone bright spot for Oregon State, but this Houston defense ranks first in the country in defensive EPA/pass. This is a bad matchup for Oregon State, and things could get ugly as they stare down an 0-5 start to the season.
