Houston Cougars Lines & 2022 Season Betting Guide

The 2022 season will be the last for the University of Houston in the American Athletic Conference as they and a few other schools will be Big 12 bound. What to expect from the Cougars this year? Here is the complete preview for your College Football bets.

Odds to win national title: +25000
Odds to win AAC: +225
Over/under wins total: 9

Houston Cougars 2022 Season Betting Guide

Houston had a very solid 2021 season as it reached the AAC title game against unbeaten Cincinnati but lost 35-20. Jerome Ford rushed for 187 yards and two touchdowns and Desmond Ridder threw three touchdown passes as No. 3 Cincinnati broke open a close game in the third quarter. Cougars junior QB Clayton Tune passed for 250 yards with two touchdowns and an interception as Houston lost for the first time since dropping its season-opener to Texas Tech. Tune moved past Andre Ware (1987-89) into sixth in Houston career history with 8,303 yards.

Coach Dana Holgorsen’s club then faced Auburn in the Birmingham Bowl and won 17-13. Jake Herslow caught a 26-yard, go-ahead touchdown pass from Tune with 3:27 left. Tune completed 26 of 40 passes for 283 yards and two touchdowns with an interception while also rushing for 43 yards. Tune has made 31 career starts, matching Chuck Clements (1993-96) for fifth among quarterbacks in program history. Tune’s 287 completions and 3,544 passing yards each ranked ninth in Houston single-season history. His 30 touchdown passes are tied for eighth (Kevin Kolb, 2006).

Houston has now won 12-plus games three times in program history (2021 – 12 wins, 2015 – 13 wins, 2011 – 13 wins). For the second time in program history, Houston won 12-plus games following a losing season (5-7 in 2010 to 13-1 in 2011; 3-5 in 2020 to 12-2 in 2021). Houston also snapped a four-game losing streak in bowl games (2016-present).

Tune is back to lead the offense and returns top wideout Nathaniel Dell. He led the team in receptions (90), receiving yards (1,329), and receiving touchdowns (12) as well leading the entire American Athletic Conference. The 12 receiving touchdowns placed him eighth in the nation. Former Texas Tech Red Raider KeSean Carter should do a whole lot more in his second year with the Cougars. Cody Jackson was a big get from Oklahoma, and excellent recruit Mathew Golden should be a factor right out of the gate.

Alton McCaskill ran for 961 yards and 16 scores last year, but he suffered a torn ACL this offseason and won’t play in 2022. There are other options, though – former Texas Tech back Ta’Zhawn Henry was second on the team last year with 513 yards and seven scores for the Cougars.

Left tackle Patrick Paul and right guard Tank Jenkins are the only returners up front. UH should have one of the AAC’s top offenses, and the defense brings back six starters from a unit that limited teams to 20.4 points a game last season. D’Anthony Jones and Derek Parish combined for 12 sacks and 20.5 tackles and return. Nelson Ceaser could be one of the top defensive ends in the AAC.

UH opens the season at UTSA on Sept. 3. They didn’t play last year. After a 12-2 season, coach Jeff Traylor has UTSA thinking big once again in 2022. Running back Sincere McCormick departed for the NFL, but the Roadrunners could be the favorite to win Conference USA.