‘We could have all eyes on us.’ Behind Houston football’s unconventional schedule changes

College football Saturdays are a cultural staple on campuses nationwide and Houston football has been well-acquainted with this tradition that has spanned over a century.

This upcoming season, Houston fans will have to wait until Oct. 4 against Texas Tech to see the Cougars take the field on a Saturday.

In 2024, Houston played a total of 10 Saturday games, including their season opener at home against UNLV on Aug. 31 and their season finale in Provo, Utah, against BYU on Nov. 30.

UH will participate in only eight Saturday games total in their 2025 campaign: four at home and four on the road.

“I think it feels like everybody is looking, saying we’re just trying to get as many games on Thursday and Friday and not play on Saturday. It’s not about that,” athletic director Eddie Nuñez said Thursday.

The departure from more traditional time slots caught the attention of Houston fans, but Nuñez assured that part of the decision to deviate from Saturdays took fans and students into consideration.

Nuñez pointed out several overlooked challenges associated with Saturday games, particularly on holiday weekends like Labor Day, when many fans might be away and unable to attend.

“Going into that weekend knowing that when we look at our fanbase and past history when those games were during those times, it’s challenging on Saturday,” Nuñez said. He alluded to Friday being more convenient considering the other conflicts at play and what the team is trying to do.

All six of Houston’s home games last season took place on Saturdays, averaging an attendance of 27,423. With TDECU Stadium seating 40,000, it leaves Nuñez with seats to fill and difficult decisions to make.

Among all Big 12 schools, Houston has ranked last in capacity percentage since joining the conference nearly two years ago.

Nuñez hopes that scheduling more games on weekdays will enable those traveling for the weekend to leave after a game, instead of before.

“We wanted to try and maximize and do something different to allow people to get out of town if they choose to get out of town after our game,” Nuñez said.

Maximizing opportunity was a key focus during Nuñez’s media availability on Thursday. Another reason for the schedule changes was reduced network competition and increased exposure.

With the majority of regular-season college football games taking place on Saturdays, it opens the door for UH to draw more viewers on Thursdays and Fridays on flagship networks like ESPN.

Houston’s Sep. 26 matchup against Oregon State in Corvallis, Ore. will air on ESPN at 9:30 p.m. CT, with an opportunity for the game to reach a wider audience.

Nuñez said that moving the game to Friday was a request from ESPN, which he and the university agreed to after settling any potential additional costs and ensuring that any additional costs incurred by Houston would be covered.

Houston’s Big 12 bout against Colorado was rescheduled to Friday, Sep. 12, at TDECU Stadium, which could also air on the country’s largest sports network.

The Buffaloes, led by Pro Football Hall of Famer turned coach Deion Sanders, have garnered plenty of attention since Sanders took the reins of the program in 2023 and are a preseason top 25 team, ranked No. 23.

“That was an opportunity for us to be on a big network, and so we looked at it and said ‘why not’,” Nuñez said. “We could have all eyes on us.”

sports@thedailycougar.com