The Houston Cougars hired Dana Holgorsen away from the West Virginia Mountaineers of the Big 12 back in 2019. Holgorsen’s time at WVU had started to lose steam and a move back to Texas and especially in the talent dense area of Houston was a smart move. Also, the Cougars were primed to eventually be added into the Big 12 mix, anyway.
In Houston’s final season in the AAC before their move to the Big 12, the Cougs faced off against B12 cellar dweller Kansas amidst the Jayhawks resurgence to relevancy. Houston’s offensive coordinator for the 2022 season, Shannon Dawson, is now the play caller for the Miami Hurricanes.