5 reasons Houston Cougars are national title contenders

5 of 5

Oct 31, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Cougars head coach Tom Herman signals for the team to go for an extra point after scoring a touch down against the Vanderbilt Commodores in the third quarter at TDECU Stadium. Houston won 34 to 0 . Mandatory Credit: Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports /

1. Tom Herman

What sets Houston apart from all other Group of 5 schools and even most Power 5 programs is that the Cougars have a young, but elite head coach in Tom Herman. This is only Herman’s second season in Houston, but has already left an indelible mark on the program. Houston never beat two top 10 teams in back-to-back games until Herman arrived on campus.

Herman is a protegé of Urban Meyer at Ohio State. The Houston head coach was Meyer’s offensive coordinator when the Buckeyes won the first College Football Playoff at the end of the 2014 season. He famously put on a Cougars ball cap just after Ohio State won it all over Oregon.

It’s Herman’s ability to get the most out of his offensive players that sets him apart. He’s the best head coach in the Group of 5. While Meyer and Alabama’s Nick Saban are better coaches, who’s to say that Herman isn’t in the top five in Division I, maybe even as high as No. 3?

Next: Ranking The 25 Best Rivalries In College Football

For this reason, the Cougars need to keep winning to ensure that they get that crucial Big 12 invite. Otherwise, Herman is out the door at the end of the year for a more lucrative Power 5 gig.

Houston is a recruiting hot bed in Texas and the University has the athletic legacy to make the leap to the Power 5. Herman gives the Cougars a surprisingly realistic chance to win the College Football Playoff should Houston make it.

Home/College Football