HOUSTON — Tackling plagues nearly every defense in college football during the first game of the season. Oregon State was no exception. The Beavers had several missed and broken tackles lead to explosive plays in a 33-20 loss to No. 23 Houston Saturday afternoon at TDECU Stadium.

Even though University of Houston and Oregon State were in a close game in the fourth quarter, ESPN still moved it to ESPNews to make way for the start of the Texas-Texas State game.

The Cougars are 21-point favorites in the latest Oregon State vs. Houston odds. The over/under for total points is 51.5. Before making any Oregon State vs. Houston picks, be sure to check out the Houston vs. Oregon State predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model .

The No. 23 Houston Cougars began their highly anticipated 2026 season with a solid 33-20 win over the Oregon State Beavers at TDECU Stadium on early Saturday afternoon.

HOUSTON — What was shaping up to be a rain-soaked blowout of Oregon State turned into a competitive opening game of the JaMarcus Shephard era. No. 23 Houston scored 20 straight and was in full command with 6:40 to go in the third quarter.

Houston football takes on Oregon State in Week 1 of the 2026 season. Follow along for live updates.

Get $10 with an OG promo code for Oregon State vs. Houston on Sept. 5. Trade prediction markets on college football this Saturday.

The opening game of the JaMarcus Shephard era was a fight till the final whistle. Read our recap to learn more.