It has been a rough season for Houston football, but the program will have a chance to earn a quality Week 9 win against a Big 12 rival. Zeon Chriss is expected to be the Cougars' starting quarterback when they battle Utah at 7 PM ET on October 26, per Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports and 247 Sports.

Chriss will make his third consecutive start for Houston, and has completed 21-of-31 passes for 187 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions over his five appearances in the 2024-25 campaign. He's also used his legs in the running game, and has been the team's best rushing QB with 32 carries for 174 yards and one touchdown.

Houston has a rebound opportunity ahead against Utah, but the team's 42-14 loss to Kansas in Week 8 didn't offer a ton of hope. Chriss didn't play much in that one, but he will have to make up for the interception he threw late in the first quarter that eventually aided in the Cougars' decision to bench him by the second quarter.

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Zeon Chriss draws start for Houston football in Week 9

While Chriss will open up the game commanding the Houston offense, it's possible that Donovan Smith could also see some snaps at a point during Saturday's contest. Smith has led the Cougars in passing throughout the season, but it appears that Houston head coach Willie Fritz sees a higher ceiling with Chriss running the show against Utah's stout defense.

The decision by Fritz is a clear indicator that he wants to get into a more glacially-paced game against the Utes, who have also struggled on offense recently.

The senior in Smith has thrown for 867 yards, four touchdowns and eight interceptions in the 2024-25 season, so it's possible if the initial running game plan fails early that the Cougars will go with the better passer in the rotation.