As Dana Holgorsen and the University of Houston Cougars football team get set to face the TCU Horned Frogs, UH has shared its two-deep depth chart ahead of the highly anticipated Big 12 conference opener.

This matchup with TCU is the Cougars’ first ever Big 12 game and that makes this the first time the Coogs have ever released a depth chart for a Big 12 conference game.

After falling flat against Rice last week, Holgorsen and Houston are aiming to get back on track by shocking the Horned Frogs this weekend.

UH Cougars offensive starters against TCU defense

On offense, Houston will trust Donovan Smith at quarterback, though the offense hasn’t always been clicking so far this season. Smith has thrown for 493 yards and 4 touchdowns through the Cougars’ first two games.

The ground game will be powered by the duo of junior running back Tony Mathis Jr. and sophomore Stacy Sneed. That group will try to find running room against a TCU defense that has been vulnerable at times.

Up front, left tackle Patrick Paul anchors an experienced Houston Cougars offensive line that has combined for 145 starts, the most among offensive lines in the Big 12. Paul is joined by Tyler Johnson at left guard, Jack Freeman at center, Tank Jenkins at right guard, and Reuben Unije at right tackle.

Sophomore Matt Byrnes gets the start at tight end while Samuel Brown, Matthew Golden, and Joseph Manjack IV get started at tight end for the Coogs. Golden is fresh off a solid performance against the Owls, catching 5 passes for 60 yards and 2 touchdowns in Houston’s narrow 43-41 double overtime loss to Rice last weekend.

UH defensive starters look to slow explosive TCU offense

While the Horned Frogs are experimenting with some new looks on offense (Garrett Riley and his Air Raid are off to Clemson while Kendal Briles and his veer and shoot join Sonny Dykes in Fort Worth), the Coogs will still be tasked with trying to stop an explosive TCU offense.

On the defensive line, Houston has Nelson Ceasar, Anthony Holmes Jr, Hakeem Ajijolaiya, and David Ugwoegbu anchoring the defensive line. Just behind them, at linebacker, Malik Robinson and Trimarcus Cheeks are set to start.

In the secondary, the Coogs have Malik Fleming lined up a nickel, Alex Hogan and Isaiah Hamilton at cornerback, and A.J. Haulcy and Antonio Brooks as the starting safeties.

Houston football special teams vs. TCU Horned Frogs

Junior Jack Martin is slated to be the starting kicker against the Horned Frogs while Laine Wilkins handles punting whenever a drive stalls for UH. Senior Peyton Sawyer is set to return kicks while Malik Fleming is slated to return punts.