The Houston Cougars have a huge week ahead of them. This key stretch of the schedule against some of the top competition in the Big 12 will wrap up with another big-time showdown on the road against No. 10 Utah.

A top-15 matchup is in store on late Saturday night against the Utes, which is now the most important game of the season and the one with the highest stakes. Utah will be the highest-ranked opponent Houston has faced all season, and it will be one of the most challenging road environments in the Big 12 at Rice Eccles Stadium.

Houston hasn't been involved in a game like this in a long time. In fact, the last time Houston beat a top-10 team on the road was in 2009. It's been 17 years, and the Cougars will have a chance to do it this weekend.

Houston Looking For Road History

Houston beat No. 5 Oklahoma State back on Sept 12, 2009, by a score of 45-35. That was during the Case Keenum era at UH and the offense took up a 24-7 lead at one point. Keenum threw for 366 yards and 3 touchdowns. The Cougars were a Conference USA team at that point and went 10-4 that season. Keenum racked up 5671 yards and 44 touchdowns, which led the FBS.

Fifth-year quarterback Conner Weigman will have a key role in Utah to lead the offense in a hostile setting.

Prior to the Oklahoma State road upset, the last time Houston beat a top-10 team on the road was in 1984 against No. 3 Texas, where the Cougars won 29-15.

That 17-year streak isn't the only one Houston has a chance to end. The last time Houston won a top-15 road matchup where the Cougars as well as their opponent, were ranked in the top 15 was back in 1979 against Arkansas during the Southwest Conference days.

No. 6 Houston faced No. 4 Arkansas on the road and Houston won 13-10. That happened 47 years ago. Saturday night's Utah matchup that will also be featured on ESPN College GameDay offers Houston an opportunity to make some program history. This is a new place for the Cougars to be.

Houston is playing in its first top-15 showdown since 1991, when the No. 10 Cougars faced No. 2 Miami. UH lost 40-10 just over 35 years ago.

Additionally, the Utah game makes it the first time Houston has played back-to-back regular-season Top 25 matchups where both teams are ranked since 1977 and just the third time in program history (1977, 1976). This stretch isn't too familiar for Houston as the last time the Cougars faced ranked opponents in back-to-back weeks was in 2017.